Sight beyond sight
There is a specific kind of "gut-punch" feeling that happens when you realize a piece of jewelry you love is gone. Maybe the chain snapped, or it slipped off during a long day, but suddenly, a part of your daily identity is missing.
That’s the situation a client’s boyfriend found himself in recently. He had a glass eye pendant he wore religiously, and then, in a stroke of bad luck, it was lost.
When she reached out to me, what she was really looking for was to restore a part of him.
Working with History (and a Bit of Pressure)
The centerpiece of this project is a vintage glass prosthetic eye. These aren't modern, mass-produced plastic replicas; they are hand-blown artifacts from a different era. Because they were made for real people, no two are ever the same shape, depth, or diameter.
This is where the "human" part of the craft gets a little stressful.
Working with vintage glass is a high-stakes game. One slip of a tool, one pound too much of pressure, or even a slight temperature shock during the setting process, and that irreplaceable piece of history becomes a pile of shards. There is no "undo" button here.
The Process: One Size Fits None
Because of the unique anatomy of the glass eye, I had to build the home for this eye from the ground up:
• Custom Wax Carving: I hand-carved a wax model specifically around the contours of this exact eye. This ensures the silver "hugs" the glass perfectly without creating stress points.
• The Casting: Once the wax was perfect, it was cast into Sterling Silver using the lost-wax method.
• The Final Fit: I spent hours meticulously refining the silver to ensure the eye was secure, protected, and most importantly, intact.
More Than Just a Pendant
The result is a heavy, soulful piece of jewelry that carries a bit of weight - both literally and figuratively. It’s a combination of anatomical curiosity and fine metalwork, with proper care, it's designed to stand the test of time (and hopefully, stay firmly around his neck this time).
Custom orders like these are my favorite because they aren't about "stock." They are about solving a problem and creating a tangible connection to a memory.
Each glass eye is unique in shape and size, much like the stories of the people who wear them.
Do you have a sentimental stone or a unique find that needs a custom home? I'd love to help!
