Natalie Frigo takes careful consideration in every piece, ensuring that the jewelry properly emphasizes the extraordinary beauty in every client. She implements the ancient practices of metal smithing and cire perdue or lost-wax casting. The organic forms are then cast and finished, and the recycled metals are married with personally selected, ethically sourced gemstones. Anyone, Gypset or not, will love this line because her pieces are purely organic and sustainable, beautifully exemplified in her necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings.
According to the site, Natalie’s inspiration for her collection comes from early metallurgy and textile design and recent architectural developments. Her cat Vito also served as the inspiration for the Sabre-toothed Cat Ring.
An important aspect of Natalie’s jewelry is the ethics behind the mining of the precious gemstones she uses. In graduate school she learned that an average, newly-mined 18-karat gold ring creates twenty tons of waste. Every one of her gemstones are conflict-free– meaning that no person was forced to mine a stone in unsafe or illegal working conditions. The mines provide a living wage, ensure safe working conditions, and protect the environment by limiting dangerous chemicals; in addition to developing plans for restoring the land after mining is complete.
Natalie uses recycled and reclaimed metals, which eliminates a tremendous amount of new pollution and contaminated water. All of these are important factors to consider for Gypset style.
This Dagger With Chrysophase and Oval With Sapphire Slice are made with recycled vinyl beads on hand dyed Japanese silk. Each, along with the Claw And Rock Crystal necklace, would look perfect around your neck with a breezy tunic.
I, for one, am very excited to see more gypset style collectables from this jeweler with a heart of gold!
