Some jewellery is produced in thousands of identical pieces, and some is drawn by someone first. BELLER belongs to the second world: for fourteen years we have designed our own patterns and made them by hand in solid gold, in our own atelier workshop in Warsaw. That is what art jewellery is, a form with an author and an object that stays with you for decades.
What is art jewellery?
Art jewellery is a piece based on an original design, made by hand in small numbers, from materials of full value. It is not about ornament or the size of the stone, but about authorship of the form: someone decided on proportion, edge and the way light travels, and a goldsmith reproduced that decision in metal. In the BELLER gold jewellery collections every design carries a number, N°3 for instance, because it belongs to a considered line rather than a passing seasonal idea.
What separates an original design from a catalogue pattern?
You recognise an original design because one aesthetic decision returns across the whole line and shows in every detail. In the On the edge N°3 ring it is the geometric edges, two to four millimetres wide, that break light sharply, almost architecturally. In the Liquid N°3 bracelet the opposite happens: a gentle twist and even grooving carry the reflection softly along the entire form. The same metal, two different languages, two different temperaments. A mass catalogue repeats what sells best; an authored line repeats what it set out to say.
Why does solid gold decide the quality?
Because a form carved in solid gold keeps its edge, while thin sheet filled with air loses it after a few years of wear. Solid metal means the piece is gold through its entire cross section, with no hollow chambers that add volume and lower the cost. You can read it in the weight: the Liquid N°3 bangle bracelet weighs about 7.5 grams at four millimetres wide, and the On the edge N°3 ring about 2.46 grams. Rigid bracelets are additionally hardened, so the gold holds its shape through daily taking on and off. These are decisions invisible in a photograph and decisive after ten years.
How do natural stones change the character of a design?
A natural stone brings something no one can design: its own uneven way of holding light. We work exclusively with natural stones, never synthetic ones. The Kraków Stained Glass N°2 earrings are the purest example: 28 AAA grade stones of 0.5 carat total, among them ten blue sapphires, two orange sapphires, eight pink tourmalines and eight green emeralds, arranged into a mosaic drawn from Kraków stained glass. With diamonds our standard is equally narrow: colour D or E, clarity VVS1, and from 0.30 carat a written GIA certificate. We explain the grades in our piece on natural precious gemstones.
What is the difference between a collection and a single piece?
A collection is a line with one shared design discipline, a unique piece is one we will not repeat. In lines such as Raw, Liquid and On the edge the same rule of form returns in each successive number, which is why a ring and a bracelet from one collection speak to each other effortlessly. B.One works differently: there the starting point is a particular stone, of a given colour and weight, so every setting is built around it and a second identical piece simply does not exist. The Kraków Collection holds its own place, with designs drawn from the symbols of the city, from stained glass to the Barbican.
How much does art jewellery cost?
Four things make the price: the mass of gold, the fineness, the stones and the hours spent at the goldsmith's bench. In practice the entry point is lower than many people expect. The Raw N°3 gold ring costs 1 550 zł, the On the edge N°3 ring with its geometric edges 2 950 zł, the Kraków Stained Glass N°2 earrings with 28 natural stones 6 450 zł, and the Liquid N°3 bangle bracelet 6 850 zł. The difference between 585 and 750 gold is not a difference in quality but in character: 585 is harder and takes daily work of the hands better, 750 has a warmer tone and a higher share of precious metal.
Can you design your own piece from scratch?
Yes, and it is the most interesting part of our work. Through special orders we will change the gold to yellow, white or rose, raise the fineness, select a different stone, adjust the proportions of a design or draw a form that does not yet exist in our collections. We also accept family gold and bring it back into circulation in a new piece. Engraving is complimentary, one resizing is included in the price, and refreshing and polishing stay free for as long as you wear our jewellery. You do not have to keep track of any of it, we will take care of that.
Where can you see art jewellery in Warsaw and Kraków?
In person, in two boutiques: at Mokotowska 71 in Warsaw and at Szczepańska 9 in Kraków, Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00, with no appointment needed. In the boutique you will see the forms in daylight, try them on and talk through any changes. The making itself, the engraving, the sizing and the service are handled by our own atelier workshop, which keeps the path from idea to finished piece short and entirely under our control. If you would rather begin with a conversation, write or call, and if you want to know what such a visit looks like, read what you will see at BELLER. You can also start with our piece on handmade gold jewellery.
Frequently asked questions about art jewellery
How does art jewellery differ from mass produced jewellery?
In the authorship of the design and the scale of making. The design is created in the workshop rather than in a buying department, the piece is solid metal, and every example passes through a goldsmith's hands.
Is art jewellery more expensive than ready made pieces?
Not always. The Raw N°3 gold ring costs 1 550 zł, and price depends mostly on the mass of gold, the fineness and the stones, not on the fact that the design is original.
Can I order a piece of my own design?
Yes. We will change the colour and fineness of the gold, the stone and the proportions of a design, or draw a form from scratch. Engraving is complimentary and one resizing is included.
Where can I see BELLER art jewellery in person?
At the boutique at Mokotowska 71 in Warsaw and at Szczepańska 9 in Kraków, Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 19:00, with no appointment needed.