Guardian Angel: Scott Kay Protects the Cross in a New Design

Scott Kay’s spiritual side has been surfacing more and more
in the last few years. In fact, it was 2008 when he first unveiled some
striking and artfully made Christianity-inspired jewels (part of his Faith
Collection) that were hand-sculpted in vivid detail: beads of sweat rolling off
the face of Christ are evident in one piece. Some Couture showgoers were so
stunned that one Southerner urged JCK to “go see the Jesus jewelry” at Scott
Kay.

Kay’s reply to all the buzz: “Everything is going to be
okay.”

“When the economy started crashing, there was so much
negativity around—everywhere you turned—that I felt inspired to create the
Faith collection,” he explained to JCK
in a phone interview yesterday. “I wanted to give people faith, not just in the
religious sense, but also in each other. To have faith and to believe in faith
is a very healthy thing to do, and as we become more diluted as a society, I’m
designing more pieces that have messages and meaning.”

His latest—and most prideful piece designed this year—is
Protecting the Cross, a pendant partially sculpted and partially cast in silver
and 18k gold vermeil, which was inspired by human spirituality and guardian
angels. Kay and his design team sketched the design
with pencil and paper—no CAD—and completed eight wax models before a final version
emerged. Kay’s goal: to get the angel’s head resting properly on the cross, and
the wings—each hand-feathered by master engravers—exactingly outstretched, like
arms enveloping and “protecting the cross,” hence the name. Eight months passed
before a final pendant was available for wear. “This is jewelry through
meaning, designing through feelings,” he observes.

Protecting the Cross silver pendant from Scott Kay

Photo by Scott
Pearson

One irony in all this: Kay is Jewish. “My wife is Catholic,
and my son had a Bar Mitzvah and goes to Catholic high school,” he says. “I always
have respect for other religions and their convictions, and I’m inspired by
their convictions. I think my overlying message to people is ‘to believe’. I look forward
to telling stories about Judaism, but right now this is where I am.”

Spirituality is now so deep-seeded in Kay’s studio that he also
unveiled an engagement ring collection featuring religious imagery, called
Heaven’s Gates, this year to compliment the Guardian collection, and, his Code
collection of men’s bands emblazoned God, Strength, Honor. “Now all of my
collections—bridal and fashion—are interconnected by spirituality,” he says.

And while some may roll their eyes upon hearing Kay, a
successful brand and businessman for 25-plus years, say he’s not making these religious
pieces for “commercial reasons,” consider this: Another pendant, sold for just $250
retail, he unveiled last year took 16 months to perfect. “The artists of the
past took their time, and that’s what I want my jewelry to reflect,” he says.

Protecting the Cross in sterling silver or 18k gold vermeil has black
sapphires and
is currently priced at $1,750, but cost is subject to change with the volatile
metals
market.

Protecting the Cross silver pendant from Scott Kay