Welcome to another edition of Behind The Gems!
Each month, we take you on an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of our signature collections and pieces.
In the spotlight today: an expressive, one-of-a-kind piece that we still remember fondly: The Playful Octopus Necklace.
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Inspiration
We’ve always loved pearls, they’re one of our favourite things to wear. Especially baroque! There’s something about their irregular shape that goes straight to our hearts.
It therefore should come as no surprise, that it was an oddly-shaped baroque pearl which caught our imagination and inspired us to create The Playful Octopus.
Esther started making this piece in Ireland as a memento of the time we spent living in Australia, in a little coastal town called Mandurah. Being in such close proximity to the ocean for so many years had given us a love and appreciation for its vast ecosystems and beautiful creatures.
Plus, we had an octopus which lived in the water in front of our house (on the canals) - this piece always reminds us of those happy times.
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The Piece
The Playful Octopus appears in our gallery of Past Pieces.
Diamond eyes and silver tentacles playfully juggle small cultured pearls and topaz drops, as the entire pendant dangles from a silver chain:
- octopus size: 3.8cm wide by 7.5cm long
- baroque pearl combined with cultured pearls
- 42cm silver chain with curb link
- 26g silver (tentacles)
- 6g 18ct yellow gold chain (connecting the pearl to the octopus)
- 0.3ct diamonds - I, vs
- 2 topaz drops: 10mm x 5.7mm
As this was among one of the first pieces created for Love Is, it was part of one of our earliest photoshoots, back in 2013.
As a tiny start up, everyone involved in the shoot was a friend and the model, Jana, is one of our closest.
Here she is modelling the necklace:
Soon after, a photograph from this series made its way to Ours Magazine.
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A Happy… Beginning
In December 2015 the piece sold as a present to a jewellery lover who appreciates unique statement jewellery.
Before we sent it off to its new home, we were asked to customise the necklace and to make the octopus even more luxurious.
In order to do so, we decided to switch the light blue topaz drops to rubies and to exchange the 18ct yellow gold chain for an 18ct white gold one.
The result was this, an even brighter and bolder statement piece that grabs your eye and demands your undivided attention:
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The Story Continues…
We adore creating unique jewellery for our clients, so if you are looking for a custom piece, don’t hesitate to get in touch.