I love sharing the stories behind the designs and materials of all my pieces, especially those that spark instant reaction. My beetle wing pieces, found in both Vanity and Cameo, seem to elicit the most inquiries and bewilderment.
I utilize wings from genuine beetles belonging to the Buprestidae family. They are sourced from a farm in Thailand, where the beetles are utilized in cooking as well as in jewelry. These beetle wings embody my love of bold gemstones as their hues evoke rich color and iridescence, despite their organic nature.
To employ these naturalistic, unique wings in my work I first fill the underside with epoxy to give them strength. After they have dried I cut the wings into the desired shape and shave down the epoxy to fit back plates. From there, I set them like gemstones, in fine silver and 18k gold (and often with diamonds)!
*The wings are an incredibly delicate material and have to handled with the utmost care. *
Shop beetle wing jewelry here...
