Jewelry designer Erin founded her eponymous brand with a commitment to blending craftsmanship and artistry. Established with a passion for creating bold, distinctive pieces, Erin embraces the use of innovative techniques, high-quality materials, and timeless design while maintaining a deep respect for tradition and sustainability.
Q+A
What inspired you to start your business?
I started my jewelry making career in 2018 after a life of loving it and ALWAYS gravitating to it when I saw it. I took my first local silversmithing class, instantly fell in love, and my first brand (Stone and Oakes) was born. I was always a lover of turquoise and it was a great place for me to start and hone in on my basic jewelry making skills. Flash forward to 2019 I was dabbling in gold with a STRONG interest to get into fine jewelry - that led to mixed metal pieces and a growing love for gemstones. I met someone in 2021 who kindly took me in for a 3 day wax intensive and since then, I have never looked back. It has been fine jewelry and opalescent sapphires at full steam ahead. I rebranded in 2022 to my current business and it feels incredibly fitting for what I always imagined this business could be.
How would you describe your customers? What do you think sets your brand apart for them?
I think my ideal customer is someone who appreciates the artistic take on jewelry. My customer isn't one for fast fashion, or keeping up with trends, or mass machined jewelry - my customer appreciates the handmade details that go into making jewelry, the organic curves, the hands that do the work that show in the art. I think how tied into my brand I am (I still make everything myself) people are really drawn to it because it is artisan jewelry that I pour my love, time, and energy into.
What are some of the key products/styles offered by Hew and what makes them unique?
I think the main thing I offer that sets me apart is my stone selection - I pride myself on my selection of unique diamonds and sapphires in the work that I do - they stand out and are completely unique. Most of my work is one of a kind and the piece is made for the stone - this can make things tricky as the sapphires I like do not come calibrated, they are what they are. This does cause more work for me, but in a way that I love and I think people feel connected knowing that their piece of jewelry is truly unique to them.
Can you describe your personal connection to your brand and how it reflects your values and passions?
I kind of answered this above, but being the one who is physically making my jewelry I think shows my passion. I love being a maker and creator - not only am I designing the piece - I am fabricating it, or carving the wax. I clean the castings, polish them, size them, and set my own stones. I do the finishing work - I handle these pieces from the idea living in my head, to the finished piece available to purchase. I know that I can't necessarily sustain this forever, but I will always be tied to my work and touching each piece in some capacity, even if I continue to grow. I am so passionate about creating. I am a fairly type A person and until I found jewelry, I always wanted to be busy and surrounded by people. Jewelry has shown me how valuable time with myself and my own thoughts can be, and helped me really envision the life I want to live as a woman, mother, wife, and artist.
What are some of the prominent sustainability initiatives or practices that you prioritize during your production process?
I work with casting companies that use recycled gold and the diamonds I buy are antique - I love knowing that they have lived another life before I put them into jewelry. I also have great relationships with my gemstone vendors who all have told their story of how they're involved and what practices are important to them. One thing I love about being and artist is I am not only creating art, but I am supporting other artists (gem faceters/cutters) as their art becomes part of mine.
