EARRINGS: A CELEBRATION

EARRINGS: A CELEBRATION

To celebrate this abundant harvest season, I have curated a selection of my favourite earring designs developed over the past ten years of my jewellery making.

Written in English.

To celebrate this abundant harvest season, I have curated a selection of my favourite earring designs I have developed over the past ten years of jewellery making.

Earrings have been my preferred kind of jewellery to wear for some time now. There is something special about bold statement earrings that embodies the pure joy of life. It’s a splash of colour that can instantly elevate any mood. To me, they act as little personal talismans, giving me inner strength and boosting my confidence. I often choose colours, shapes and gemstones according to the tasks at hand and the day ahead.

Dressing up with earrings, to me pesonally, can be a gesture of defiance against all the darkness gathering out there. They embody my core creative principles, adding a spark of enchantment to a normal day, reminding me of my connection to Nature, of how lucky I am to be part of this creative craft tradition and that there is joy to be found and cultivated in unexpected places.

While I love asymmetrical earrings or a single bold statement earring (which I am always happy to create for you on request), the symmetry of a face framed by two similar shapes is also very appealing to us. Earrings offer such an easy yet impactful way to express yourself, send humorous messages, instantly uplevel any outfit and even enhance your facial features by accentuating your jawline or elongating your neck.

Enjoy browing through this curated collection below!

Sawing small silver pomegranate shapes by hand.

Pomegranate Fantasy & Spatter Earrings

This is a family of earrings that evolved early in my career and that remains an absolute favourite. Pomegranate Fantasy and Spatter both derive from the stylized image of a pomegranate (read my exploration of pomegranate symbolism to understand its meaning to me personally) with its seeds spilling out; occasionally also from other fruit shapes such as rosehips or pineapples.

Spatter earrings come with a playful ‘spattering’ tail of small gemstones or pearls on delicate flexible wires, while Pomegranate Fantasy earrings simply evoke the same abstracted fruit shapes, but without the glittering gemstone addition.

Both exist in a wide variety of delicious enamelled colours, often with a colour gradient merging two different hues in multiple layers or a contrasting sprinkle of a complimentary colour.

Their hand-sawn perforated patterns allow for surprising lightness, despite the density of precious metals and the weight of enamel. I love adding a spattering of rich reddish garnets - reminiscent of the pomegranate’s jewel-like interior - but some favourites also include shimmering miniature pearls, deep purple amethysts, the tempting glint of ruby and sapphire, or the superior sparkle of a spattering of black diamonds.

All earrings in this collection can be finished either with a hand-crafted hook or an ear stud (sometimes adorned with a pearl or gemstone) in silver or gold. Generally I recommend studs for heavier earring specimens - for that feeling of extra stability.

Large Green Spatter Earrings with amethysts, ‘peacock’ freshwater pearls and a colour gradient from dark forest green to bright leafy hues, carefully layered to create depth and luminosity. These are available here.

Yellow-Green Meadow Spatter enamel statement earrings, with bright yellow and green enamel, playfully freckled to remind you of a summer meadow mood. Available here.

Orange Dragon Breath Spatter with red-orange enamel and a sprinkle of tiny white freshwater pearls.

Midnight Garnet Spatter: Dark blue transparent over white enamels, carefully layered to create depth and luminosity. Completed with a trestle of faceted faceted garnet beads that will sparkle deep red when sunlight hits them from behind. Available here.

Sybilla Earrings

These delicate floral ear studs, worn close to the ear, are made up of layered three-petalled flowers as their underlying geometrical shape. Sybilla earrings contrast an airy, intricate frame with bold colours such as vibrant greens and deep ocean blues. The designs are meticulously hand-sawn from silver or gold, kiln-enamelled in multiple layers and/or patinated, and completed with precious pearls or gemstones at their centre or as an elegant drop-like adornment below. The delicate lattice-like pattern of the blossoms creates volume without being heavy, making these statement earrings comfortable enough to wear for many hours on end.

The SYBILLA collection is inspired by the artist Maria Sybilla Merian, whose work reflects a fascinating interplay of scientific observation, imagination and deliberate, aestheticizing composition. Read more about Merian and her time here.

Sybilla: Pacific statement earrings, meticulously hand-sawn, kiln-enamelled on silver in multiple layers, and patinated. Complemented with pale yellow rose cut diamonds in an 18 carat gold setting, small grey pearls, and precious Tahiti pearls dangling freely from each blossom.

Dark Sybilla earring with pink garnet and patinated silver, available here.

Tilia Earrings

Tilia earrings are named after the Latin nomenclature for linden tree, as they are reminiscent of a tassel of linden tree blossoms as they spill out in summer. These earrings are made up of brightly coloured enamelled fruit shapes that seem to have burst open to release a delicate cluster of different coloured gemstones and tiny pearls. This fairy-like precious ‘froth’ bursting from the enamelled ornament is meant to evoke the linden’s sweet summer perfume.

Because of their volume and complexity, Tilia earrings are among my heavier earring creations and usually come with a sturdy stud and extra large butterflies for extra stabilty.

They are magical when worn: These statement earrings move as you move your head, dance as you walk, and frame your face with a wild fluttering of joyful abundance.

Blood Red Tilia: Statement earrings in a celebratory gush of red enamel and shimmering black pearls, available here.

LeafEater Earrings

My LeafEater series is inspired by those delicate patterns on leaves left ravaged by hungry insects. As I started collecting these and paying closer attention, I noticed how different plants attract different predators, and how they each have their unique patterns. In an attempt to get to know each leaf intimately, I play with these patterns, study the subtle colours, contours, jagged edges, and lace-like cut-outs. LeafEaters speak about the cyclical nature of time, of the skeletal beauty that exists at the edge of decay.

Each leaf is meticulously hand-sawn from silver, copper or gold and kiln-enamelled in multiple layers to allow the colours to merge in that beautiful emotionally stirring way. LeafEater earrings are either finished with a pair of hand-crafted precious metal ear hooks, or with studs set with pearls or gemstones to allows for a secure wearing experience with maximum comfort. The free-moving long leaf can sway gently with your movements.

Orange-Green LeafEater, combining an oxidized sterling silver pomegranate-shaped stud with an elegant, enamelled leaf for a unique look - available here.

A trio of enamelled autumn-inpsired LeafEater earrings.

I continue collecting more patterns for LeafEater earrings on my walk.

Green LeafEaters, with luminous green enamel, gently shaded, on silver and 18 carat gold hooks, available here.

Aninka’s Dreams - Sterretjies

These glamorous earrings form part of the Aninka’s Dreams collection, an homage to my late aunt and jewellery godmother Aninka. „Sterretjies“ – little stars in Afrikaans – are clusters of delicious gemstones on movable delicate gold wires, designed to add a dynamic sparkle to your movements.

There is a distinct festiveness about this special design, especially in the queen of all Sterretjies, a combination of 18 carat gold and black diamonds. Sterretjies are only available in gold and platinum.

Black diamond and 18 carat yellow gold Sterretjies, available here.

Dragonfly Wing Drops

These elegant long wing-shaped earrings are inspired by dragonfly wings with a delicate perforated pattern and evoke a subtle echo of my favourite period in jewellery history, Art Nouveau.

I prefer crafting these with complimentary pearl or precious gemstone studs, allowing the free-moving wing to sway gently with every movement. However, finishing Dragonfly Wing Drops with simple precious metal hooks is also possible.

These long and elegant Blue Wing Drop earrings are a perfect accompaniment for long floaty dresses. The dragonfly-like wings, topped with small pearly crowns, invoke something Art Nouveau-like, an air of a mythical creature from a fairy world perhaps - available here.

These large Amethyst Berry Drop earrings are carefully enamelled in rich mulberry and grape tones, set with beautifully cut light-purple amethysts in one-of-a-kind asymmetrical fantasy prong settings.

Spriggle Ear Studs

The Spriggle earring family emerged as matching earrings for my enamelled neckpieces and have fast become favourites for those among you preferring smaller ear studs to long dangly earrings.

Spriggles add a splash of colour to enhance your mood or accentuate your outfit in a subtle but intentional way. The are carefully enamelled on silver and completed with a protective silver setting, a central pearl or gem, and an ornamental cluster of assorted faceted gemstone beads. Alternatively, the ‘spriggle’ of gemstones may be replaced with a baroque pearl or faceted gemstone drop.

Galaxy Spriggle enamel ear studs: Both everyday-wear and classically festive, with milky-white transparent enamel and a sprinkle of black on silver, finished with a small cream-coloured Akoya pearl and delicate cluster of white freshwater pearls and black spinel dangling just below. Available here.

Dark Violet Spriggle studs enamel studs with iridescent ‘peacock’ pearls and a cluster of gemstones (sapphire, lapis lazuli, pearls, labradorite) to adorn your ears.

Miniature Rainbow Spriggle earrings with contrasting splashes of reddish and green-yellow enamel.

Bespoke Earring Creations

Bespoke jewellery pieces are a marriage of a client’s unique story and my design and craftsmanship. Sometimes, special materials such as heirloom gemstones or found objects are integrated. In this way, a rich narrative of personal associations and imagery is woven into an object of true meaning. If you wish to discuss your own bespoke piece, please contact me via email.

Below are some examples of bespoke earrings I have created over the years:

Bold statement earrings with orange enamelled elements, geometrically cut carnelian, ‘peacock’ pearls, bright turquoise and malachite.

Aninka’s Dreams custom earrings with garnets and black diamonds.

Grape & Vine bespoke earrings. Created for a special wedding outfit. Dark green enamel on silver, patinated sterling silver with a tassle of garnet, onyx and cubic zirconia.

Tiny pomegranate studs with turquoise enamel and white freshwater pearls.