Jewellery industry is sometimes considered somewhat unsustainable, but it does not have to be so! It has always been the practice to pass on the bespoke pieces to the next generation and recycle gemstones and metals to new, more modern pieces. This makes a good use of materials and contributes to the sustainability.
Last month Takashimaya department store in Singapore celebrated eco-awareness in collaboration with Creative Jewellery Studio. MyDesign of Gems and 11 other designers up-cycled many different materials and trinkets into beautiful, extraordinary jewellery pieces that just blew everyone away! It was a great privilege to observe new life to be brought into the unloved items.
Photo credits to my fellow designers: Mila, Doreen Tan, Jewel Tree, Ernest Yeo Designs
I used faux pearls from forgotten hair clips and a band. The clusters of pearls in the band reminded me of Japanese Cherry Blossom season. This piece had not only the pearls up-cycled, but also the silver used was recycled!
The recycled silver used has a fun clay form, which contains silver particles (originating from old x-ray films), natural binding agent and water. That’s all! The clay allows free shaping by hand while the piece solidifies during firing into 99.9% silver. The surface of this piece was brushed to create a tree branch feel. To obtain the white, silvery luster, only a simple polishing was needed. To further improve sustainability, this pendant was shaped to allow easy future up-cycle, for example, with your grandmother’s pearls or gems.
Stay tuned for more recycled silver pieces. In the meantime, you can find a piece or two at Creative Jewellery Studio.
