Behind the Design: Zoltan David
Zoltan David’s Favorite Designs
Everyone has a favorite restaurant or uncle. But a favorite piece from your own collection? How do you choose? This month, designer Zoltan David of Zoltan David Precious Metal Art (zoltandavid.com) in Austin, Texas, shares one of his favorite designs, as well as one of his favorite pieces by another artist.
What’s one of your favorite pieces that you designed and why?
As stated by many artists, every piece created is an expression of passion and dedication, which makes it difficult to pick a “favorite” piece. Here, I have chosen the Flowerfly, an award-winning piece I created for the 2007 Tanzanite Foundation International Design Competition with the theme, “Be Born to Tanzanite.”
A pendant that can also be worn as a brooch, FlowerFly comprises 26 separate components, each individually crafted and finished. Materials of 24k gold inlaid into platinum, flawless diamonds, marquise-cut tanzanite, and a perfectly matched pair of trilliant-cut tanzanite weighing 8.85 carats each complete the piece.
What makes this a favorite for me is the intensity of design and craftsmanship that went into the piece—it took 270 hours to complete—as well as its symbolism. As a flower, it blossoms and unfolds. As a butterfly, it transforms itself into something more glorious.
Tanzanites are given as a gift of blessing upon the birth of a child, to unfold and blossom into a glorious human being. The Flowerfly was designed to encompass these aspirations. Whenever someone sees it, they smile, their eyes get wide, and they take a deep breath. This is a sign of an inspirational piece of art. It’s also why I love this piece.
What’s one of your favorite pieces that someone else made and why?
I admire Wallace Chan for his imagination, depth of knowledge, and masterful skill in technique and craftsmanship. Fish’s Dream is unlike any “fish” piece I have ever seen. Notice how the fish has movement: Although it is a still object, it looks active.
Also, note the detail in the piece, such as the rim around the eye, which is a specially cut opal, or the imaginative combination of gems that become the bubbles. In Chan’s pieces, the curves are complex and the gems are more than ornamentation—they are the fundamental structural form. This requires innovative engineering and great lapidary skill.
The more you study this piece, the more its secrets are revealed to you. It’s a true inspiration.