THE POWER OF JEWELRY NOVEMBER 15 – 21, 2021

From monarchs to hip-hop royalty, politicians to actors, primadonnas to Madonna, grand dames to grandmama’s, we all rely on the power of jewelry to seduce, inspire, and communicate. As the earliest art form, jewelry is most precious not simply for its intrinsic value, but for its ability to transcend time and space, and transform both object and wearer. Borne out of alchemy and earthly materials, and shaped by human hands to adorn our bodies, jewelry can be used to invent a persona or reveal our authentic selves. A blurring of the personal and public. Whether legendary or everyday, jewelry has the power to unite us all.


Forging Cultural Bonds

Through forging metal, jewellers turn everyday mechanics to an artistic end. The rhythmic blows of the hammer that echo the beat of the heart, somehow forges a brother and sisterhood, a jewellery culture, that can transform borders into bonds. Two artists from diverse backgrounds share their experiences of how jewellery has opened up a world of connection. 

MATHEW NUQINGAQ

Mathew Nuqingaq grew up in Qikiqtarjaq, Broughton Island, but now lives in Iqaluit. He received his Jewellery and Metalwork Diploma in 1999 from the Nunavut Arctic College, where he later taught before opening his own studio. One of six artists chosen to make the ceremonial Mace for the Nunavut government, Mathew is also a drum dancer and photographer.

Mathew co-founded the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (NACA) and has been a board member of the Inuit Art Foundation for a few decades. Governor General David Johnston inducted Mathew to the Order of Canada in 2016.

mATTHIEU
cHEMINEE

Originally from France, Matthieu Cheminée moved to Mexico at the age of 19, where he fell in love with Native American art - especially Hopi, Zuni and Navajo jewellery. He studied with native silversmiths for six years. Later, while living in Mali, West Africa, he worked with Touareg and Bambara jewelers for two years, exchanging techniques and ideas. Matthieu perfected his skills through a more classical training in Canada, where he now teaches. Today he returns often to West Africa while teaching in Montreal.

Matthieu Cheminée and Tim McCreight created The Toolbox Initiative  in 2014 tto assist jewelers with limited resources through the collective strength of the metalworking community and to create new connections worldwide.

MORE FROM THE ARTIST

Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunning green Australian sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold.
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunning green Australian sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold.
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunning green Australian sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $3,600.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunning green Australian sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold. 

Size 7.25

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Elegant stamped sterling silver ring with an asymmetrical line of 8 diamonds and 18k gold. 3mm band.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,100.00
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Elegant stamped sterling silver ring with an asymmetrical line of 8 diamonds and 18k gold. 3mm band.

Size 7.25

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunningly coloured Montana sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold.
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunningly coloured Montana sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold.
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunningly coloured Montana sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $4,000.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of stunningly coloured Montana sapphires, diamonds, and 18k gold. 

Size 7.75

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Stamped sterling silver ring. A diagonal band of diamond and 18kt yellow gold joins two rounded ends. The line is capped by a single larger diamond.
Stamped sterling silver ring. A diagonal band of diamond and 18kt yellow gold joins two rounded ends. The line is capped by a single larger diamond.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,500.00
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Stamped sterling silver ring. A diagonal band of diamond and 18kt yellow gold joins two rounded ends. The line is capped by a single larger diamond.

Size 7

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Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric pattern, and dotted with 10 small diamonds set in 18k gold.
Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric pattern, and dotted with 10 small diamonds set in 18k gold.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,400.00
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Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric pattern, and dotted with 10 small diamonds set in 18k gold.

Size medium.

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Stamped sterling silver ring. A band of diamonds and 18kt yellow gold joins two asymmetrical square ends. (Top in photo)

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $1,000.00
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Stamped sterling silver ring. A band of diamonds and 18kt yellow gold joins two asymmetrical square ends. (Top in photo)

Size 7

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Matthieu Cheminee
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of diamonds and 18k gold
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of diamonds and 18k gold
Matthieu Cheminee

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $3,100.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a bubble of diamonds and 18k gold. 

Size 6.75

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Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric pattern. Within the pattern, there is a subtle texture in the oxidized spaces between the bright silver lines.
Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric pattern. Within the pattern, there is a subtle texture in the oxidized spaces between the bright silver lines.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $1,350.00
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Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric pattern. Within the pattern, there is a subtle texture in the oxidized spaces between the bright silver lines.

Size medium.

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Stamped sterling silver ring. Two rounded ends meet in the middle, each capped with diamonds and 18k gold. (Bottom ring in image.)

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,160.00
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Stamped sterling silver ring. Two rounded ends meet in the middle, each capped with diamonds and 18k gold. (Bottom ring in image.)

Size 6

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring a large smoky quartz stone.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $700.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring a large smoky quartz stone.

Size 11.25

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Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric stamped floral pattern, and dotted with 10 small diamonds set in 18k gold.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,400.00
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Sterling silver cuff, stamped with a geometric floral pattern, and dotted with 10 small diamonds set in 18k gold.

Size medium.

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Stamped sterling silver ring. Two rounded ends meet in the middle, each capped with diamonds and 18k gold. (Top ring in image.)

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,800.00
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Stamped sterling silver ring. Two rounded ends meet in the middle, each capped with diamonds and 18k gold. (Top ring in image.)

Size 7.25

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Stamped sterling silver ring. A band of diamonds and 18kt yellow gold joins two asymmetrical square ends. (Bottom in photo)

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $1,100.00
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Stamped sterling silver ring. A band of diamonds and 18kt yellow gold joins two asymmetrical square ends. (Bottom in photo)

Size 8

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Sterling silver cuff adorned with a 18k gold bar motif with diamonds
Sterling silver cuff adorned with a 18k gold bar motif with diamonds

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,050.00
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Sterling silver cuff adorned with a 18k gold bar motif with diamonds.

Size small

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring
Hand stamped sterling silver ring

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $350.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring

Size 10.25

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Opal ring on a thick sterling silver band embellished with 18k gold and diamonds
Opal ring on a thick sterling silver band embellished with 18k gold and diamonds
Matthieu Cheminee
Matthieu Cheminee

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $3,550.00
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Large opal with dancing multi-hued lights, surrounded by a ring of diamonds set in 18k gold is supported by a thick sterling silver band that is deeply patterned by the artist's signature hand-stamping technique.  

Size 7.25

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a large aquamarine encased in 18K yellow gold and diamonds.   Size 7
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a large aquamarine encased in 18K yellow gold and diamonds.   Size 7

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $1,900.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a large aquamarine encased in 18K yellow gold and diamonds. 

Size 7

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diamond ring
ring back
Matthieu Cheminee

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $2,350.00
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 An unusual diamond channel-set ring in squared outline form in 18k yellow gold. Note the patterned sterling silver ring shank; size 7.

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring featuring a carnelian set in a 18k gold bezel.   Size 7
Hand stamped sterling silver ring featuring a carnelian set in a 18k gold bezel.   Size 7

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $700.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring featuring a carnelian set in an 18k gold bezel. 

Size 7

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of light pink sapphires.   Size 6
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of light pink sapphires.   Size 6

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $370.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of light pink sapphires. 

Size 6

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with black spinels.   Size 6.5
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with black spinels.   Size 6.5

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $370.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with black spinels. 

Size 6.5

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a moonstone.
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a moonstone.
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a moonstone.

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $290.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a moonstone. 

Size 6.5

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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of pink sapphires.   Size 6.5
Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of pink sapphires.   Size 6.5

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $370.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of pink sapphires. 

Size 6.5

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Matthieu Cheminee
Matthieu Cheminee

Matthieu Cheminee

Regular price $370.00
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Hand stamped sterling silver ring with a line of light blue sapphires. 

Size 6

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