The Midsummer Necklace
Midsummer, Karlskoga, 1967. the longest day of the year. The parents are away (on the other side of the river) Boy meets girl. As the earth bids one midsummer farewell and starts it’s year-long journey around the sun, so begins Maria and Börje’s journey together.
Midsummer, Karlskoga, 1968. As the earth pulls back into the same position, poised and ready to salute the sun from the same spot as the year before, boy asks girl to marry him.
Midsummer, Karlskoga, 1969. Again the earth continues its orbit, its path is set, it knows it will be back in 365.256 days to see in midsummer in the exact same place. And them too. Of course they’re back. This time they’re saying their vows.
Wedding ring symbolism has remained consistent; a ring is a circle, and thus has no beginning or end, representing the never-ending union of marriage. ‘The Midsummer’ Pendant also has no beginning and no end. However it twists and turns and loops and intertwines because that reflects life and marriage. It’s made with 18 carat gold and three diamonds, which are discreetly set and represent the special Midsummers in Karlskoga, a place that means so much to so many people, including me.
I’m so honoured to have been asked to make this necklace to celebrate this beautiful relationship. Thank you
About the piece
This pendant was made from recycled 18 carat gold. The design is the result of many prototypes and trial and errors in silver prior to the final in gold. Making this design is all about the prep work, laying the right foundations. The gold is rolled out to size, filed, sanded and polished prior to bending. I wanted to keep the edges sharp in order to emphasise the twists, turns and loops within the necklace. The inside surface has a high polish and the external surface has a satin brushed finish. There are 3 diamonds discreetly set on the loop, that was the very final addition. The diamonds are tiny and flush set so that they do not interrupt the flow of the design.
I’ll be doing a “Making of” blog post for this piece so don’t forget to sign up to the newsletter to get an update.