Zodiac

Inspired by a zodiac themed minaudière released by Chanel in 2007 (which has since sold for $17k-42k)!! The Zodiac includes glass and precious gem birthstones for each of the signs. Plated copper charms are affixed to the lid and brass stars are soldered to the sides. A beautiful, multifaceted gem lies at the center surrounded by a starbust made of silver and gold dichroic glass. Youghiogheny violet and Bullseye iridescent plum glass make up the rest of the box. The chain for the lid is made with faceted labradorite. Vintage zodiac charms were added to the strap/waist chain. 

These are the birthstones I went with:

Aries: Diamond (glass gem)
Taurus: Emerald (glass gem)
Gemini: Moonstone (can switch to mother of pearl upon request)
Cancer: Ruby (glass gem)
Leo: Peridot (glass gem)
Virgo: Sapphire (glass gem)
Libra: Opal (glass gem)
Scorpio: Topaz (glass gem)
Sagittarius: Turquoise
Capricorn: Garnet (glass gem)
Aquarius: Amethyst
Pisces: Aquamarine (glass gem)

Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 2"
Strap/Waist Chain Length: 39"

Part 4 of 5: 
So I was basically just making boxes again at this point, but really enjoyed sourcing and adding unique elements to fit the purse theme. One reason I wanted to remake the Chanel bag in glass was because it made me feel something when I saw it. I loved the chaotic, colorful nature of it, but wanted to see what it would look like with a bit more symmetry. I also noticed that the birthstones didn't really match what I knew them to be. I wanted to remake it with the "right" birthstones. This took me months to bring into form and the whole time I was crafting it, I was reflecting on how the actual artisans (not the designer) who made those Chanel bags probably received very little compensation compared to what they are selling for now. Anywho, I later learned that the birthstone system we know today was largely standardized through a jewelry-industry PR campaign in 1912. The associations themselves have much older roots in astrological, religious, and gemstone traditions, but the familiar lists were formalized and marketed to encourage people to buy certain gems. I began noticing how fragmentation can make us more susceptible to trends, marketing, and subliminal messaging. One funny thing to note is, I was so focused on the "one right way" of correcting the birthstones, that I failed to fix the direction of the zodiac wheel (which is supposed to go counter-clockwise). I was naturally moving with the Wheel of the Year, which goes clockwise. There is no "one right way" for anything btw...