“I was obsessed with how metal bends and folds to create an organic and harmonious shape that could resemble the odd perfection of flowers,” Joy Harvey says of this necklace, which began as a project when she was studying to be a bench jeweler in Florence.
Harvey founded her Rimini, Italy–based jewelry brand, La Luce, just under a year ago, and the necklace that evolved from that initial project is a fine example of the handmade techniques and perfectly imperfect floral motifs that are central to the 28-year-old’s current work.
As an undergrad, Harvey originally planned to pursue a career in chemistry but transitioned to follow her true passion, jewelry design. “I had a variety of teachers, from 80-year-old Buccellati engravers to Ponte Vecchio goldsmiths and incredible artisans from Armenia,” she says.
The skills she acquired are evident in every inch of the necklace, which took more than 320 hours to complete. “Most of the jewelry made today is 3D printed, and I think it brings the rigidity of perfection to a jewel,” says Harvey, adding that rather than make a few flowers and have them reproduced, “I decided to create them by hand, one by one, in different colors and with different metals and finishes for each flower.” Together, she notes, these diverse elements “create layers of subtle abundance that also bring depth, volume and movement to the design.”
La Luce is committed to embracing sustainable practices that are kind to the earth and the people inhabiting it. That commitment is reflected in both the metals and the stones used to make the necklace. “The only way to have the assurance that the gold we’re using is mined without exploiting people or the land is to use Fairmined or Fairtrade gold,” says Harvey. The diamonds, meanwhile, were mined in Canada, a source favored by the firm for all its jewels.
