In the late winter of 2011, John Studzinski, CBE, approached jewelry artist Tim McClelland of McTeigue and McClelland with the idea of creating a jeweled cross and rosary. Over the course of the next six months the project expanded and developed into a major work for McClelland and a unique devotional object for the Studzinski collection.

With the exception of the gemstones and the gold angel, the ensemble is made of hand-forged and tooled platinum. Although Tim McClelland was the primary jeweler, all the master jewelers of McTeigue and McClelland – Barbara Crocker, Stephen Hyer and Yaroslav Shukel—made important contributions. Th e virtuoso engraver, Dominic Marra, did the intricate engraving of the Magni� cat. Jewel expert Walter McTeigue III procured the unusual and precious gemstones.

The piece was completed on June 16, 2012. Between all the craftspeople who worked on the piece, there were from five to six hundred hours spent in its manufacture.

Tim McClelland Barbara Crocker Stephen Hyer Yaroslav Shukel Dominic MarraWalter McTeigue

Th e two and one half inch crucifi x, with single-decade rosary and jeweled counter-piece were designed as a unifi ed piece, each component having a multiplicity of themes and focuses complementing the whole.

Th e platinum cross is double sided, with the fi gure of Jesus in low relief on the convex front surface and set with six multi-colored precious gemstones in bezels on the concave back.

Th e rosary has a platinum chain linking ten irregularly cut, opaque purple sugilite beads. Each bead is capped on either end with an engraved platinum disc representing verses from the 148th Psalm.

Th e fob counter-piece is a platinum locket encasing an exceptionally rare 40 carat natural purple sapphire cabochon. Th e reverse of the locket frames a multicolored gold likeness of the Angel Gabriel adapted from three altarpieces of The Annunciation by Fran Angelico. When opened, the locket reveals a concave oval disk of platinum minutely engraved with the Magni� cat.

The Design

The cross was formed from ten percent iridium platinum into a hammered, partially tubular cross section with a border of evenly spaced, bead-like nodes. The Christ on the convex side is derived from several drawings of the crucifixion by Michelangelo. In keeping with Michelangelo’s later period, the body appears to be emanating or emerging from a semi-finished background. The Christ has an unrefined quality intentionally reminiscent of medieval crucifixes.

The six oval cabochons on the reverse of the cross are of the highest quality and were chosen for their balance in relation to one another. There are three sapphires in the colors purple, orange and blue along the horizontal axis, a red ruby directly below, a light blue Pariba tourmaline at the base and a Colombian emerald at the top. The stones display some slight variations in their sizes and shapes. Each stone is surrounded by a thin platinum bezel.

The Cross

Th e ten rosary beads are made from the opaque purplish mineral sugelite, which was mined in South Africa. John Studzinski selected the beads one by one, both for their individual beauty and for their character and compatibility to the rest of the assemblage.

Th e inspiration and design for the twenty engraved caps for the beads come from the laudation of the 148th Psalm:

Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise ye him in the high places.

Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

Praise ye him, O sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars and light.

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens: and let all the waters that are above the heavens

praise the name of the Lord. For he spoke and they were made: he commanded, and they were created.

He hath established them for ever, and for ages of ages: he hath made a decree, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all ye deeps:

Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds which fulfi ll his word:

Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars:

Beasts and all cattle: serpents and feathered fowls:

Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:

Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord:

For his name alone is exalted.

Th e praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he hath exalted the horn of his people. A hymn to all his saints: to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia.

Interpreting the prayer into a visual theme and dividing it among the twenty engraved caps required the separating of the subjects of the several divine exhortations into separate images:

1. Heavens 2. High places 3. Angels 4. Hosts 5. Sun and moon 6. Stars and light

7. Heaven of Heavens 8. Waters above the Heavens 9. Earth 10. Dragons and deeps

11. Fire 12. Hail, ice, snow, winds 13. Mountains and hills 14. Fruit trees and cedars

15. Beasts and cattle 16. Serpents and feathered fowl 17. Kings and all people

18. Princes and judges 19. Young men and maidens 20. Old men and boys

Th e engraving of this aspect of the piece was done by Tim McClelland.

The Rosary

Th e fob, or counter-piece, embraces several themes proposed by John Studzinski during the initial design phase.

For the classic canticle that celebrates the Visitation, the Magni� cat, a counter-piece to the rosary was devised that would accommodate a very rare plum-colored cabochon sapphire. Th e size and magnifi cence of the stone would proclaim the joyous promise of the Magni� cat’s fi rst line: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Th e gem would be held at the compass points by four platinum discs engraved with ornamental crosses. Th e fob was to open as a locket to reveal the Magni� cat. On the side opposite the sapphire would be a miniature gold version of Fra Angelico’s Annunciation.

Th e engineering of the fob required a hinge and clasp that would be sturdy but not detract from the visual or tactile aesthetic. Size, balance and degree of detail were carefully considered.

Th e “plum” sapphire is an oval cabochon which weighs 40.62 carats and measuring 12.58 x 17.85 x 10.48 mm. It is of a dark pinkish/purple color and is transparent though suff used with tiny black rutile specks that are evenly dispersed throughout the gem. Th e stone is certifi ed by the American Gemological Laboratory as natural, unheated corundum originating from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), historically the site of the world’s prized sapphires.

Th e stone is set into the fob with four double sets of platinum wire prongs. Th e double prongs are covered by platinum discs that are attached though the body

of the fob with platinum screws. Each domed disk is individually engraved with separate ornamental crosses worked with geometric motifs.

Th e body of the Angel Gabriel is a composition in married metal and is done in eighteen-karat green and pink gold, the hands and face being palladium white gold. Th e wing is engraved twenty-two-karat yellow gold. Th e Angel image was taken from three altarpiece paintings by Fra Angelico: � e Annunciation of Cortona, � e Annunciation of Valdarno, and � e Annunciation painted for the Convent of San Dominico which is now in the Prado Museum in Madrid. Details from the originals were distilled into this miniature, low relief version.

On the interior of the locket, there is plate with a minutely hand engraved version of the Magni� cat or the Canticle of Mary. According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:46-55) these were the words that were spoken at the Visitation by the Virgin Mary to her sister Elizabeth. Th is engraving was done by master engraver, Dominic Marra.

Th e last detail in the locket’s interior chamber is a back plate with the maker’s marks – McII for the jewelry partnership and company McTeigue and McClelland, and a TMc mark which indicates the ensemble was primarily made by Tim McClelland. Th e other marks show that the piece is made from platinum and two diff erent karats of gold. Th is plate is pierced and engraved in a depiction of the four elements – air, fi re, earth and water.

The Fob

Cor

The Studzinski Rosary contains themes from the Mysteries of the Rosary. The Annunciation and the Visitation are considered Joyful Mysteries that reflect the qualities of Humility and the Love of One’s Neighbors. The Crucifixion is one of the Sorrowful Mysteries, the fruits of which are Salvation and Forgiveness.

The focus of the Studzinski Rosary is the balance between the material and the spiritual. It has been my attempt to honor the two worlds.

It is very difficult to accurately express the degree of gratitude I have for the privilege of making this object. I have been able to access the most spectacular and rare materials the earth has to offer, the most beautiful works of art as inspiration and the world’s most transcendent theme. I would like to express my deep thanks to Mr. John Studzinski for the opportunity to make a piece of such scope. In doing so, it is important to acknowledge his trust, encouragement and intuition.

It is significant that all the components and ideas contained in this object came together in the way they did - with coordination and guidance from every quarter (or as Mr. Studzinski would elegantly suggest, “from the Divine”). I would like to add my gratitude and respect to all the people who participated on this piece, from the anonymous miners responsible for the raw materials to the master craftspeople with all their devotion, positive energy and talent.

Tim McClelland June 2012

The Studzinski Rosary