Silver Ammonite Fossil with Ice-blue Sea-glass Necklace

As with all the jewellery I create, this necklace was inspired by a nature find, in this case an ammonite I found in shingle-dip full of water, on the beach in Charmouth in Dorset, on one of the many fossil hunting days I went on when my son was small.

I made a mould of the original ammonite, into which I pressed silver-clay, which once dried and fired created the solid, fine silver piece you see here.  The sea glass is from Seaham on the Durham coast, in the North East of England – one of many pieces I have found when visiting my family up there!

I love the combination of silver and sea-glass, and this piece was perfect for being wire-wrapped and matched with a solid silver pendant -a beautiful pairing of North and South!

Whilst I may re-use the mould,  because I make by hand no two moulded items are ever exactly the same, and because no two pieces of sea-glass are ever the same, there will never be another pairing exactly like this one.

About Hugged by Nature Jewellery

& The materials I Use All of my pieces are made by hand, and due to the organic nature of both the materials I work with, and the process of making, there may be some ‘irregularity’ – just as nature intended! This is particularly the case for sea-glass earrings (without filing or shaping the pieces you won’t get ‘exact’ matches, and I prefer to use the pieces as I find them), and for some of the silver pieces which have been made free-hand.

The fine silver I use in all of my solid pieces comes from Precious Metal Silver Clay/Clay Paste. Precious Metal Clay consists of tiny fragments of silver left over from industrial processes of the making of things like X-ray machines and photocopiers. These fragments are mixed with an organic compound to create a malleable clay-like substance which can be shaped and moulded into a vast array of things – imagination (and skill!) is really the main limit! Once shaped, the clay is left to dry, and then fired to burn off the organic compounds. Once fired, the final piece is solid fine silver – meaning it is 99.9% pure silver. This makes is slightly softer than the more commonly used Sterling Sterling Silver (see Jewellery Care notes).

I use nature finds – ranging from tree and plant seeds (e.g. sycamore, acorns), fossils (ammonites, sharks’ teeth) and shells – all gathered by me when I’m out and about, as well as other objects like coffee beans, to create moulds for me to use with the clay. I also use small leaves, flowers, herbs and seeds (often from my garden!) to create natural imprints on the surface of the clay, which I then chemically ‘age’ after firing to highlight the imprinted design. I use Clay Paste to ‘layer paint’ onto things, especially leaves, to create a replica of the original, in silver.

All of the leaves I make use this technique, because I love the natural texture and shape it gives, as well as a leaf ‘lightness’ to the final fired piece. This method means I can only use a leaf once, so just as every leaf on a tree is different, every single one of my leaves that makes it to the final stage is a one-off and unique.

The sea-glass and other beach finds (including pottery, shells and fossils) are all found by me on beaches I visit, most commonly Barton-on-Sea and the Jurassic Coast, near me, Cornwall where I holiday often, and the North East of England where my sister and family live. But I have been known to find things in France, Greece and elsewhere too! I use sea-glass in a variety of ways in my creations, and I am always guided by the feel of a piece. Some silver pieces are crying out for a sea-glass companion, and others are best left to shine alone, and likewise, some pieces of sea-glass are made to stand-our on their own!

The shape and colour of each piece of sea-glass determines how I use it: I wire-wrap some using fine silver wire, some are simply drilled and hung from a chain just as they are, others are mounted into a silver bezel setting, and some of the smallest pieces are combined together to create a ‘cluster’. I love letting my intuition guide my creating!

Commissions

Because the things I make are generally one-off/one-of-a kind, I am really happy to make to order and to take commissions – so if you have a particular leaf that you’d like, or a herb, a special shell or a piece of sea-glass you’ve collected and you’re not sure what to do with it – I’d love to chat and see whether I could transform it into a wearable treasure! Just drop me a message…

About the Packaging & Shipping

All jewellery will be carefully gift wrapped in tissue paper and presented in either a kraft pillow box or a kraft box with a felted British wool insert on which the piece is presented, and tied with linen, sisal or other natural thread. The box will be sent in a small parcel mailing box. To protect the package whilst in transit the box is filled with eco-friendly fine wood shavings that are fully compostable, and a by-product of the wood industry here in the UK.

All packaging used, including the tape, is recycled and/or recyclable and sustainably sourced, and I aim to use recycled silver wherever possible.

If the item is a gift and you would like it sent directly to the recipient, please make sure the mailing address is correct during the checkout process. If you would like a message included with the package, free of charge, please fill out the details on the drop down menu option. I aim to dispatch all orders within 1-3 working days from receipt of the order. Shipping is via Royal Mail……[insert final decision]

Jewellery Care Recommendations

To ensure the longest life of your little piece of nature it’s recommended that you take care to protect your piece from harsh chemicals, and perfumes, hairsprays and other substances which may contain ingredients that could tarnish or harm the silver. Fine silver is also softer than the more commonly used Sterling Silver, so just be aware that it may scratch more easily. The sea-glass is generally robust, but it is still a piece of glass, so it may possibly chip or scratch if it’s not treated kindly. If it looks like it needs a boost, a gentle clean with some mild soapy water and a small brush should do the trick, and a tiny bit of olive oil applied with a soft cloth or cotton bud can be used to give it some extra shine.

It is also good to be aware that the chains, hooks and other findings I use to hang pendants/earrings are usually made from Sterling Silver, which may tarnish more quickly than the Fine Silver I use elsewhere, so you may find parts of your jewellery looking less shiny than the rest. If you do find that this has happened a gentle buff with a silver polishing cloth, widely available online, should do the trick (though I have to say, a friend of mine wears her pendant ALL the time, including when wild swimming, and it is still looking amazing!)

Hallmarking

Under British Law all silver items weighing in excess of 7.78g must be hallmarked. The weight of my jewellery falls below this threshold so is currently not hallmarked. I do however make clear in each of my listings what each piece is made from, including the chain

Shipping Countries: United Kingdom (UK)

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Ready to ship in 1-3 business days

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Shipping Policy

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Shipping & Packaging Information

Items will be processed and despatched within 3 working days and shipped by Royal Mail Tracked 24 as standard. Shipping is included in the price of all purchases unless stated or agreed otherwise, e.g. if you request to upgrade to special delivery.

I aim to minimise the amount of packaging I use when sending items to reduce waste, whilst also seeking to present the everyday treasures beautifully, and to treat the jewellery as the delicate and beautiful treasure it is, ensuring its safe passage through the British postal system!
All materials used for gift wrapping and packing are made from recycled and/or recyclable materials, which are sustainably sourced and British made where possible!

Sounds obvious, but please carefully check that the details of the mailing address you have given are correct before confirming your order, especially if it is a gift and is being sent to an address that is different from the billing address.

If you need an order by a specific date/on a shorter timescale, then please let me know and I’ll do my very best to accommodate you!

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Refund Policy

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Returns and Refunds

All of my pieces are handmade with a lot of love and I take great pride in everything I make, and in seeing a smile on your face! I am a strong believer in hand-made meaning quality and also that because each piece is individually made by hand there sometimes may be irregularities on the surface reflecting the organic nature of the materials I work with , which creates truly one of a kind pieces.

I also know that occasionally things might go awry, and if you find that you have a problem with your item please contact me straight away so we can discuss how best to resolve the situation.