Ten years after its introduction, Gem continues to prove that great design never stands still. What began as a single custom concept has grown into one of Hammerton’s most versatile lighting collections, inspiring hundreds of unique installations across luxury residences and hospitality projects. As we celebrate Gem’s 10-year anniversary, we’re looking ahead at the limitless ways this iconic design continues to evolve through customization.
Gem’s story began in 2014 when a Colorado interior designer challenged Hammerton to create a design unlike anything we had produced before. Inspired by flower buds, natural gemstones, and a dramatic Chihuly sculpture in the home’s entry stairwell, our team developed a bold, asymmetrical blown glass form unlike anything on the market.
When we launched the Gem collection in 2016, it helped redefine decorative blown glass lighting. At a time when most blown glass fixtures featured simple spherical shades and exposed incandescent bulbs, Gem introduced a sculptural faceted form illuminated by integrated LED technology. Our artisans refined the process to preserve the handcrafted character of every piece while making the design repeatable, laying the foundation for what would become one of Hammerton’s most celebrated collections.
Today, Gem includes more than 50 pendant, chandelier, wall, and ceiling designs—but the catalog is only the beginning. Designers continue to customize Gem through scale, composition, finishes, glass colors, suspension methods, and entirely new configurations. Whether adapting a single pendant or engineering an expansive installation, every project begins with the same handcrafted glass and becomes something uniquely its own.
Custom designs that became catalog collections
Some of Hammerton’s most recognizable lighting collections began as one-of-a-kind commissions. A custom challenge often sparks a new idea, and when a design resonates with architects and interior designers, it can evolve into a permanent part of our catalog. Gem is one of those stories.
What began as a custom request from interior designer Renee Gaddis inspired new possibilities for Hammerton’s collections. After this project, Swag Chandeliers became available across multiple collections, along with three decorative chain options—diamond, oval, and rectangular.
One-of-a-kind custom installations
While Gem has grown into an extensive collection, many of our favorite projects remain entirely unique. Working alongside designers and architects, our team regularly customizes Gem to complement each space through scale, composition, finish, engineering, and installation requirements.
Created for a luxury Montana home, this custom large-scale design transforms 22 handcrafted Gem glass shades into a dramatic flush mount chandelier through a one-of-a-kind suspension system engineered specifically for the project.
Inspired by Hawaii’s surfing culture, this unique fixture for Timbers Kauaʻi at Hōkūala features Gem and Globe pendants suspended from an authentic surfboard. Custom mounting creates the appearance of the board gliding across the water while illuminating the space below.
This one-of-a-kind interpretation of Gem Modern Vine incorporates custom leather wrapping at the base of every handcrafted glass shade. Matched to the leather upholstery used throughout the home and echoed in other custom Hammerton fixtures, the detail ties the lighting seamlessly into the overall interior design.
Created for a Tennessee home, this sculptural installation features six handcrafted Gem glass shades suspended from a custom three-tier mobile. Decorative chain, selected to complement other fixtures throughout the residence, and crisscross metal detailing above each glass element create a composition that fills the home’s dramatic vertical entry.
To complement the scale of a 20-foot-tall living room, this custom Gem chandelier was designed to occupy the space both vertically and horizontally. A barbell-inspired composition, 14 handcrafted glass shades, custom mounting, and varied suspension heights create a sculptural installation tailored specifically to the home’s architecture.
Designed for the grand atrium of a senior living community in Arizona, this large-scale two-tier ring chandelier was created to anchor the circular space while filling its dramatic vertical volume. Bronze, smoke, and clear Gem glass shades add depth and movement, creating a striking focal point visible from every level.
Designed for the lobby of The Advenire Hotel in St. George, Utah, this custom swag chandelier creates a dramatic overhead statement while working within the building’s lower ceiling heights. Decorative chain, custom suspension, and a sweeping swag composition draw the eye upward, bringing movement and visual height to the space.
Created in collaboration with Artesian Designs LLC, this one-of-a-kind chandelier reimagines the standard mounting by relocating the support rods to each end of the fixture. The custom configuration was designed to visually frame the home’s oversized kitchen island while maintaining the collection’s organic form.
Bring your vision to life
Working on something entirely unique? Collaborate with Hammerton’s design and engineering teams to create a custom lighting solution tailored specifically to your project.
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