Nicki Cliff
Designer and maker of Lilygriffin jewellery, artist Nicki Cliff was born in New Zealand, and has vivid memories of long lazy school holidays camping in Oakura Bay and Mangawhai Heads, making daisy and buttercup chains, investigating beach rockpools, and going on bushwalks through native forests.
Completely self-taught, Nicki wanted to evoke these memories in her jewellery. Utilising her artistic background in painting and sculpture, she sculpts miniature native flora and fauna from fine silver. These designs are then cast into sterling silver, and hand painted in the rich colours of Aotearoa.
Nicki carefully handcrafts each piece herself in her small home studio on Auckland’s North Shore, around looking after her two children, Lily and Griffin.
Lilygriffen Jewellery Care
Lilygriffin jewellery is dainty and delicate, so care must be taken when wearing and storing it.
Please do not wear while exercising, swimming, gardening, showering, cleaning or sleeping. Store in a soft protective pouch or box out of direct sunlight and away from moisture, excessive heat or cold. Please do not store in the bathroom. Avoid contact with household chemicals, perfumes, creams, and hairspray/gels.
Although delighted if you wanted to wear this lovely jewellery everyday, please be aware that you will be able to enjoy your handpainted and 24k gold embellished pieces longer if they are not worn on a day to day basis.
CLEANING TIPS
Sterling silver is typically made up of 92.5% silver, plus a primarily copper composite of 7.5%, making it susceptible to tarnish. When copper is exposed to oxygen, salt and moisture, it can cause darkening and discolouration. Tarnish can also be caused by heat, sulphur, light, perfumes and body chemistry.
HAND PAINTED STERLING PIECES
Porcelain paint is used to add colour to some of my pieces. The paint is heat fired, so is scratch and water resistant, however, care must be taken not to knock, scratch or soak. Do not store in the bathroom, or wear in the shower/bath/pool/sea.
Tarnish can be removed with a polishing cloth (avoid the painted areas), or with a very quick dip in Hagerty Silver Clean. NB: Please do not leave the hand painted items in this mixture for any longer than 10 seconds. Hand painted pieces must be rinsed and thoroughly dried after dipping.
GOLD FILLED PIECES
Gold fill is (usually) a solid 14k thick layer of gold bonded on to a jeweller's brass core under pressure. The layer is thicker than gold plating, but can be thinned out during forging (hammering). 14k gold is more durable than 24k gold, as it is a composite of pure gold and other materials, but may still scratch or abrade.
All Gold or gold filled Lilygriffin items should ONLY be cleaned with soap and water, or Hagerty Jewel Clean. Usually 30 seconds is enough! Dry your jewellery thoroughly.
PEARL PIECES
Please do not dip pearls into any silver or gold dip. If your pearls are visibly stained, you can mix a solution of lukewarm water and mild chemical-free dish soap, dip a soft cleaning cloth in it and wipe the pearls. NB: Do NOT submerge a pearl necklace in water, as it will weaken the silk thread.
