Tres Precieux Voiture translates to very precious car and that is what I make, very precious cars out of precious metal. Lately I have been getting a few requests to make my cars and jewellery in less precious metal. I can understand that people are scared off by the prices of my pieces and therefor ask for 'cheaper' materials, but the thing is; it is my efforts and the time I put into it that you pay for. I am a bench jeweller, or as we say in The Netherlands a goldsmith, and the nature of my trade is to work in precious metal, but that metal is only part of what you pay for.

Precious metal

Yes, precious metal is a hot commodity at the moment. Prices of gold and silver are soaring and because of that a lot of people in the jewellery business are now selling gold plated jewellery with a base of silver or even base metal, to keep prices low. And I can understand that people want that for fashion pieces. Something nice to wear now to swap for something different next week. But from what I have seen those are often mass produced items, not made by the seller but by people who don't even know what shop their handywork is being sold in. People know about sweatshops in the clothing industry, but the same goes for the fashion jewellery industry and hardly anyone knows about that.

Handmade in Amsterdam

I have chosen not to work like that. I want to make items of jewellery for the long run. Pieces that are given with pride and treasured by the wearer. Jewels that I can fix when they are broken due to a small incident or resize when needed. They are made by hand, no two pieces are the same, and that takes time. Just one 1:160 2cv takes more that three hours of work. What do you pay a car mechanic or plumber for three hours of work? On top of that you get a very precious metal car that does not need new tires ;-)

Oh and the casting of the metal? Done here in Amsterdam by a precious metal casting company who only uses recycled metal. And the engravings? All done by guys who are the best in their trade, here in Amsterdam. And the felt packaging? My mom sows it for me nowadays, I did not have the time to do it anymore, but the felt is supplied by company here in the Amsterdam harbour area.

So you see, some concious choices I made to build my business around. Just like working with antique jewellery and driving an old car are choices I made because I believe that preserving something is better than reinventing the wheel. I hope you agree. At least on driving the old car...