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Danny Ries
Oct 9

heading south

Updated: Oct 14


...to Surrey! It appears that you can take the girl out of north London after all, and in four weeks' time I'll be heading off to RHS Wisley in Surrey for Desire Fair, where I will be exhibiting and selling my wares.

Since last year I have been working on new collections so here's a preview:


Chunky Chain necklaces, earrings and bracelets. For a while now, I've been dreaming of making and wearing a really chunky, heavyweight necklace - ideally oxidised black - and have finally done it! Teamed with either a T-shirt, button-down shirt or dress, it is simple, stylish and has attitude.



Embroidery rings with gemstones I was asked to make an eternity ring with three gemstones, based on my embroidery ring design. The result inspired a new addition to my collection. Available in both 9 and 18 carat gold, here they are!

Handknitted earrings and necklaces - ethKNIT and ROPE collections. Handknitted in fine silver, gold vermeil and 9 carat gold wires, these pieces require patience, concentration, dexterity and - oh yes, tiny needles - to create. Although large, the hippy hoop earrings come in at around 5g each and are perfect for party season!


Lantern earrings with diamonds. And finally, for some extra bling and sparkle, and upon the request of a client, I have added some diamonds to these statement earrings. Perfect for a special occasion!

teardrop earrings with diamonds in gold and silver
lantern earrings with diamonds in silver and gold vermeil

I look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any special requests or

queries, do get in touch.




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Danny Ries
Sep 5

5 Creative Ways to Upcycle Your Unworn Jewellery and Declutter Your Collection

I don't know what to do, can I come and talk to you about my grandmother's engagement ring, some diamonds, a gold necklace, a pendant, ...........? We've all got one; a drawer or box(es) full of old, broken and unworn jewellery. The single earring(s) missing their other halves, the rings - sometimes with valuable gemstones - that we will never wear but which we hold onto for their sentimental value, the broken chains and the charms from the charm bracelets we 'think' are silver.


Why do we keep it?

We hold onto pieces of jewellery for all sorts of sentimental reasons; because it carries memories and stories that makes it hard to part with. It can also provide emotional comfort during challenging times. We sometimes keep unworn jewellery for special occasions or for future generations.

Believe me when I say that I have heard some beautiful stories about pieces of beloved jewellery as well as some strange and hilarious ones but the recurring frustrations seem to be that this jewellery:-

  • Takes up too much space

  • We don't wear it but don't want to let it go

When it gets to the point that it makes us feel guilty or bad about ourselves, we need to do something: I call it decluttering, and once I show you how to get started, it will feel amazing, so let's look at our options:


Option 1: Sort, Scrap, Sell

Option 2: Repair and Replace

Option 3: Remove and repurpose gemstones

Option 4: Repurpose and upcycle the gold or silver

Option 5: Wait, there's no rush


Sort, Scrap, Sell

Once you make an appointment, the first thing I will do is ask you to tell me about the pieces of jewellery you have brought along and maybe share some of the stories and memories the pieces hold. Together we sort them into piles labelled 'definitely scrap', 'definitely keep' and 'don't know'. The first pile holds no sentimental value to you whatsoever. This is really helpful as you can then decide whether you want to sell it for scrap and use the proceeds towards making something new or just pocket the money! We then work through the other two piles and explore whether you'd like the pieces to be repaired, dismantled or modified.


Repair and Replace

Brass 'Hippy Hoop' earrings. Client's late mother's favourite earrings. She had lost one of them and asked me to make another so that she could wear them as a pair.

If you feel a sentimental attachment to a piece of jewellery, it doesn't matter whether it's made from precious metal, brass or paste, youI still cherish it and would wear it if only it could be repaired. Wherever possible, I will try to restore your jewellery to a wearable state; this is often easier and not as expensive as you may imagine and definitely worth considering. As well as repairs, I can often replicate missing earrings so that they can be worn again as a pair.

Cufflinks bought for client by his late grandfather and of immense sentimental value. One was damaged and in need of repair.




Client's late mother's engagement ring. Several diamonds needed replacing.

Remove and repurpose the gemstones

If you want to keep any gemstones for sentimental reasons but perhaps don't like the style of ring or earrings in which they are set, I can remove the stones, sell or recycle the metal and design a new, bespoke piece of jewellery using the stones.

An unworn heirloom ring and diamonds upcycled into contemporary, wearable jewellery
18 carat gold earrings made from a recycled engagement ring and diamond. The client bought another diamond using the proceeds from the sale of the scrapped gold from the original ring.
14 carat gold earrings made using diamonds removed from unwanted jewellery
9 carat gold ring (bespoke design) using heirloom diamonds from inherited jewellery.
















Repurpose and upcycle the gold or silver

Instead of selling your unwanted gold or silver, I can melt it down and turn into something beautiful which you will love wearing. This is a great way to declutter and repurpose unwanted jewellery. Alternatively you may want to modify a cherished piece of jewellery into something more modern.

Sterling silver cuff made from recycled pieces of unwanted jewellery
Client's original 9 carat gold wedding band is melted down and remade incorporating 18 carat white gold to mark the 30th wedding anniversary.

18 carat gold ring made from her late parents' wedding bands.


Wait, there's no rush

And finally, you don't have to do anything; after all you may simply not be ready to cast away your treasures quite yet. I'm happy to discuss ideas for new bespoke projects either in person or online.


Just get in touch either by email or phone to book a no-obligation consultation.

tel: +44(0)7802 463024     email: enquiries@dannyries.com






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Danny Ries
Aug 17

summer knits


rubber ball necklets

With Desire Fair Wisley approaching in November, it's probably time I started filling you in on what I've been up to since last year's show. Basically, I've been knitting.....a lot!

 

Whether it's silicone-coated electrical wire (above) or fine silver and 9 carat gold wire, I've been thinking of new ways to develop my existing designs as well as add some colour to my pieces - either with gemstones or coloured wire. The results include my lantern pendants in contrasting yellow, black and white silver and gold vermeil and POD earrings with yellow citrines, red garnets and my new favourite London Blue topaz. I've also created some new collections: KNITtle derives its name from little+KNIT; little handknitted discs on delicate chains in a palette of white, black and yellow.

 

The necklace featured below is ethKNIT rope necklace #2 and is inspired by Missoni circa 1990. It comprises handknitted fine silver and 9 carat yellow gold wire patterned into stripes; very tricky to knit! I'm working on some earrings at the moment in very fine (0.2 mm diameter) gold and silver thread and will write about them once they're assayed and photographed. If you follow the link to 'my work' on my website, you can read a little bit more about the background behind this collection in 'A Touch of Gold'.

 

The rubber ball necklaces (above) are from my non-precious collection and are made of silicone-coated electrical wire. Great fun to make and wear, they are shown here in orange, yellow and white and are available with black or white rubber cords. I can also knit them in red, green or blue - just ask. Perfect for the summer holidays and swimming as they're waterproof!













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