Coral Crabs

It has been a while so let me bring you up to speed...

    A new influence has slowly surfaced in my artwork... the world of aquariums. I have recently entered the hobby of aquarium keeping, specially salt water reef systems. I have fallen in love with this passion (albeit expensive!) and have begun to incorporate this into my jewellery practice.

    My first introduction of reef tank critters is that of a Pocillopora/Acropora Crab. These tiny little crustaceans are accidentally and unknowingly introduced as they "hitch-hike" in on coral purchased from local suppliers. They have become one of my favorite additions to my tank. Another fascinating thing associated with crustaceans are their perfect moltings they produce (which I always fish out of the tank, spread, and dry to use as reference material). These crabs engage in a commensal and symbiotic relationship with coral, cleaning and maintaining it where water flow may be restricted. Coral Crabs defend the coral and prolong the life of its host, as they themselves depend upon it for survival. The crabs come in a variety of colors and patterns. The picture (above right) I found online is representative of the ones in my tank (I have a mated pair).

Thanks to the moltings I collected, I was able to carefully carve one of these crabs in wax and cast it. I then made a rubber mold. Images of the wax and final product before rubber molding are shown above. Now that I have the mold I look forward to being able to play with metal coloration techniques and plating to create some of the amazing patterns and colors found within these crabs. This mold also lends itself to a variety of different applications, from cufflinks to pendants. Shown are two uses so far; an 18kt Yellow Gold crab holding a Ruby and a pair of Sterling and 18kt Rose Gold plated cufflinks.