Zygocircus Triquetrus brooch in the shape of a happy donut with 6 spiky nodes on each of the 3 layers. Top and bottom layers are pure titanium, the middle layer is low tarnish sterling silver.

Zygocircus Triquetrus Brooch

6.0 x 4.9 x 0.8 cm
2.4 x 1.9 x 0.3 inch

Low tarnish sterling silver, Titanium, Stainless Steel
Hand drawn, CAD modified, laser cut and hand sawn, hand finished

The microscopic marine creature namesake of this brooch inspired the layers of low tarnish sterling silver and titanium.

The thin layers keep the brooch lightweight and the stainless steel fasteners remind us that humankind’s activities on land affect even the tiniest of sea creatures. Pure titanium layers provide color contrast to the low tarnish sterling silver.

Back view of Zygocircus Triquetrus brooch in the shape of a happy donut with 6 spiky nodes on each of the 3 layers. Top and bottom layers are pure titanium, the middle layer is low tarnish sterling silver. The  stainless steel bespoke pin back is shown in this view along with the back of the stainless steel fasteners (tiny screws and nuts)
Zygocircus Triquetrus brooch back view highlights the bespoke pin
White and black drawing of Zygocircus Triquetrus zooplankton radiolaria by Ernst Haeckel in 1887
Zygocircus Triquetrus radiolarian drawing by Ernst Haeckel in 1887
Side view of the Zygocircus Triquetrus brooch showing the 3 layers. Top and bottom layers are pure titanium, the middle layer is low tarnish sterling silver.
Zygocircus Triquetrus brooch side view shows the low tarnish sterling silver layer between the 2 pure titanium layers

I modified the creature as I redrew the two microscopic creatures by hand; based on the drawings below. I digitized the new hand drawing, modified it again in CAD and sent the design to a laser cutter where it was cut in 30 gauge low tarnish sterling silver and Titanium. I textured, burnished and hand finished each curve and cutout by hand.

The Titanium is grade 2 pure Titanium. The low tarnish sterling silver resists tarnishing. The pin stem is Type 304 corrosion resistant stainless steel.

Learn more about how my designs are created by watching the short video