After nearly 30 years of custom jewellery design here in Cape Town, I have A LOT of stories. When I say custom jewellery, I REALLY mean custom!
I’ve made hundreds of pieces over the years, from the incredibly sentimental to the completely outrageous. But there are a few briefs I still think about all these years later...
And these have to be some of the funniest, quirkiest and most memorable.
A Platinum Fairy Wand
I’d been working for about five years at this point, with a very wealthy couple as clients. And now, nearly 30 years later, I still can’t believe I had the opportunity to create something so magical. Literally.
His love language was gift-giving. I’d made her rings and necklaces and all of the diamonds and all the bling you could possibly think of. And every time he came to me, he’d always ask with so much enthusiasm, “What can we make?!”
So, on a whim, I said to him, “Ah, she’s SUCH a queen, why don’t we make her a wand? She loves zooting around the house in a tiara I’d made her, so it just feels like the perfect addition.”
He frothed at the idea of making a fairy wand!
And I’m not kidding you, I made her a platinum fairy wand encrusted with gemstones, with all these little chains hanging off it with tiny gemstones on the ends. So, when she waved it around, they would catch the sunrays with the most mystical glimmer and sparkle.
It was one of the most fun briefs I’ve ever done. And with no budget, I could really have fun!!!
I wish I’d taken photos of it, but I’m sure you can just imagine…
The Pearls in the Oysters
There are the custom pieces with stories that you simply couldn’t make up.
One of my clients took his partner out for a romantic dinner, and they had oysters. While they were eating, she found three or four tiny pearls in the oysters that had just been opened at their table.
His brief to me was to create a beautiful pendant for her, where those little pearls could all float freely inside a gold shape with a sapphire glass top, with each pearl surrounded by its own gold setting.
Imagine tiny little orbs floating in gold. It was absolutely stunning and remains one of my favourite pieces I’ve ever made.
And Then There Was... This
When I say I make VERY personal custom pieces for my clients... well, this one takes that meaning to an unbelievable level.
I made an engagement ring for a couple. She was a gynaecologist, and I also made their wedding rings.
Before their wedding, she came to me and asked if I could create a... well... a... um...
A penis attachment.
Which literally was a gold cage that fitted over the top of her fiancé’s penis, with each little tentacle ending around the urethra studded with a diamond. Which I made. Fabulously, obviously!
But can you imagine me having to do a fitting?! I said, “Look, I draw the line.” So, I gave them a stencil, one of those with all the different-sized holes cut into it, and said, “Please take this home with you. I need you to give me the circle size when your penis is flaccid and then again when your penis is erect.” Because, obviously, I needed to make it adjustable.
Definitely one of the quirkiest things I’ve ever made. And to be honest, I wasn’t very fazed if anything got stuck in there because she’s a gynae, so I assumed she’d be able to sort everything out.
How Wild Is Your Idea?
A platinum fairy wand. Pearls found over dinner. And yes... even a diamond-studded penis attachment. I think it’s safe to say there isn’t much that scares me when it comes to custom design.
So, if you’ve got an idea that’s sentimental, unusual, completely bonkers or simply something you’ve never seen anywhere else, tell me about it! Chances are, I’ll be just as excited about making it as you are. Let’s talk custom jewellery!
