SILVER LINING - THE MAKING OF THE JEWELLERY

THE MAKING OF THE JEWELLERY

To honour the rich history of silversmithing and artisanship in London, Ouie has been working diligently to produce an especially limited collection of fine sterling silver and gold jewellery that exemplifies our dedication to craft and creative expression. The inaugural collection draws inspiration from the common object. Often overlooked, Ouie emphasises the objects by playing with material and proportion to transform the unnoticed into new treasures.

Each piece in the Ouie collection is handcrafted in North London by a team of expert jewellers lead by Savvakis Pathitis, owner of AA Fine Castings and veteran of the jewellery casting industry who inherited the casting house from his late father. Established in the 1970’s, AA Fine Castings brings over 50 years of experience in casting and fine metalwork into each and everyone of Ouie’s creations.

The process requires an incredible breadth of knowledge—from materials to production techniques to finishes—and an unerring meticulousness. Once designs are formalised, the appropriate precious metals are procured, in this case ethically sourced sterling silver and recycled gold that is certified conflict-free (Dodd Frank Act-compliant), and contains no added lead or cadmium.

For the jewellery, Pathitis’ team will 3-D print the design in wax, cast it in metal to create a master, and use that to make production moulds. From here, the pieces are cast in the desired precious metal before being handed over to the finishing team to be polished with the utmost precision. Ouie jewellery holds precision paramount and requires Paphitis' best craftsman to work on each product, upholding an extremely high standard of quality. There’s no room for any mistakes.

Of utmost importance to Ouie is the casting quality: how the pieces are melted and transformed into a piece of wearable art. If the casting is not done properly, you'll be dealing with a lot of porosity and other tiny flaws, that’s why every piece is cast with care and undergoes rigorous quality control before making it to the next stage of the production line.

Once the pieces are cast the refinement of their shape and tone begins: grinding it to its appropriate size and setting; sanding the piece to smoothen and clarify its curves and lines; then polishing before finalising with the appropriate matte or high polish finishes.

Applying ample amounts of attention to each individual piece, the artisanship and artistry becomes self-evident. We treat each piece like the exceptionally fine jewellery that it is. We have to in order to reflect the level of taste and quality that Ouie is known for.