Considering my age and size, I think that's pretty good.

But then there’s that nutrition part. I should be thoroughly embarrassed by how near-drunk I get over the luscious materials I get to play with every day. Buttery gold and candy colored gemstones. Oh. Yeah.

I’m not  ashamed, though. I’m a New Orleanian.

Self-indulgence is a commodity here, right? 

But, don't get me wrong. I’m a beast. I work out almost daily!

My jewelry takes hard work to create. It is one of a kind (OOAK); totally old-school handmade. I do not use wax models or pre-made molds; I hand fabricate everything. I even alloy my own gold. My original designs are created with the timeless artistry of classical goldsmithing; a tradition of centuries old techniques. Each is made one at a time for superior craftsmanship & incomparable beauty.

The current catch phrase for this kind of totally from scratch work is artisan. You know…artisanal bread, cheese…BEER. Only the finest jewelry is made entirely by hand.

I use only 22 karat yellow gold for my original designs. You may wonder, what’s the big deal with that?

22k gold is the most luxurious alloy of pure (24 karat) gold. Its signature rich yellow color sets it apart from lower karat golds used in mass produced jewelry. Not only that, almost all the jewelry made these days is cast. But not 22k jewelry. It is always hand fabricated.

The inherent weight and density gained from being hand wrought gives 22k yellow gold jewelry strength, weight and unsurpassed beauty.

• I alloy the gold myself in my studio.
• I start with "fine" or pure gold (0.9999) shot which is then heated until molten. At this purity gold is 24k.
• I then add exact proportions of fine silver and copper creating an alloy suitable for making jewelry.

The final ratio is 22 parts pure gold to 2 parts fine silver and copper…22 karat gold.

• The alloy is cooled and formed into an ingot.
• From there the ingot is either rolled out in sheets, or pulled through a die to make wire. I use a rolling mill and wire drawing mill during this phase;
• frequently heating the gold again (annealing) to re-establish malleability after it’s been work-hardened and won’t reduce further without cracking and breaking.

The tradition of using 22k yellow gold, and the methods I use to make my jewelry are centuries old.

The same classical goldsmithing methods I employ were used to create the ancient gold jewelry found in museums or books. It is very labor intensive and meticulous. All my jewelry designs are made from the gold wire and sheet I produce in my studio. This method of hand fabrication is unlike techniques used in factory made jewelry, and is rarely found in jewelry making because of the time it takes to produce and the high cost of labor associated with production.

I know you are a bit nutty about jewelry like I am.

It’s ok.

It is not ordinary jewelry that deserves to mark your celebrations and preserve your memories. You demand the exceptional – masterfully created and timeless artistry. You demand the best.

Jewelry is infused with infinite emotion & meaning. For over 5000 years, there has been no comparable art or craft.

There aren’t many of us classical goldsmiths out there, but whoa…are we passionate about it. The process is slow but deeply rewarding work. I’m devoted to this ancient craft, even if it limits number of pieces I can make. Creating my designs one at a time, using my own hands from start to finish is a luxury, but a integral value of my aesthetic. It makes me happy and THAT, my friends is everything.