It’s true; we adore symbolism and personalizing our jewellery. There are lots of tactics to take action, and signet rings have at all times performed their section. The arena has a newfound love for them as tendencies increase and our fondness for devoted or customized jewellery grows. Rebus is an organization focusing on signet rings and cufflinks. I sat down with Emmet Smith speaking about his pretty corporate.

I’ve been running within the jewellery industry since 1986. My first foray into the industry was once on the Sir John Cass College of Artwork in Whitechapel, the place I spent a 12 months finding out jewellery design and making, stone surroundings, silversmithing, and hand engraving.

Emmeth Smith, REBUS

I instantly fell in love with hand engraving; I might utterly lose myself in a miniature international I may just create. I then began a 5-year apprenticeship with an organization in Hatton Lawn known as R.H. Wilkins. Little did I do know then I might move on to shop for that corporate twelve years later.

”I began Rebus in 2005, basically because of the disappointment of being despatched poor-quality signet rings to paintings on”

Additionally, RH Wilkins was once a B2B trade. Having a workshop of extraordinarily proficient engravers, I sought after to advertise the artwork of hand engraving at once to the client who wears our jewellery. 

Rebus, a B2C jewellery emblem, allowed me to do exactly that. All my crew loves running intently with our consumers to create in point of fact imaginative works of art that we then seal and engrave into the piece of Rebus jewellery we have now created for them. Every buyer within the retailer is invited to our workshop, the place they meet the craftspeople making their jewellery. They’re at all times very within the engraving procedure and are amazed on the element that may be accomplished with simply small hand held chisels (gravers).

This direct touch with the client provides me (particularly as I spent 20 years in an out-of-sight workshop) and my crew numerous excitement. 

Now we have fairly a big crew for an impartial jewellery corporate. The workshop is beneath the shop. Right here we make and seal engrave the signet rings and different jewellery items. Now we have 8 engravers, considered one of which remains to be serving her apprenticeship. The apprenticeship lasts 4-5 years, relying on age and former enjoy. Our livery corporate, The Goldsmiths Corridor, indentures our apprentices and provides them and us loads of reinforce. The jewellery industry is a small, splendidly supportive trade stuffed with professional craftsmen and artists.

We even have an in-house manufacturing division and a gross sales and design crew that works with our consumers to flush out their concepts and supply sketches.

Rachel, probably the most gross sales crew, and probably the most engravers take what we do at the street to america, the place we arrange trunk displays in motels. They had been off to LA and West Hollywood in June and took appointments at The London Resort.   

I recently spend numerous time dwelling in Crete and feature got two canine, a border collie (Kenny) and a mixed-breed shepherd canine (Dolly). Each canine had been deserted; Dolly will have to were 2-3 months outdated when I discovered her in an olive grove. Kenny was once roughly a 12 months outdated when I discovered him operating round a mountain street. I think he escaped from his earlier proprietor. Sadly, in rural spaces, the canine are left tied up in olive groves or fields; undesirable domestic dogs are steadily discarded. 

This tale is from Matthew Hart, considered one of our grasp engravers who’s accompanying Rachel on america trunk display, who had his canine engraved on his personal signet ring:

My mom had a fox terrier as a kid and at all times sought after some other. So at some point, we discovered some fox terrier domestic dogs on the market. In an instant, we noticed Ted and needed to have him. We named him ‘Ted’ as a result of (rather then taking a look like a teddy undergo), I used to be looking at loads of Father Ted on the time, and it was once between Ted or Doogle. Ted is now 6.

Signet Rings are very non-public; I made a signet ring in reminiscence of my father. 

That is my non-public model of a mourning ring within the spirit of Momento Mori (I have already got some other signet ring that has the motto Momento Vivere ‘keep in mind to are living’ engraved into it). My father, Philip Smith (aka Dickie, Detsy, the Captain), died in 2019, and I made up our minds to design a signet ring in his reminiscence that I may just put on day-to-day and keep in mind him.

The form is a bigger model of the Rebus Marquise, it’s created from 18K yellow gold, and I’ve used vitreous white and inexperienced/gray teeth.

On one shoulder, I carved an ear. I took this concept after visiting a museum in Berlin, the place there’s a everlasting historic Egyptian exhibition. I discovered the Egyptians’ use of the ear as an icon was once standard of their artwork, wall carvings, and worn as amulets. Those listening to or ‘Sacred Ears’ had been carved into partitions of temples in order that other folks would have the ear in their deity, to percentage a message with the gods and goddess.

The symbolism of ear amulets isn’t at all times smartly understood, however I just like the model that it represents an individual and is thus attached to that particular person. I once in a while hum a song or say a couple of phrases into ‘his ear’; this can be a convenience for me. To not point out it will enchantment to my Dad’s humorousness and makes me snicker occasionally.

I selected white teeth at the most sensible floor, as utilized in conventional Victorian souvenir mori jewellery. Inside the white teeth are raised gold letters that say ‘Now not by way of Phrases.’ I used to be a little of a tearaway, however he would at all times give me a hug in instances of hassle. He didn’t wish to say a phrase; they had been useless. The section additionally is a part of the Latin motto the place I took the title Rebus from ‘Non verbis, sed Rebus,’ no longer by way of phrases however by way of concepts or pictures.

Within the middle of the hoop is a gloomy inexperienced coloured teeth, which references Eire; Dad was once an excessively proud Irishman. The usage of white teeth round inexperienced provides the signet ring an look of a watch, a high quality that was once no longer deliberate, however I’ve at all times cherished gorgeous errors.

Beneath the golf green teeth is an engraved symbol of a door. After Dad died, I came upon considered one of his notebooks. His first and most effective access was once a sonnet he copied, which he can have learn from considered one of his books. On the finish of the sonnet, he wrote it was once one of the vital gorgeous poems he had learn. It is known as:

When I’m lifeless and laid ultimately to leisure by way of Gamel Woolsey

There’s a line: ‘As air that hurries up on the opened door,’ which struck a chord with me, and naturally, the picture of a door is an impressive image and metaphor.

Our two hearts engraved into the door want no rationalization.

I put on this ring on a daily basis. I’m no longer completed but. I’ve some other shoulder I may just carve at some point, and I plan to position a message throughout the shank. He cherished Neil Younger, so possibly a line from considered one of his favourite songs.

This signet ring is a reminder, a verbal exchange, and a tribute to our love. Father and son.

Gail and Sophie proficient each and every different a hoop with their canine on it. Designed and made by way of Rebus

 

Completely sure, our stone setter fosters rescue canine and steadily brings them in. Additionally, Kate from the gross sales crew once in a while walks her canine to paintings. So, we have now two upstairs occasionally and one downstairs. The Rebus retailer is situated on a marketplace street (Leather-based Lane, in central London) this is widely known for its beautiful meals stalls. I wager the canine love coming to paintings!

 

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