At the outset of creating Brave Edith, Stephanie Sieber wanted to work with artisans in India and Burma given these countries’ personal significance. And as soon as she started looking for people to bring her designs to life, she realised that it was a match made in heaven; the exquisite craftsmanship in gold and silversmithing in the Far East made it the only real choice for the production of Brave Edith jewellery.
India and its neighbours have a rich history in jewellery making and silversmithing. With the trade dating back 5,000 years, Indian jewellers are renowned and revered for their expertise, so much so that they were assigned a status that transcends the traditional caste system. And given the cultural importance of both gold and silver, Indian jewellers are particularly skilled at working with these precious metals.
Similarly Burmese artisans have a strong tradition in metal crafting, with remarkable skills in fine detail and shaping metal. Of particular note, is the beautiful repoussé jewellery and silverware that is crafted in Central and Northern Burma. Around 800 years ago this extended to Thailand when Burmese refugees and Hindu metal workers made their way to Thailand, and the craft of silversmithing emerged.
Fast forward to today, and we are seeing the re-emergence and growing appreciation of this craftsmanship, along with unique ways to combine these skills with technology so they can sustainably grow into the future. In India, the industry is a source of great pride and it is estimated that there are now five to six million jewellers who contribute a total of 7% to the country’s GDP. Similarly in Thailand, jewellery has shifted from being a cottage industry to a hub renowned for its craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology and jewellery testing facilities.
It is the combination of these time honoured skills, industry leading technology and the designs of Stephanie Sieber that gives Brave Edith its unique style and feeling. It’s not something you’ll see anywhere else.
At Brave Edith, it’s been a long and considered process to find the right suppliers who share our passion for high quality design and materials. We only work with accredited production houses who carefully source their silver and look after their highly skilled staff.
Sterling silver doesn’t just go from the forge to the table. There are a number of people involved in between and who ensure that only the highest quality metals are used. It is with high quality sterling silver that we create our expertly refined designs.
By investing in quality suppliers, we also ensure that not only is our sterling silver being sourced responsibly, but that it is also being used responsibly, including following responsible recycling practices. Our suppliers are ISO certified and their premises are regularly audited for waste management and environmental impact.
Our suppliers have been in business for a long time, building long term partnerships with leading and emerging global designers. They can do this because they have built a strong team who are rewarded appropriately. They ensure staff receive fair pay and work in safe environments as well as have access to benefits such as family healthcare. It is because of this, many staff choose to stay working with them for their entire working careers.