“The Way”
There is something unique about the experience of riding a bicycle. While aboard our bicycle we trade our slow, jolty gait for the grace of smoothly purring gears and the soft efficient whir of wheels. We float, literally suspended above the ground, at once balanced and moving; agile and powerful. We are given the sensation of flying, and it’s easy to imagine being free from gravity’s hold.The bicycle has inspired more than a century of sustainable innovation and social reform. Now, at the dawn of the technological age, the bicycle stands as an icon of simple beauty amidst a world ravished by an age of industrialism and careless consumerism. It is synergy, freedom, independence, and timeless grace.
This fabricated pendant is carefully handcrafted to include a re-purposed bicycle cog at the centerpiece. Seeking to capture sensations of abundant freedom and movement–memories that I imagine are “stored” in each used bicycle component– I created this pendant to embody the connection between humanity and nature, industrial progression and sustainability, exciting technological advancement and elegant tradition.
This pendant is fabricated from silver, 22k and 18k gold, Ethiopian Welo opal on the back side of the piece and a Mexican fire opal on the front, sapphires, a titanium bicycle cog.
Materials
- Sterling Silver
- 22k and 18k Gold
- Ethiopian Welo opal and Mexican fire opal
- Sapphires
- Titanium bicycle cog
Process
- Designed by hand based off of geometry of the bicycle cog.
- Gemstone layout created.
- All pieces fabricated by hand.
- Stones set with bezel, prong, and bead-set techniques.
- Final piece was assembled with cold setting techniques.
- Hand engraved back design was hand drawn on the metal, and cut with a hand push graver.
- 24k Gold inlay performed.
- Finished with a Liver of Sulphur oxidation patina and buffed to a high polish.
Year and Location
c. 2019, Portland, OR
