A B O U T
OF LAND & SEA
"Before jewellery with precious metals was created, people symbolically wore what they found in their environment: flowers, shell and stone, perhaps a string of flowers in their hair, rings made from vines, and necklaces carved from bone."
Of Land and Sea jewellery is handcrafted from a cosy corner of a waterside studio, based in an old boat shed in Penryn, Cornwall. I'm enchanted by the alchemy involved with jewellery making. Using hand tools and traditional silversmithing techniques to create trinkets and charms of the land and sea. My work is inspired by nature, the wild and the whimsical in the Southwest of England and I love exploring stories that intertwine with my designs.
Growing up in the Quantock Hills of Somerset deeply rooted my appreciation of British wildlife, nature and folklore. Learning about the environment through foraging wild food from hedgerows and collecting organic trinkets as the seasons changed, were fond childhood memories that became a lifelong ritual.
It is important for me to respect the natural world, lessening my impact on the environment in the way that I live and work.
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After completing my studies of Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, I wasn't ready to leave the mystic Cornish coast that had since become my home. I was spellbound by the sea and stumbled onto the path of forging organic jewellery, using the treasures I've found as inspiration. I live simply and close to nature in my tiny horsebox home by the sea. When I'm not tinkering away in the studio, I'll be photographing nature, running the coast path and swimming in the quiet coves.
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Every component and finding I use to make Of Land & Sea jewellery is made from reclaimed precious metals that are already in the system, such as recycled sterling silver and reclaimed gold. The recycled metals are sourced from old jewellery, medical equipment and computer parts. They have been melted down and refined into 925 silver and 9ct Gold, which can be hallmarked for its authenticity.
O U R E T H O S
Jewellery inspired by nature, that doesn't cost the earth
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Our aim is to create enchanting jewellery with sustainability and ethics at the forefront of everything we do, to consider the possible harm with each action. We don't claim to be perfect, but it is our aim to work sustainably by using recycled and found materials where ever possible, supporting local and fair-trade, prioritising environmental care and being kind and fair to others. To create long lasting talismans that will be cherished but are easily recyclable.
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Below are some. examples of how we try and achieve this. It is important to be transparent, especially when selling products to the environmentally-conscious customer. It can be confusing and misleading when investing products that are marketed as sustainable and you deserve the right to be able to make an informed decision that suit your ethics. There are big brands quite obviously green washing out there, which makes it hard to fully trust what is advertised, we strongly recommend you to ask questions from businesses.
A note from me:
It’s important for me to lessen my impacts on the world and its inhabitants in the way that I work and live. I studied Marine & Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, researching conservation and human connections with nature. The photographic projects I worked on inspired me to help to preserve nature and be more conscious about the source of materials. I’m now always seeking new ways and materials to create more consciously with my handmade jewellery. I started silversmithing because I love to lose myself in the process of making things and I wouldn’t want to give up this passion because the materials don’t match my ethics.
I have dedicated this year so far into researching more about the materials I use, finding eco-friendly alternatives for even the seemingly small things and questioning suppliers so that I can be a more responsible, environmentally conscious maker. Whilst I could keep these findings to myself and provide an eco-friendly niche to my own work, this wouldn’t really be kind to the planet in the long run. I believe that environmentally friendly processes and materials need to be widely shared with others for the greater good and I hope to inspire other makers to learn more about their materials, make more conscious decisions and to match your ethics with your work.
If you have any tips you would like to share then please drop me an email: Becky@oflandandsea.com​​​
S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y
in the workshop
​​Recycling and Upcycling
By nature, the jewellery industry recycles most materials due to their high value. There is also very little waste created during the manufacturing process. Silver is highly recyclable, it can be melted down and reused again and again. The problem is getting it out of the ground. Although generally, silver comes to market as a by-product of the industrial mining of other metals, such as copper, zinc and gold, the fact is - you can’t mine without leaving an environmental footprint. With that being said, Philip Newman, metal analyst at precious metal consultancy GMFS, says more and more silver that is used for industrial purposes is being recouped and reused. (theecologist.org,2009)
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Silver scrap – All of my metal waste is melted down and then incorporating it into my designs. The silver dust is also collected and kept aside in a jar so that I can use it to create textures on my work.
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Energy – Of Land and Sea's studio space is based at Jubilee Wharf, Penryn. Our electricity is sourced from renewable energy, including solar panels and the Jubilee Wharf wind turbines.
Jewellery Pickle – The cleaning pickle used in the making process is biodegradable and food safe, instead of any nasty, polluting chemicals.
Soldering – We use recycled silver solder and a blow torch fuelled by a refillable propane tank.
T H O U G H T F U L L Y
F O R G E D B Y H A N D
M A T E R I A L S
recycled and thoughtfully considered materials
How do I recycled silver?
All jewellers will have scrap metal left over from making their designs and usually will have a pot of the accumulated silver offcuts collecting dust at their workbench (literally and figuratively) , so I buy this from them to melt down into my designs. If you're a Cornwall based jeweller looking to sell your scrap, then please get in touch!
Wire, sheet, solder, bezel – All of these products are ‘eco-silver’ or recycled gold from Cooksongold and kernowcraft - a recycled alternative to freshly mined precious metals. Eco silver is made from melted down old jewellery, computer parts and medical supplies to create high quality sterling silver.
Silver chain – I source recycled silver chains through a UK based metal refinery. They melt down unwanted scrap silver from old jewellery, medical supplies and technology to recycle into 925 sterling silver.
Brass – The brass industry throughout the world depends on the recycling of brass scrap for its survival. Making brass from new copper and zinc would be uneconomical and wasteful of raw materials so, since new brass articles are made from recycled scrap, brass is said to be sustainable. In the UK brass manufacturers use almost 100% brass scrap. (Resources.schoolscience.co.uk)
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All Of Land and Sea jewellery findings are made using recycled sterling silver, we also buy tricky components such as earrings scrolls made from recycled sterling silver from a metal refinery.
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Gift wrap and packaging – Each piece of jewellery is packaged ready for gifting in pretty tissue paper made from recycled t-shirt offcuts, we also supply most items with a cotton 'spell' pouch to help conserve the jewellery from the natural process of tarnishing or oxidising in-between wear. Our thank you notes are also hand written on recycled card. I like to add in a few extra treats to your orders which can usually include dried flowers and an organic tea for you.
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​Ethically sourced stones – I use hand picked Cornish seaglass or pottery to create unique one-off pieces of jewellery, as well as some occasional gemstones. Most gemstones are really difficult to track from original source as they are passed through different hands from mining, to markets, to a lapidary who shapes it, to a supplier who will then sell it in the UK and whilst the supplier can source an ethical lapidary, the original mining of the stone is difficult to track down, meaning the miner may have been working in unethical conditions and the mining methods more destructive to the environment. Some gemstones can be purchased in person from family businesses who mine, cut and sell the gemstones, so that the sourcing is much more transparent. On our trip to Sri Lanka we were able to purchase gemstones from a transparent mine in person, where each gemstone was purchased with a certificate of authentication. An experience that is much harder to monitor when buying gemstones online, I will write a blog post about this soon!
