We are all born originals - why is it so many of us die copies? - Edward Young
Duncan has again released a mouth-wateringly significant piece of jewellery. Signet is part of his extravagant one-off rarities and is Duncan’s first men’s ring to join the Opulence Collection, that collection of rings and necklaces which grabbed attention in the media throughout the global financial meltdown for their oversized gemstones, diamonds and weighty solid gold sculptural forms.
Handcrafted in 18k yellow gold, this polished men’s ring has a gently curved top which houses the fifteen specially cut square gemstones. These stones are set into three lines, its grid broken by the solitary Diamond amongst all the Onyx. Along the inside of the band is a single small round diamond used as part of a personalised message and the recipient of this ring absolutely loved it, even commenting on how the piece was even more spectacular than the drawings.
The opulent Signet ring will be but the beginning of his men's range, as well as some other women's sumptuous pieces to join this rarefied collection. Only a handful of these pieces have been created so far, the sheer extravagance of the materials used, keeping them reserved for the most discerning and fortunate few, and with clients including an African and European royal, as well as women of means, it is no surprise that his work continues to grab the attention of loyal clients and collectors abroad.
In 2009, Duncan released what became known as the Opulence Collection. He was not afraid to buck against the prevailing trends of that time to go smaller, more commercial and cheaper. Duncan’s intention with the Opulence Collection is a strong desire to develop a strand of one-off collectors pieces, a body of estate jewellery. Investment pieces of solid precious metals and gems, with his over-arching vision to develop no more than a hundred pieces a year of spectacular jewellery, each piece having it’s own essence, fulfilling it’s own vision, not tied into being part of a set. In a sense, the piece itself should be able to stand alone, the wearer needing no other artifice.
“Duncan Stevens whose pieces are rare objets d’art in their own right…creates pieces of high value that are infused with the energy that is present in this talented man dedicated to high end craftsmanship.” – Luxury News
Duncan has never truly felt comfortable with the idea of making multiples of pieces. He has however developed ranges of jewellery, where perhaps no more than a 100 of his smaller ready-to-wear pieces have been created (in his mind this constitutes mass production). But the pieces that reside in the Opulence collection are some of his most fabulous pieces, not only for their cost, but also for the manner in which they shall never be repeated. And there-in lies the beauty in what Duncan does, part of his design and commissioning process to create these signature pieces are carefully thought out shapes and material or in-depth meetings with his clients to ascertain their needs.
Attention to detail and careful selection of materials ensures that these pieces are special, each one a small part of the designer himself. Duncan never wants to compete in the saturated mass produced market, the hallmark of our industrial age, instead, he continues to produce a small quantity of special pieces and builds a portfolio of some of the most exquisite and bold one-off pieces around.
“Duncan Stevens is not only one of South Africa’s leading jewellery artists in creativity and design, he is also a remarkably clever designer. His love of innovative design can be seen in his pieces and demonstrates his commitment to unique jewellery matched with fine craftsmanship.” – Makia
About Duncan Stevens
The formation of Duncan Stevens is born of a love for jewellery and objets d’art. There is a clear aesthetic to the work designed and produced by him. The intention is to continue to create unique pieces of high value work, small batch pieces of mid-range priced jewellery and a range of affordable jewellery, all the while maintaining quality and design integrity.
The core ethos of Duncan Stevens is simple;quality over quantity. His core values are defined by a highly developed aesthetic, but matched with fine craftsmanship. Limited editions, one-offs and small runs means every piece is catalogued, and every piece remains special.
Every time a person purchases a piece of jewellery, they know the quantity available, and that should they own a unique piece, that it belongs only to them, and will never be repeated again.
Check out www.duncanstevens.com to see images of more stunning works from Duncan Stevens or join the Duncan Stevens Jewellery Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/
Source: Press Release from Duncan Stevens
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