Naupaka Earrings

These earrings are created by using the lost wax casting method to create an original pair. I use different types of wax to create the flowers and bail. The wax model is then casted into solid silver. Once the pieces are solid metal, it is annealed, all the extra bits of metal that are not part of the design are ground off and filed away, oxidized, and polished. For this design I chose a rustic look with darkened silver and simple granulation. This pair is 2 1/4” long.
This piece is part of the Naupaka collection which features the rings and earrings to match set in solid silver.  The Naupaka blossom in Hawaiian folklore refers to a succulent that grows in the mountains and also by the ocean. The one that grows by the ocean grows half of the flower blossom while the one in the mountains grows the other half and they’re said to be Pele’s sister and her lover, who were separated, forever longing to be together again.