After nearly 20 years of experimentation with ceramics, designer Etienne Perret finally mastered the technique of creating high-polish ceramic jewelry set with precious gems and diamonds. His new collection features glossy, exceptionally durable ceramic rings and bracelets set with colorful gems and a range of colorless and colored diamonds. Prices start at $400 for a simple ring and run to $25,000 for a pavé diamond bracelet.
The Camden, Maine–based goldsmith creates each individual jewelry mold then has the piece cast in ceramic instead of his traditional gold metal. Next he uses gemstone cutting and polishing tools to cut and polish the ceramic pieces to give their curvaceous form a high-gloss finish. “Basically I treat the ceramic just like a gemstone,” says Perret. “The work is all done with diamond polishes because the ceramic is so hard that only diamond will cut or polish it.” (www.etienneperret.com)
