Handmade Keum-Boo Jewelry: The Making of the Wrapped Collection
Deceptively Simple: An Introduction to the Wrapped Collection
At first glance, these forms appear minimal, yet their creation is an intricate dance of ancient technique and personal philosophy. In this post, I pull back the curtain on the Wrapped Collection—a series of handmade 24ct gold and fine silver jewellery inspired by the volcanic textures of Auckland and the human ritual of clothing ourselves. Discover how I use the permanent fusion of Keum-Boo to transform metal into a "second skin" that is as tactile as fabric and remarkably lightweight to wear.
We wrap ourselves in cloth to signal who we are — the tribe we belong to, the identity we carry into the world. The Wrapped collection takes that idea into metal.
Each piece in this series is wrapped in additional layers — texture pressed into the surface, 24ct gold fused by hand, oxidisation deepening the contrast. The result is jewellery that reads like fabric: tactile, layered, and quietly personal.
Inspired by Nature: The Volcanic Origins of the Wrapped Collection
The collection started with a walk around my garden in Mt Eden, Auckland. I live on a volcano, and the basalt rock that surfaces through the soil has always caught my attention — raw, porous, full of character. Early pieces were textured by hammering fine silver directly into that rock, letting the stone leave its mark on the metal.
From Basalt to Rolling Mills: An Evolving Artisan Process
The basalt stone is gone now, but the impulse remains — to wrap the surface of the metal in something that carries meaning. I've worked with raw concrete, with rolling mills, and lace is calling next. Each material leaves its own mark. That evolution is part of the work. These are not static objects.
What is Keum-Boo? The Ancient Art of Fusing 24ct Gold to Silver
Each piece in the Wrapped range is formed by hand — some hollow-built into tapered columns and sculptural forms, others solid, shaped in wax with every maker's mark deliberately preserved. What unites them is what happens to the surface: each piece is wrapped in texture and individually gilded using Keum-Boo — an ancient Korean technique that permanently bonds 24ct gold to silver through heat and pressure, without adhesive or plating.
A final oxidisation deepens the contrast, pulling the texture into relief and allowing the gold to glow across darkened silver. No two pieces are identical. The hand that makes them ensures that.
Wearing the work
Despite their presence, the pieces are lightweight — jewellery for people who want their accessories to speak quietly but leave an impression. They suit everyday wear as easily as they suit a significant occasion.
The Wrapped collection is central to my practice. It is where technique, concept, and material come together most completely.
