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First time contact
with a client is always by asking what type of style they prefer and
I am pleased, when they tell me, that they want something original,
hand made, not cast and not commercial. I tell them that I don’t
make copies and, that I construct my pieces into the metal directly-
but when they have something special in mind I will consider it my way.
I tell them to go looking around and do their homework.
I tell them that I seldom use prong settings, that I have several ways
to finish the piece, that I will give the surface some structure and
not always a typical high polish, which lets the work appear to be cold.
I am interested in all challenging commissions both for men and women,
I am willing to integrate existing parts and stones and have a lot of
fun to come up with some outrageous ideas that may shock and exhilarate
the person who is intended to wear the work. The bolder the better!
But that's all happening by my so-called "Brainstorming sessions"
where I sit down with my book of photos and a huge drawing pad, and
while we speak I am making notes and drawings from scratch.
One of my original questions to start with is: "For what part of
the body shall this piece of adornment be?"
So we sit down and search, look at the birth sign thinking of the stones
to match – size, color, cut, cabochon or faceted, and shall we
have the color stone accompanied by diamonds, or even go all the way
and make a piece with pave in color or white.
Then at some point I am asking my client "to draw a line"
which is mostly answered with a squeak," but I cannot draw!"
It doesn’t matter because even a scribble gives me some very personal
context that will later manifest into the work.
Because my GOAL is to get the essence, the personality of the bearer
into the work, it should give them a shield and protect them.
I must say in this respect, I have been very successful and the people
get incredibly attached to the piece in most cases.
The idea behind this is, to hold back one's own personality and bring
up the one of the other.
So many possibilities and it is great fun to splurge till REALITY sets
in:
First in the form of a BUDGET (a goldsmith's dream is to be employed
by a rich king who says: just go ahead use all the materials you can
think of, costs are no problem!!) so it goes back and forth and then
I have to plan the work accordingly.
I have learned through my experience to bracket because it turns out
always to be more,
which I mostly compensate with my labor costs which I mostly never get
fully reimbursed
by this type of work.
Every jeweler will agree to that!!
Second: on the technicality of the design: how to execute what you have
suggested.
That’s when my engineering faculties have to set in depending
what has been planned.
When all is set, the budget, the design I go and buy the materials,
the stones, the metal,
(in the case of gold I buy fine gold an make my own alloys.)
Sometimes it takes a lot of footwork to find the right stone. I collect
lots of samples from my stone dealers on a memo and present the choices
to my client.
If all that is done I am sitting down at my bench to execute the work
with all its ups and downs till it is in the box. The invoice is written
and I present it to my client with pride and anxiety in my heart.
For
additional information or make an appointment, please contact the artist.
Tel:
212.575.9163 - email: haraldchristoph@aol.com
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