Iris the Sea Collection by H.Stern

H.STERN PRESENTS THE IRIS - SEA COLLECTION 

After unraveling the enchanting riches of the earth and the air, we take you on an adventure to explore the abstract beauty found on the bottom of the sea. 

A very sultry Katie Holmes was the face of the Iris Collection representing the riches of the earth and air.
http://dailyjewel.blogspot.com/2012/09/katie-holmes-bronzed-beauty-in-hsterns.html

Iris is the personification of the rainbow
 and messenger of the gods. She is also known
as one of the goddesses of the sea and the sky. 

An incredible journey to the bottom of the sea led to H.Stern’s creation of the new collection, Iris. Captivated by the deep waters, this creative endeavor reveals the natural riches of the oceans as well as the poetic beauty of Iris, a Greek goddess of the sea. 

As the myth goes, Iris was the messenger of the gods. She moved with the lightness of wind, spanning the height of the clouds to the depths of the sea. Daughter of Taumante, son of the sea, and Electra, daughter of the ocean, Iris was also considered to be a goddess of the rainbow. 

Iris - via Wikipedia: In Greek mythology, Iris is the personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. She is also known as one of the goddesses of the sea and the sky. Iris links the gods to humanity. She travels with the speed of wind from one end of the world to the other, and into the depths of the sea and the underworld.

Research for the Iris collection began by studying detailed drawings and accounts from the 1873 expedition of the H.M.S Challenger. The vessel sailed across different seas of the world, collecting and classifying beautiful specimens of aquatic life, including hundreds of shells and other various marine species. 

The H.Stern designers were fascinated by this vibrant life in the ocean; the abstract beauty and richness of the shapes, the softness in the movements, and the subtle wear of color, texture and brilliance of the shells. The surprisingly simplistic forms and delicate minimalism translated into jewelry that reflects natural beauty through the use of 18-karat Noble, yellow, and rose gold.
What can be seen in the anatomic description of aquatic life may not be immediately visible in the jewelry throughout this collection. With attention to detail and fine design, some of the best features of this collection are secret treasures for the one who wears the jewelry. 

With superior craftsmanship, our jewelers make and mold every piece by hand. Combining different colors and diverse shapes, the extreme care can be seen in details.  Incorporating different colors and styles, the jewels resemble those typical of the Victorian Era, which is a strong reference style for this new collection. 

Mya Maris – Mya is the name for a genus of shells; Maris is the Latin word 

for “from the sea”. These rings and earrings are molded into half circles of 

18-karat rose gold, reproducing the spiral shapes of seashells. 

Pompilius – Nautilus pompilius is a mollusk in the cephalopod (octopus) family 

and has a very special story; according to the ancient legends, it is the sign of good luck. 

Myriades – The Greek word Myriades refers to abundant quantities, copious amounts, endless supplies- similar to the number and species of shells found in nature. 

In ancient times, shells were exchanged for currency and it is said that 

merchants of Asia, Central Africa, and India made fortunes to exchange them 

for ivory, oil palm, or precious stones. Even to this day, the influence of shells can be seen

 in fashion through various artistic expressions. 

Mytilus – Mytilus is a popular genus of bivalve mollusks, also known as mussels, 

that live affixed to coastal rocks. The dark coloring of the exterior shell was the foundation for H.Stern’s creative team, who developed teardrop earrings covered with black diamonds. Dissimilar from the coloration of the outer shells, Mytilus mussels have the capacity 

to produce glimmering pearls on its interior. 

Tellina - Tellinas are elongated, oval-shaped shells, with a natural hue 

varying from pink to a light golden brown. Covered with a smooth exterior, 

they are marked by delicate designs that reveal lines of growth. The shells have inspired 

the creation of long, lightweight earrings. The earrings are formed by a sequence of frames set in rose gold with traces of Noble Gold and diamonds 

arranged into a pendulum to adorn the ears. 

Axis – When referring to the imaginary central axis of rotation, 

it brings to mind the origin of snails. The oblique view can be seen in the rings, 

earrings and pendant made in polished Noble Gold on the inside and frosted rose gold

 on the outside. Cognac diamonds are affixed to the surface using a special design technique developed to represent some of the most rustic creatures in the marine environment. 

Shelter - With its exotic and contesting shell, the sea urchin is protected by this strong carapace, yet can still be quite fragile. Inspired by the shelter that protects this creature, H.Stern has created rings and earrings in a range of sizes. 

Formed by tiny balls of welded gold laser, each placed one by one, 

the jewelry was made in a way to ensure organic form. 

Thalassa – The female name for the word sea, Thalassa represents 

the surprising wealth of different shades of shells found at the bottom of the sea. 

The jewelry in this line is made in different shades of Noble and rose gold, 

highlighting the variety of colors reflected off the waters of the sea.

H. Stern Takes a Trip Down The Rabbit Hole...

With all the hype surrounding the new Tim Burton version of the Lewis Carroll classic Alice In Wonderland, I don't think I ever expected this partnership!

The designers at H. Stern collaborated with the folks at Disney and have launched a truly wonderful and slightly bizarre line of jewelry based on the film.

From the H. Stern website:

After a detailed study, H.Stern designers decided that the underworld of Tim Burton’s film would be their source of inspiration. Moving away from the obvious and from the well known characters of the story, they chose natural elements and spectacular creatures from Wonderland to give shape to five rings – pieces of art – that follow the intrinsic organic forms to the creative DNA of the brand.

Talking roses, colored mushrooms, a bird from the topiary garden, the Cheshire cat and the Jabberwocky dragon were the elements chosen by the Jeweler’s creative team. The pieces were developed starting from the natural elements, brought to the jewels with tremendous detail. It is intricate workmanship and demands incredible patience. The texture of the branches from the trees served as inspiration for the engraving of microscopic streaks in the gold branches. Faces, as of the cat and the monster, were sculptured in different materials until the goldsmiths managed to represent their traces and expressions in gold. Dozens of versions were made before reaching the final result.

The collection consists of five pieces that are so individual and unique that, while I would like to show them to you here, I feel that they are so well presented at the H. Stern website that I will just tease you with a couple and send you there for more...

Mushroom Forest: The Forest of mushrooms through which Alice wanders in the film inspired the creation of enameled gold ring in colors and textures carefully chosen to represent the natural forms. In order to reproduce the tones used in the film, dozens of colors were tested until the ideal tone for each piece was achieved. The texture of the real toadstools is seen not only on the outside of the ring but on the inside also. Some are covered with diamonds.