Favorite vendor: goldsmith Bram de Groot — jewelry

Wavy grey hair, a head to toe flowery print, kind eyes and an all round calm atmosphere. Goldsmith Bram de Groot gives off strong craftsmanship vibes. And a craftsman he is.

It all started with mom — a jeweler. “Hearing all about the techniques on how the refined pieces she sold were made, fascinated me.”

During his studies as a gold & silversmith, Bram made all kinds of varied creations. What was missing though, was meaning, story or concept behind it. After graduation, he enrolled in school of the arts ArtEz to further deepen the craft and hone in on the conceptual side of it. This is where he fully leaned into his artistry and started seeing forging as an art form.

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Adding meaning to material

Adding meaning to material is something he found in the creation of custom, personal pieces for couples & clients. “The work I make is deeply personal. I don’t have a collection to choose from, my jewelry is always custom and created from scratch. Preferably, using materials that have lived a previous life, perhaps from a beloved family member. I love to start based on a specific request and forge something together: a combination of a personal story and my knowledge of material, combined in the shape of an adornment.” That mixture makes for interesting and unique objects, playful and bold.

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Cosmic creations

For example: when a client reached out expressing his love for outer space. “He wondered if I could make him a ring out of meteorite. I was instantly fascinated and determined to make it work.” Without any former experience with the material, Bram set out on a quest to more exploring and studying, searching far and wide, into the depths of space matter. A big contrast with his work in school, where he worked solely with limited materials on a budget. Out in the field, he finds so much more possibility than meets the eye. “I love to step way out of my comfort zone to create something that fits — in every sense of the word.”

Process: from idea to piece

It all starts with a conversation and sharing of ideas regarding form, context and meaning. In person in his atelier in Arnhem, or over video call. “Then I start sketching and come up with proposals varying in hue, shape and appearance. From which we decide on a direction to work towards, more and more specific as the process continues.” After a decision on the final design, Bram heads towards his craftsman cave to start forging, brushing, polishing and engraving. From start to finish, the entire process takes up about 6 weeks.

Artist advice

“Dare to think outside of the norm and don’t be afraid to think big.” When working on bigger pieces, Bram takes into careful consideration how a piece compliments the body it will be placed on. But also, for special & specific occasions: how it combines with a garment like a wedding dress or a suit.

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Bram creates:

  • wedding & engagement rings
  • bracelets & necklaces
  • brooches — “Love a good brooch. They should make a comeback”
  • headpieces like crowns & tiaras
  • body adornments

Get in touch with Bram to make magic together

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