BESPOKE
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COMMISSION NO.
6
Creating a Fingerprint Necklace for a 60th Birthday
MATERIAL ·
Fine Silver
· DATE ·
This piece began with a thoughtful request from a husband who wanted to mark his wife’s 60th birthday with something personal and lasting. The idea was to create a necklace that captured the connection between her and her closest family-her husband and their two grown sons.
The design centred around three small discs, each carrying an individual fingerprint. Simple in concept, but deeply meaningful.
To make this possible, I sent out a fingerprint kit to the family. Inside was a silicone moulding compound along with clear instructions on how to take their prints at home. This part of the process is always important-it allows each person to be involved, even when they’re not physically present.
"Three little fingerprints, one piece full of love."
Once the moulds were returned, I created inverse impressions from each fingerprint. These inverses are what allow the final prints to appear raised and tactile in the finished piece. Each fingerprint was then formed into a small disc using silver metal clay.
The discs were carefully dried, refined, and then fired in the kiln. During firing, the clay transforms into solid silver, preserving every line and detail of the original print. After firing, each piece was polished by hand to bring out the subtle textures and ensure a soft, wearable finish.
The final necklace brings all three fingerprints together-distinct, but connected. It’s a quiet piece, but one that carries a lot of meaning. Something she can wear every day, close to her heart.
Seeing the finished necklace being worn is always the most rewarding part. What started as a set of simple impressions becomes something far more personal-a physical reminder of the people closest to her, captured in silver.
Below are some images showing the process from start to finish, along with the final piece being worn.
WITH CARE · JILLY
