This gemstone chandelier isn’t technically jewelry, but it IS made of jewels! I’d wear it if I could, but I think pure size dictates The following are some examples of how to use this one has to be jewelry for a house, not a person. Or perhaps a castle – it is that spectacular.
Alhaja by Colombian designer Sebastian Jaramillo is a masterpiece of gemstone art. This incredible piece was created over six years, is composed of 2,000 handmade pieces and contains more than 23,000 cts of gemstones.
Jaramillo had just finished his studies at GIA New York City, when inspiration struck. In the designer’s own words:
I remember sitting on the steps of New York’s public library, that’s when I first came up with the idea of making something grandiose, something absurdly beautiful, something that deep down I always wanted to create but lacked the courage to start.
Alhaja was born as I sat in a fantasy of gems, light and my eccentric inner-child who dares dream big, imagine without rules or boundaries. I knew after that, that someday, somehow, I had to create her.”
The chandelier’s central element is 800 curving green leaves, made from enamel on gold-backed Lucite. Alhaja’s fantastic foliage is home to a flock of 22 tiny, bejeweled insects and animals, each lovingly shaped in precious materials.
Every inhabitant of this abundant gemstone chandelier is an homage to the rich biodiversity of Jaramillo’s homeland, Colombia.
The dragonflies are made from tourmaline and tanzanite. They have delicate wings of enamel plique-ajour. Butterflies in amethyst sapphire citrine aquamarine. Snails made of garnets, amethysts, and pearls. Golden bird with emerald eyes. Butterfly with rubellite sapphires and aquamarines. Bees have pearl bodies and wings with enamel. Alhaja is teeming in gemstone creatures.
Oh and if that weren’t enough: these precious creatures are all suspended by wire for an En tremblant The art comes to life when each butterfly and insect flutters in the breeze.
The gold-plated central elements of this chandelier have a canopy with peridots guilloche red enamel and hand-chased peridot flowers. The second canopy is made up of 24 ropes with baroque pearls and amethysts tumbled. This central shaft sprouts hundreds of beautifully formed lily blossoms, each with a garnet in the center.
Don’t worry, this gemstone chandelier is practical, too – Alhaja is also a functional light fixture! The upper canopy is composed of 6 gold lions with gemstone eyes. Each lion has an amethyst set wreath on its head and a small amethyst tucked into its mouth. Each lion anchors a lamp with matte glass shades and gemstone-adorned screws.
I told you that Alhaja is a 23,000 carat gemstone chandelier, but that’s not precisely true. The reality is that Jaramillo had so many tiny, elaborate creatures to create that he actually lost count of the gemstone weights…he stopped counting at 23,000 carats, so that’s the weight he gives.
But really it’s somewhere between 23,000 carats and infinity.
What do my darlings think? What do you think, my darlings? Will you commission one for your home? Can I come to your house and just stare at it?
If you’d like to see more of Sebastian Jaramillo’s work, visit his website here.
Images c/o Sebastian Jaramillo.
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