Destined for a little finger (pinky) this recent commission has a lovely Botswana maccle diamond in yellow and white gold.

A feature on Weddings in the upcoming Nelson magazine had me collecting examples of past pairs, made by Christine. A partnership being such an individual occasion, it seems fair to represent personality when choosing symbolic rings? Using significant metal or stone (Granny's wedding ring, Mum's diamond?) or just personal preference (yellow, white, red gold?) leaves many stories for the telling. Come and explore.......

Since the advent of the smart-phone, indicators of Time have lost much of their value; we forget how important the clock has been in our history? Christine recalled visiting Strasboug cathedral in the early 60s, when the rooster on their timepiece had just been restored. David was in Lyon as an 18 year old and revisited their astronomical clock 50 years later! The Rathaus in Munich always draws a crowd for its chime. Other time references were Christine's class reunion as they all turn 70 - except their teacher who is already 80!.. My brother John had a spell working with Porsche and recorded lap-times for a Can Am car on their test track near Stuttgart, here he encounters the same vehicle in the Porsche Museum. And time with numbers hard to fathom is recorded in the fossils at the Berger Museum: here is a fish with external fins, that managed to live on land as well as in the swamp! Enamel watch dial has found its way into a number of Christine's pieces over the years, here a couple of examples.

David's highlight of European travel last month was a visit to the Le Corbusier chapel at Ronchamps, near Strasbourg. The Order's choice of an agnostic protestant to design their catholic pilgrimage chapel was controversial but it has a calm and serenity that transcends tradition and returns to the essence of religion.
Opened in 1955, it is being restored, ready to delight those who make the off-the-track effort to visit.
Christine's silver ring with a golden pearl and garnet seems to embody a similar sense of quiet strength and grandeur, a gentle complexity?
https://en.wikipedia...tre-Dame_du_Haut

After working on a series of commissions, Christine has created a lovely silver bangle with a dendrite agate and complimentary stones. The traces of manganese in the clear agate so resemble the fossilised ferns that we saw in a limestone quarry in Eichstätt, near Augsburg in Germany. They are, however, quite unrelated!
Learning of the life forms in lagoons some 1.5 million years ago and the emergence of land-based creatures from aquatic forebears was fascinating; a colleague of Christine from the 70s owns the quarry where the 'Berlin archaeopteryx' was discovered.
More from a month in Europe to come.....

April 15-23 is Nelson Jewellery Week, the second time this event has happened and a good programme is on offer at nelsonjewelleryweek.nz.
Wellington magazine ArtZone published this article in their April issue; we love the sapphire ring photo and the story has captured the essence of her work really well! Hope you can join us?

The Star Rutile quartz is a beautiful piece of nature, featuring needles of titanium dioxide, often rich in iron, around a core of pyrite. Attributed powers of cleansing and stimulating the chakras, it is a treasured option for those seeking healing from gemstones.
Christine has created this delicately light Double Ring in 18ct gold, teaming the quartz with a maccle diamond. It sits, unusually, on the LEFT hand (sorry, you cannot turn it over for the right!) with the diamond nestling at the base of the index finger.
'The jewellery of Christine is like no other you will ever wear; a single glance confirms this'.

Double Ring Nr2 for 2023! Some lovely old inventory has emerged, three cabochon rhodochrosite, an operculum and a moonstone. Mostly in silver, a little 18ct gold detail and gliding over the fingers of the right hand. I love the coif on the snail's lid!

Back into the studio after the long summer holidays and now preparing for Nelson Jewellery Week in April. Stephanie Bennett's documentary Christine...The Artist Goldsmith is showing in NMIT on Friday 21st April at 6pm and her work is on display in the theatre that day. Do come and spend some time in Nelson that week, seeing what the contemporary jewellers have on offer?

A group of Christine's work is on show at the Suter through to late January! Keep an eye out if visiting?

A fun day on Sunday. showing at the Great Christmas Market in Founders Park, Nelson. Despite some really heavy rain, many people ventured out and enjoyed the offerings; we had lots of really interesting talks, sold some fine work and went away very satisfied! What a joy to be only 3km from home, making the to and fro so simple. Back next year.

This portrait of Christine by the late Marti Friedlander enjoys a freshness and directness that represents her approach to jewellery perfectly. Uncompromising, confident. #oneofakind #handmadejewelry

Our travelling showcases have been set up in many varied locations around Britain, Germany and New Zealand, but probably most famously at Highclere Castle, near Oxford, before it became known as 'Downton Abbey'! (They charged us £1700 for a full weekend, exclusive use!!!)
Next weekend, on Sunday 20 November 2022, however, they will again be active at the GREAT CHRISTMAS MARKET, at Founders Park in Nelson. This splendid facility houses all sorts from steam engines, a windmill, old shop fronts and is a great space for a day out.
If you are in Nelson, do come and visit; it is our first real public outing (Covid having prevented gatherings since we moved here) and we are really looking forward to telling our stories and explaining Christine's work.
#finejewellery #oneofakind #handmade

Many years ago, in the dim light of a German restaurant, our opal dealer Emil Weiss presented a group of ammolite to us! It was the first time we had seen the opalised skin of an ammonite cut to a gemstone and they fascinated us on the spot. This is the last of that parcel - a real beauty!

An elevating thought for a mid-week morning?
A Cook Island keshi pearl is raised above (and protects) a Mexican fire opal in this Sterling silver left-index-finger ring.
Gold filings are fused onto the band, bringing texture and contrast that is visible between finger and thumb. (It also sits well on the right hand ring finger.)
One-off. Hand-made.

Hand-made chain: in 18ct gold (and samples in sterling silver). Drawn wire, wrapped around mandrels to make the links and then soldered together. The chain rolls beautifully, is hardly noticeable on the neck and looks magnificent.
This one is for Christine herself (using inherited gold coin). It is a wonderful way to re-purpose a collection of unworn gold jewellery, to celebrate an anniversary (golden at 50, insert a ruby for 40 years, sapphire for 45....) or just as a special treat: but do we really need an excuse?!
Come and talk it over!

Apart from liking all things made 'by hand', we have a special affinity with clay; in our Stuttgart shops we ran the Potter's Gallery alongside Goldschmiede Christin and retailed contemporary ceramics from Britain and Germany.
So when Steve Fullmer told us he was firing up his wood-fired kiln, we were keen to go and watch for an hour (or two!). It was fascinating, a really attentive procedure, keep an eye on temperatures, the draw of the chimney stack, the nature and behaviour of the woods and many other factors. Robin has to ensure Steve is looked after for over 12 hours, keeping him fed and watered whilst he tends his baby.
After taking it up to 1300C (front of chamber, lower at the back) it then needs 48 hours to cool down to avoid cracking the pots on contraction. A pretty heart-stopping business!
The shots of Steve with a lance in hand are his spraying salt water in to create a reducing atmosphere (starved of oxygen) for special glaze effects.
All these processes and techniques need our support to ensure their survival in a digital age.
I will post separately about Nelson Clay Week, coming up in October. David.

Started before the events of my last post but completed since, this necklace qualifies as a 'post-flood' creation?
The five pink stones are agates, from Göttschied near Idar-Oberstein in Germany. We love the patterns on the main slab and all the textures involved. Three of these have been with us for over 40 years, the others recently joined them.
It is strung on French knitting done with silk thread and a half-moon jasper adds a finishing touch.
(Maybe Christine was thinking that we should live on a mountain, rather than in a valley?!)

The past couple of weeks have been disrupted again, this time through a serious flood of the river Maitai, which runs (usually) beyond our back garden but decided to run through it instead!
There was still plenty of capacity before our 1905 house was affected (they knew where to build in those days?) but we were evacuated with the rest of the street - some whom were less fortunate. 4 days later we could return home.
All is back to normal again and the first day of Spring brings lots of promise with it for a beautiful return of nature's bounty.

Pink opals, from Mexico! Paua shell elements and rose quartz beads complete the picture. These opals have been waiting a very long time to find their rightful place and this spring necklace resonates with the coming (here in Nelson) season of cherry blossom and glittering seascape.
A great addition to your jewellery box? Treat yourself.....