Saturday Sparkle: Catherinette Rings

Who Sparkled This Saturday: Catherinette Rings

Today on Saturday Sparkle, I wanted to show you some really cool rings created in the Steampunk style. In all honesty, I had never heard of the term "Steampunk" before until I started shopping around on Etsy. But, I knew that whatever "Steampunk" was, I liked it because it seemed to captured the industrial qualities of the Victorian era with some imaginative and fantastical qualties that seemed right-outta-sci-fi.

Many Etsy shops create in the Steampunk style, but one shop in particular had some sparkling jewelry that kept catching my eye. It was Catherinette Rings...so, for this week for Saturday Sparkle, I interviewed Daniel of Catherinette Rings, who co-owns and creates with his partner, Catherine. Here's what he shared with us about their designs:

How did you get your start in jewelry design?
Catherinette Rings is 2 people. Daniel and Catherine. Catherine was the first to make rings after she took a lesson. One night I tried to make a ring and it look good so I continued. I always was good in art class from when I was a kid. I also like Drawing, painting, 3d computer design and photography.

What inspired you to to starting making jewelry as a business?
After Catherine took the basic wire wrapping lesson I was thinking her rings were one of a kind and that she should try to sell them. I had to convince her at first but after they sold very quickly . When I started to make rings I also wanted to quit my job so it all happened at the right time and I started to make my own designs.

Many of rings have a distinctive steampunk style. For our readers, would you please describe the origin of steampunk and how it plays a role in influencing your designs?
Steampunk is an era from the past in which coal powered steam engine technology merge with the Victorian warmth therefore creating an anachronism. It is another dimension where we can easily encounter a mad scientist working days and night on his time machine and where Airship pirates are looking for a map to a forgotten city in the sky. I also have a few side projects and other type of craft I’m currently working on. For example, the project below is a Time Travel Cicada:


My rings are designed to look like ancient mechanical wonders with mysterious powers.
This is a steampunk ring that I have modified in Photoshop. I have used the 3D program Bryce to create fantastic scenery of another world with a castle ruins on top of a mountain above the clouds.


The Steampunk influence is very new to me and I have found that it is an infinite source of inspiration.

Who in your life has provided you with the most support for your business?
What is great is that we are 2 and we can support each other in the business. We are both very artistic and we have different skills, I’m a good business man and she’s an excellent Graphic designer. This is an example of a vintage product label she made recently for our Green fire Agate Steampunk rings:


If you had any advice for someone who wanted to make the leap from making jewelry as a hobby to selling as a business, what would it be?
1. Find your niche, use your imagination and create something unique.
2. Always look for something to improve so that your business becomes better every day.
3. Promote your business with blogs, online/offline advertisement and excellent customer service.

Thank you Daniel for giving us this behind-the-scenes glimpse at the designs at Catherinette Rings. And readers, if you'd like to see more of Daniel and Catherine's jewelry, visit their online shop at:

http://catherinetterings.etsy.com/

Happy Saturday and keep sparkling!