ROCK CRYSTAL & 24CT GOLD-PLATED BRONZE
A SCULPTURAL PIECE HAND-CHISELED AND CAST IN FLORENCE USING ROCK CRYTSAL AND RICHLY FINISHED IN 24CT GOLD-PLATED BRONZE.
 
EVERY CRYSTAL CARRIES ITS OWN NATURAL MARKINGS AND TONAL VARIATIONS, MAKING EACH WORK ENTIRELY ONE OF A KIND.
APPROX. 21 CM TALL.
 
CREATED TO ORDER IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. PLEASE ALLOW TIME FOR ARTISANAL PRODUCTION AND DISPATCH. SHIPPED WITH SPECIALIST COURIER.
 
THE MAKING OF A HOME JEWEL
ROCK CRYSTAL IS THE CLEAR, TRANSPARENT VARIETY OF QUARTZ, VALUED FOR ITS GLASS-LIKE APPEARANCE AND NATURAL BRILLIANCE. IT FORMS DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH WHEN SILICA-RICH FLUIDS SLOWLY COOL AND CRYSTALLISE OVER LONG PERIODS. 
 
THE FINAL SCULPTURE OF ROCK CRYSTAL IS MADE FROM A PIECE UP TO 4 TIMES THE GRENADE'S SIZE. IT IS FIRST ROUGHLY CUT INTO SHAPE WITH WATER JETS AND THEN REFINED AND POLISHED WITH A CHISEL AND OTHER STONE TOOLS. 
THE GRENADE HANDLE AND SNAKE ARE CAST WITH A PROCESS CALLED LOST WAX CASTING. THIS MEANS IT'S FIRST SCULPTED IN WAX BY HAND. A MOULD IS MADE AROUND THIS AND MOLTEN BRONZE IS POURED INTO THE MOULD, MELTING THE WAX AND LEAVING ONLY THE BRONZE SCULPTURE.
 
THE BRONZE SNAKE  IS THEN JOINED TOGETHER IN THE RIGHT SHAPE TO GO AROUND THE GRENADE AND THE SEAMS ARE POLISHED AWAY. THE BUTTERFLY WINGS HAS IT'S DETAILS AND SHAPE HAMMERED BEFORE BEING ATTACHED TO THE BUTTEFLY BODY.