Welcome to Claire Lorts Designs!

Silversmith | Lapidary

I specialize in sterling silver necklaces designed around rare, historically significant, repurposed and unusual materials that have an intriguing story to tell including Pennsylvania Slag Stones from 19th century iron furnaces, and Fordite from overspray paint buildup in automotive factories. I personally find every slag piece then cut, shape, and polish each of them using lapidary techniques. Each necklace is accompanied by a pamphlet narrative of the particular stone's story.

New pieces will be posted on Instagram and on my Etsy page. Please contact me if interested in a specific piece. Necklaces will also be available at in-person Shows.

Wooden Earrings

I also design and create wooden stud and dangle earrings.

 

Wood is a fantastic medium for earrings and necklaces! Wooden jewelry is extremely lightweight, compliments all skin tones and hair colors, can be worn with a range of looks from boho and casual to chic and elegant, offers a diversity of natural wood colors from dark rich red-brown (padauk) to light beige (maple), and is not cold to the touch on those cold winter days! 


I offer a variety of natural stone, glass, crystal, and shell bead options for most dangle earring and necklace designs which is an uncommon addition to wooden jewelry. All of my designs are original, and I use my in-studio K40 laser cutter to cut out my designs. I offer a variety of natural wood species options including maple, cherry, and padauk. Please visit my Wooden Earrings About and FAQ pages for more information about my process, and visit my Etsy page to purchase.

This piece about my wooden jewelry, process, and background was graciously made by the talented producers at our local PBS station, WPSU!