Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Coordinator

An incomplete piece that Sanguinetti began putting together as soon as the idea popped into his head.

Garth Sanguinetti has the art of jewellery making down to a science. He gave Flair a preview of his 2008 Christmas collection, which is a beautiful and colourful collaboration of art and science. His new material of choice: aluminium.

"Aluminium is easier to work with. The colour brings out the exoticness and brings out the appeal," he said, sitting in his workshop in Liguanea. The room is cluttered with jewellery in various stages of completion. Display cases mounted on the walls reveal the many facets of the master goldsmith; from traditional pieces in traditional material (gold and silver), to more artistic pieces in materials most would never give a second thought.

With the fashion industry now focusing on costume jewellery in bold, bright colours, aluminium is the perfect material for Sanguinetti. Iodising the metal gives him the range of colours that his customers demand. "Fashion has now dictated that this is where we need to go. You have to be a trendsetter and dare to go over the edge, to be rejected. The last three to five years have blown fashion jewellery out of the water, for me, that is a big break; I can't get bored."

Mixing and matching

The use of aluminium is nothing new to Sanguinetti, but this time it's with a twist. "This year it's aluminium with a twist, mixing and matching."

Involved in this 'mixing and matching', will be precious and semi-precious stones, including Jamaican marble. At the heart of his designs is the desire to create a signature brand of jewellery of and for Jamaica. He notes that sometimes there is the perception that things made locally are not properly finished. Of course his designs would be well made and properly finished. However, he notes, "Sometimes the designs are not reproducible."

Fashionable and affordable

Sanguinetti stressed that his designs will be very affordable. "They need to look fashionable with affordability, as price point is very critical nowadays."

He said that 20 years ago his designs would not have been possible, as the technology did not exist. "Lots of chemistry and physics involved. It's funny, as I was never good at chemistry."

The colours that he is able to create by iodising aluminium give him, "freedom of knowing you can work bigger and bolder."

Currently the head of the Applied Arts department at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, he notes that it's very important to inspire young artists. Having studied in more than five countries, the master goldsmith notes that it's not just the artistic side that is important in jewellery making, but also the scientific.

The master goldsmith can be contacted at: sangar@cwjamaica.com.

Using aluminium with a twist, Sanguinetti has created a bracelet of iodised aluminium. Each ball takes about two days to complete.

Sanguinetti uses materials that are sometimes overlooked. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer