There is a unique story behind every piece of jewelry brought in to Karyn Chopik’s studio for commission.
There was a lady who brought in a medallion that belonged to her grandfather — who was in the Battle of Dieppe during the Second World War — that had been massaged so much, it was worn thin.
Beautiful Opals — purchased in Europe by a client’s husband — that had yet to be worn.
And a stunning diamond, passed down by a client’s mother, that was hidden in an outdated ring.
“A lot of this is precious memories, it’s their old wedding band from a husband that’s no longer with them, their grandma’s diamond they’ve had in the family for 100 years. There’s sacred energy and meaning behind a lot of pieces that aren’t just sitting in a drawer anymore, they’re no longer lonely. They’re now being re-purposed into modern pieces that they can pass on,” Chopik said.
“We’re doing a lot of family heirlooms, a lot of historical pieces, and we’re doing a ton of gold commissions and my business is shifting.”
Revamping clients’ old, forgotten gold is a new undertaking that Chopik is doing in response to dynamic changes in the industry.
A veteran jewelry designer known for her unique, organic style, she has branched out and hired goldsmith Kaiden Bell to help with her new 1-2-3 gold commissions program.
“In my entire career in the fashion industry, I’ve noticed there’s been a big shift. It’s a global village, online sales, people aren’t buying the same patterns. Everything is shifting and it’s a really tough industry to be in to be quite honest. What we thought was a given is no longer. So I’ve had to learn to open up and go with the flow and have many facets of the business to keep it going,” Chopik said.
“With the industry shifting and shutting down on itself, it has actually been an opportunity for me to find new ways to grow. And I needed a new silversmith, and one of the people who surfaced was the goldsmith, Kaiden. And I thought, ‘Ah, I don’t know, can I afford a goldsmith?’ And then this voice inside — I listened to my gut — and it said, ‘Yeah, it’s time.'”
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When they do a piece, Chopik is still the designer, but Bell brings in the technical expertise.
“He comes at it from a fine gold perspective, and I come at it as an artist. And I think he’s learning to bend the rules now, too. Where on earth would he get the opportunity to do some of the really crazy stuff that we’re doing?” Chopik said.
“This is wearable art.”
Bell began making jewelry when he was just 16 years old. His grandfather did goldsmith work as a hobby, and had a shop in his backyard that Bell used to play in.
He said there is a noticeable difference in jewelry that is made by hand.
“It’s got personality, it’s got soul to it. It’s not something that’s machine made that 1,000 people are going to have the same thing,” he said.
“A lot of the time people will use CAD software and they’ll print the ring. They’ll 3D print it and send it off to the casters, then the stone setters set the rocks and the polishers polish it, and it will take a couple hours of manufacturing.
“But when it’s handmade, and you’re doing everything from scratch and you’re melting down the metals, it takes a lot longer. But, I think that you can achieve a better result from that. You can tell when a ring has been cast as opposed to handmade.”
For Chopik, there is a certain spirituality and energy behind each piece.
“Back at the turn of the century, my grandmother had one gold bracelet and one simple band. They were peasant people, and that’s all she had her entire life. It took, I don’t know how long, for my grandpa to buy that for her,” she said.
“So my sister has it, and she’s going to give it to her daughter when she passes on. These are memories and stories that we can keep alive by re-purposing it into something else.”
Chopik’s design centre and retail store is located at 112-19289 Langley Bypass, and is open to the public for viewings. No gold is left on the premises.
Commissions are done by appointment. Call 604-575-9318 or email customerservice@karynchopik.com.
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