Anthracite Ocean Cufflinks
Anthracite Ocean cufflinks from the Sea Urchin Collection This collection is inspired by a very special place, the furthest north-east corner of Colombia, the Guajira peninsula… almost at the end of the world :) There I discovered this interesting creature for the first time, the "test" or shell of the sea urchin. I was immediately captivated by its structure full of symmetries, movement and nuances and wanted to work with it. Just some years later came the idea to transform this form into jewelry. To do that I had find first the very little ones.
Materials
Oxidized 925 Sterling Silver
*For the blackened finish: the surface of this silver jewel is intentionally oxidized. It consists of a surface treatment (like a gold plating), which means that this coloring is only preserved for a certain period of time. In the case of jewelry that is not subject to heavy wear, such as earrings or pendants, the blackened surface remains visible for a very long time. This is because there is usually hardly any friction on the neck or ear. With arm jewelry, rings or wedding rings, this is different: here the blackened surface rubs off quickly as a result of daily wear -friction, bumping, scratching and the normal strain on the surface. In rings with a slight concave groove, where part of the silver surface is in a deeper position, these blackened surfaces are protected and last longer. This can create a nice contrast between the upper "lighter" and the deep "darker" areas and give a distinctive look. However, each piece can be easily and inexpensively restored to its original look by renewing the surface treatment. If you are interested in this process being renewed, please contact us.
Size
Sea Urchin Ø approx. 13 mm (0,5 in.)
Process
After making a silicon-casting of a real sea urchin test, all sea urchins of this size are being casted from this one mould. The process is called "lost wax casting" so the final jewelry piece is made completely of sterling silver. All jewelry pieces are handmade in our atelier in Berlin. Each piece comes in a black CIRER jewelry box.