SEAMAN SCHEPPS

Jewelry as a whole is considered to be serious business. Expensive, labor intensive, and a luxury only the richest could afford. Born out of the ashes of the depression, Seaman Schepps did to jewelry what nobody else could do. Without losing any of its prestige, he injected magic and fun into his work. Eclectic color palettes, unusual treatment of gemstones, and an almost sculpture like attitude to his work creates a collection of work that is sheer joy to behold.

His jewelry is instantly recognizable by clusters of precious and semi precious stones. He let the earthiness and natural beauty of candy looking gem stones take the stage, while small tendrils of gold or platinum would daintily hold the clusters together. He plays on our love of bright colors and round bubbly designs. He lets his stones retain their natural asymmetrical shape, polishing them just enough to let them glow. The juxtapositions of cut and cabochon stones set in gold creates a dynamic design.

His innovative nature didn't stop at the unorthodox way he treated gemstones. He included more base rocks like rock crystals, and treated them as such to bring them up to the same level as precious stones. He incorporated ebony, wood, and coral; making them just as beautiful as his sapphires and emeralds. He took shells from the sea, cleaned them, and studded them with gorgeous gems.

 His playful nature had no end He created plenty of charming animals encrusted in precious gems. Coy turtles, crying fish, and cocky roosters were a small part of his repertoire.

Few other designers were able to do with gems what he did. He injected purity of heart, his playfulness, and his joy into what was normally considered a serious and prestigious art form.