handmade jewelry is becoming a lost art.

To be considered “handmade jewelry”, the item must be fabricated from raw metal by a jewelry artisan, using only tools that are controlled by hand. In many ways this is becoming a lost art in our fast-paced, consumer-driven world we live in today. What was for thousands of years the only way to make jewelry has now been replaced with computer-designed, 3D-printed, and mass-produced jewelry--frequently made in other countries in the hundreds of thousands. The lost art of genuinely handmade fine jewelry requires highly skilled labor to manually control tools and to transform precious metals and gemstones into miniature works of art. It is for this reason that jewelry connoisseurs everywhere know that truly handmade is the benchmark for craftsmanship in fine jewelry.

In the spirit of old world craftsmanship that was handed down to me from my teachers, the use of assembling pre-fabricated parts is forfeited in my practice. In my studio, I alloy raw metals and then hand forge the metal into miniature parts and settings. These precision pieces are then soldered at extreme temperatures in the art of jewelry fabrication.

Created from a single piece of precious metal that is hand rolled with mills and pulled through draw plates, the metal is then sawn, filed, and tooled. The completed handmade model then undergoes polishing and preparation for stone setting. Once polished, I hand cut seats into prongs and metal walls to support the gems. The stones are then seated and meticulously secured within the metal. In the end, the resulting handmade jewelry is done with the same methods as it was created for royalty throughout the ages.

In these days of mass production, artisan jewelers are a rare commodity, but I believe the best things in life are still made by hand, and that truly handmade jewelry is far more meaningful, personal, and important and must continue to be made. It is for this reason I persevere, always learning and expanding my skill set to nurture this art form--too precious to be lost forever.

The lost art of creating handmade jewelry is proudly alive and well in in my studio, honoring the traditions my teachers have taught me--skills that have been handed down from generations of fine metalsmiths from thousands of years. Creating jewelry by hand and continuing this lost art is my life ambition, my love, and my passion.