Noble Metals

From Jewellery, to Art, to Architecture, we’re all familiar with the use of precious metals to create beautifully crafted objects. However some of the rarest and most awe-inspiring gold and silver objects are formed completely naturally, without the help of the human hand.

Although usually found in nuggets, gold and silver are crystalline by nature. This means that given the right conditions, they will produce the most amazing formations, from gemstone-like geometric shapes, to ornate patterns and twisted tree-like growths.

The above images are all from one of my favorite books, Noble Metals from Planet Earth. I’ve always been fascinated by the way nature produces these beautiful organic forms. They inspired me experiment with using electro-forming in my designs, as the process literally grows they metal around the stones. I use this method in both my Hoard and Encrustations Collections.