Steven Battelle has followed a singular, somewhat circuitous route to his current incarnation as a designer of unique treasures of wearable art. Diverging from an early interest in painting and the visual arts, he is probably unique among jewelry designers as one who has also practiced as a veterinarian of exotic animals, as well as all manner of domesticated creatures. Following a chance trip to South East Asia in 1987, he became fascinated with the imagery and ornamentation of the ancient cultures of Majapahit Java and pre-European Siam. What began initially as a brief diversion and hobby into jewelry creation, resulted ultimately in an unexpected 180 degree change of life direction.
Drawn particularly to cabochon (un-faceted) stones, with which the first jewelry from all the ancient cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Asia was made, Steven handpicks unusual precious and semiprecious stones that often carry with them some manner of inherent imperfections. The natural characteristics of the stone become a part of the feeling and energy of the piece. In partnership with his Balinese artisans, utilizing both painstaking traditional handmade techniques and current processes, he has developed a line of jewelry that melds these ancient motifs into objects of functional and timeless beauty.
Besides the jewelry designs which continue to evolve and in a myriad of directions, he has in the last few years become interested in ancient coinage from the past civilizations of Greece and Rome. For those who have an interest in history, these coins with images of gods and icons from ages past are incorporated into jewelry with classic understated designs that might have well been crafted in those bygone times.