Welcome Winter Solstice

Antique Georgian Gilt "Pinchbeck" and Enamel Floral Earrings, Victorian Gold Wedding Bracelets, Victorian Gutta Percha and Gold Bracelet

Antique Carnelian Signet Ring, Variance Objects Moldavite Large Ring

Photography Kara Brodgesell, Makeup Shawn Burke,  Model Frances Tomei

This Saturday: Variance Objects Trunk Show

Join us this Saturday, September 26 from 12-6pm for a trunk show with Variance Objects.
Meet the designer, Nicole Rimedio, and explore the latest of her hand-cut and finely crafted jewelry pieces. A small selection of loose stones will also be available at the show for clients to work together with Nicole to create custom rings.
A 15% discount will be offered in-store at the event. We hope to see you there! 

Variance Objects exposes natural beauty and form with each hand-cut and hand-set stone. Designer, Nicole Rimedio, chooses stones that are often overlooked in the world of fine jewelry —

rusty carnelians, rare goshenite, and rutilated quartzes -- and elevates them, in their natural state, 

to a place of rough elegance. To read more about Variance Objects see our Q&A interview with Nicole in our next blogpost below. 

Q&A with Variance Objects Designer, Nicole Remedio

A trained landscape architect and self-taught jeweler, Nicole Remedio is exactly the kind of artist we enjoy working with — disciplined, driven but grounded. Her work challenges the typical aesthetics of fine jewelry by employing hand-cut stones, mixing metals, and "anti-polish" attitude that we love. Here she talks about her art and what inspires her: 

Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Shaker Heights Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.  My parents still live in the house I grew up in.  It's a beautiful suburb, but still a suburb.  

We were automatically drawn to the rawness of Variance Objects pieces. Why do you prefer to use uncut stones and materials as opposed to more polished, processed ones?

Actually, all of our stones are cut and polished in our studio, but we cut them in a way that leaves their rough, natural character intact, so they appear to be uncut.  I love seeing the natural formations of stones.  In a way I find their natural state more evocative than the spectacular flawless faceted form they usually take in fine jewelry.  By approaching a gem with a different set of priorities it frees us up to rough beauty instead of human mastery.

You were trained in architecture, specifically landscape architecture— how does that play into your work, be it the designs, the process, or just your point of view?

There are ways that placing a stone on a band is like siting a building on a hillside; there's a relational balance between them that can be beautiful.  Also, I learned about rigorous process and how to design in grad school. Both of those things were helpful in the early stages of Variance and continue to benefit me as I Variance evolves, but most of all Architecture taught me what I didn't want my life to look like.  I learned that I just wasn't good at working in an office, and working on projects that I couldn't wrap my hands around.  I realized that I needed to take a sharp left turn and be an artist.

If you had to switch lives with another designer or artist, who would you choose?

Jimi Hendrix.  It seems like he was on another plane and I think I'd like to experience what it was like for him as an artist.  

What’s the best part of being in a creative/business relationship with your partner, Scott?

It allows me to be fully absorbed, but really we both are.  Variance is a project between us as much as it is my artistic pursuit.  To have a set of eyes that can look at the work with the same intimacy and investment as I have, but totally fresh and unbiased (usually) is invaluable.  Also there is a process between me completing a piece and Scott photographing the piece that is invaluable. I am able to see things in the piece through his photography that I didn't see with my eyes.  In a way it really speeds up and simplifies my internal design process.  Having a business takes so much determination, focus, and time, so it is really nice that we can be in it together.  We work a lot, but it doesn't (usually) feel like work, just art and life.

Describe your ultimate day off.

Hmmm.  These don't come very often, so I'll make it extra ultimate. Scott and I start off with good pot of Puerh tea, then a long walk either through the city or a good walking beach.  Then lunch, maybe Gracias Madre if we're in SF.  Then perhaps the Alameda flea market is happening magically in the afternoon for my day off, so we go there, find some killer scores, like a pair of Art Nouveau plique-à-jour day/night earrings and a couple of vintage Hermes bags.  Then we run into some friends and we all go to dinner somewhere fun.  Finally, we drive home at sunset on Hwy 1.  At home we immerse ourselves in multiple episodes of some great Netflix series.

What are you reading right now? What songs are playing in the studio while you’re working?

We listen to audio books in the studio and we just finished In the Spirit of Crazy Horse by Peter Matthiessen, and before that was The People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn.  When we play music, it is usually a Pandora station of either Bob Marley or Krishna Das.

Favorite snacks, type of weather, philosopher, place to go to think?

Cashew cheese and spicy pumpkin seeds on a seaweed rice cake.  Or a dark Ecuadorian mocha from Mutari chocolate.  

What’s your vision of Variance Objects for the next few years?
Refinement in both process and product.  As we grow we are constantly shown ways we can improve, so our goal is to always see those ways and take those opportunities.

The Now Mood

Variance Objects Lapis Earrings, Gillian Conroy 14k and Bone Drops, Gillian Conroy Silver and Gold Thorn Drops, Gillian Conroy Emerald Earrings, Gillian Conroy Long Drops,  Rebecca Overmann Gold Studded Black Drops, Gillian Conroy 18k Thorn & Rose Cut Grey Diamond Earrings, Found Landscape Painting as Backdrop

Ryan Roche Alabaster Top Hat, Victorian Calibre Turquoise and Rosecut Diamond Arrow Pin 

(Index Finger) Deco Zircon and White Gold Ring, Victorian 14k Rose Gold and Triple Opal Ring, Late Georgian 14k Flat Cut Diamond Ring, B.C.E. Jewelry 14k Champagne Diamond Ring,  (Middle Finger) 1920's Rose Gold Set With Rosecut Diamonds, 18k Victorian Opal and Diamond Ring, Gillian Conroy 18k Diamond Band, B.C.E. Jewelry 14k Turquoise and White Diamond Ring, (Ring Finger) Victorian Rose Gold Prasiolite Ring, Rebecca Overmann Tourmaline Ring, Gillian Conroy White Diamond Pear Shape Ring, Victorian 12k Opal, Sapphire & Rose Cut Diamond Ring (Pinky Finger) Victorian 18k Gold Sapphire and Diamond Ring, B.C.E. Jewelry 14k Boulder Opal Ring, Victorian Gold and Opal Baby Ring.

Heather Day Paintings coming soon to Metier!

Gillian Conroy 18k Gold and Emerald Rings

All items available online are linked in the description. If you have questions please inquire at info@metiersf.com or stop by the shop.

We like the way you walk.

Various Antique rings (in-store), Variance Objects V Band Ring, Kathleen Whitaker 14k Tube Ring

Necklace made of charms and pendants.

Antique coral ring (sold), Antique 14k Star Band With Diamonds, Victorian Sterling Buckle Bracelet, various rings, Shawn Burke Ltd. big clutch (in-store).

Antique 18k Victorian Cushion Cut Cluster Ring, Variance Objects Large Rutilated Quartz Ring, Arts & Crafts Lapis and Enamel Ring (in-store), Shawn Burke Ltd. Necessaire clutch.

Ryan Roche Black Panama Hat

Photos Ericka McConnell

Art Direction Philippine Scali
Model Jillian Lieber, Stars Model Management

Makeup Shawn Burke
Wardrobe The Podolls, Rand + Statler, 

Styling & Jewelry Metier

Mother's Day Gift Guide

We have gifts of sentiment and luxe necessities wrapped in pretty paper to make the mothers in your life very happy. And if you don't see something you are looking for, give us a call or come visit us at our shop for instore exclusives. 546 Laguna Street, San Francisco. 415-590-2998.

Sterling, Rose & Green Gold Floral Applique Locket, and various charms sold in-store

French Sterling Silver & Rose Gold Floral Locket, Victorian Sterling Buckle Bracelet, Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver & Rose Gold Bird Locket, Silver Repousse Floral Bangle Bracelet

Victorian 9k Front Engraved Shield Pendant, Variance Objects Lapis Hook Earrings, 14k Black Enamel and Pearl Locket, Gillian Conroy 18k Thorn Ring

Shawn Burke Tri-Fold Leather Jewelry Roll, Golden Pony Workshop Small Horsehair Tassel, Shawn Burke Necessaire Sage, Ryan Roche Black Panama Hat

Just in: Variance Objects & New Antique Jewelry

Variance Objects Black Jade Day-To-Night Earrings, Kathleen Whitaker 14k Long Stick Stud Earring, Antique Picture Agate and Diamond Ring, Variance Objects V Band Ring

Various Antique Bracelets. Antique Georgian Topaz and Pearl Ring, Variance Objects Emerald Ring, Gillian Conroy 18k and Channel Set White Diamond Tapered Band Ring

Photos: Maria del Rio

Grove

Early Victorian 12k Rose Gold Carnelian and Bloodstone Heart Locket,Victorian 14k Gold Heart Locket with Bow Motif & Ruby Teardrop, Victorian 12k Rose Gold Heavy Fetter Link Chain, Edwardian 10k Gold and Natural Coral Ring, Gillian Conroy 18k Gold and Diamond Rings, Ombre Throw Sold in-store only.

14k Art Deco Egyptian Revival Amethyst Ring, Variance Objects Rutilated Quartz Ring (sold), Antique Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver & Rose Gold Book Chain w/Ball Detail

Photos by Maria del Rio

Model: Carly Wilhelm