The Mokume Gane Artists

The „Mokume Gane Artists“ are an international network of professional goldsmiths working in the Japanese forging technique Mokume Gane. We are delighted to be a new member of this group since September 2009. The Mokume Gane Artists have an own website with information about the history and the production process of Mokume Gane. The website also provides a comprehensive list of qualified manufactures of Mokume Gane in Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

[The Mokume Gane Artists' website.]

The Mokume Gane Artists defined the following goals for themselves:

"Breaking New Grounds:

The time we are living in is a very fast moving one where things are often judged by their material value. In a community where a certain brand name determines guidelines and wants to control our taste. We believe it’s important to offer a counterbalance. Mokume Gane jewellery is not inevitably distinguished through high-class materials and valuable gemstones (we also use “base” material). And therefore, it does not serve as a status symbol. It rather arouses the suspicion of profoundness. When you imagine how such a piece of jewellery emerges (see technique) one can even say that it tells a story. This means that our jewellery communicates substance without needing to be striking

To Ensure Quality:

The point is not trying to catch affects. We are handling the material in a most serious and earnest way (as far as possible we do not use ready patterned materials). The demands of every one of us are to create technically high-quality jewellery. We do not want to serve the masses. What we do want is to highly satisfy those who feel attracted to our work. You as our customer will be assured to acquire an absolute unique piece of jewellery. We are very much looking forward to dialogues with you, and to explain this outstanding technique.

Inspiration:

What we all have in common is the enthusiasm for this unique technique. Maybe we manage to convey this spark to you. Maybe we achieve that other craftsmen or lovers of jewellery get carried away by our work.

Exchange of Experience:

Working with Mokume Gane means constantly experimenting. We are sure to be able to profit from the experience of each other. The Mokume Gane artists offer a platform of communication.

Joint Presentations:

The Mokume Gane technique offers a large spectrum of possibilities, and an equally large diversity of the finished pieces. From time to time we would love to present these diverse results of our creations in joint exhibitions. By doing this we would like to show you which paths have already been taken. And we could convince ourselves of the many different routes still waiting for us…."

(source: The Mokume Gane Artists - www.mokumeganeart.eu)