The ancient metal-sculpting method of chasing and repoussé was used to make artwork around the globe, from the mask of Tutankhamun to the Statue of Liberty. This necklace contrasts the sinuous flow of the sculpted metal with a rectangular bar form and a single gem-quality green tourmaline bead.
Chasing and repoussé is a labor-intensive, high-contact process. First, I embed sheet metal in a cast-iron bowl filled with a mixture of pine pitch and brick dust. Using a chasing hammer and a series of specialized steel punches, I gradually push the metal into higher and higher relief, softening it between sessions with high heat as the hammering quickly makes the metal go hard and rigid. Shaping the metal for this necklace took multiple hours over two days, with multiple sessions of careful sculpting in the pitch bowl followed by shaping and polishing.
Argentium sterling silver has a high pure silver content (94%, vs. 92.5% for ordinary sterling). The silver is 100% recycled. Argentium is tarnish-resistant due to a patented hypoallergenic formula. It finishes hard and is as suitable for everyday wear as platinum or white gold.
