This January turned the page of a whole new decade

Imagine a steel railroad spike elegantly elongated, wrapping around the neck with ends tapping together just below the collar bone. Then sprinkle the surface with tiny points of light, reflected by diamonds and accented with dainty gold mechanics. These pieces slide and click into place like well-oiled machines. Most works are hand-forged out of steel and appear simultaneously raw and refined. A bangle of his, also using the silhouette of a railroad spike, looks to be a gold-rush, Industrial Revolution ode to the Ouroboros. This is the ancient symbol of a snake biting its tail and meaning 'the eternal return' or the idea of the cycle of beginning and end, life and death. This piece appears to have been dropped in a bucket of powdered gold giving it an ethereal edge. It looks almost bewitched, and is itself certainly bewitching. Pat Flynn makes jewelry that takes the Industrial Revolution and re-purposes its objects making them relevant and current. Under the guise of re-purposing the industrial, I stumbled upon another gem, a ring by jeweler Michail Manthey. This extra large, cocktail-sized wedge of wood uses four hardware-variety lookalike screws, made from sterling silver to trap a large chunk of citrine. The piece, working from dark brown to soft, tawny gold and offset by cold silver is dubbed 'Finger Furniture' and is indeed the perfect display. It's all about locking down and showing off golden refracted light in the form of an emerald cut stone. No frills wanted or needed here. Standing at the edge of this new decade, I have my hands in two pockets. In one is the work which calls to an era past, and inspires one to reminisce; the other has work which seeks only to react to the present. With my hands full, I can think of no more beautiful way to look back while still moving forward. If you're interested in learning more about the history, basics, and new techniques of jewelry design, there are several ways to do so. Looking into courses at a jewelry design school could be a great start. Whether you are new to the field or wanting to take your skills to the next level, you'll benefit as industry experts share their time tested advice on how to design jewelry,and help you to turn your creative vision into a piece of wearable artwork-just as the experts above have done.