We are always looking for the latest and greatest in jewelry for our customers. We travel to jewelry shows 2 - 3 times per year. We keep up on the latest trends in the industry through socials, blogs, magazines, and more. We do this to ensure that we stay relevant to what you need, and to bring the best jewelry - in all price ranges - to the seacoast.
Recently we picked up a new jewelry line called "Nicole Barr" and we are really excited to bring this high-quality jewelry to the seacoast!
Nicole Barr’s collection is hand-made enamel jewelry set in either 18K Gold or Sterling Silver. Some pieces also have diamonds, pearls, or other gemstones set in the piece.
Nicole Barr has honed the process of making plique-à-jour jewelry as well. This is the process of filling in the filigree space with enamel to create the effect of stained glass. While some pieces will have a metal backing that shows through the piece, the plique-à-jour will have no metal behind the enamel allowing light to shine through just like stained glass.
What makes this jewelry stand out is the lovely colors and beautiful shimmer that immediately jump off each piece. We’ll get more into the details of how they’re handcrafted, but let’s start with the collections within the line.
Collections
Floral
The Floral collection was created to share the beauty of flowers. Exemplifying the color, and variety, as found in nature, the colored enamel is the perfect medium for flowers. The collection also contains different types of leaves.
See the Floral Collection Here
Nautical
The Nautical collection is perfect for the seacoast! It features all things ocean, such as boats, navigation, sea animals, and more. Check out the Whale Tale, and for Dover grads, see the Ocean Wave.
See the Nautical Collection Here
Nature
This collection features fireflies, butterflies, birds, and bees. The bluebirds are symbolic of hope, love, positivity, and renewal. Whereas, the cardinal is symbolic of new beginnings, determination, and loved ones saying hello.
See the Nature Collection Here
Aurora
This is my favorite collection. Based on representing the colors and mystique of the Aurora Borealis (aka Northern Lights) this collection features a stunning application of various enamel colors to create an effect similar to what you might see in the Aurora Borealis.
See the Aurora Collection Here
Celestial
The Celestial Collection is all about the stars. This collection features deep blue fields with stars, constellations and shooting stars.
See the Celestial Collection Here
Rio
Lending its name from the Spanish word for river, “Rio”, this collection features bold, flowing colors like the rivers of the Rio Grande.
Watercolors
Like the canvas of a painting, enamel is used to represent watercolors on each piece. These pieces are both colorful and artistic, matching the collection name. The enamel is layered carefully to create an array of colors in each delicate piece.
See the Watercolors Collection Here
Symbolic
The Symbolic Collection leans on the symbolism in shapes that we all use, such as the infinity symbol, the cross, and angel wings.
See the Symbolic Collection Here
Manufacturing
Nicole Barr started in 1982 as a small company located north of London, UK. Following the high standards set forth by French master enamellers like René Lalique and Fabergé, Nicole Barr’s mission has been to deliver this time-honored enamel work to a modern consumer.
When enameling, Nicole Barr uses a true vitreous enamel process, which means that glass shards are fused at very high temperature until the shards start to “flow”. When cooled, the enamel created is a durable vitreous coating. This enamel is painstakingly applied by hand to 18K Gold and Sterling Silver in a five-part baking process.
The first step in the process is to “cast” metal into the appropriate shape for the finished piece. This casting starts with creating the piece in Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. The piece is then 3D printed to a “wax”.
That wax is then placed into a “lost wax mold” and baked in an oven at very high temperatures. The wax burns off and leaves an empty space behind which becomes the mold (thus, “lost wax”).
When the hot mold comes out of the oven, the molten metal is then placed inside the mold (void left by the wax), creating the metal part of the jewelry. That piece is cooled in a bath of water and then prepped for enameling.
Then the enameller gets to work by flowing the glass shards and painting them onto the piece. The piece is then baked in an oven at a very high temperature to create a vitreous coating. This is done up to five times with each layer creating the various colors and smooth finish that you’ll find on each piece.
After the enamel work is done the next step is polishing where a craftsperson uses a buffing wheel to smooth out the metal finish to a mirror reflection.
Finally, each piece goes through a strict Quality Assurance check before being sent to us.
Wrapping Up
We are very excited to bring this exceptional line of high-quality jewelry to our store. We look forward to showing you the line soon!
As always, if you have any questions, or want to see the line in person please let us know by giving us a call or text at 603-749-3129, emailing us at sales@jewelrycreationsinc.com, or stopping in the store.
Bonus Content!
If you really enjoyed learning the process, and want to actually see the entire process, check out this YouTube video: