Plumeria Demi-Hoop Earrings

September 2013
14 karat gold

A client of mine who used to live in and still has a great fondness for Hawai‘i saw a pair of demi-hoops that I had made and asked if I could create something similar but with plumerias. Plumerias are everywhere here—they're very common in flower leis, their fragrance fills the air, and of course a lot of jewelry is made using them as a motif.

I jumped at the opportunity—I'd been sketching some Hawaiiana designs lately anyway, and having a form-imposed framework helped me to visualize a cascade of plumerias that grew largest at the apex of the demi-hoop and receded into the extremities. We don't really have a fall season here, but I like the autumnal appearance given by the illusion of falling blossoms.