Iconic, inspired, impressive.
Temple St. Clair produces unparalleled jewelry steeped in an age-old tradition of Italian goldsmithing and her own allegorical storytelling. We were honored to join the narrative with these handcrafted and wood framed jewelry presentation boxes. Portfoliobox created a lustrous suite of wood frame jewelry boxes to accentuate the incomparable work of designer Temple St. Clair. With intricate pieces involving hundreds of gems and artisan handcrafted gold, our design had to convey magnificence without competing for attention with the ornate jewelry within. The result struck a delicate balance between the sublime the subtle.
Box-couture
From auspicious beginnings in Florence, Temple St. Clair has spent over thirty years designing jewelry. Combining exceptional Italian goldwork with the rarest of gemstones, St. Clair has established herself as one of the world’s premiere jewelers. In 2016, she received the GEM Award for Jewelry Design, one of the industry’s highest honors.
When we were tasked with creating custom packaging for a designer of such magnitude, we knew only our finest work would do. In the end, the challenge was reconciling the aesthetics of a classic jewelry box with the unique character of our client. The timeless base and lid construction, with minor augmentation, was ultimately chosen as the best vessel to represent the Temple St. Clair experience.
Gold fashioned packaging
Temple St. Clair has defined herself through the master goldwork of Florentine artisans incorporated into her jewelry. It only seemed appropriate for the project to pay homage to that superior Italian ore, so a gold cover wrap was chosen to coat the exterior of the box. We chose Corvon Metal X paper to adorn the wooden frame, a coated cover material with a wonderful touch and soft luster. The result is an understated elegance, more reminiscent of an heirloom gold coin than it is gaudy.
To compliment the gold cover wrap, the interior pad wrap was fine purple suede, supplied by St. Clair. There is an obvious functional benefit in adding a soft, protective layer is to cradle the jewelry. However the richness of the suede and the violet hue go a step further in evoking of a decidedly regal sensibility.
The defining feature of this project is the dropside panel on the base of the jewelry box. A hinge along the length of the base allows the tray to unfold and for the contained collateral to be more easily accessed. The dropside feature reveals out the jewelry box with appropriate drama, while the form-fitting lid securely conceals the hinge upon closing. In fact, the fit is so precise there is a delay in lifting the lid, suction prolonging the moment of disclosure.
The Temple St. Clair jewelry box is truly representative of who we are at Portfoliobox. Using time-tested techniques and years of expertise, our team is up for the challenge when it comes to even the most glamorous projects. Whether designer jewelry or professional photography, all our custom work comes with a golden touch.
