Hello,
This is Kanae Omori, a designer.

Today, I'd like to share a reform story about a cameo brooch I received as a keepsake,
where we transformed it into something much more glamorous while preserving its classical charm.

 

The brooch I received featured a cameo carved with the profile of a woman wearing a diamond necklace.
It was a classical brooch set in a simple gold frame.

A brooch too retro to wear

"It's a precious keepsake, and the cameo itself is beautiful, but..."

"The gold setting is a bit too dominant, making it feel a little too retro."

 

"Could you add small pearls around it to make it a bit more glamorous?"
This consultation marked the beginning of this reform project.

The method chosen for the thin gold frame

Ideally, to add pearls around a cameo, one would create individual gold posts around the frame and then attach pearls to each post.

However, upon close inspection, this particular brooch featured a very thin and delicately crafted gold frame.

Given its thickness, there was a risk of the frame deforming or even melting when applying heat for soldering.

We couldn't risk damaging a commemorative brooch.

Therefore, we avoided any processing that involved heat and proposed an alternative method.

22 Akoya pearls, 3.8mm each, encircling the entire brooch

The method we chose was:

• Creating a continuous loop using 22 Akoya pearls, 3.8mm each.
• Designing this pearl loop to comfortably follow the gold frame around the cameo.
• Adhering the string of pearls as a single component, firmly attached over a wider surface.

This approach was chosen because if each pearl were individually attached, the adhesion surface would be too small, increasing the risk of them coming off.

By assembling them into a "pearl loop" first, the pearls mutually support each other, allowing for a larger adhesion surface.

A classical cameo transformed into a glamorous, one-of-a-kind brooch

With the sparkle of diamonds at its center and the soft luster of Akoya pearls surrounding it,
the brooch was transformed into a classical and glamorous cameo brooch where the distinct radiance of diamonds and pearls mutually enhance each other.

 

The brooch, which previously had a strong retro feel, was reborn as "an item to wear with a special feeling on days when a formal attire is required."

A special piece, even praised in France

Since the customer lives far away, we carefully wrapped the completed brooch and delivered it by mail.

 

"I just received it!"

 

"The cameo brooch was just as I imagined, or rather, it appeared as if it had always had pearls.
When I pinned it to my navy blazer, the soft tenderness of the white pearls and the strength of the cameo perfectly harmonized with the neat navy, fitting just right."

 

I was relieved and delighted to receive such a warm message.

Several months later, I received another report:

 

"I wore this cameo brooch to France for work. When I pinned it to my jacket lapel, I received many compliments from French people!"

 

Imagining this brooch classically and elegantly adorning the customer's attire in distant France filled me with great joy as a creator.

Adding a "continuing story" to a commemorative jewelry piece

This cameo brooch is one of the jewelry pieces the customer inherited as a keepsake.

I will introduce this “continuing reform” in the next blog post.

Thank you for reading until the end.

Please look forward to the next blog post.

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Cameo Brooch Reform
Item: Brooch
Material: K18YG
Gemstones: Cameo, Akoya pearls
Production Period: 1.5 months
Cost: 77,000 yen
Design: Kanae Omori

※The jewelry introduced in this article has a difference between the production and posting times, so the cost may vary due to fluctuations in precious metal prices and gemstone market rates. Also, the size, dimensions, and design details of the gemstones are customized for each customer.

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