New project - sapphire and demantoid butterfly brooch

[Ionysis]

Hello friends, thought I would start a new thread for my latest project.

I had a couple of larger sapphires left over from my bracelet / earring project and I also had some demantoid garnet melee which I wasn’t sure how to use. I had a play around and thought that I would try to make a brooch.

I also had some small 3.5mm mixed coloured round sapphires which happened to exactly match the larger stones in colour so I threw those in too.

My scrappy sketch was translated into a CAD by my very talented jeweller - with the addition of a few tapered baguettes and some tweaks to style.

This is now the final design going to the bench. I’m pretty excited.

All the stones are unheated and untreated. The colours of the sapphires are muted not vibrant but I think they offset the garnets pretty well.

 

[missy]

Omg I LOVE this!

 

[Mreader]

Super cool! But do you mean dragonfly?

 

[T L]

Super cool! But do you mean dragonfly?

Dragonflies have a long narrow abdomen, but butterflies have wide wings (these are more like dragonfly wings). This looks to be a cross between a butterfly and a dragonfly. It’s a lovely design though, but I thought I’d point that out for anyone interested in the anatomical features.

Looking forward to the end product!! Thanks for sharing the design.

 

[Ionysis]

I guess it could even be a fly or a bee!

Maybe I should use the generic “insect” terminology. I have invented my own creature

I’m going to have to go on a Google images insect hunt now to see if there is a natural equivalent silhouette LOL!

 

[Ionysis]

I’ve come down to either bee or flying ant. Where is an entomologist on a jewellery forum when you need one?!

 

[T L]

Eh, I wouldn’t worry so much about the kind of insect, as it looks like an insect, and I’ve never seen a bee or dragonfly with demantoid wings! Lol!

The proportions are nice and it’s fanciful.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Oh, that's a bee! I love it!

 

[JackTrick]

god, I love your projects

 

[Eli22]

This is fabulous! Can’t wait to see the final product!

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

Love the whimsy! We need a critters thread!

 

[Mreader]

Love the whimsy! We need a critters thread!

There is one. I will try to dig it up

 

[Mreader]

There is one. I will try to dig it up

Show me your animal inspired bling

Thought it would be cute to collect all our critter bling in one spot! I’m looking at you @Catmom though I’m sure others have animal or insect inspired pieces as well! Lets make a bling jungle!

www.pricescope.com

 

[LilAlex]

All the stones are unheated and untreated. The colours of the sapphires are muted not vibrant but I think they offset the garnets pretty well.

Love the colors and the juxtaposition! Love the bee! can't wait to see it!

 

[Ionysis]

There is one. I will try to dig it up

Thanks - can’t wait to explore the pics in that one - I love nature / creature jewellery.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

I love critter brooches and that color combo is gorgeous!

Purple, green and white where Suffragette colors, they often wore purple/green/white brooches to show their beliefs, so I think it makes your brooch all the more meaningful, especially these days with women's rights being chipped away at.

Post | AntiqueAnimalJewelry

www.antiqueanimaljewelry.com

 

[Ionysis]

I love critter brooches and that color combo is gorgeous!

Purple, green and white where Suffragette colors, they often wore purple/green/white brooches to show their beliefs, so I think it makes your brooch all the more meaningful, especially these days with women's rights being chipped away at.

Post | AntiqueAnimalJewelry

www.antiqueanimaljewelry.com

That’s exactly why I wanted those colours!!! I lost out in a violet sapphire last year
which I’d wanted to make into a green white violet (Give Women Votes!) ring.

 

[Ionysis]

So photo from the bench. I collect it later today!

I’m wavering about asking for mil grain around the wings. I usually hate milgrain but I wonder if it would work on this design. I might have a better feel when I see it in person.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I guess it could even be a fly or a bee!

Maybe I should use the generic “insect” terminology. I have invented my own creature

I’m going to have to go on a Google images insect hunt now to see if there is a natural equivalent silhouette LOL!

i absolully love this and am so excitted its a brooch
i think he or she needs a name and then it wont matter what kind of flying insect it is

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

So photo from the bench. I collect it later today!

I’m wavering about asking for mil grain around the wings. I usually hate milgrain but I wonder if it would work on this design. I might have a better feel when I see it in person.

OMG
DDG
i cant breath

 

[Mreader]

So photo from the bench. I collect it later today!

I’m wavering about asking for mil grain around the wings. I usually hate milgrain but I wonder if it would work on this design. I might have a better feel when I see it in person.

I love it! I think milgrain would look good. Post in the critter thread. I have a gold dragonfly brooch I converted I’ll have to dig up.

 

[Ionysis]

Finally in my sticky little hand!

 

[Ionysis]

Looks tiny when pinned on in that photo - but I thinks that’s just my big hooters!

 

[rungirl]

I LOVE it! If it were mine, I think I'd find a way to wear it all the time!

 

[icy_jade]

I vote for milgrain but how do you feel about it?

 

[Catmom]

Oh it's awesome and I love it! It would fit in nicely with my gang.....just sayin' lol.

 

[Ionysis]

I LOVE it! If it were mine, I think I'd find a way to wear it all the time!

This would sound ridiculous to a non price scoper but I actually ordered a new blue trouser suit and a lavender and green chopard silk scarf for work JUST so I can pin this to the lapel. Please tell me I am not the only one who buys clothes to match jewellery not the other way round!

 

[Ionysis]

I vote for milgrain but how do you feel about it?

In pictures it look likes it need it. But face to face I actually like the clean lines. It’s quite a vintage design but a modern take. The gold setting is heavy and solid so it doesn’t bend when pinned and unpinned and it has quite a contemporary flavour in person. I think I will wear it a while and see how I feel.

 

[Ionysis]

Oh it's awesome and I love it! It would fit in nicely with my gang.....just sayin' lol.

I absolutely love your critters. I actually visit them on here every now and again and drool! I particularly love Mr Flamingo.

 

[Mreader]

This would sound ridiculous to a non price scoper but I actually ordered a new blue trouser suit and a lavender and green chopard silk scarf for work JUST so I can pin this to the lapel. Please tell me I am not the only one who buys clothes to match jewellery not the other way round!

I find myself wearing more and more black as a blank canvas to show off the jewels.