Hello Jewel Envy readers,
Did you know that today is National Love Your Pet Day? I know a lot of people aren’t fans of all the national whatever days, but who can hate a day dedicated to giving your pet a little extra love and attention? So, today I thought I would share a few ways you could have your furry (or feathery, or scaly or whatever else you’ve got) friend recreated in the form of jewellery.
Casting:
The very first casting project we had at OCAD was to model a dog in wax and then cast it in bronze. So naturally that process always comes to mind when I think about replicating an animal. Casting is a great method for portraying a specific pet because it allows for a high level of detail that can really capture an animal’s likeness as you can see in the two examples above. It’s important to consider what features you want to highlight and whether it’s better to show your pet in full like in this adorable Pomeranian Ring by Ham Ji Hee or opt for a portrait option to get those face details just right as seen in the custom Boston Terrier pendant by Kotoba Jewellery.
Hand Fabrication:
https://www.stickmancreations.com/collections/all/products/guinea-pig-necklace 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bah_HB8nuSR/
Hand fabrication is also a great option for portraying a pet and can range greatly in complexity. As you can see from Stick Man Creation’s Guinea Pig Pendant above a piece doesn’t need to be highly detailed to capture the likeness of a particular pet. Two flat pieces of metal do a wonderful job here of replicating this guinea pig’s expression. Hand fabrication can also go to the other end of the spectrum and become hyper realistic as you can see in Elizabeth Goluch’s Tarantula piece, Daisy, which is so detailed it even includes individual hairs on the spider’s legs and abdomen.
Enamel:
https://julieglassmanjewelry.jimdofree.com/shop-cloisonne-enamel-jewelry/custom-cloisonne-pet-portraits/ 
https://www.instagram.com/p/B78p39ZHqi8/
The earliest known enamel jewellery has been dated to around the 13th century B.C. and has been used to represent everything from flowers to important historical and religious figures. If the French aristocracy could have themselves portrayed in enamel pieces, then why can’t your pet? Well it turns out they absolutely can. Above are two examples that use the enamel technique of cloisonné to portray animals. The first, a pendant by Julie Glassman featuring the portrait of a pet cat and the second a fancy guppy with a beautiful blue chalcedony tail made by Jill Tower.
Shark Bracelet by Alexis Kostuk of Glaciale Goldsmith
Just for fun, here’s a couple of animal pieces we currently have on display at the store, maybe not the most common choices for pets but, cute nevertheless! I hope this has given you some inspiration, maybe like me you’re now debating which option would capture your pet best. Remember, our capable goldsmiths are always ready to whip up something custom if you’re looking for the perfect piece to celebrate your pet! Happy National Love your Pet Day everyone!
-Skye