Tag: hand forged steel jewelry

Do you believe in fate? I most definitely do. As I was flying to Las Vegas to attend the Couture jewelry show, I made a short list of those designers I really wanted to meet while I was there. After ogling Pat Flynn‘s nail bracelets online for quite some time now, and seeing his name on the list of first time attendees, I knew he was definitely on my list. As luck (or fate) would have it, he happened to walk in the hotel room one evening where I was hanging out with a few friends. Really? Really. Lucky me, as I got to chat with him a bit before visiting his booth at the show.

When I met with Pat at his booth, I couldn’t help but pile on a few of his nail bracelets— an iconic mainstay of his line. They are surprisingly light on the wrist, and they stack effortlessly. Pat explained that he himself hand forges each and every one of the iron nails. The juxtaposition of the hand-forged steel and the sparkle of diamonds and gold is just fantastic.

Pat grew up in rural Pennsylvania, and he began making jewelry in high school. He bought an old Craft jewelry toolkit and went to work. (He said he still has some of the original tools from this kit!) He went to art school, and then began working in factories in NYC as a young father, commuting hours a day, and then coming home to work in his own studio at night. I couldn’t write fast enough to capture all the work experience he’s had, including making the model for the first twist bracelet at David Yurman! How cool is that?!

 

Pat is clearly passionate about his work, and he enjoys teaching as well. I find it fascinating that he combines old-school forging with fire and hammer with the art of goldsmithing and stone-setting. He is a one-stop shop! This photo is from his website, and it really gives a feel for his process.

I couldn’t help but admire this necklace, with a detachable freshwater Chinese pearl dangling from the center.

Since feathers are one of my talismans, I was certainly drawn to this dramatic feather brooch.

And what about these earrings? I would describe them as contemporary, elegant, and yet a little bad ass all at the same time!

Pat has made an indelible mark on the world of jewelry. You can find his work in permanent collections at The Met in NYC and the Chicago Arts Institute, just to name a couple. It was a real honor to meet you, Pat. Thank you so much for your time and all your travel tips about your beloved Scotland. I can’t wait to see it myself!!