Workshop Wisdom: The Ouze
Tell us about your work.
The process we use is an ancient 6,000-year-old technique called lost wax casting. You carve a 3D model in wax, cover it in plaster, then pour in molten metal. The wax melts away - hence “lost wax” - and you're left with an exact replica of what you carved. Through that carving process, there's so much texture — you can see fingerprints, scalpel marks, all the roughness. We carve each piece individually, so no two are exactly the same. We don’t polish them, we leave all the imperfections visible. We highlight and celebrate that.
All the metal is recycled. We work with a caster in London who only uses recycled metal, which is brilliant; it's just their default. So we don’t even have to think about it.
-What is the usual day in the workshop like for you?
We’re in every day. It depends on the time of year. Some days are about fulfilling orders from the website or working on bespoke projects like engagement rings - sourcing diamonds, sketching, and quoting. Other days, I try to mix it up so it doesn’t get repetitive. When we go to Paris, we’re designing new collections. Recently, we did a pop-up in New York, so there was a lot of prep for that. We’re also about to move the studio to London, so there’s packing to do, while still keeping orders going. There's always a bit of everything - design, admin, sourcing, making.
-How would you describe your workshop?
It’s pretty hectic. Like, to someone who doesn’t know us, it probably looks like there’s no organisation at all - loose gems, silver everywhere. But I know exactly where everything is. I like the chaotic nature of it. That’s how we work - fast, creative, pulling things in and out. It’s not tidy, but it works.
How do you best like to work? Music, podcast, silence?
Always music. Usually, I’m in charge, but we mostly just put on NTS Radio — the Breakfast Show is a favourite. If I go on Spotify, it’s too many choices, so that’s more of a distraction. Sometimes we use YouTube playlists or Boiler Room sets if we need something high-energy to power through a few hours of making.
-Who inspired you when you were starting your creative career?
No one specific in jewellery, but I’ve always been inspired by the past. Pieces that are decades old, worn down, scratched up, clearly loved. That kind of history shows in a lot of our work. Also, the lack of formal training was an advantage - I didn’t know the rules, so I wasn’t afraid to experiment or take risks. That freedom was a big influence on how I started.
-What themes, inspirations or concepts drift into your work?
We’re also big on reworking and recycling. Sometimes people bring us a grandparent’s ring - something they’d never wear - and we reuse the diamonds and metal to make something they’ll actually wear every day. That circularity is really important to us.
-What themes, inspirations or concepts drift into your work?
There’s a real blend of modern and traditional. The technique is ancient, but we do things like embedding gems in wax - a more experimental, newer approach. Then we’ll go back and use a traditional setting style. Each piece is a mix of those two worlds.
We’re also big on reworking and recycling. Sometimes people bring us a grandparent’s ring - something they’d never wear - and we reuse the diamonds and metal to make something they’ll actually wear every day. That circularity is really important to us.
-What is your favourite tool to use?
The humble scalpel blade is probably the go-to. I used to use really sharp fabric scissors too, they’d cut wax in this really satisfying way, naturally creating textures you couldn’t replicate with a scalpel.
We also used to melt wax using a candle, which was actually quite romantic - everything melted slowly, it felt very hands-on and intimate. But over time, we moved on to using soldering pens, which are just way more efficient. They’re not quite as cute as the candle setup, but they’ve made the process a lot faster and more precise. So now it’s a mix. A scalpel for detail, and soldering pens for melting and shaping.
-Do you have a quote or motto that you say to yourself? Do you have any rules or rituals when working?
I don’t know if I have a personal motto, but for the brand I like: “Evidence of the human hand.” That’s always been important - making something clearly crafted, a bit naive even, with texture and imperfections. It’s about the handmade feel, the rawness. No robots involved - I want to think for myself.
-What advice do you have for another maker?
Trial and error. It’s so important. By doing something wrong, you learn what not to do next time. Just experiment. Don’t be scared to mess up - that’s how you grow.
