It started with a tattoo.
12th March 2014
The process of making this pendant was done mainly via the internet. First step was for my customer to email me a photo of a tattoo that the design was to be based on. The tattoo depicts the Om symbol in the centre of a lotus.
The tattoo for the design
Using the tattoo to trace over I created the pendant digitally. The photo was purposely left colourless to concentrate on the shape. My initial guidelines were for a 4cm wide pendant that incorporated some gemstones.
First digital layout of the pendant.
It was decided that the centre Om symbol was to be surrounded by diamonds. In the next digital draft I added some colour.
Add some colour.
Next we looked at options regarding the gemstones to be used on the pendant. After viewing this image blue gemstones were selected.
140123 David Taylor Master Jeweller Cairns Jeweller
Deciding the gem colour.
Following some discussion both the customer and myself felt that the pendant was too heavy in appearance. We modified the design to lighten the gold work.
Lighten the external leaves.
Encouraged by the direction the design was taking we decided to try carving out the inside Lotus leaves as well.
Lighten the internal leaves as well.
My customer liked the changes so we looked at what the pendant would hang from. A neoprene necklace was to be used and an image depicting various gauge rubbers was created and the size below was selected.
Deciding on the gauge of the Neoprene necklace to allow for.
With the top view finalised it was time to look at the side gallery of the pendant. Our objective here was to come up with a design that did not add too much weight and also complimented the rest of the pendant.
Desiging the gallery.
Up to this point we had the intention of using the customers birthstone of Aquamarines in the pendant. For the purpose of selecting a gemstone colour my customer came into my studio to view the gemstones. Computer screens and photos can alter the colour so an actual viewing was the best way to ensure that all was correct.
As gemstones get smaller the colour lightens. Aquamarines are a light blue even when they are quite large so at the desired diameter of 2ml they were too pale in colour for my customer. After comparing them side by side, Blue Topaz were selected to be used in the pendant.
Aquamarine on the left and Blue Topaz on the right.
The pendant was now ready to made. 9ct yellow and white gold alloys were used. .30 carats of round brilliant cut diamonds surround the Om symbol with blue Topaz gemstones spaced between the Lotus leaves.