Rakaia Brooch - Unique Aqua Mountain Stream and Leaf Scene Brooch Made From Silver, Copper and Set with a Peruvian Opal

When I made this brooch I had the Rakaia Gorge in the South Island of New Zealand in my mind. It was the New Zealand winter, the river was full and fast flowing and was this incredible turquoise green - almost exactly the colour of the opal in this piece. We took a boat up the gorge, we had heard there was a good walk to be had. The boat ride was a hair-raising experience and the driver just dropped us off and waved upwards telling us to join the path and went. There had been storms and much of the path had fallen into the gorge. There was much scrambling over trees and wet bush leaves and slipping in mud. It was a typical outdoors adventure led by my husband, somewhat dangerous, but we made it intact without losing any of the four children on the way.

This statement brooch is made for a large piece of copper measuring 6.5cm x 4.00cm, the copper has been textured with an etched drawing of a flower and leaf sprig and enamelled in aqua and white with a leafy green design. The copper is set in a silver surround with three leafy discs and a peruvian opal set into the surround.  The setting has an integrated double pin that is made from steel.

I enjoyed making this brooch. I love the combination of the warm copper tones with the silver and the enamel behaves differently on copper allowing for the watery greeny white tones to be created.