Cavin Richie Jewelry
Cavin Richie grew up in Colorado surrounded by the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. He moved to Washington State in 1970 and has lived near the sea ever since. Cavin’s designs are a reflection of his surroundings. His line includes birds, mammals and amphibians, all accurately detailed. For the past thirty years he has carved with shed elk antler and woolly mammoth ivory. These carvings became the basis for his lost wax casting jewelry.
“Carving,” says Cavin “is like touching antiquity. I feel a kinship with a long lineage of carvers dating back to the Pleistocene.”
All the Cavin Richie Jewelry is designed by Cavin Richie, cast in the US and hand finished here in Washington state.
Most of the Cavin Richie Jewelry are solid bronze lost wax castings. A patina complements the earthy metal, giving each piece a unique finish. The fishhook earrings have hypoallergenic (gray niobium) hooks.
View Wildlife in Bronze Jewelry
Some of Cavin’s designs are well suited to casting in silver and gold. Without the patinas used with the bronze castings, the sterling silver or 14 kt gold still show the incredible detail of Cavin’s work.
View Cavin’s Silver and Gold Jewelry
David Morgan is pleased to partner with Cavin Richie in offering the Conservancy in Bronze jewelry — jewelry specifically designed to benefit organizations dedicated to preserving and creating habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife. With Cavin’s retirement from production work, he is now able to pursue this passion, using his artistic skills to benefit the wildlife he loves.
A substantial portion of the proceeds from each Conservancy in Bronze sale will be donated to the designated organization.
View Conservancy in Bronze Jewelry
Care of Bronze Jewelry
Minimal maintenance is needed for the Wildlife in Bronze jewelry. The level of care depends on your desires, whether to have the piece transform itself to its environment, or to preserve the original look.
Cavin chose bronze for his jewelry because of its ability to create its own personality, evolving over time. Bronze is the chameleon of soft metals that readily morphs to its chemical surroundings. Just being exposed to air will change it and when handled a lot or subjected to water/soap, hot springs, or salt water the transformation is hastened.
For each handcrafted piece, the patina is applied with heat and penetrates into the metal. A neutral wax is buffed on, which prolongs the patina and helps to protect the metal from surface oils and the environment. Over time, any areas of natural bronze will darken with age. Jewelry worn occasionally will usually retain the original look for years, just darkening slightly. If worn constantly, or exposed repeatedly to water, the patina will wear off similar to a bronze statue that has had many hands touch it. The surface will develop a nice bronze hue and the recessed areas will keep the original patina. Very heavy wear or rubbing will eventually transform the fine details of the casting to a smooth surface.
If your Wildlife in Bronze jewelry gets dirty, it can be gently cleaned with mild soap, warm water and a very soft toothbrush. To protect and prolong the finish a light coating of a neutral wax can be applied & buffed shiny. We recommend clear Trewax, available in most hardware stores.
Thank you for preserving the ‘bronze age’!
More Information
In 2013 David Morgan purchased the Cavin Richie jewelry line, allowing Cavin to devote more time to his carving and one of a kind sculptures and artwork. Please visit Cavin’s website for more information on his current work:
Wildlife Carvings & Castings – www.cavin.org
We continue to produce the Cavin Richie jewelry to the same high quality standards and detail that our customers and Cavin’s followers have come to expect. Kristin Carman, who has worked with Cavin for 20 years and also designed the beaded necklaces, continues this work with us.
For more information on how this jewelry is produced, please watch our Profiles in Craftsmanship video: Wildlife in Bronze: Cavin Richie.
We do offer the Wildlife in Bronze jewelry to wholesale accounts. If you have a retail store that could carry this hand crafted jewelry, please contact us at 1-800-324-4934 or by email at [email protected]. If you are looking for a retail store carrying the Wildlife in Bronze jewelry near you, please check our list of Cavin Richie Jewelry Dealers.