Sometimes, to imitate life is not enough. Artists find that they can’t resist incorporating actual elements of life into their masterpieces. Jewellers, too, are not immune to this temptation. Digging deep into history from Ice Age mementos to humble shells, take a closer look at nature and learn to connect with some of the most unusual, organic materials jewellers have used.
Woolly Mammoth Tusks
Jewellers such as Monique Péan and Bibi van der Velden use an ethical alternative to elephant ivory: mammoth tusks that have been fossilized in ice in Siberia for 10,000 to 200,000 years. These tusks have been recently uncovered due to global warming and the melting of ice.
Prehistoric Black Fossil
Whitby jet, a 180-million-year-old fossil, is the star in the jewellery of Jacqueline Cullen. Once heavily mined, especially for use in mourning jewellery during the Victorian era, Whitby jet is now extremely rare. It is found in dormant mines and ancient caves, which are often accessed by abseiling down a cliff.
Insects
We’re celebrating Earth Day, not Halloween, but yes — we’re talking about corpses here. Greek designer Lito Karakostanoglou is known for having preserved scarabs and used them in pendants and earrings.
Dinosaur Bones
Thanks to William Henry, men can wear jewellery with historic and rare materials, too. The Portland-based design company uses dinosaur bones to adorn pocket knives and jewellery. The company has also used mammoth teeth, and once created a gold pen with petrified dinosaur egg. Monique Péan also works with agatised fossilized dinosaur bone which is sourced from the Colorado Plateau and range from 146 to 156 million years old.
Snail Shells
Less threatening and more familiar than dinosaurs and mammoths, snail shells once starred in white gold and diamond brooches by Hemmerle.
Celebrate green with our five top selections of green timepieces on this Earth Day.
