All Wound Up

In 3,000 BCE in Mesopotamia — the area we now call the Middle East — artisans wound delicate silver and gold wires together by hand to create the intricate patterns that adorned the jewels of the time. Though millennia have passed since then, there is a clutch of contemporary jewelers still working with this ancient technique. The artisanal skill is surprisingly versatile, offering tightly packed mesh-like effects or simple winding forms for minimalist, contemporary looks. There are also jewels that take inspiration from the style of filigree work, but use more cost-effective casting methods to achieve it.