jewelry | Sherry Cordova Jewelry

CGAG + AMG Bracelet

14.8 x 14 x 1.6 cm
4.8 x 5.5 x 0.6 in
inner oval: 2.5 x 3″

Titanium, low tarnish sterling silver, SST
Reversible

The microscopic marine creature namesakes of this bracelet were the inspiration for the layers of low tarnish sterling silver and titanium. The names of these tiny creatures are a mouthful: Campyloneis Grevillei Argus Grunow (sterling silver) and the diatom Auliscus Mirabilis Greville (titanium). Thin layers keep the bracelet lightweight and the stainless steel fasteners remind us that humankind’s activities on land affect even the tiniest of sea creatures.

See this bracelet in person on June 2, 2024 from 2-4pm at the reception for the “Around and Round” exhibit + sale at the gallery of Pajaro Valley Arts in the coastal California town of Watsonville. The bracelet will be part of the “See and Buy” at the reception where you can buy jewelry directly off the artists who made the pieces. The Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild Artists reception will be in the gallery and in the garden at 37 Sudden Street, Watsonville. For the two hours of the reception, you’ll be able to buy jewelry and take it home with you that day.

View of the Titanium side of CGAG + TDSM Bracelet

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 grade 2 Titanium is pure Titanium. The low tarnish sterling silver resists tarnishing.

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

Learn more about the CGAC at MarineSpecies.org: CGAC and learn more about diatoms like the Auliscus Mirabilis Greville

Auliscus Mirabilis Greville from Diatoms of France, Peragallo and Peragallo, Plate IV, Vol V, 1897

Campyloneis Grevillei Argus Grunow by Ernst Haeckel 1897

CHM Carnelian Spheres Earrings

Tension set carnelian spheres tension set in low tarnish silver in these earrings. The view is of the front sides of the earrings with the orange carnelians glowing when lit from behind. The background is white.

6.8 x 3.5 x 0.8 cm

6.7 ct Tension Set Carnelian Spheres, Low Tarnish Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel, Niobium Ear Wires

Tension set 6.66 carats of carnelian spheres glow in the light as it shines through the front and back of the earrings. The ear wires are hypoallergenic niobium. The low tarnish sterling stays silver colored longer than the familiar and traditional sterling silver alloy.

Front and back of CHM Carnelian Spheres Earrings

The design is named after its inspiration: a radiolarian in the 1862 publication of microscopic sea creatures by Ernst Haeckel, appropriately titled “Art Forms in Nature’. To accommodate stones, I modified the creature as I redrew the Collosphaera Huxleyii Müller by hand. I digitized the 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. I textured, burnished and hand finished each stone setting by hand. Burnishing both sides of the metal increases the light bouncing through the stones.

Learn more about how these earrings are created by watching the short video

The earrings are viewable in the online gallery of the exhibit + sale Bring Back the Gems of gem infused artwork by SNAG members.

“We Are SNAG: Ed. 3 2023”

Screenshot of online exhibit showing my Spring Radioloria necklace. The necklace is segments of curved argentium sterling silver sheet joined with industrial screws and nuts. The necklace joins at the back with a hook and loop created with argentium. The brooch/pendant is a hand illustrated radiolaria which has been modified to accept tension set orange and green rose cut tourmalines. The brooch hangs off the necklace and can be worn separately from the necklace.

WE ARE SNAG: Anthology 2023 is online now and includes this piece I created in 2023! The 3rd edition of the SNAG members online exhibition is not to be missed.

Spring Radiolaria Brooch-Necklace
6.6 x 3.26 x 0.8 cm

Spring Radiolaria brooch/necklace began as an enlarged hand drawing of a microscopic creature. Mentally deconstructing the zooplankton during the hand drawing phase, I morphed the creatures into flat layers which would rebuild as a 3D form. I used CAD software to ingest the layer drawings and further modify the designs of each layer. Individual vector files were sent to a laser cutter. I’d used all but one laser cut layer in the needed size, but I had replenished the 30 gauge titanium sheet in my workshop and had yet to send it to the laser cutter. I created vinyl templates using the vector drawings and the cutting machine I use for prototyping. I applied the vinyl to the titanium, then punched and sawed the final two layers for this brooch. Each rough-cut titanium layer was hand shaped, textured, and finished.

11.4 carats of tension set peach and green tourmalines were used in the rebuild of the zooplankton.

The patinated sterling silver necklace is jointed with stainless steel fasteners. The brooch pin stem slides through integrated loops in the necklace. The pin stem refastens on the back of the brooch once hung on the necklace.

At the back of the bench pin is the laser cut layer. The two layers on the wooden bench pin were in the process of being sawn and punched.

In process photo of titanium sheet being formed into layers for the brooch/pin by Sherry Cordova Jewelry

CH Müller Faceted Garnet Earrings

Faceted garnet earrings in low tarnish sterling silver on a white background

6.5 x 3.5 x 0.5 cm, 0.2 oz each

10.01 ct Tension Set Faceted Red Garnets, Argentium Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel, Niobium Ear Wires

Tension set 10.01 carats of red garnets glow in the light. Light shines through the front and back of the earrings. The ear wires are hypoallergenic niobium. Argentium is a low tarnish sterling silver alloy which remains silver colored longer than the familiar and traditional sterling silver alloy.

The earrings were in the juried exhibit + sale “The Flame Within:: Metal Artistry Unleased” at the ACCI Gallery featuring work by members of the Metal Arts Guild and the Northern California Enamels Guild.

Front and back of CHM Faceted Garnet Earrings

The design is named after its radiolarian inspiration. In the 1862 publication of microscopic sea creatures by Ernst Haeckel, appropriately titled “Art Forms in Nature’, Haeckel drew the creature. To accommodate stones, I modified the creature as I redrew the Collosphaera Huxleyii Müller by hand. I digitized the drawing, modified it again in CAD and sent the design to a laser cutter where it was cut in 30 gauge Argentium sterling silver. I textured, burnished and hand finished each stone setting by hand. Burnishing both sides of the metal increases the light bouncing through the stones.

Learn more about how these earrings are created by watching the short video

CH Müller Garnet Spheres Earrings

14 red garnet spheres glow in the light in this pair of low tarnish sterling silver earrings with niobium ear wires

6.9 x 3.5 x 0.4 cm, 0.21 oz each

7.22 ct Tension Set Garnet Spheres, Low Tarnish Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel, Niobium Ear Wires

Red garnet spheres glow in the light as the light shines through the front and back of the earrings. The ear wires are hypoallergenic niobium. The low tarnish sterling silver alloy remains a silver colored longer than the familiar and traditional sterling silver alloy, minimizing the need to polish the earrings.

Front and back of CHM Garnet Spheres Earrings

Learn more about how these earrings are created by watching the short video

CH Müller Lapis Lazuli

side view close up of brooch pendant showing 3 layers of sterling silver with 21 carats of lapis lazuli tension set in the sterling silver brooch-pendant

Brooch-Pendant on Siphonophorae Necklace

4.8 x 4.9 x 0.8 cm
21 ct Lapis Lazuli
sterling silver and stainless steel

Brooch-pendant of sterling silver with 21 carats of lapis lazuli tension set in the sterling silver brooch-pendant. The etched through layers were created via electrolytic etching.

CH Müller Lapis Lazuli Brooch Pendant on Siphonophorae Necklace

The brooch-pendant can be worn on the Siphonophorae Necklace and on the Sterling Silver collar shown below.

The brooch pendant shown on the Siphonophorae Necklace — CH Müller Lapis Lazuli on Siphonophorae Necklace

closeup of the sterling silver pendant with tension set rose cut lapis lazuli on siphonophorae necklace — CH Müller Lapis Lazuli on Siphonophorae Necklace

Circogonia-Epibulia Earrings

a pair of 3 layer argentium sterling silver earrings with patina on the first hand formed layer

7.5 cm x 3.3 cm x 0.7 cm, 0.13 oz each

Recycled low tarnish sterling silver, stainless steel fasteners, niobium ear wires

The Circogonia-Epubulia design began with hand drawings based on Ernst Haeckel’s 1862 illustrations of microscopic sea creatures. Mental deconstruction of the zooplankton during the hand drawing phase morphed the creatures into flat layers which would later become a 3D form. CAD software ingested the layer drawings and was used to further modify and output individual layer files for a laser cutting machine. Each rough-cut sterling silver layer was hand shaped, textured, and finished before the Radiolaria was rebuilt with industrially produced stainless steel screws and nuts.

CH Müller Rose Cut Tourmaline Earrings

a pair of blue and green rose cut tourmaline earrings tension set between 2 layers of low tarnish Argentium sterling silver with niobium ear wires

6.9 x 3.5 x 0.4 cm, 0.21 oz each

10.635 ct Tension Set Rose Cut Tourmalines, Argentium Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel, Niobium Ear Wires

I’d created a prototype version of these lightweight earrings in the past and they’ve been swimming around in the back of my mind. The 10.01 carats of rose cut tourmalines were removed from the prototype pair and can now freely swing from ears. This new pair is similar with 10.635 carats of rose cut tourmalines. The ear wires are hypoallergenic niobium. Argentium is a low tarnish sterling silver alloy.

The name of the design is taken from its inspiration: a radiolarian in the 1862 publication of microscopic sea creatures by Ernst Haeckel, appropriately titled “Art Forms in Nature’. To accommodate stones, I modified the creature as I redrew the Collosphaera Huxleyii Müller, digitized the drawing, modified it again in CAD and sent the file to a laser cutter to be cut in 30 gauge Argentium sterling silver. The texturing and hand finishing includes burnishing each ‘setting’ location by hand on both sides of the metal section to increase the light bouncing through the stones.

The earrings were one of the pairs feature in the Rio Grande Summer Earring Challenge of 2023

the back of two earrings with the SST bolt ends showing

Sherry Cordova Jewelry @rrevv gallery

Visit rrevv gallery to see, try on, and purchase the jewelry in person!

rrevv gallery, is an artist owned gallery on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, California

The gallery is open to all (masks suggested)
Wed – Sun noon – 6 pm
Mon & Tues by appointment
Visit or contact the gallery directly to purchase art or learn more: 1.415.851.5114

The earrings above and the pieces below and are some of the jewelry that you can view in person at rrevv gallery

photo of pair of argentium sterling silver earrings side by side showing the light through the 3mm, 5mm garnet spheres which are tension set — CH Müller Garnet Spheres Earrings

Heliodiscus Phacodiscus Teal Pendant Brooch — CH Müller Garnet Spheres Earrings

Back and Side View of Heliodiscus Phacodiscus Argentium Sterling Silver (front and spacers) and Titanium (back) earrings with niobium ear wires — SOLD Back and Side View of Heliodiscus Phacodiscus Earrings in Argentium Sterling Silver and Titanium

“We Are SNAG: 2022”

image of a necklace with a brooch pendant of tension set stones and a segmented necklace shaped in a D and a diamond

WE ARE SNAG: Anthology 2022 is online now and includes this piece I created in June of 2022! This online exhibition is not to be missed.

Madgalena Radiolaria on Siphonophorae Necklace
5.2 x 5 x 0.9 cm
NFS

Ernst Haeckel’s drawings of microscopic Radiolaria were re-drawn, modified, enlarged, digitized and laser cut. Each rough-cut layer of the brooch/pendant was hand finished, textured, and rejoined with industrially produced stainless steel screws and nuts as a subtle reminder to the wearer of our effect on even the smallest of life forms. The oceanic colored stones are Smithsonite and Aurichalcite are from the land locked Kelly Mine area in New Mexico where an ancestor once worked. The stones are captured between the layers with tension created by the screws and nuts joining the layers.

The Argentium silver necklace represents siphonophorae jelly-like segmented oceanic creatures. D shaped rings on the necklace convert the brooch into a pendant.

The brooch was created with titanium off-cuts from motorsports racing, Smithsonite, Aurichalcite, and stainless steel