Back in the beginning of this year Sheila was working on her new Lunar designs…

Sometimes, Sheila says, you get a design that works really well for enamel. Larger areas of metal show the beautiful colourways created by the molten glass crystals to best effect. A colourway is a flow of enamel hues blending one into the other rather like a rainbow. With its open shape Lunar is just such a design…

Lunar Colours on Gold

Lunar Colours on Gold

So with this in mind Sheila decided to try some enamel colours on 18ct gold, and we loved the result! Above is the collection in 18ct yellow gold with Shallows enamel – exquisitely exotic…  Below the pendant is shown together with pendants in 9ct yellow gold and in 18ct yellow gold with Plum enamel, a colour Sheila specially developed for this piece.

Different Colours of enamels in the lunar pendant

And on Silver

Enamel colours look very different on 18ct gold compared to silver. With its white background silver shows true colours as you see them while the deep yellow background of 18ct gold shines through the enamel changing the colour, for example it changes a blue enamel into a green.  For this reason not all colours will work on both metals. Stronger, richer colours tend to show best on 18ct yellow gold. In contrast, pale colours show up better on silver, here below is original Lunar Blue with delicate Champagne and Mill Sands.

Coloured enamel on silver lunar pendants

Lunar Dress Rings

Sheila has created matching dress rings in silver and gold. The “cup” feature, particularly the design with the pearl, means these rings are for occasions and not ones to wear while gardening or doing other manual work.  They would make enchanting stocking fillers!

Green lunar ring Gold Lunar ringBrown lunar ring

Ancient stone carvings from the Ness of Brodgar inspired Sheila’s Lunar collection. Indeed Sheila likes to imagine our ancestors patiently pecking out their cup-mark carvings in stone. The new Plum and the green Shallows enamels represent various colours of lichen growing in the little hollows.

Lunar gold pendant with a handset pearl

In 9ct yellow gold with a handset pearl – note 9ct gold cannot be enamelled and is only available in plain textured gold.

Lunar in gold is now in our shops and online. Silver Lunar with Champagne and Mill Sands enamels are available to order now, call us or ask in our shops, and will be appearing for you to view very soon.

Remember all our jewellery and rings are made to order specially for you in the Orkney Workshop. However, 18ct yellow gold can take longer to source, hallmark and make – approx 4 weeks – do order early for Christmas! Enjoy our selection of A Touch of Gold.