fair trade Nyala Ruby ~ tension-set in stainless steel

“Fair trade” has become a buzz word many of us use. We buy Fair Trade coffee beans at the co-op, nibble Fair Trade chocolate, look for the Fair Trade logo on our clothing. We understand the reasons Fair Trade businesses commit to fair wages, cooperative workplaces, consumer education, environmental sustainability, respect for cultural identity, and public accountability. Should your jewelry, especially the jewelry we use to symbolize our commitment to each other, be any different? We don’t think so. That’s why we’re so excited to source Fair Trade gemstones for our clients.

kara | daniel offers a selection of Fair Trade gems, like the Nyala Ruby above, that are closely tracked from mine to market to ensure that every gem has been handled according to strict protocols. We appreciate being able to assure clients that their gemstone was mined with the highest standards in environmental protection, fair labor practices at the cutting and jewelry factories, and a tight chain of custody that eliminates the possibility of treated gems or synthetics being introduced into the supply chain. Our gemstone suppliers also work with the communities where the mines are located in promotion of cultural diversity, and public education and accountability. Now that’s sparkle we can get behind.

before

After enjoying working with us to design a tension-set diamond ring with recycled gold, Allison knew she enjoyed our esthetic and design process, and was ready for another custom design adventure. She brought the amethysts in with the idea to capture them in a set of pendants. We tension-set the oval stones in non-concentric stainless steel pendants, and captured them on flexible stainless steel cable that is just right for Allison and Valerie’s active lifestyle. The “after” is a pretty stunning set that look just as good on as they do below.

after

before

Metal choice is, or should, be an important part of designing a custom jewelry piece. Metals lend themselves to particular functions. Some bend easily to accept stones, some are strong enough to hold a stone in a tension-setting, others wear well and won’t show every ding that life throws at you. We moved Amy’s beautiful princess-cut diamond into a low profile stainless steel tension-setting. Stainless and diamond are a match made for tension-setting. The clean lines really set the diamond off, and less metal around the stone means more sparkle. We widened Nate’s band for a more contemporary look, and added a rustic cross-hammered finish to tie the set together. These updated wedding rings will be a set that Nate & Amy can really live in, knowing that they’ll stand up to all that life brings.

after

When we tell people that we’re headed to Tucson for gemstone buying in February the response is often “That sounds like so much fun!”. And it’s true, it is SO much fun. Pouring over gemstones, looking for what will inspire a year’s worth of collections – it is one of the adventures of our work. What I struggle to communicate is how vast a task this is. The first year we attended the gem shows in Tucson we had no idea how huge a task it would be. I think a visual always helps.

These photos are essentially a panoramic of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) show, a flagship Tucson show, that we attended yesterday. We will walk and shop ~ 10 of these shows in the 5 days that we are here this year. We are looking for the best, most beautiful, most inspired gemstones in all the world. Akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. We can’t wait to share them with you.

USB Typewriter for iPad, Underwood

I’m a firm believer in having technology that makes your work easier. We’re pretty geeky here at the kdJ studio, and we love our Macs. This beauty seems like the perfect hybrid, combining the indispensable efficiency of an iPad with the timeless beauty of an Underwood (available via Anthropologie). The next time we’re due for a technology upgrade, we’re looking right here.

before

Becky described herself as having an asymmetric, architectural, and unadorned aesthetic. She loved our tension-set rings, but as emerald is too soft a stone to withstand the pressures of tension-setting, we devised a ring design to visually mimic the lines of a tension-setting while keeping the delicate emeralds protected. The recycled gold was used to create a raised channel to protect the emeralds, and hammer textured to add depth. We translated these lines onto an asymmetrical pair of earrings as well. Paired with contemporary stainless steel these birthstone mementos are refreshed to their status of cherished adornment.

after: emerald ~ channel-set in recycled gold and stainless steel

This piece will be on exhibit at The Green Show: Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse at the Epic Center . Kalamazoo, MI . September 9-30. Opening reception Friday, September 9th . 5:00-8:00p.

gold pendant with diamond upcycled to tension-set diamond ring

Out of our design meeting came a tension-set diamond ring, with the recycled gold as an accent. The stainless is clean and contemporary, the diamond is classic, and the hammered, oxidized gold lends an earthy organic feel. This piece did indeed become an everyday staple for Erin, and the first piece of her kara | daniel collection.

This piece will be on exhibit at The Green Show: Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse at the Epic Center . Kalamazoo, MI . September 9-30. Opening reception Friday, September 9th . 5:00-8:00p.

before: artcarved wedding band

Their original bands were ArtCarved bands (some of you remember those don’t you?) of 14k yellow gold over 14k white gold. George and Judy wanted to preserve the feeling of the original bands while stepping into a cleaner and more contemporary design. In our collaborative design process we arrived at excerpting a single flower section of the carved yellow gold, and moving it into a stainless band as the primary focus. The remaining carved gold was then melted down and recycled into gold wire, which was included as a hammered accent band on the stainless ring. The set retains the sentimentality of the original bands, while becoming something that will again be worn for decades to come.

after: recycled artcarved gold & stainless steel

This piece will be on exhibit at The Green Show: Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse at the Epic Center . Kalamazoo, MI . September 9-30. Opening reception Friday, September 9th . 5:00-8:00p.

before

Now you have to understand…Judy has great style. She knows how to layer. She loves asymmetry and creating new arrangements by linking various pieces together. She and a girlfriend often split pairs of kara | daniel earrings so they can wear a single with their other fun and funky adornments. So, these diamond studs weren’t doing Judy any justice, they needed a new home. So Judy met with us.

We took one diamond and it became part of a ring trio that you can see here. It was decided the other diamond stud would become part of a pendant. Judy wears a lot of kara | daniel stainless steel, including our chains, and loves things long. So we designed a clean cylindrical pendant that would lend good weight to a longer chain, but wouldn’t compete at all with the fire of this diamond. Out of the gold prongs and into the spacious stainless setting the diamond appeared much bigger, and had gorgeous light. It now shines as an attention grabbing pendant in a way it never did in its previous gold prong setting.

after: hammer-set recycled diamond in stainless steel

This piece will be on exhibit at The Green Show: Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse at the Epic Center . Kalamazoo, MI . September 9-30. Opening reception Friday, September 9th . 5:00-8:00p.

Last year, about this time, we were packing into our little orange Element for a cross country adventure. A friend was working for the season in Yellowstone, and it was an opportunity for an insiders visit that was not to be missed. As we drove cross country (Michigan to Wyoming) over the span of a few days we watched the palette of the earth and the culture shift and transform. After a tour of Yellowstone we continued on south to the Tetons. Here the flavors of the Southwest had migrated north; naturally tanned and dyed leather, turquoise in it’s nugget form, bright hand-dyed and woven textiles. After sighting one particularly fabulous pair of cowboy boots we knew that the seed for a gemstone collection had been planted. This fall we present the Silver Gate Collection… turquoise, ruby, silver and gold meet rustic deerskin and hand-embossed sterling. May a piece of this collection accompany you on your next adventure.

raw ruby nugget

chrysacolla in the rough

corral cowboy boot, where it started

Find the Silver Gate  Collection online in the kdJ Shop or at your nearest kdJ retailer today.