My good friend Ben Claus busted out some of these pieces recently at a party that I was at, and I had to share with all of you. Check out the info below and be sure to visit his Etsy page to purchase yours today – he also does custom orders.
Benjamin Claus is a Jewelry Artist currently living in Highland, New York uses silver 
and gold wire to create one of a kind pendants, rings, pins, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Ben uses primarily uncut mineral specimens from around the world. These specimens are exceptional because they grew naturally in the earth and are not enhanced or treated in any way. No cutting or polishing is used on the majority of these pieces, connecting you with nature on a very special level. This adds to the beauty of each piece he creates, making them a beautiful work of art that you can wear as jewelry. Each piece is extremely involved and can take up to 50 hours to complete.
Aside from being an artist, Ben is also a Graduate Gemologist and Accredited Jewelry Professional. All his schooling was done at the Gemological Institute of America, the standard in Gemology for the jewelry industry.
“The gems and minerals used in my work are primarily uncut crystals mined all around the globe. These stones are exactly how they are found in the earth, displaying their natural beauty and formation. My goal is to create jewelry that displays these gems with ornate wire work.” – Benjamin Claus
Did you know? Crystals are believed to have their own individual energy or personality.
When united with a person with the right intentions, a crystal may help connect someone with his/her higher self, increase awareness, awaken creativity, and facilitate healing.
Here’s a list of his commonly used stones in Ben’s artwork notated with their corresponding chakra:
Mulahadra/ root chakra
-garnet, fire opal, ruby, smokey quartz, red jasper
Svadhisthana/ sacral chakra
-orange kyanite, amber, fire agate, yellow topaz, orange sapphire
Manipura/ solar plexus chakra
-sunstone, malachite, citrine, moonstone
Anahata/ heart chakra
- tourmaline (green or pink), Kunzite, rhodochrosite, peridot, diopside
Vishuddha/ throat chakra
- aquamarine, turquoise, lapis lazuli, blue kyanite, blue tourmaline, tanzanite
Ajna/ third eye chakra
-amethyst, flourite, phenakite, sugilite
Sahasrara/ crown chakra
- herkimer kiamond, diamond, clear quartz
>> Be sure to check out out Ben & Rise Up Jewelry Designs on Etsy and Facebook
