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Jackie bought this pendant when she fell in love with the unusual purple turquoise gemstone, even though she isn't really a necklace person. Instead of letting the piece languish in her jewelry box, she contacted me about transforming her sterling silver pendant into a simple bezel ring. I hadn't encountered this type of purple turquoise before, so I did a little research. It appears that purple turquoise is often an altered, treated form of turquoise. Red and purple resin is combined with turquoise, and sometimes pyrite or other metallic elements are mixed in as well. You can see the golden streaks...

I'm so excited to share the latest collection of jewelry I created for Navona Handmade! But first, a little about Navona: WHO WE ARE Three friends from art school who decided to pursue our artistic passions as a group. We meet regularly to discuss, critique, and encourage each other.  Bethany is our potter, Julia is our fiber artist, and I'm the jeweler. WHAT WE DO Take a short trip together twice a year to someplace new and inspiring, and create a collection of jewelry and home decor based on our experience. Yes, we built a business around taking vacations together,...

Maria and Billy went on their first date at 15, at an ice skating rink. After dating on and off over the years, things started to get serious in 2013. Maria approached me about an engagement ring first, because she wanted to make sure she got the kind of ring she was hoping for. She sent me a few images, and also some sketches she had done. We figured out her ring size and put together a list of likes: two-tone rings, bezels, beaded details, and twist shanks.   I love when women reach out to me first to make sure I...

Ready to order a custom piece of jewelry? Fill out my brand new Custom Design Form and I'll get started on your bespoke piece right away! Maybe you're talking about getting engaged, but you don't want to seem pushy to your significant other? Fill out the Custom Design Form and send your SO to www.christinealaniz.com. I'll have all your info on file for when they're ready! xo, Christine

Maria asked me to create a custom fern leaf necklace for her. I've always been drawn to ferns because of how they demonstrate fractal geometry. This scaled, graduated design is perfect for computer-aided design. Using CAD gives me the precision to design a perfectly tapered leaf pattern, replicating the mathematical perfection found in Mother Nature.   I designed this necklace to have a curling, gently curved leaf centered along a delicate box chain. With an oxidized finish layered on top the sterling silver, the mathematically precise graduation of the fern leaves is especially prominent. xo, Christine