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| Oxidized Sterling Silver Nugget Holon Pendant Necklace |
With its crisp Art Deco architecture it is said to have been the model for the fictional Daily Planet. New York is also home to featured jewelry designer Anna Ruth Henriques.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica and the the progeny of two cultures--a Jewish father and Jamaican mother—her lush, tropical surroundings and the uneasy mingling of two ethnicities would inform her work as painter, sculptor, and eventually jeweler.
A precocious youth, at the tender age of seven Henriques discovered that famed artst Leonardo Da Vinci shared her birthdate. Upon this revelation she set out to make a name for herself using creative outlets that included sculpture and painting.
When a model friend asked her to take a wax-carving class with her, Henriques’ attitude was casual and indifferent. “I was not interested at all but I figured if nothing else I’d have a few hours to play catch-up with my friend. So I approached it as a sculpture project. As it turned out, jewelry ended up a perfect fit for me.”
Oxidized sterling silver, 18-karat yellow gold, and black rhodium offset by amethyst cabochons, sapphires, aquamarine, and conflict-free diamonds are the building blocks of Henriques’ whimsical and rustic high-end designer jewelry. At the center of her aesthetic is the delicate form of the spider; the designer’s signature item.
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| Sterling Silver Vine Ring with Blue Chalcedony |
“The spider represents a strong female image. She is wise, clever and creative while still graceful. Many people seem to misunderstand them but ever since I was a child, they’ve held a special place in my heart,” says Henriques.
Her edgy, Spider Web Cuff Bracelets seem weighty as they are cast in blackened silver; however, the storybook-like outines of her silver Spider Earrings are more cute than creepy. The gemstone pendants of her Amulet series are characterized by a nice twist: the seemingly floating image of various insects.
“I use black india ink offset against Mother of Pearl,” she says. “I paint whimsical images of insects and symbols directly onto the Mother-of-Pearl and then cover it with a transparent gemstone. Each piece has a deep meaning related to the image.”
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| Oxidized Sterling Silver Vine Cuff Bracelet |
The gnarled, ominous texture of vines is the theme of Henriques’ beautifully organic D’Vine series.
There is a gorgeous ring frm this series in oxidized sterling silver with an impeccably smooth, powder blue chalcedony gemstone.
Henriques imparts both classicism and quirkiness to her collections making for an aesthetic that is fun, cute and uniquely stylish.
1 comment:
All celtic jewelry is so beautiful. It is original, yet it is so simple that everyone loves it.
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