Category: Jewelry

Harsh and Sweet's jewelry on the catwalk at Jewellery & Watch 2016

2/15/2016

Harsh and Sweet's jewelry was selected for the catwalk this year at Jewellery & Watch, the largest jewelry trade show of the UK. The fashion show, beautifully styled by Nicola Drew, opened with a section for the British Born and Made section in which Harsh and Sweet was exhibiting.

You might recognize the onyx bangle and the hematite bangles worn on the upper arms of the model. Three pearl necklaces were also modeled in this show as well as the wide hematite earrings.

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The best of times

11/30/2015

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With the holidays upon us us things have become busy around here. Between jewelry making, sending out orders and dealing with everyday issues, free time is only a vague memory.
And after Harsh and Sweet was mentioned in the Guardian and Forbes things were only destined to escalate. This has certainly been a very long weekend around here.

Image of jewelry ready to be mailed for Harsh and Sweet's blog post

Despite the pace of the last week, I've been trying to look ahead and plan my next blog posts. Just like last year, in December I will post a small present for all of you, a tutorial. After that I will write about the best ways of cleaning wire-wrapped silver jewelry. Many other topics are in the pipeline for the following months, including a behind the scenes at Harsh and Sweet. However, I have also come to think that it would be very nice to hear from you and take suggestions for topics to cover. I am writing this blog for you, so why not write about topics you want me to cover?
Please, chime in with topics and suggestions, observations, and anything that might help me choose topics you wan to read about. Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Look for Harsh and Sweet at Jewellery & Watch!

10/31/2015

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This February Harsh and Sweet will exhibit at Jewellery & Watch in Birmingham, the largest jewelry trade show of the UK. Harsh and Sweet will be part of the British Born & Made section dedicated to the best of new British jewelry design.
During Jewellery & Watch, Harsh and Sweet will introduce a new collection that is now receiving its finishing touches as well as two established collections.

The Stars offer astral phantasmagories with their semiprecious stones suspended in coils of Sterling silver. Whimsical and otherworldly, their abstract geometries suggest imaginary landscapes that remind one of constellations as much of subatomic particles. With its earrings, necklaces, and bangles, this collection offers both colorful carnelian and moss agate pieces as well as dark and elaborate jewelry with hematite and obsidian.

Hematite earrings from the Stars collection by Harsh and Sweet

The Waves, a line of essential and contemporary ear cuffs, adopt the same sinuous shapes and adapt them to create winding and fluid shapes that embrace the ear lobe without overpowering it. Made in Sterling silver wire, the Waves test the boundaries of the wrapped-wire technique by creating delicate arabesques that are light and airy.

If you are at Jewellery and Watch come by and say hi!

You'll find Harsh and Sweet at stand 18DQ83.

#JW16 Jewellery & Watch 7-11 February 2016 NEC Birmingham

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The short guide to ear cuffs

9/30/2015

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You may wonder what a guide to ear cuffs does and what it is... Bear with me. I'll explain you everything.
Most days I run into someone wearing ear cuffs. It's usually very inspiring, as it reminds me of how much people like them and it makes me feel like designing more. However, I will occasionally meet someone who seems to have given up on her ear cuffs. Those ear cuffs are no longer in their right position and they are pointing to the ground. I get that. There's only a certain number of times anyone can reposition their ear cuffs without eventually running out of steam.
The problem has nothing to do with the person. It has to do with the ear cuffs, mass produced little things that came out of a mold and don't have enough elasticity to do their job, This is why I decided to write this blog post. This is really a short and dirty guide on how to avoid ear cuffs that are going to let you down. Some ear cuffs are just not going to work, not on you nor on anyone else, and all you need to do to recognize and avoid them is in the next few points.

Image of Harsh and Sweet's ear cuffs introducing a blog post with the title

Not all ear cuffs are for everyone.
Just as it wouldn't make sense for a petite woman to wear XXL clothes, it doesn't make sense to wear ear cuffs that are the wrong size for your ear lobes. If your ear lobes are very small, there's a good chance they are also very thin and most ear cuffs will slip off of them. Avoid mass produced ear cuffs and choose to buy from someone who will tailor your jewelry until it is perfect for you. Custom orders are a good idea when it comes to ear cuffs.

Ear cuffs that are inflexible.
Once you hold an ear cuff between thumb and index finger, you should be able to make it change shape. If an ear cuff is so hard that it doesn't change shape, or if it does change shape under pressure, but springs back to its original shape when you release it, it will only adhere to ear lobes that are thicker than the space between its front and back elements. If you have smaller ear lobes these ear cuffs are never going to work for you.

Ear cuffs that are so long both on the front and on the back that they reach your cartilage.
All I can say about this is that what starts as a mild discomfort turns into a dull pain in the space of one or two hours. Something will be very wrong with the world even though in the beginning you won't be able to tell what it is, until the moment when you reach for your ear lobe and all of a sudden you realize that your ears are hurting. A lot. Taking off the offending ear cuff is the only thing you can do to avoid being in pain.
Avoid this scenario by buying from someone who will modify your ear cuffs to make sure they steer clear of your cartilage. You'll be grateful you did.

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A new collection is coming out soon

8/10/2015

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A new collection is in the works and will be out soon. I found some really beautiful depicted jasper beads and I couldn't resist. Their big size sets them apart form any stones I've been using so far. Their nicely rounded shape and their dimensions make them fairly heavy and they weight about 6.5 grams each (.22oz). Their colors are also very beautiful and they naturally complement the color of the Sterling silver I like so much.

I can't say that I waited too long to start working with them once I got them in my studio! Their weight makes them ideal for pendants and rings, and the first pieces are already in the works. This is a picture of the first ones I made, two pendants and two rings. They are not quite finished yet, but I wanted everyone to see them.

However, there is a difficulty. I was only able to secure one strand of these beads and my provider doesn't seem to have any others immediately available. I only have nineteen, yes, 19, and they probably won't last long. If you want to be sure to be among the firsts to be notified when the collection becomes available, please, sign up for Harsh and Sweet's newsletter. I will send out a message to my subscribers when this collection becomes available, and possibly a little before they are listed, to allow all my followers to shop before anyone alse.

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