From Unworn Jewellery to a Gold Snake Cuff
A collection of unworn sentimental jewellery was re-imagined into a Cleopatra-inspired gold snake cuff, using the client’s existing gold and diamonds as the foundation of the new design. Matthew interpreted the client’s brief into a sculptural, wearable piece with a feature diamond in the snake’s head, vivid tsavorite garnet eyes and hand-engraved scale detailing.
BEFORE
AFTER
A Cleopatra-Inspired Gold Snake Cuff
Crafted from the client’s own unworn jewellery, this bespoke snake cuff transformed sentimental gold and diamonds into a sculptural new design.
The client was inspired by an ancient snake bracelet in The Met collection and wanted a Cleopatra-style bangle with green eyes and strong visual character. Matthew interpreted the idea into a wearable contemporary cuff, using the client’s feature diamond as the focal point of the snake’s head and sourcing vivid green tsavorite garnets for the eyes.
Hand fabricated, engraved and stone set in our workshop, the finished cuff carries both personal history and striking design presence.
Design Development & Brief
The brief began with a clear point of inspiration: an ancient snake bracelet from The Met collection. The client was drawn to its Cleopatra-style feel and wanted a bold snake cuff with green eyes, created from jewellery she no longer wore.
Rather than replicating the original piece, Matthew reinterpreted the idea into a new bespoke design suited to the client’s materials, stones and wearability. Her existing gold and diamonds were carefully reused, with her feature diamond becoming the main focal point of the snake’s head.
Vivid green tsavorite garnets were selected for the eyes, bringing colour, contrast and character to the finished design.
The client’s inspiration, existing jewellery and newly sourced tsavorite garnets informed the final design, with Matthew reinterpreting the snake motif into a wearable bespoke cuff.
Inside the Workshop
Every stage of this project was completed by hand. The client’s existing jewellery was melted down and refined before being fabricated into the snake form.
The cuff was shaped, assembled and adjusted at the bench, with the design evolving around the client’s feature diamond and the proportions needed for the cuff to sit comfortably on the wrist. Individual diamond settings were created, the surface was hand engraved to suggest scales, and the tsavorite garnet eyes were carefully set to complete the expression of the snake.
The result is a one-of-a-kind cuff that combines historical inspiration, sentimental materials and traditional hand craftsmanship.
The Finished Piece
The finished cuff transformed unworn sentimental jewellery into a distinctive piece designed to be worn and enjoyed again.
The snake form gives the piece movement and sculptural presence, while the client’s diamonds and gold preserve the personal history of the original jewellery. The feature diamond forms the focal point of the snake’s head, with vivid green tsavorite garnets adding character to the eyes.
The hand-engraved scale detailing and fully fabricated construction make the cuff a highly personal transformation rather than a reproduction of the original inspiration.
Project Details
Metal: Reused client-supplied gold
Accent Stones: Reused client diamonds
Feature Stones: Tsavorite garnets
Feature Detail: Client’s diamond incorporated into the snake’s head
Technique: Hand fabrication, engraving & stone setting
Style: Bespoke jewellery transformation
Inspired by an ancient snake bracelet in The Met collection
Cleopatra-style snake cuff reinterpreted into a new bespoke design
Client’s existing gold and diamonds reused
Feature diamond incorporated into the snake’s head
Tsavorite garnet eyes sourced specifically for the project
Hand-engraved snake-scale detailing
Hand fabricated and stone set in our workshop
At a Glance
This snake cuff transformed unworn sentimental jewellery into a distinctive piece designed to be worn and enjoyed again.
Inspired by an ancient snake bracelet in The Met collection, the design was not copied but reinterpreted by Matthew into a contemporary bespoke cuff. The client’s own gold and diamonds formed the foundation of the piece, with her feature diamond becoming the focal point of the snake’s head and vivid green tsavorite garnets adding character to the eyes.
Combining client-supplied materials with traditional hand craftsmanship, the finished cuff carries both meaning and presence.
Transform Unworn Jewellery into a New Heirloom
Have inherited, unworn or sentimental jewellery you would like reimagined? We create bespoke jewellery transformations by appointment, with each piece designed around the materials, story and wearer.