Commission – Watermelon Tourmaline Slices and Pink Tourmaline 14 kt Yellow Gold Earrings
New Favorite earrings
A thoughtful hubby ordered these tourmaline drop post earrings for his wife for her birthday. She loves them! So do I – although, every new piece I make seems to be my new favorite. That’s the benefit of working with what you love.
In these earrings, I have linked together clench set natural tourmaline watermelon slices of different colors, and hung them under deep pink tourmaline post earrings. This special setting shows off the uneven edges of the watermelon tourmaline slices, while doubling as protection.
Do you have a project in mind for a loved one for the holidays? Let me know, and we’ll see what we can do – send me an email.
Commission – Opal and Diamond Wedding Ring
Wedding rings can come in all shapes and sizes
Delicate beauty
Commission – 14kt Yellow Gold and Diamond Wedding Set
His and Hers
What better way to tie the marital knot than with a 14kt yellow gold and diamond wedding set?
Hers– This customer chose a stunning oval brilliant 1 ct. diamond engagement ring and a fancy wedding band with diamonds set in a stylish alternating curved pattern.
His– For the man, a polished band with a comfort fit. What is comfort fit? The inside of the ring is curved so the ring feels smaller and is less noticeable to the wearer. Shoot me an email and I’ll explain more.
Commission – Black Pearl and Diamond White Gold Pendant
Watching Pirates of the Carribean for Halloween?
Hearing about the Black Pearl reminded me of this pendant that I made as a gift for my daughter. I set a small diamond in a white gold v-bail above a beautiful black pearl. It hangs nicely in the above photo on a box chain (kink resistant and good for traveling). It paired very nicely with a pair of black pearl stud earrings.
Interested in a similar project for someone with a birthday coming up? Send me an email (click here).
Commission – Diamond Halo Yellow Gold Ring
THREE became ONE…
Commission – 14kt Yellow Gold Coin Wedding Ring Set
Samantha was about to buy a train pass with coins she was putting into a ticket machine. The change fumbled and one rolled out into the street. A gentlemen in the line behind her ran out and retrieved her coin. Later, while on the train, they developed a friendship because of the coin. In time their relationship blossomed, and they decided to have the coin made into a promise ring.
A beautiful unique set a memorable love story.


14kt White Gold Bypass Wedding Ring
This tricky commissioned piece was a compliment to an existing engagement ring. The challenge was to make a wedding ring that would match a bypass ring band, as opposed to a normal round band.
The first step was to make a wax model that wrapped around on opposite sides of the existing ring. My solution was to make a bar at the base to hold the two pieces together. The ring was then cast, using the lost wax process, then pave set with small round diamonds. Challenge met!
Grattitude
I wanted to share this letter of gratitude with all of you that I wrote to a very special woman in 2008. This woman, Lucille, had been in the jewelry business for many years. Later in life, when she became too old to do jewelry, she very generously donated a tub of tools to me and gave me the jewelry commissioning account at the Pacific Asia Museum to do their award jewelry every year. She was very sweet woman, and I thought you as a reader might enjoy hearing more about my career in the jewelry business.
September 11, 2008
Dear Lucille Lee Roberts,
I thought I’d write you a note to let you know how jewelry and the art of metalworking have been such a significant part of my life.
My interest started in 1974 when my friend and I started making hair ornaments with feathers and sterling silver. I continued my creative outlet at PCC and received honors for Superior Achievement in Jewelry and an AA degree with an emphasis in Jewelry Making. I sold my pieces at art shows from Santa Barbara to San Diego and had a consistent following of clients who continually encouraged my artistic capabilities. In 1981, I graduated from California State University at Long Beach with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. From 1982 to 1984, I attended the Gemological Institute of America at Santa Monica (Graduate Gemologist Resident Program, Jewelry Arts and Gem Identification and Diamond Grading) where I absorbed the knowledge to attain the degree of Graduate Gemologist.
In 1985, I began working for a very special woman named Joyce Mitchell. She and her husband Sam, had a jewelry store named “MePohaly Jewelers” (meaning “We Push” in Polish) located in Covina. Joyce and I still work together on many projects even though her retail store closed in 1990.
In 2005, I decided to find a job that gave me a steady paycheck. Boxx Jewelers in Monrovia was just the place. We have a very established customer base since the business has been there for 86 years! Throughout the whole time I have kept my own business, which includes working for several other artists, doing casting, fabrication, piecework, setting, custom jewelry, and repairs.
At the end of this month, I will be teaching a beginning jewelry class at the Creative Arts Group in Sierra Madre, where I can share my knowledge of jewelry making and hopefully inspire others to find the joy and the excitement of the creative process.
Thank you for your generous donation of your precious tools to the Creative Arts Group.
With sincerity,
Kimberly Munson Nicholson
P.S. I use your bone handled burnisher every day…

Stunning 14kt Yellow Gold Enamel and Amethyst Pendant
Magic happens when two artists collaborate! The rich colors and stunning textures of this pendant blow me away every time.
What a success! My gemstones and cuttlebone casting combined with my fellow artist Ligia’s purple iris enameled piece create a fabulous pendant.
In this commissioned piece, a talented friend of mine that I have worked with for many years came to me with an enameled purple iris of hers to set into a pendant. I designed a setting for her beautiful enameled piece that incorporated the organic forms from the cuttle bone casting technique. I feel this setting really highlights the natural beauty of the subject. I accented her enameled piece with a bezel set oval faceted amethyst at the top of the pendant.
I have worked previously with Ligia, a miniature artist, several times. Her talent for enameling, paired with my metal work has created some very stunning art pieces.
I have worked together with many other artists over my 40 years of experience, setting their creations to complete the design. Would you like to collaborate?
If you are also an artist and have ideas for working together, please send me a DM with a proposal.
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