An Inside Look

The making of JH Editions

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August 6, 2026 7:00am EDT

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Above: Jess at the bench in her LA studio. Photo by Jane Cody.

An inside look at JH Editions, an ongoing series of hand-formed pieces by Jess herself, combining traditional jewelry-making techniques with experimentation. Each piece is individually developed at the bench in her Los Angeles studio and is a singular, one-of-a-kind work from start to finish. Some pieces are entirely hand-carved, while others begin with molds made from antique pieces that are reworked with hand-carved elements. Each is cast in 14k or 18k gold, and embellished with hand-selected diamonds and sapphires.

SHOP JH EDITIONS

Above: An in-progress wax carving of RING 05_001.

WAX HAND-CARVING AND CASTING: Wax casting is an ancient method of production that has been used to create jewelry, art, and other objects since 3000 BC. The artist begins by making a "sacrificial" wax model that will later be burned away to create a single-use mold. Wax comes in a range of hardnesses, from soft and pliable to hard and rigid, and can be worked either subtractively, carving material away, or additively, building it up. Jess prefers green and gold wax, both hard, which hold fine details and strong geometric angles, and turns to softer waxes and other techniques when a form calls for it. This process is entirely done by hand, using tools and techniques to carve down the wax to the desired shape, size, and design elements.

Above: Raw casting of Ring 05_001 in 14k yellow gold and ready for finishing.

Once the maker is satisfied with the wax-carved version of the future piece, it is sent to the casting house where it is put on a 'tree' that is set in plaster and heated at a high temperature to burn off the wax and create a cavity in the plaster mold. Molten metal then fills the negative space once occupied by the wax model, and voilà! The piece is then ready for polishing and stone embellishments.

Above: Ring 01_001 mid setting process at Jess's bench.

Above: Hand polishing, the final step.

Other pieces begin with a mold taken from an antique fob seal. The waxes shot from that mold are fragmented and reworked alongside hand-carved elements, recombining familiar references.

Above: Wax castings for two fob-inspired pieces: Pendant 01_001 and Pendant 03_001.

The process is high-touch at every stage. Antique diamonds and reclaimed sapphires sourced from trusted dealers are individually selected to suit each piece, then set and polished by hand. Just as often, the piece is designed around the stone.