Nancy Ryall, Jeweler
Working out of her studio in Oxford, NC, Nancy’s work is all hand forged. Working in 14k and 18k gold she makes earrings, rings and pendants that are modern and elegant in style. Even though she uses forging as the foundation of her designs, she also uses other traditional jewelry making techniques such as piercing, soldering, forming, texturing and stone setting.
Nancy Ryall
Born and educated in England, Nancy attained her degree in Jewelry design and making from the City of Birmingham University. She started producing her own work in America in 2008, but only found her true passion in forging in 2013 when she started working as an assistant jeweler for Ben Dyer Jewelry.
Once Nancy perfected the skill of forging it seemed that there was no turning back for her. Today, all Nancy’s work is hand forged using a hammer and an anvil. Working in solid 14k and 18k gold, Nancy uses this age old technique to create contemporary jewelry. Nancy finds it fascinating that in a time when the world is so dependent on technology, she is in fact dependent on a skill that dates back thousands of years.
Starting with a design concept, Nancy begins her creative journey at the drawing board. At this early stage of development she considers the design feasibility with regard to the making process as well as the final aesthetics. These jewelry concepts convey pure form and clean lines which stem from architectural and geometric shapes.
Echoing Northern European minimalism, her work is finished with a high polish and some pieces are additionally enhanced with piercing, texture and diamonds. Nancy strives to produce work that is original, yet timeless; jewelry for the modern woman. She hopes that those who wear her jewelry will enjoy and treasure her pieces for a lifetime.