| The
Sukhothai Process
The original Sukhothai
jewelry was made of gold and reserved for the royal family in
the Kingdom of Thailand. The uniqueness of the jewelry, the
attention to detail and the high purity of the metal used is
what sets "Sukhothai" jewelry far apart from most
other jewelry designs.
When I create a bead or
paint the final touch of enamel on a piece I am reminded of the
many who have come before me who have perfected the technique of
making Sukhothai and then handed down the technique to the next
generation.
Every element of Sukhothai
jewelry is made by hand. That is one reason it is so special.
I begin with raw silver
which I form into thin sheets for bead making and long wire for
braiding and bead ornamentation.
The silver is either
annealed by water or air depending on how soft I need the metal
for forming.
A narrow sheet of thin silver is used to make the beads. The
head of a drill press (above) is dropped onto the silver
creating a bulb below. This is half of the bead. |
