Hand Forged Originals
OUR families legacy est 1964 in Big Sur Limited Production Studio Jewelry
LIMITED PRODUCTION ADORNMENT
Bespoke art jewelry
by
Carrie Armstrong
&
Ali A. Lee
A 30 carat chalcedony cabochon, cut long and high so light enters the stone rather than skating across it. The blue reads as lit from within.
Set in 22 karat gold, flanked by a faceted sapphire and an old mine cut diamond. Two points of sharp light bracket the cabochon’s slow glow. The satin silver body keeps the stones the brightest things in the piece. Nothing here is ornament.
An amulet, a form I’ve made variations of for as long as I’ve been able to make. Never the same, always similar.
Bail is 18 karat gold.
Materials Satin silver · 22k gold · 18k gold · 30ct chalcedony cabochon · Sapphire · Old mine cut diamond
Every piece has a story. To hear more or see it on a video call: studio@bigsurgoldsmiths.com · 541.301.6923
Made by our hands in our mountain studio in the USA. One of one: once it sells, it will not be made again. Returns accepted within 15 days of delivery if the piece hasn't been damaged.
To The Gallery
Pure 22 karat gold, nothing else. Hand tooled and satin brush finished — the surface carries the mark of the tool directly, which is what separates this from anything cast or fabricated by machine. Forged by Carrie, the form is the work.
At 1.6 inches drop and nearly an inch wide, these read as sculpture on the ear. The ear wire is 22 karat gold throughout.
One of a kind.
Materials 22k gold · Hand tooled satin brush finish
Dimensions Drop: 1.6in (40.8mm) · Width: 0.89in (22.5mm)
Made by our hands in our mountain studio in the USA. One of one: once it sells, it will not be made again. Returns accepted within 15 days of delivery if the piece hasn't been damaged.
22k studio milled gold setting, sterling silver base and band, fossilized coral oval cabochon 18 carat weight
Ring size 8.5
1.10 “ ( 28.7mm ) vertical
0.75 “ ( 19.2mm ) horizontal
0.28 ” ( 7.1mm ) gem height
0.47 “ ( 12mm ) band width
Form fitted band shape
Hand fabricated by Ali
Individually crafted studio piece
Made by our hands in our mountain studio in the USA. One of one: once it sells, it will not be made again. Returns accepted within 15 days of delivery if the piece hasn't been damaged. Rings can often be sized up and only very rarely down. If you need a different size, we'd be glad to make you a similar piece in your size.
LEGACY CRAFT
Our story begins in 1964 at the Esalen Institute amidst the birth of the human potential movement. Ali's father, Karl Lee, shaped our family's fine goldsmithing tradition as he created his first works in his studio at the fabled Art Barn. He later moved to Henry Miller's old cabin on Partington Ridge and made it his home and studio. Ali was raised in that studio, perched above the Pacific among raw metals and lapidary tools, to the song of crashing surf.
Today, Carrie and Ali continue Karl's original handmade jewelry tradition in the wilds of Ashland, Oregon. We are a dedicated two-person artisan jewelry studio. Each unique piece is designed and hand fabricated in our atelier. Never outsourced. Never mass-cast or by assembly line. We forge the 22k gold. Cut the gems. Set every stone by hand. We honor a lifelong commitment to
Limited Production Art Jewelry
KARL LEE circa 1960’s STUDIO in the ESALEN ART BARN
THE BIG SUR CLASSIC Rings
SINCE 1970
Karl Lee first began hand-forging this signature Big Sur Classic design in the 1970s from his art studio overlooking the coast on Partington Ridge—where Ali was born and raised. These early pieces were offered primarily to local residents and through the iconic Phoenix Shop at Nepenthe. Today, Carrie Armstrong and Ali A. Lee continue this family legacy, crafting a strictly limited production series of these classic adornments each month.
notes from our studio
We don't send emails often. But if you'd like an occasional, quiet note directly from the two of us, sign up below. We'll let you know when Ali has cut a fresh batch of cabochons, or when new pieces are finally off the bench and ready for their next chapter.
WHERE TO SEE OUR WORK IN BIG SUR
THE PHOENIX SHOP AT NEPENTHE
The Phoenix Shop at Nepenthe has carried our handcrafted 22k gold and gemstone jewelry since the 1970s. If you are visiting Big Sur, California, stop by this iconic Highway 1 landmark to experience our one-of-a-kind work in person.