Pauline Bern is a self taught jeweller who started making jewellery in the 1970's in the USA before returning to Auckland where she began exhibiting in Fingers Gallery in 1981. She was a lecturer at Unitec Institute of Technology for 24 years and was head of jewellery for 20 of those years, her work is held by Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland Museum and The Dowse Art Museum
Pauline's early work often referred to domestic space - she won the inaugural Thomas Foundation gold award in 2000 making a necklace woven to resemble small steel wool pot scrubbers, made from 80 meters of 18ct gold wire. Her more recent work reflects the rhythms of every day life and the natural world - the weather, walking, shells on the beach.
"I want the works to elicit curiosity, intrigue, surprise, humour and perhaps nostalgia, I am not attempting to emulate botanical forms, rather to appropriate the extraordinary, unexpected, and often unnoticed details in nature, into a contemporary jewellery context." Pauline Bern
From 2023
Gleam, Glimmer, Glimpse
Ring - sterling silver, star ruby $885
Ring - sterling silver, carnelian agate $885
Ring - oxidised sterling silver, moonstone $885
Ring - oxidised sterling silver, Mexican fire agate $885
From 2022
Animal, vegetable, mineral..?
Brooch tuatua, freshwater pearl, brass pin $250
Brooch pipi, Labradorite, brass pin $250
Brooch pipi, freshwater pearl, brass pin $250
Brooch pipi, amethyst, brass pin $250
Brooch pipi, fresh water pearl, brass pin $250
Brooch pipi, coral, brass pin $250
Brooch pipi, rose seed, shellac ink, 18ct gold, steel pin $320
Seed Earrings, 9ct gold, oxidised fine/stg silver, kowhai seed $300
Seed Earrings, 9ct gold, oxidised fine silver, coral $380
Seed Earrings, oxidised fine/stg silver, coral, 18ct gold $300
Brooch, SHELL FLOWER $1,000
Pipi and cockle shell, citrine, oxidised fine silver
Brooch, PEARL FLOWER $1,500
Mother of pearl, pearls 9ct gold' silver
Brooch, MEND, Tuatua silk polyester brass pin $140
Brooch, MEND, Tuatua silk polyester brass pin (reverse) $140
From 2021
Necklace: Petal Fall $1,500
Fine/sterling silver, glass beads, stainless steel cable, ribbon
Necklace: Petal Fall $950
Oxidised fine/sterling silver, citrine, rose wood prunings, shellac ink, stainless steel cable
Brooch: Petal - Fine/sterling silver $280
Brooch: Petal - Oxidised fine/sterling silver $280
Brooch: Petal - Oxidised fine/sterling silver $280
From 2020
‘Carapace’ - tuatua, kowhai seed, 18/9ct gold, gold plated cable, brass mesh $1,060
‘Carapace’ - tuatua, oxidised fine silver, gold plated cable, 9ct gold $885
‘Carapace’ pendants, reverse
From 2019
 N/L Leaf $1,500
23ct plated gold, 999 silver, amber beads, gold plated stalnless steel cable
 N/L Petal $850
999 silver, peridot beads, silver plated stainless steel cable
From 2018
‘Re-Structure’ Shell, ox fine silver, m.o.p, cable. $1,000
‘Re-Structure’ Shell, 9ct gold, ox stg, cable. $680
‘Re-Structure’ Shell, ox fine silver, amethyst, cable $750
From 2017
 3 Rings, stg and fine silver $800 each
Ring, 22ct gold, stg silver $800
From 2016
Seed Necklace - Fine silver, aquamarine, gold-plated cable $850
 Seed Necklace – Fine silver, peridot, gold-plated cable $850
From 2015
Carapace Necklace $1,150
Tuatua shell, fine silver oxidised, coral, polyester ribbon
 Seed Necklace $885
Oxidised fine silver, coral, gold plated cable
'Carapace' Fine silver, tuatua shell, polyester cord $1,240
'Carapace' Fine silver, 9ct gold, pipi shell, gold plated cable $970
'Carapace' Stg silver, oyster pearl shell, tuatua shell, polyester cord $1,060
Reverse of above
From 2014
40!! Grams of Silver $1,200
Fine silver, gold plated cable
40!! Carats of Shell 22ct gold, shell, gold plated cable $700
40!! Centimetres of Gold 22ct gold, sterling silver, tuatua shell, polyester cord $1,500
40!! Rubies 18ct and 9ct gold, ruby beads, gold plated cable $1,400
From 2013
Petal Fall Neckpiece $500
Fine silver, cord
Petal Fall Brooch, $530
Stg silver, shell, 18ct gold, citrine, kowhai seed, cable
From 2012
Corallium Argentum $1,400
Brooch: fine and stg silver, coral
Silver Swarm $1,400
Brooch: fine and stg silver, brass mesh
Silver Swarm
(detail)
Physocarpa Corallium $700
Brooch: 9ct gold, coral, swan plant, nikau nut flowers
Physocarpa Argentum $900
Necklace: swanplant, nikau nut, rose thorn, silver
Aqua Rosa Argentum $1,750
Brooch: fine and stg silver, pearls, citrine beads
Rosa Argentum $1,250
Necklace: rose thorn and wood, fine silver
Nikau Shell Rose $1,400
Necklace: 18ct gold, silver, shell, ink, nikau nut, rose wood citrine beads
Fern Flower $700
Necklace: 18ct gold, glass and shell beads, fern stem
Dicksonia Podocarpus $900
Necklace: neritina shell, totara leaves, fern stem, glass beads
Spring Seed Shimmer Brooch $1,770
9ct gold, sterling silver, pearl shell, ink, rose seed, cable
From 2011
'Gold Leaf Stirrer' $1,780
9ct gold, wooden spoon, totara leaves, shellac, ink, cable
'Device to Deflate' (gold prices, egos, real estate…….) $710
9ct gold, rose thorn, industrial plastic, cable
Pauline selected
From 2010
1 Snowhite $875
9ct pin, fine silver, stg silver, postage stamp, industrial plastic, cable
2 Rose Red $788
Rose wood, 18ct gold, industrial plastic, cable
From 2009
Rings from the 'Glean' Series, 2009
Silver, wood, glass, rock, nylon filament, industrail plastic
Each ring approx 40mm x 33mm x 30mm
1 Collect ½¢ $615
2 Collect 3¢ $615
3 Collect 4¢ $615
1970's used New Zealand stamps, 9ct gold, stg silver
industrial plastic, wood, felt, stainless steel cable
4 3¢ $105
5 3¢ $105
6 4¢ $105
7 4¢ $105
1970's used New Zealand postage stamps, stg silver
industrial plastic, wood, stainless steel wire
From 2009
"Glean"
"I collect fragments of materials to manipulate into rings and neckpieces;
we glean information from the jewellery a person chooses to wear."
Pauline Bern, 2009 |
 All Necklaces $350 each
Materials include: gold, silver, wood, ceramic, glass, rock, semi-precious stones, brick, polyester cord, nylon filament, industrail plastic, plastic coated steel cable
From 2007
1 'Gather' brooch 9ct gold, sterling silver, feather, industrial plastic $350
2 'Gather' brooch 9ct gold, sterling silver, feather, industrial plastic, steel cable $350
3 'Sort' brooch 9ct gold, sterling silver, cable, feather, plastic $440
4 'Sort' brooch 9ct gold, semi precious stones, charcoal, feather, plastic $440
5 'Scatter' brooch 9ct gold, sterling silver, bark, industrial plastic, steel cable $440
From 2005
The Ring Project
"I have re-viewed my local environment as a resource, selecting from the beach worn fragments of Waitemata papa, weathered pohutukawa and man-made remnants for intervention and transformation, reassessing the banal.
Made from structures and materials susceptible to wear and tear the rings are as vulnerable as the relationships they so often represent. Care must be taken: unlike the timeless durability of the convention of gold and diamonds, these rings may act as a reminder of the fragility of our emotions and interactions."
Pauline Bern, 2005
72 Rings assembled from:
Materials off the beach: Waitemata Papa (layered sandstone,
mudstone), scoria, pohutukawa wood, glass & ceramic shards.
Combined with: gold (22ct, 18ct, 9ct), fine & sterling silver, mokume gane,
diamond, mudstone, sapphire, heat shrink plastic,
nylon filament, steel
cable, paint, epoxy.
Rings with Precious metals or stones $300
Rings without $200
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