I’m releasing my new Mini Mori Skull Jewellery Collection on Monday, so I thought I’d tell you a bit more about it.
It was inspired by my best-selling Memento Mori Skull Rings. These were one of my first pieces that I released when I launched my Rock & Rose website almost a year ago. They quickly became a firm favourite with both myself and my customers both online and in person at markets. I intended them to be a delicate touch of the gothic that people could wear with their everyday outfits, and they seem to fit that bill as that is the feedback most people give me. I recently added an all-copper version of my ring too which I personally wear daily!



As a result, I wanted to add some pieces that could be worn with these rings, so I created two different style necklaces, matching earrings and a copper cuff.



By what is this memento mori and what’s it all about? For those of you that don’t already know “memento mori” = an object kept as a reminder of the inevitability of death, such as a skull. The origin of the phrase is Latin meaning ‘remember (that you have to die)’.
Memento mori as a phrase and object emerged in late 16th/early 17th centuries as an instruction to value the eternal life of your spirit over the temporary life of your body. The skull motif was used on numerous graves in New England in the 17th and 18th centuries.


Art historians can use memento mori as a technical term for artworks that contain reminders of mortality, including the classic skull but also hourglasses and candles (which burn out) and flowers (which decay). Although the memento mori picture became popular in the 17th century, modern artists, and crafters like me continue to explore this genre.
The Victorians were also fascinated with death and often wore symbols of memento mori, such as the skull, within mourning jewellery. The skulls in these pieces are moulded from a bead and my skull cufflinks are moulded from an original Victorian skull bead!
I have also tried to include more sustainable and eco-friendly materials in this collection. This whole collection is sustainable as the pieces are made from metal clay, recycled silver and copper. The skulls are made from metal clay which contains recycled silver and copper particles. The studs are melted down scrap bits of sterling silver using a process called granulation. Copper has been used and recycled by people for over 10,000 years. Around 89% of all the copper we’ve ever dug from the ground in the last 6000 years is still in circulation: it just gets melted back down and reused again and again and again!
Do let me know which piece from my new collection that you love the most? I adore the cuff especially, but I’ll always have a soft spot for the rings! Here’s what other people say about my rings…

