With so many mass-produced—and mass-worn—accessories on the market, an individualized piece of jewelry can be a surprising and well-received gift. One of a kind jewelry, made by hand, is a form of artwork. The original is yours alone to enjoy, to display and to treasure. And even to collect. Like a beautiful painting, a stunning piece of jewelry can start conversations, make its owner feel special and add a touch of beauty to the world.

Interested in starting your own collection? Fairfielders are fortunate to be surrounded by craftspeople and artists who work hard to make beautiful things for their neighbors to wear, to give and to cherish.

a bouquet of bronze and beads
The remarkable work of Fairfield resident Michael Michaud is something worth collecting. His botanical jewelry is an enchanting blend of artistry and jewelry-making.

He has always loved nature, but in the early 1990s—when he was living in Connecticut and working near the flower district in the City—he started to combine the natural world with his jewelry, eventually creating pieces that started his collection, Silver Seasons.

Each design is inspired by an actual plant and made with materials that include hand patinaed bronze, freshwater pearls and beads. The collection is made up of designs ranging from florals like azaleas and tea roses to greenery such as water lilies, clover, eucalyptus and falling leaves. Michaud also incorporates fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and bark into his designs. “The most popular design is the peapod,” he reports.

When Michael first started his botanical jewelry, he says, “Everything was one of a kind. If I needed to cast a daisy, I would pick up the flowers and cast a bunch of daisies.” But when his catalogue reached Japan, a country full of nature lovers, the demand was simply too high to continue the individual castings. Plus, access to rare plants or flowers that were out of season proved to be a thorn in Michael’s side. “One time, to meet an order, I was calling every nursery in the country for a particular flower. When I finally found it, I had to have it airmailed.” No more. Michael continues “Now, we make reproductions. I’ll cast a twig or flower or whatever I’m designing and make a mold.”

Another change to his work is the introduction of hand-formed and colored glass pieces created by his son, also named Michael. Father creates the metal pieces and son creates the glass. For a recent addition to the line, edamame, young Michael (whose middle name is Vincent, for the great Van Gogh) created glass pieces with the delicate shape and color of an edamame bean. His dad cast the pods—venturing to Japanese restaurants around Fairfield and asking for their small ones—and now the edamame collection is a reality.

It’s a true testament to Michaud’s artistic skills that his works are found not only in stores that sell jewelry, but also in museums around the country and in Europe. Right now he is working on a Georgia O’Keefe line for the Chicago Institute of Art.