Revitalized

There is something about restoration projects that I find incredibly satisfying. Taking something old and used, and bringing it back to life. It brings such fulfillment to preserve pieces of our history, especially when those pieces are something you can actually wear.

Joe likes to frequent local estate sales, and has had some amazing finds. This piece has got to take the cake, though! One morning, Joe was perusing a sale when he stumbled upon this platinum tennis bracelet, circa the roaring '20s! At the time, it was just a skeleton. No stones, a bit worn out, but the potential was clear.

A fabulous, visionary client of ours decided to embark on this restorative journey with us.

1920's art deco platinum bracelet prior to setting in stones. Some diamonds are sitting atop of bracelet, as this photo was taken while we were working on tracking down all of the stones. 

We gradually tracked down over 7.5 carats of diamonds to perfectly fit every setting in this bracelet, and had the metalwork restored as we set the stones. After countless hours of hard work, our client has finally been able to bring this labor of love home with her, wearing it out of the store. (Because diamonds go with everything!)

Fully restored, platinum art deco tennis bracelet, featuring 7.5 carats total weight of diamonds 

Left side

Right side

Whether we're restoring, re-purposing, or starting from scratch, it is such an honor to create and preserve unique jewelry.

Joe selecting stones for the bracelet, with the help of his lovely assistants. 

"The jade takes the hit for you"

My father once told me that it is good luck to break a piece of jade- he said to break a piece of jade is to avoid utter peril!
He told me if I hadn't broken that pendant I had just haplessly knocked onto the floor, that something terrible would have happened instead- that the jade takes the hit for you. I was not sure whether he came up with this on the spot to make me feel better, but it was a comfort nonetheless. 

I'm beginning to believe that breaking jade can most definitely be a happy accident. (Not that I recommend throwing your jewelry around all willy nilly!) 

A long time client and friend of ours recently came in with a chunk of jade which had been part of a ring belonging to her son. He wore the ring every day, until it fell and broke. There were tears. 
Luckily, the chunk which remained was the perfect size to set into a new ring. 

Fabricated silver band with hand-carved leaf detail and jade center stone.

We completed this piece in time for Christmas, and hope that this ring brings good luck (and longevity) to its owner. 

Best in show!

This just in!
We are currently hosting a show for Prism designs.
The highly eclectic collection features an enticing variety of stones and metalwork. These pieces are available for a limited time only.

Here is a small selection we've decided to showcase online, but this is really just the tip of the iceberg!

Sterling silver dome ring with natural assorted sapphires. $660

Textured sterling silver and natural colored sapphire ring. $395 Matching sterling silver bangle bracelet with assorted natural sapphires. $1279

Sterling silver citrine ring with gold plate detail. $300

Ethiopian opal and sterling silver pendant with gold plate and anodized detail. $555

Textured, anodized sterling silver ring with gold plate detail and Ethiopian opal. $405 

Sterling silver and amethyst dangle earrings. $675

Wowza! 23.62 carat blue topaz ring! Set in sterling silver with .36 carat total weight blue sapphire accents. $1380

Sterling silver garnet dangle earrings with gold plate detail. $345

Star sapphire set in hammered sterling silver band. $555

There IS gold at the end of the rainbow!
18 karat yellow gold, natural rainbow sapphire ring. $1575

Mission Complete

For those of you who have been following our blog, we completed ring number 2 on budget and ahead of schedule! 

Our client was able to pick up this gargantuan earlier this week.

She was thrilled to put her family's stones to better use. Her grandfather's diamond is the center piece, and we had her mother's diamonds re-cut and set on either side. The value of this gorgeous, 14 karat white gold ring is greater than she imagined! 

We look forward to our future custom endeavors, and keeping all of you in the loop.

Until next time,
Your friends at Porter Jensen

A little update...

Hello friends, 

We have completed one of the rings we've been re-purposing! 
This ring is being made in honor of our customer's wedding anniversary. 

The raw casting on the left will be ring number 2. We are in the process of having old diamonds re-cut, and will unveil the final product closer to the Holidays. 

Stay tuned!

Not all jewelry is created equal

It's Sunday funday over here at Porter Jensen, and we have a healthy dose of fabulousness to share!
  
We recently acquired some extremely cool, vintage Mexican silver. These creations are by Los Castillo from Taxco, Mexico.

Circa mid 1940's, this style has stood the test of time. Imitations of this necklace are still being made. 

Heavily influenced by Aztec art, Los Castillo silver jewelry is known for unique designs paired with a particularly high level of workmanship. 

Circa 1950, this set makes a bold statement.

Los Castillos are sought after by collectors, as they are wearable art. Most modern silver jewelry simply lacks this attention to detail.

These little pieces of history are fully fashion-functional- perfect for a night on the town, or maybe even this year's Dia De Los Muertos party!

Diamonds, and settings in gold. Oh my!

Happy Friday! Charlotte here, reporting from our cozy shop on a quiet fall afternoon, with Joe hard at work behind his jeweler's bench.

We are currently helping to re-purpose three generations of family jewels for a kind patron. She has entrusted us with her original wedding ring, along with two pieces she has inherited from family. 

Dating back to the 1920's, 50's, and 60's, we are bringing these diamonds into 2016 and beyond!

We are in the process of casting two elegant, timeless rings out of wax.

I love that whether somebody's looking to restore, re-purpose, or start from scratch, Joe and Nancy can make that happen. Stay tuned for a look at the final product! We are so excited to bring these new pieces to their owner. 

Until next time,
Your friends at Porter Jensen

Welcome to the official Porter Jensen Blog!

We are proud to announce that we will be hosting a blog in which we feature our custom work, as well as some fun stories from the Porter Jensen team.

Every person and every piece of jewelry has a story, and we are hoping to showcase that here, for you. 

Until next time, 
Your friends at Porter Jensen (and Frankie, or course!)