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Alternative Materials Spotlight: Ceramic
Perusing the cases and displays at jewelry stores, customers generally expect to see staple metals: 18-karat gold, silver, platinum, perhaps titanium or palladium.
PHOTO “Ceramic is very different to work with than precious metals,” Perret says. “With a hardness of 8.7 … all the shaping, carving and polishing has to be done with diamond tools. In most ways it has to be fashioned much the same way one would a gemstone.” His bangles have treated multi-colored diamonds as well as white diamonds set in 18-karat yellow gold (top to bottom, $5,585; $11,749; $10,575).
PHOTO This black ceramic band features a Mokume pattern in 18-karat yellow, white and rose gold ($4,395).
PHOTO “My customers like Ceramique because it is not precious metal,” Perret says. “People are excited about the cool factor. Ceramique is not the jewelry their parents or grandparents wore.” The 12 mm Daisy ring is available in white ceramic with 18-karat white gold and a 0.64-carat treated blue diamond ($3,897) or black ceramic with 18-karat white gold and a 0.64-carat natural cognac diamond ($3,980).
PHOTO The “Concave” ceramic rings; top to bottom, a 12 mm ring with 18-karat yellow gold and natural yellow diamonds ($6,892); a 10 mm ring with 18-karat yellow gold and yellow sapphires ($2,800); and a 10 mm ring with 18-karat white gold and diamonds ($4,085)
PHOTO This tapered black ceramic pendant boasts an 8 mm Tahitian cultured pearl on a blacked silver chain ($375).
PHOTO “Ceramic is very different to work with than precious metals,” Perret says. “With a hardness of 8.7 … all the shaping, carving and polishing has to be done with diamond tools. In most ways it has to be fashioned much the same way one would a gemstone.” His bangles have treated multi-colored diamonds as well as white diamonds set in 18-karat yellow gold (top to bottom, $5,585; $11,749; $10,575).
PHOTO Perret’s pieces also are stackable. Shown here are black ceramic bands ($95 each for 3 mm, $90 each for 2 mm) framing the 18-karat white gold “Cindy” engagement ring with a 1.08-carat treated purple diamond ($9,220) and diamond pave; and framing the 18-karat yellow gold and platinum Cindy engagement ring with a 0.67-carat orange diamond ($5,120)
PHOTO “As a jeweler, I actually prefer working with gold or platinum to ceramics,” he says. “However, as a designer, I know there are many reasons why Ceramique is preferable to precious metals. When I put a finish on a piece of Ceramique, it is there forever unlike gold and platinum, which get scratched rather easily.” This ceramic pendant has an 8 mm cultured freshwater pearl on a silver chain ($195).
PHOTO “Ceramique gem ceramic jewelry can be made in a number of colors by slightly changing the chemical composition of the ceramic,” Perret says. “Currently we are making designs in jet black, snow white, creamy ivory, baby pink, lapis blue, jade green, steely gray and chocolate brown.” Perret’s black ceramic hoop earrings with 18-karat white gold and diamonds ($5,775)
PHOTO The 12 mm “Daisy” black ceramic band is made with 18-karat white and yellow gold, diamonds and a 0.35-carat natural color cognac diamond ($3,795).
PHOTO “Another important feature of Ceramique is that (the) material costs so much less than precious metals,” Perret says. “Therefore I can design pieces with some visual mass without the tremendous cost of gold or platinum.” This black ceramic band offers a Damascus steel inlay ($695).
Perusing the cases and displays at jewelry stores, customers generally expect to see staple metals: 18-karat gold, silver, platinum, perhaps titanium or palladium. There’s one material, however, that consumers may have to seek out: ceramic, used by designer Etienne Perret.
“Ceramique is my gem ceramic jewelry collection made from zirconia ceramic, an extremely hard high-tech material that is ideally suited for many industrial, medical and jewelry purposes,” Perret says. He first saw the material about 25 years ago when visiting Baselworld, at the booth of Swiss watch company Rado.
“It immediately struck me that if one could make watches from this material, one could make jewelry,” he says.
Perret said there is a large learning curve when working with zirconia ceramics, as opposed to other materials commonly used to make jewelry.
“Unfortunately it is a brand-new material that does not have 5,000 years of craft history. Much of the knowledge is in high-tech industrial manufacturing or in the dental industry. I try to find others that have the same passion for the material, and share what we know.”
Click through this gallery to see 10 pieces from Ceramique. All prices listed are retail.
“Ceramic is very different to work with than precious metals,” Perret says. “With a hardness of 8.7 … all the shaping, carving and polishing has to be done with diamond tools. In most ways it has to be fashioned much the same way one would a gemstone.” His bangles have treated multi-colored diamonds as well as white diamonds set in 18-karat yellow gold (top to bottom, $5,585; $11,749; $10,575).
Perret’s pieces also are stackable. Shown here are black ceramic bands ($95 each for 3 mm, $90 each for 2 mm) framing the 18-karat white gold “Cindy” engagement ring with a 1.08-carat treated purple diamond ($9,220) and diamond pave; and framing the 18-karat yellow gold and platinum Cindy engagement ring with a 0.67-carat orange diamond ($5,120)
“As a jeweler, I actually prefer working with gold or platinum to ceramics,” he says. “However, as a designer, I know there are many reasons why Ceramique is preferable to precious metals. When I put a finish on a piece of Ceramique, it is there forever unlike gold and platinum, which get scratched rather easily.” This ceramic pendant has an 8 mm cultured freshwater pearl on a silver chain ($195).
“Ceramique gem ceramic jewelry can be made in a number of colors by slightly changing the chemical composition of the ceramic,” Perret says. “Currently we are making designs in jet black, snow white, creamy ivory, baby pink, lapis blue, jade green, steely gray and chocolate brown.” Perret’s black ceramic hoop earrings with 18-karat white gold and diamonds ($5,775)
The 12 mm “Daisy” black ceramic band is made with 18-karat white and yellow gold, diamonds and a 0.35-carat natural color cognac diamond ($3,795).
“Another important feature of Ceramique is that (the) material costs so much less than precious metals,” Perret says. “Therefore I can design pieces with some visual mass without the tremendous cost of gold or platinum.” This black ceramic band offers a Damascus steel inlay ($695).
This black ceramic band features a Mokume pattern in 18-karat yellow, white and rose gold ($4,395).
“My customers like Ceramique because it is not precious metal,” Perret says. “People are excited about the cool factor. Ceramique is not the jewelry their parents or grandparents wore.” The 12 mm Daisy ring is available in white ceramic with 18-karat white gold and a 0.64-carat treated blue diamond ($3,897) or black ceramic with 18-karat white gold and a 0.64-carat natural cognac diamond ($3,980).
The “Concave” ceramic rings; top to bottom, a 12 mm ring with 18-karat yellow gold and natural yellow diamonds ($6,892); a 10 mm ring with 18-karat yellow gold and yellow sapphires ($2,800); and a 10 mm ring with 18-karat white gold and diamonds ($4,085)
This tapered black ceramic pendant boasts an 8 mm Tahitian cultured pearl on a blacked silver chain ($375).
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