Interview with Darren Wallace, who designs and creates 9ct gold and sterling silver jewellery continued.

Solid 4mm x 4mm sterling silver bracelet with astro gold.

What are some of the materials you use in crafting your jewellery?

Today there are so many manufacturing techniques used in the jewellery trade that enable the jewellery piece to have the appearance of the real product yet has only a fraction of the precious metal present. For many customers this is satisfactory as the cost is also relative. For these types of products the terms: gold plated, rolled gold, bonded gold, hollow gold and gold filled may be applicable.

My philosophy is that a piece of jewellery should be both elegant and an investment. An investment that increases in value over time and that can be passed on from one generation to another. Hence the reason why I use only solid precious materials which are hallmarked and stamped in accordance with Australian Standards.

The main materials I use in making modern silver bracelets are solid 4x4 mm or 6x6mm square, 925 sterling or bright silver stock.

Working with large cross section materials such as 6x6mm square, creates a WOW factor in both visual presence and weight. A typical solid silver bracelet weighs in excess of 50 grams. This is where I feel my designs are unique as opposed to the multitude of lighter weight and hollow silver jewellery being imported into the country today.

I also like to use a contrast metal with silver known as “ASTRO GOLD”. Astro gold is a metal produced by KERR some 25 years ago for the jeweller trade and has the same properties and costing as silver. It has additional alloying elements that simulate the colour and lustre of 14K gold. The combination of astro gold with silver creates a lovely colour contrast and brings warmth of character to the piece.

In making silver pendants I use a multitude of 925 sterling silver sheet sizes and thicknesses along with fine silver for making bezels. All jump rings I make myself and use mostly 0.8mm diameter stock wire.

Parrot clasps, chains and standard neck wires I source from a local jewellery supplier.

For soldering silver and gold, a BORIC acid flux is required in conjunction with an easy flow silver or gold solder.

My floral design are predominantly cast in 9ct gold, but first, is created as a wax model. As a result I have spent months experimenting with the many different forms of waxes available and to understand their respective forming, joining and carving characteristics.

Where do you look for inspirational for the designs of your jewellery?

The design ideas seem to come frequently and from some amazing sources. Some of these include Australian flora, modern building and architectural designs, bridal magazines, women’s fashion trends, styles and colours. I have so many design ideas rattling around in my head and have not yet had a chance to down on paper.

Natures tears
Solid 9ct gold pendant & neck wire
with a black obsidian tear drop cabochon

To give you an example of how design ideas can happen: I was walking past a formal wedding hire shop and in the window display was a men’s wing collar shirt and suit. What grabbed my attention was the unique way the wings on the shirt sat off the neck and this shape to me represented formal sophistication and elegance, even though the shirt was designed for men.

By the time I had reached where I was going, approx 4 minutes had passed, I envisaged creating a fine neck wire suited for women, softening the line of the wings to a gentle arc shape which would come together in the front holding a large tear drop faceted stone. The front piece holding the stone would be designed to run parallel and raised off the bust line. I must admit while visualising these ideas I took a few wrong turns in getting to my destination.

Visualisation is a very important creative tool.

Who or what has been the main influence in your work?

The main influence in my work has been my parents. My father taught me the practical and technical skills to jewellery making whilst my mother simply encouraged me to dream.

If you had to choose a favourite piece you have made what would it be?

This is a difficult question as I like different pieces of jewellery for very different reasons. I love the look of highly polished solid slim line modern jewellery such as bracelets and pendants but also have an affinity for designing individual solid 9ct gold neckpieces.

Do you have a preference for working with one material over another?

There is nothing better than working with yellow gold. 9ct yellow gold is relatively hard and an extremely high polish is achievable.
Yellow gold is alluring; it possesses a wonderful warm characteristic and compliments almost all colour stones, especially diamonds and white sapphires.

What has been the most difficult aspect of your craft to learn?

Making free form natural shape jewellery has required some thought and process development. In order to make natural free form jewellery, I have had to develop a process that would generate and replicate the intricate and sometimes perfect three dimensional shapes of nature such as, tear and water droplets, along with natural curves. Conventional processes will not easily produce such complex shapes.

The second challenge was not only to be able to vary the size of the natural shape but to also add textures to it. This process is now unique to my free form jewellery.

What would be your favourite part in the process of creating a piece?

I have three favourite parts of the process which motivate me.
(1) Taking a visualised design and transferring it on to paper.
(2) Polishing and setting the final product.
(3) The appreciation, elation and positive feedback from the buyer.

Jewellery interview continued on next page
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