Goldie Rox Jewelley. Everyday Statement Jewellery Inspired By Culinary Experiences by Roxanne Rajcoomar-Hadden
345 posts
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Last Seen Blogs
andream092
Andream092
andream092
Andream092
lunamarish
Sentioque inexpletum quiddam in precordiis meis semper.
realbeleza
Sem título
realbeleza
Sem título
Text
Design Development. Series 1: SPAGHETTI CON OLIO DI OLIVA
Last week we discussed what inspired the Spaghetti & Olive Oil earrings. This week I’ll be sharing what went into bringing the idea to life.
Starting a new collection is always a huge challenge. How am I going to make the pieces? How will I make them affordable? How will they sit on the ear? Will it look pretty in real life? How long will it take to produce each piece? What about production costs? These are just some of the things I consider before starting.
I like my design development to grow organically; if the ideas aren't coming to me I don't force them or set deadlines for them, I just wait for the tree to fruit. As most – if not all – of my inspiration comes from food, I am never short of inspiration. The hard part is recreating in real life what I see so clearly in my mind.
I always carry a mini notebook and pencil in my purse as you never know when an idea will start to blossom. Somewhat incongruously, it was actually on a journey from Parsons Green to Tottenham Court Road when I came up with how I wanted to incorporate the Spanish Steps, spaghetti and olive oil into a wearable piece. The sketch I drew ended up turning into an interchangeable piece. I loved the idea of the wearer being able to make the piece their own, wearing it how and in whichever way they wanted to. It becomes far more versatile than just a pair of statement earrings if it can be transformed into a necklace too.
I had decided there would be chains; chains to represent the flow of olive oil, particularly when poured onto a delicious bowl of pasta. I love the glisten of olive oil, so I wanted to ensure I encapsulated that luxurious sensation in the piece.
The next stage was to think about the frame of the piece. How would the frame hold the chain? And how could I make it interchangeable? I set out making a frame to resemble the Spanish Steps, as well as two layers of spaghetti to see how I could make it work...
Frame’s done… but something wasn’t right! The first thing I think is that they are not bold enough – I couldn’t imagine them catching the light in that special way or even sitting nicely on the ear. And more importantly the interchangeable mechanism didn’t work very well, making it more difficult to reproduce and less cost effective too. I always wear the prototypes or samples before I sell them, and these particular pieces weren’t exciting me enough to wear!
So, I went back to my designs, and realised that actually the original designs I came up with on the tube were the best and, somehow, I had gone off piste with the concept. It occurred to me that the additional frames I had added along the way would never work. However, the bars of spaghetti at the top would work and the chain could slide away from the top part, which would make it possible to wear as a necklace too, leaving the double row as the stud. I took that final design to my CAD designer (computer aided design).
Many tools, processes and methods in a jeweller’s workshop have remained unchanged for centuries, but now we are privileged enough to have access to many new technologies and processes which are more cost effective and sustainable, CAD is one of them. For me CAD is such a brilliant way of developing a design, it allows you to play around with different options without wasting metal or spending hours at the jewellery bench trying different styles.
As you can see in the images, my very clever CAD designer, Brogan (get in touch for details), and I sat down together to work through the different options, sizes, weights, dimensions and mechanisms. CAD is so precise, everything is done to size, and it factors in potential risks for you. You get to see the 3D image without physically making anything. It’s genius and I’m starting to fall in love with the earrings already!
The next stage is to print the file into wax, which recreates exactly what you see on your screen into tiny little wax pieces which are then sent off to be cast into silver. The printing process needs to be set up by a specialist, and takes 24 hours. Jewellery casting, also known as lost wax casting, is a process by which a wax pattern is made into a jewellery mould and then filled with molten metal or silver. The wax mould and heated metal inside the mould are thrown into cold water, causing the mould to dissipate and leaving behind the piece of jewellery.
After a few tweaks to the final cast, the piece is ready to be assembled and prepped for you to wear!
Every piece of jewellery has its own unique story before it gets to you, so when buying jewellery consider the craftsmanship, the process, and the love and passion that goes into making it for you. It’s a wonderful process.
Stay tuned next week to find out how the mechanism worked out.
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
What Inspired the Mangiare Collection? Series 1: Spaghetti Con Olio di Oliva
Lots of people ask me if I am a chef, if I used to be a chef, or if I want to be a chef, lol. The answer is no, no, and no. I am a jeweller, who specialises in diamonds and just happens to love food. Not just in the sense that I like eating yummy things (although, of course, I do), but it’s more about the textures, the colours, where, when, and how it grows, the smells that greet your nose when chopping, or that very first mouthful.
Most of all I love how food brings people together. In some ways, it’s a lot like jewellery; everyone has a favourite piece (/dish), or likes it in a certain way (gold/silver); it’s very personal, no palette is the same, just like no cook/chef are the same.
One of the fondest memories from my childhood is sitting on the kitchen worktop helping my dad chop, season, and stir huge pots of stew and curries. The sizzle of the onions, the smell of the fresh garlic, ah I still remember it now - it’s the scent of home.
I always thought it was just my family who cooked in large portions, as if they were expecting 50 people for dinner, but then I met my best friend. Aged 11, I had fallen in love, firstly with pasta, secondly with risotto and thirdly - with the Italian way.
My best friend is the eldest of eight children and her Nonno and Nonna lived at their house – or so it seemed. After-school supper was therefore a *big* deal; it felt like eating with a whole Sicilian community rather than just going to a friends’ house after school. Her mum seemed to have an endless supply of red sauce, seemingly like the freezer produced it! Her Nonno (who is an ex chef) would make it in batches and freeze it for them. However, when her mum did make it from scratch, I was there – and if I wasn’t, I'd run over from my house to experience the sensory bliss.
20 years later and I am still in love with the Italian way. Food is the heart of the home, it brings people together, it’s there to celebrates happiness, birthdays, love, and the best thing is there's always leftovers! This is what inspired me to create the Mangiare collection (‘Mangiare’ was actually the first word I learnt in Italian too!)
Just like food, I believe jewellery also brings people closer, whether it’s a gift from one lover to another or a mother to daughter. It holds sentiment and means someone has thought about what you might like – much in the same way standing over the stove for hours cooking for your family and friends does.
Historically, Italy is one of many fascinating places in Europe. Just imagine if Hernán Cortez hadn't conquered South America; Italian cuisine would be totally different. Spanish Conquistadors brought tomatoes from South America (Peru, specifically) in the early to mid-sixteenth century. Whenever I think of that I always think of the Spanish steps, which were built in 1723-1725 by architect Francesco de Sanctis and financed by French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s bequeathed. It’s a true European collaboration of horizontal beauty, and always reminds me of a bunch of spaghetti falling.
There’s something very enchanting about holding a bunch of uncooked dry spaghetti in your hand, all perfectly stacked, the same size and colour – it’s like an optical illusion. In designing some of the pieces for this collection, I decided to take these very simple shapes, break them apart and see how they would sit as earrings, rings and necklaces.
After arranging them on my chopping board for a few hours, I realised that Spaghetti isn't actually that exciting all alone, it needs something… something very simple. Liquid gold, the Italians call it. Ahh the smell, the glisten and depth of a good olive oil, there’s nothing else like it! From here I worked on turning those two ingredients into jewellery, creating the movement and simplicity that we all adore from Italian cooking.
Every week I will be sharing what inspired me to create each piece in the Mangiare collection, the design process, how we make it and how to wear it. Stayed tuned for next week, where we will be sharing the design process of the Spaghetti con olio di olive earrings.
0 notes
Photo
Ciao tutti, sorry I’ve been a bit MIA and not that engaged on here, I’ve been working on designing some tantalising jewels to adorn your neck, ears and fingers. And have been generally super busy with ‘adult’ life as I keep calling it 🙈. But I’m back and excited to share more of my work. Hold tight! 💃🏽 (at Fulham)
0 notes
Photo
Given its National Pasta Month right now, we thought we’d regram this delicious plate of heaven from @masseriamoroseta because we just adore pasta and because it’s really really inspired us recently @itsgoldierox #goldierox #inspiration #pasta #nationalpastamonth #jewellery
0 notes
Photo
Green is the colour - beautiful emeralds @itsgoldierox #emeralds #jewellery #goldierox #thingswelove #green #jewellerylover #creative #bespoke
0 notes
Photo
We're dreaming of sunshine today @itsgoldierox because travel inspiration is so good for our souls #goldierox #jewellery What's good for your soul?
0 notes
Photo
Really fancy some Fish Roe tonight, or I could just wear it in gold instead 😍. Available on www.goldierox.com in solid gold and silver. #GoldieRox #Jewellery
0 notes
Photo
It's a Roe Earring type of day. #GoldieRox #Jewellery available in solid gold and silver on www.goldierox.com 💗
0 notes
Photo
The lovely ladies @jolicph have been very busy selling #GoldieRox #Jewellery and art by @hannigohr at their Pop Up in #Copenhagen - check out their page for further information 🦀
0 notes
Video
Lunchtime necessity! #GoldieRox #Toothpick #Jewellery (at Shoreditch House)
1 note
·
View note
Photo
I think it's a Gold Clam Earring kind of day 💃🏽 Available in gold and silver on www.goldierox.com #GoldieRox #Jewellery
0 notes
Photo
Last night I met my teenage idol, I wouldn't be doing half the things I do without her talent to inspire me, and I definitely wouldn't be so fond of Marlboro Lights! Congratulations on the launch of your new scent @sarahjessicaparker - it was a true pleasure. #GoldieRox
0 notes
Photo
Surf 'n' Turf anyone? #GoldieRox #Butcherscut #Cow & #Prawn Ring. #Jewellery
0 notes
Photo
I couldn't agree more @dvf 💎 Have a wonderful day everyone ☀️. #GoldieRox #Jewellery
0 notes
Photo
What colour stone would you choose for you customised Roe ring? #GoldieRox #Jewellery
0 notes