Protótipos / Prototypes

Estou a trabalhar. Estou a trabalhar!

I'm working. I'm working!

A primeira imagem é uma colagem de esboços de ideias para uns pendentes.
Nas primeiras fotos vêem-se diversas fases do trabalho num protótipo de um pendente em madrepérola e filigrana, logo seguidas por uma foto de um protótipo de outro pendente feito em pedra-da-lua e crafwire. Na peça final a pedra-da-lua será substituída por pérolas de água doce salmão e fio de prata. Às vezes, aquilo que parece perfeito no papel, não tem o mesmo efeito depois de terminado o protótipo. É por isso que faço protótipos! Os desenhos de meias-luas que se vêem na colagem são ideias para as mesmas pérolas, porque eu gostei mais do pendente no esboço do que no protótipo terminado.
Em seguida, uma série de protótipos de brincos com briolettes de ametista. Que acham?... Um festim para o olhar?

The first picture is a collage of sketches of ideas for pendants.
On the first photos, you can see several stages of the work on a mother-of-pearl and filigree prototype, followed by a photo of another pendant prototype, made with moonstone and craftwire. In the final piece the moonstone will be replaced with freshwater pearls and silver wire. Sometimes, what looks perfect on paper doesn't come out exactly as envisioned when the prototype is finished. That's why I make prototypes! The moon sketches you see in the collage depict ideas for the same pearls because I liked that pendant better in the sketch than when the prototype was finished.
Next, a series of photos of earring prototypes made with amethyst briolettes. What do you think?... A feast for your eyes?

Filigrana Portuguesa / Portuguese Filigree

Uma pequena reportagem que passou no programa "Praça da Alegria" onde se fala da filigrana portuguesa, onde se vê como a artesã trabalha a prata, e também várias peças, quer tradicionais, quer com um design um pouco mais moderno.



A small clip of a Portuguese morning show called "Praça da Alegria" about the traditional Portuguese Filigree, where we see how a jeweler works with the silver wire, and also several pieces, either the traditional Portuguese heart shape, or other pieces with a modern design.
Boy, would I love to learn how to make this! I thought I'd share with you, a little bit of my country and of our traditional jewelry.
It is all in Portuguese, but you don't have to speak it to admire the work she is doing. She says she's been doing this for over 30 years and that it was her mother that taught her how. the whole family worked as a "filler" (there's a typical Portuguese word for the work she does that basically means that she fills the shapes with the filigree wire) but now only she does this work.
The man talks about this kind of filigree, saying it's not made in any other country and if you go to a jewelry show outside of Portugal you won't find this type of Filigree. He says it's highly appreciated outside of Portugal, but not so much here and that the traditional shapes are being sold at the same rate as the new designs. He also complaints about the price of gold (traditionally, this filigree was made primarily with gold) and says it's impossible to work with gold nowadays because he would need 50.000 euro to buy 2kg of gold, but he can buy 5kg of silver for "only" 2.000 euro.