Raising The Barre
Introducing BIJOU: Ted’s latest star performer among his sensational JEWELLERY collection
Ever the modest gent, Ted has never been one to make a song and dance about his designs and workmanship. However, there is no tip-toeing around the fine techniques used to create his JEWELS. Any true Ted fan knows how much attention is paid to the finer details of his clothing; needless to say these principles apply towards his finest JEWELLERY pieces.
It’s so easy to overlook the detail but if you take a closer look at your Ted frosting, you may be pleasantly surprised about what you might find. For the first time, he invites you to go behind the scenes and discover how his No Ordinary GEMS are made.
As magical as she may appear, BIJOU was not conceived at the wave of a wand. Each piece in Ted’s JEWELLERY collection takes at least a year of planning and preparation before production, but inspiration needs to strike first.
Ever the keen traveller, BIJOU wasn’t even a twinkle in Ted’s eye until he landed in New York. Upon scouring the Big Apple’s notorious flea markets, he discovered a 1930s miniature French doll. Once loved but now rusty and discarded, Ted vowed to give the doll new life again in a lustrous new body, built to be cherished forever.
Before this idea could materialise, it had to be mapped out digitally with every measurement and specification down to a T. Once BIJOU could be visualised on screen, the idea was ready to become reality.
Every one of Ted’s trinkets and treasures starts with a prototype, otherwise known as the master model. BIJOU frame is hand carved into volcanised rubber wheels which perform a frantic pirouette in the spin casting machine. Molten metal poured into the machine weaves into the carving which, once cooled, forms the three-dimensional figurine – BIJOU 1.0 is born!
Ted’s master artisans have over 20 years of jewellery-making experience each which is visible in all of his frosting. They are perfectionists by nature and will not deem the master model complete until it is meticulously polished, sawed, filed, drilled and soldered to perfection. This is just half the work, however, before applying the finishing touches…
BIJOU exudes character through her intricate engraving, lending her chignon human-like hair and lifelike ballet pumps upon her feet. Once complete, she will be recreated in numbers with robust brass and plated in a lustrous yellow gold or rose gold. You may notice that BIJOU glitters a little brighter than her older sister CLARAA, owed to her pavé crystal bodice.
Ted’s master craftsmen apply individual Swarovski stones by hand, including a pin-sized stone on her toes. Not simply just a talking pointe but it’s also where her nickname ‘Twinkle Toes’ comes from. The pavé wraps right round her back, where you will find Ted's name neatly laser engraved. As with anything Ted creates, you will find his signature stamp: a certificate of his No Ordinary Designer quality.
After BIJOU'S pearly head and moveable limbs are set in place, all that’s left is to get dressed. Her full-skirted tutu and delicate bow may even look familiar – the fabrics are used in Ted’s mainline collection, after all.
Her Stage Debut
BIJOU hangs low upon a long chain, giving her space to dance upon your ensemble! Although she’s a flexible pairing piece, she performs best upon a simple sartorial stage, giving her the platform she needs to quite literally shine. Accompany her with Ted’s floral ROSETTE set – a dazzling counterpart framing BIJOU perfectly between its twinkling studs, bangles and rings. When worn together, you’re bound to be applauded for your marvelous style.