Metalheads: A Learning Lesson, Part 1 | Enamel Jewelry Care

I know it’s a bit nerdy, and it may be the last thing people think about when purchasing a piece of beautifully handcrafted jewelry, but not knowing proper care instructions is like buying a new car without driver’s manual! In order to make it an heirloom piece, let’s talk about jewelry care. I have been wanting to incorporate an educational  blog post for some time. I hope you will find this information useful and valuable!

I have included the materials and metals that I use in my work, but you can also apply these care tips to the jewelry you have that share the same medium. Jewelry is as diverse as the artists that create it. With so much information to share I decided to break this information up into a five-part series: enamel jewelry; gold-filled/gold vermeil/gold leaf jewelry; oxidized sterling silver jewelry; sterling silver jewelry; and gold and platinum jewelry.

Also, if you have an educational topic to suggest, please email me.

Caring for Enamel Jewelry

Enamel jewelry is created by the fusion of glass at very high temperatures with metals. Like a fine glass sculpture, enamel jewelry is beautiful and yet fragile, and can scratch easily. It needs proper care on a regular basis to maintain its beauty. Be careful handling your pieces of enamel jewelry. Place jewelry on tissue paper or soft cloth and wrap it up before and after you wear it. This will protect the glass from accidental scratches and chips. And place the jewelry in a separate storage box; this will prevent them from being bumped against other items and becoming accidentally damaged.

Next month I’ll cover gold-filled, gold vermeil, and gold leaf jewelry. Stay tuned!

A Dutch Adventure: Finding Inspiration at the Rijks Museum

As a jewelry artist, I am always seeking my next source of inspiration, even when I’m on vacation.(I know I shouldn’t think about work while vacationing but I just can’t help myself : P ). It is part of who I am, it is my identity.  

My husband Nate and I spent two weeks in April visiting friends in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. I spent time people-watching on the streets, in the stores, museums, and the subways and finding the most interesting pieces of jewelry. This was my first visit to Europe and I did notice a huge difference when it comes to jewelry between American and European style. My observation was that people wear a more subtle style and a lot of smaller gold-tone jewelry. Occasionally I found some very avant-garde modern jewelry. I wish I could have taken pictures of those people, but I didn’t want to be mistaken as creepy.  

I felt like I was in heaven when we visited the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The museum has an extensive permanent jewelry collection from the 16th century to the modern era. I was especially drawn to the 16th century Renaissance-era and Baroque-era enameled jewelry. The craftsmanship of these master pieces are amazing. The details of the ornate designs are so intricate that I was left wondering how the goldsmiths were able to develop the metalsmithing techniques back then. I was like a kid in a candy store, wishing I could learn those techniques from the jewelry masters. Now I understand why the Netherlands is known for its “Dutch Design”: the Dutch people have inherited their aesthetics from talented, past generations.  

Here are couple of my top favorite pieces that I want to share with you:  (list of 6-8 images of jewelry)   

It is nice to be home again and back in my studio: I am feeling fully rested, re-charged, and inspired. While I don’t know how this trip is going to influence my future designs, I do know the seed has been planted. I am excited to see how it’s going to flourish in its own surprising way. Stay tuned!

It's here!!! HTY Jewelry 2017 Collection "REVEAL"

I've been working so hard developing and creating my 2017 collection in the studio since last December....and now I can finally share my new collection "Reveal" with you!!! 

The “Revel” series is the true marriage of geometric inspired elements and electro-formed enamel design. I'm completely intrigued by the endless possibility of the triangle form: from the 2D form to the 3D form to the wearer, and the space is created among three. I intentionally left the fold-formed enamel triangle component with an opened seam in order to create an invitation for the wearer to look closer because there is more to be revealed inside. The organic pattern is created by electro-forming. This makes every piece unique.  

It's available in my shop now, how would you dress of these beauties? 

I love to hear from you! Let me know what you think about this new collection!