The Art of the Artisan - unique artisan jewellery created just for you

Boho and the artisan jewellery addiction

Exclusive, one-off, handmade jewellery. Is any phrase move likely to send a shiver of delight down a jewellery-lovers spine? Whether it's an inherited heritage piece, or a one-off artisan creation, every girl needs at least one piece of unique jewellery that is exclusively hers. 

I'm going to fess up now - I'm a sufferer of a condition I call it the artisan addiction.  'Limited edition', 'hand-crafted', 'unique' boho jewellery are words that inevitably have me reaching for the credit card. 

I love nothing more than knowing I am wearing something lovingly designed and handmade by an artist, not mass-produced on an assembly line. Something crafted just for me - artisan boho jewellery that I won't run into at the local fashion outlet or in my BFF's jewellery box. Her Lovely Bones website is a treasure trove of such pieces, one-off or limited edition artisan designs that truly stand out in a market overcrowded with look-alike factory jewellery. My current go-to favourite is the Artisan Earrings collection, showcasing the metal-work of some truly brilliant jewellery artisans. Other great sources for unique jewellery are etsy and the websites of individual artisans.

Artisan boho jewellery with a tribal spirit - rare turquoise dangles from intricate handmade silver triangles earrings. 

Putting the art into artisan jewellery

Let me put it this way. Would you rather hang an original piece of art on your wall, or a poster printed thousands of times and found everywhere? Which is likely to be more valuable? Which is more likely to draw the eye and attract attention? For me the answer is easy! I'll always go for the one-off artist-created piece, even if it costs a little more. I know it's an investment that will only increase in value and I can easily sell it or pass it on as a unique family heritage piece. It's also supporting the work of an artist and allowing them to continue creating beautiful objects, something that makes my purchase doubly-special. We really can't have enough artists in the world :)

The principle is the same when it comes to factory manufactured versus artisan jewellery.

Where artisan jewellery is created - an artisan's jewellery workbench (Photo courtesy Velvetrageproductions.com)

Artisan jewellery is the work of an artist, not a mass-produced machine-made piece. And who doesn't want to wear a piece of art? Artisan jewellery, often one-off, is created by artists using age-old jewellery crafting techniques. Each piece is different. No chance of running into a dozen clones at your next party!

Boho jewellery is a common choice of artisans working with precious stones and metals and is the style we love most at Her Lovely Bones. Its earthy, organic look is miles away from standard factory fare. The very name boho - from the term bohemian - conjures up images of the original, the rule-breaker,  the trend-setter, the It-Girl fashionista and Instagram influencer we all love to follow.

Bar earrings are popular and fairly commonplace - but give the task of creating a bar earring to an artisan jeweller and you will come up with something quite unique and stunning... perhaps something like the artisan bar earrings pictured below.

Artisan jewellery lets you express your own unique style

Unless your jewellery taste runs to mainstream trends, you might find yourself floundering to find jewellery that suits your style. This is where artisan jewellery comes to the rescue. Artists are creators - artisan jewellery showcases pieces that are completely unique, the individual vision of an artist. The range of designs and choices is enormous. Whatever your style, you will find a piece which perfectly expresses your personality.

'No clone syndrome' - artisan jewellery is as unique as a fingerprint

Every piece of artisan jewellery, like any work of art, is uniquely inspired by the vision of its creator. Her Lovely Bones artisan boho jewellery captures the bohemian spirit and transforms it to be relevant to the aspirations of a new generation. Our metro boho jewellery expresses this millenium's high-tech lifestyle and tastes while honouring the age-old earth-centric beliefs that inspired the zenith of boho jewellery in the 20th century. So while our artisan jewellery is often minimalist and urban in style, it always upholds the principles of sustainability, the integrity of raw organic elements, and the bohemian spirit of originality. 

The beauty of artisan jewellery can't be factory duplicated

Those small touches where the work of an artist's hand is visible is one thing that makes boho artisan jewellery so special to me. Each visible stroke of the jeweller's hammer, the differences in the tone of metal and gems, the irregularity of stones handpicked for their beauty and not for bland symmetry. "Flaws' in turquoise which only enhance the uniqueness of the stone, the delightful irregularity in a twist of metal - all of these speak to me of the art of the artisan, the work of a creator rather than a manufacturer.

Every artist seeks to tell a story - a story that may take days or even weeks of meticulous design and laborious hand craftsmanship resulting in a finished piece of artisan jewellery art. If that story speaks to you, the piece is meant to be yours. I've often wondered what exquisite flower this artisan fell in love with to create this magnificent piece of floral silver work. We added our 'story' to it - a 'stamen' of glorious Sleeping Beauty turquoise to create the artisan turquoise and silver flowerbud earrings.

Exclusive Karen Hill tribe hand-crafted antique fine silver flower and Sleeping Beauty turquoise earring.

Out of the ordinary - artisan touches add up to unique boho jewellery

The Tear artisan wrap necklace is a wonderful example of the little touches that take a piece of jewellery from the ordinary to the extraordinary. As with all artisan jewellery, where a single piece often takes days to craft, only the highest quality materials are used. In factory-produced jewellery it is difficult to know exactly what materials are used - and quite often they are the cheapest available, for example nickel and other metals which can cause allergic reactions. 

In The Tear wrap choker-necklace, pictured below, the brown leather is subtly distressed to enhance the gold-antique finish of the artisan-created centrepiece - the beautiful Byzantine tear shape. The Arizona turquoise is of the highest quality and attached to the leather using only the finest gold-fill components. Quality and attention to detail is evident in every aspect of this wrap necklace. This is a hallmark of artisan jewellery - quality materials and unique design.

Artisan necklace and earrings set. The Tear, a unique urban boho statement piece - leather wrap choker with antique gold artisan centrepiece and Arizona turquoise.

Have I convinced you to join me in the Artisan Addiction club? Perhaps next time you see an artisan piece, you will look at it with different eyes, and appreciate it for the work of art it is. Artisan jewellery is not for everyone, and because of the labour and the quality of the materials it can be more expensive than factory manufactured jewellery. But if you are looking for a unique piece you'll wear forever, it is certainly worth a second glance, or perhaps even a third...

Interested in checking out some artisan pieces? You can see some of my favourites here.