The Latest: Custom Work and Using Your Family Gold

Meeting with clients for a custom project - two very unique commitment rings

While releasing a new collection twice a year is certainly a big part of what I do, many may not realize that a lot of my work at Talisman involves custom projects for clients. It’s really a treat to be able to hand-make meaningful pieces like commitment rings, commemorative pendants, or to work 1:1 to bring a client’s unique vision into reality. Below are a few recent custom projects I’ve been working on. These projects usually start with sculpting the piece in wax, which is shown to the client for approval before it’s cast in solid, recycled gold. Most often I work in recycled 14k gold, though on occasion I am asked to cast in 18k, or in sterling silver. Thanks to the handmade nature of my work, anything is possible!

Speaking of recycled gold, it’s also worth mentioning - I often get asked whether I can incorporate a client’s heirloom jewelry or old gold into new pieces. The short answer is YES - it is entirely possible to melt scrap gold that might be collecting dust at the back of your jewelry box, and to reuse it in a new Talisman piece. Be aware that it does take a bit of extra time, as it’s always safest to have the gold refined first, to eliminate any impurities or aging alloys that may cause brittleness or instability, and then re-alloy back into 14k or 18k grains for casting. Regardless, it can be done, and in fact I do it often! So if you have any family jewels sitting in your safety deposit box that you just know you’re not going to ever wear, why not give it new life by repurposing it into a piece you’ll love and cherish?

One link at a time…

These one-of-a-kind links are first sculpted in wax, but will soon become a chunky 18k gold toggle bracelet for a lucky client! Stay tuned for more on this baddie.

As always, thank you to my amazing clients who allow me to do what I love for work! Infinite gratitude for you <3

A custom initial pendant for a client, to be cast in recycled 14k gold

First it’s sculpted in wax

Then cast in solid, recycled gold

Then assembled/soldered, and put through a strenuous hand-finishing process to get to the final piece. I loved these little stud earrings so much that I decided to add them to the regular collection here.

Recycle Your Old Gold Into Something You Love

A friendly reminder/PSA, since these messages can sometimes get lost in the fray: Talisman will take your old scrap gold - family baubles that don’t fit your taste (or quite literally don’t fit), that necklace your ex gave you, etc etc - and turn it into something you love. Many jewelers can’t offer this because it’s actually not as simple a process as you’d think. Simply melting down antique gold jewelry can lead to brittle and unstable castings. However, I am lucky to have a connection to a very kind refiner who will take our little bits of 10k, 14k and 18k gold and give us the same gold back, refined and ready to reuse. This is important to many of my customers, who wish to retain the energy of the original heirloom piece. I, for one, am a big believer that gold retains the energy of the wearer within it - it is, after all, one of the best conducting elements we know of. So why not recycle that gold that’s sitting in your jewelry box, and turn it into a piece you will wear every day again?

Custom Work: Engagement Rings for Matthew and Orlando

Nearly finished rings, just before I added a brushed texture

Custom work is a big part of what I do here at Talisman Fine Jewelry. And there are few things that are quite so special as making commitment rings for a couple… something they’ll wear for a lifetime, day in and day out. It’s always an honor when someone asks me to create such a piece. So suffice it to say, when my friend Matthew asked if I would help make dual engagement rings for he and his partner, I was over the moon. I also personally love the idea that both partners should get to wear an engagement ring… why not?? It’s 2023, and we can make our own rules!

On a personal note - Matthew and I have a long history of friendship, stemming from when we were backstage together at many a fashion show, where I would be doing wardrobe styling, while Matthew and his team did hair and makeup. Such fun memories. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Matthew’s partner Orlando a bit more since they became a couple, and couldn’t have been more overjoyed to hear that Matthew wanted to take it to the next level. What a wonderful duo they are!

So after much deliberating with Matthew on just what these important rings would look like (Traditional? Modern? We ran through the whole gamut of options…), funny enough, when Matthew slyly got Orlando’s thoughts on ring designs, we came full circle to the wabi sabi, organic look and feel that is really my specialty. Perfect.

Just after casting - the raw rings in sterling silver

I then got started creating the two rings in wax, which is indeed how much of my work begins. Each ring was one-of-a-kind, distinctly for its wearer, and yet definitely a pair. Then from there the rings went into casting - sterling silver, in this case. (Yes, I will do silver too upon request!)

After casting comes the intensive process of hand-sawing and grinding off any nubs and “sprues," and my (definitely neurotic) 10-step sanding and polishing process (after which we then brought them back to a brushed, “satin” finish). Voila!

Honestly, one of the hardest parts of this whole project was sitting on this major secret, waiting for Matthew to propose! It was such a treat to finally see the proposal online, while the couple was down in Santa Fe. Pure magic. I wish them all the love and blessings on their union <3

The proposal! Cute!

Post proposal embrace

How cute are these two?!

The custom engagement rings <3

Turning Your Old Gold Into New Treasure

Custom 18k gold ring, handmade using the client’s own melted gold.

When three different clients approach you within a one month span, all asking if you can melt their old family jewelry down to make something new, you know it’s something you need to look into. While melting scrap gold might sound simple enough, in actuality it’s a little more complicated, and not all jewelers will do it. Most gold refiners won’t return you with the exact same gold you gave them - they’re far too busy for such “small” requests. And simply melting down aunt Judy’s ring in the crucible and throwing it into the new casting is both risky and very costly: not only can that metal become brittle and a little unpredictable, but when done this way, the jeweler needs to come up with enough gold to fill the entire “tree” and “sprue” in the casting (the lines through which the molten gold travels to get to your new ring)… aka that requires thousands of dollars more gold than is needed for the individual piece itself. Hence my earlier statement that many jewelers simply won’t do it.

Pre-casting, the ring is first carved in wax. I wanted this weighty cigar band to have a subtle asymmetry to it, playing on offset angles.

By happenstance, though, I discovered that I actually have a special connection to a gold refiner who WILL return your own precious family gold to you, in a chunk of solid, pure 24k. Luck? Coincidence? Maybe a bit of both. But all of this is to say, that after some time and research, I finally got the process down, and have been able to make these customers new gold jewelry that they’ll love and wear everyday, out of their old gold jewelry that, while heirloom, was wasting away in a box. So why not transform your old 10k, 14k and 18k gold pieces that you don’t love, into something that you do? Nothing more alchemical than that, I’d say. To inquire, just shoot me an email at vanessa@talismanfinejewelry.co.

Fresh out of casting, the ring still has bits of “sprues” attached to it that must be ground off, followed by multiple steps of sanding and polishing to get to the final product.

The finished product! Solid 18k refined heirloom gold. It will forever hold the energy of the client’s family heirlooms.

Another pic of the finished product.

Alternative Wedding Rings: My Thoughts and Top Picks

Model Aleah Hyvonen wears the Rollo Band and Portal Ring on her ring fingers, as well as the Demeter Cigar Band on her pointer. Photo by Chiara Garland.

Let’s be honest, not every woman (or man for that matter) is a diamond person, and it can most definitely be said that not all are seeking that traditional one-carat-diamond-or-larger solitaire engagement look. Not knocking the style - it’s a classic, no doubt. But no one should feel confined to a style defined by mainstream society, should that not fit with who they are as a person. Your love is also unique, and your ring should represent that individuality. Plus, not everyone wants or is able to spend a down payment on a house for their ring.

Aleah wears the Portal Ring and Rollo Band. Photo by Chiara Garland.

I’ve been thrilled over the last few years to design wedding bands, both custom and from the collection, that I feel are at once both very classic and timeless, comfortable, and yet utterly unique and modern. That is Talisman’s look, in a nutshell, after all. It’s such a personal, intimate thing to get to make a ring that someone will wear for a lifetime, and I treat these projects with a lot of special care and honor.

Model Niki Gibson wears the Demeter Cigar Band on her ring finger. I do love this look for a commitment ring <3 Photo by Andrew Vanasse.

Wondering what direction to go, or overwhelmed by all the possibilities? Some of my personal top picks for nontraditional wedding rings from the collection include the Portal Ring, with its comfortably tapered band, and both the Rollo and Petite Rollo Bands - two wonderfully pudgy, donut-like, fully-round bands that work great for both brides and grooms. These are bands that are simple, elegant, yet are certainly statement-making. And, should you want a little sparkle, I’d say that each of these rings, particularly the Rollo and Petite Rollo, also sit really nicely next to a diamond eternity band too. Though for those looking for a one-and-done, packs-a-bold-punch commitment look, going with the Persephone Ring is another great call. I also love the extra wide band and clean lines of the Demeter Cigar Band too. Perfect for the fashion-forward bride.

Model Nyasia Wyani wears the Persephone Ring on her ring finger. Photo by Blake Jackson.

Still unsure? Reach out to me here and we can begin a conversation about designing a custom piece to your liking. I love commissions, and am always happy to make you something one-of-a-kind.

A Wedding Band and More Recent Custom Work

While Talisman Fine Jewelry is mostly known as a seasonless collection of heirloom jewelry, some customers are surprised to learn that a large part of my business actually includes custom jewelry. Hence why I like to occasionally share my latest custom work with you all here.

Most recently, I had the honor or creating a custom 14k white gold men’s wedding band for Nick. Nick liked the subtle wabi-sabi nature of my work, but agreed that keeping the ring low-profile (in a literal sense) would be most comfortable for everyday wear. He also opted for a brushed finish, rather than the bright shine of a mirror polish. The result can be seen below. It is always such an honor to create commitment rings and wedding bands for customers… it’s something they’ll be wearing and cherishing for a lifetime, with so much meaning attached to it. As with all Talisman Fine Jewelry pieces, I imbue each creation with intention while crafting it, and take time to set the finished piece on my altar for blessing. This is especially important for commitment rings, for obvious reasons. So with Nick’s ring completed and a blessing for a happy, long-lasting union bestowed upon it, the ring is ready to ship out before his July nuptials! (Side note: custom jewelry can take anywhere from 4-8 weeks to complete, depending on the piece, so always make sure you’ve allotted enough time when putting in your order, especially if you have a deadline to meet).

Custom 14k white gold wedding band for Nick

Another fun custom project that came across my desk was a request for two pendants to represent a client’s work. Specifically, Alexandra works in the women’s health field as a pelvic care practitioner, and she wanted to be able to wear her pendants daily to honor the important medicine that she performs. Working together on the design, we came up with the concept of the spiral - an ancient symbol found historically across many global cultures - as a representation of the womb and its creation process, and of the life cycle journey, including growth, death and rebirth, and a return always to the Great Mystery.

The spiral, a representation of creation, and the journey of life

The second pendant was a more literal request - a yoni. My version was ever-so-slightly abstracted, but generally pretty anatomically obvious, at Alexandra’s request. Not your typical custom order, but I was thrilled to oblige! Participating in destigmatizing the yoni in particular was something that excited me. Alexandra and I both felt, ‘To he** with people who are freaked out by the organ from which they came into the world!’ For this piece I also added a twisted bail detail, to subtly tie it in with its spiral counterpart. Check out the end result below.

Finished womb spiral and yoni pendants for Alexandra

If you’re looking to get engaged, need a commitment ring, or simply have an idea for a jewelry piece that you’d like to turn into a reality, I encourage you to reach out and start a conversation. The best way to contact me, as always, is email - vanessa@talismanfinejewelry.co

Special thanks to Nick and Maddi, as well as Alexandra, for trusting me with your special creations!