Silver Seasons
4 min read

Silver Seasons

 SHOP MICHAEL MICHAUD'S SILVER SEASONS COLLECTION
This botanical jewelry captures nature's beauty and detail using soft patinas on bronze and accents of pearls, glass, and stones. If you are a fan of Michael Michaud's work, you can find his Silver Seasons collection in all of our stores as well as on our website.
 
Artist Michael Michaud attended the Rochester Institute of Technology's prestigious school for American artisans, where he became a master in manipulating molds. After graduating in 1980, he continued to perfect his craft while working under jewelry designers in the New York City area. In 1991, he found himself working in New York City's flower district and living in the beautiful Connecticut countryside - his love of the natural beauty that surrounded him began to blend with his passion for creating jewelry, which leads to the birth of Michael Michaud Jewelry.
The Round Leaf Eucalyptus is one of the new arrivals to the collection. Native to Australia, the tall eucalyptus tree is known for its beauty and the aromatic leaves used as medicinal oil. Though this plant can be found in various species and shapes, one of the most popular is the round leaf eucalyptus. It is often used as greenery in floral accents in wedding and home decor and is even the sole source of food for koala bears.
The Wood of Life collection is based on the Lignum Vitae tree, whose wood is the densest in the world. It is the national tree of the Bahamas and can survive strong storms. Its purple flowers are recreated in this jewelry using cast purple glass.
Michaud's unique jewelry is made by creating molds directly from botanical elements in a process similar to lost-wax casting. While traditional lost-wax casting begins with a hand-carved wax model, Michael Michaud instead uses an actual leaf, branch, or flower in place of the wax model. A mold is created around the botanical element, and as it is heated, the plant matter burns away and leaves behind a beautifully detailed mold of itself. Starting with this process, all Silver Seasons jewelry is handcrafted in New York.
The Fern collection is one of our favorites! "Ferns have been around since the dawn of time! They first appeared in fossil records that date back to the Devonian period 360 million years ago and have graced the planet ever since. They grow in many different habitats throughout the world and most popular during the Carboniferous Period (the Age of the Ferns) being the dominant part of the vegetation."
This new Monstera collection is so cool! "Monstera is a stunning plant that has made an impact in the world of fashion, design, and art...Monstera is a native to the rainforests of Southern Mexico and Central America; if found outside, you can witness it grow flowers and later, fruit that is similar to bamboo."
Another new design: the Japanese Maple. "This tree can grow up to 25 feet tall and has many different varieties, ranging from rich, ruby-colored to vibrant green-colored leaves. The tree's wing-shaped seed castings are designed by nature so, when they fall, they spin and can travel with the wind to spread the seed far and wide."
A classic favorite in a brilliant blue: the False Indigo. "Feminine in nature and associated in folklore with Venus, False indigo is often a representation of protection and love."
The Red Rose is a new design, and we love it! "Red roses are known to symbolize passion, desire, and romance. This rich flower has been the classic way to say, 'I love you.' The rose became a language of communication between lovers with different meanings. It easily became the number one flower to express your love." This would be a lovely gift that wouldn't fade with time!
And one of our all-time favorites: the Pea Pod collection. Sweet and wholesome, these pieces combine a soft green patina with lovely freshwater pearls.