Eng
Räv
ström
portfolio 2024
goldsmithing and design
My name is Räv Engström. I am a certified goldsmith located in Habo, Sweden. In 2022, I graduated from a university goldsmithing program in Falköping, Sweden, achieving my Certification and an International Journeyman letter. Over the course of my education, I won 3 scholarships, along with 10 months of experience as an intern at a luxury boutique jeweler.
My portfolio is focused on handscrafted naturalistic pieces. I’ve been inspired by the Swedish wilderness in the countryside I grew up in and the fairytale mysticism I loved as a child.
Bio
Heart
Forest
of the
Materials: 925 silver locket, moss agate
As I neared the end of my studies at Lärcenter Falköping, I chose to make my most ambitious and difficult artpiece for my final project. The Heart of the Forest is a 925 silver ellipse locket featuring a large cabochon moss agate and an oblong hexagon window.
The design process was long and meticulous, requiring several stages of iteration. My instructors advised me not to craft this piece as it seemed too difficult, but after three months of work it became the pride of my collection. This piece was so impressive it won a 3,300 kroner award from Norwegian Swedish Gold AB.
Heart of the Forest is the project I submitted to achieve the International Journeyman’s letter.
The big moss agate sits behind a silver window, like a portal to the moss-covered Swedish wilderness. The silver on the inside of the lid of the locket is textured to emphasize the rugged nature of the wilds. I know I carry a piece of that magical forest with me wherever I take this locket.
~ Räv Engstöm
Big
and
small
small
to
Big
From
the palm of a hand
a finger nail
Same technique, vastly different sizes. I challenge myself and work with a variety of sizes and shapes. I believe that to truly master a technique you need be able to scale it up or down.
Working with
recycled
recycled
GOLD
tells
When metal
As a goldsmith in training - repairs are not what you dream of doing. But it’s a task that grows on you the more people tell their stores and talk about how much their jewelry means to them. It’s important to know how to repair, melt down, and purify old gold.
A master goldsmith knows how to remove gemstones to house them in new jewelry and puzzle together new designs from old pieces without losing the spirit of the old artistry.
Metal can hold a lot of sentimental value. The ring Grandmother carried around her finger isn’t just gold. It tells a story of the life she lived, and respecting that metal is a way of keeping her memory alive. Old gold can represent many things to a client. Being trusted with a meaningful piece of jewelry is a high honor and responsibility.
a story
The Jumping Fox
Materials: 18k yellow gold, 18k white gold
This small photo locket was made from old yellow gold teeth and a pair of broken white gold earrings.
The polished outside makes a beautiful contrast to the textured inside. The obverse features a jumping arctic fox in white gold.
Repairs & Reinterpretations
Whether a client asks me to melt down old gold for financial or sentimental reasons, being able to keep the quality of work consistent is crucial. Thats why I’ve dedicated much time to purify gold, remodel old designs, and upgrade wedding rings — flipping something old and meaningful into something new and fashionable.
Dream
From consultation to
Ring
Anyone who has gotten married or engaged knows the ring is more than just a ring. It tells the story of lifelong love, the unity of 2 souls. Working with a couple means meeting them on their level, understanding what they mean when they describe their story, who they are and what they want. Each ring symbolizes an induvial person but together they hum the same melody and works as parts of a whole. Working with wedding rings means catering to 2 different personalities while telling the same story.
2 Unique rings written in the same font.
I´ve had the privilege of working with many colorful
personalities throughout my time behind the working bench.
Making dreams come true while seamlessly working around a budget and taking the clients lifestyle into account. Finding creative ways of doing the most with what you´re given.
Designing wedding rings means listening to the client – but as a smith you’re also guiding them through the world of gemstones and fine metals. Making each client feel seen and taken care of such a meaningful task.
Materials: 18k yellow gold, coffee diamond
I designed this 18k gold wedding ring for a client who wanted something clean, angular and elegant, yet unique and playful. The textured ring band sparkle just beautifully and creates a fun contrast to the shiny smooth metal on the inside/around the rock. The brown coffee diamond brings out the vibrant red undertones in the gold and creates the rich autumnal depth the costumer was looking for.
See how it was made
Want to hear what other custumers have to say?
Check out my reviews
Dream
From consultation to
Ring
Anyone who has gotten married or engaged knows the ring is more than just a ring. It tells the story of lifelong love, the unity of 2 souls. Working with a couple means meeting them on their level, understanding what they mean when they describe their story, who they are and what they want. Each ring symbolizes an induvial person but together they hum the same melody and works as parts of a whole. Working with wedding rings means catering to 2 different personalities while telling the same story.
2 Unique rings written in the same font.
I´ve had the privilege of working with many colorful
personalities throughout my time behind the working bench.
Making dreams come true while seamlessly working around a budget and taking the clients lifestyle into account. Finding creative ways of doing the most with what you´re given.
Designing wedding rings means listening to the client – but as a smith you’re also guiding them through the world of gemstones and fine metals. Making each client feel seen and taken care of such a meaningful task.
Materials: 18k yellow gold, coffee diamond
I designed this 18k gold wedding ring for a client who wanted something classy and elegant, yet unique and playful. The textured ring band sparkle just beautifully and creates a fun contrast to the more shiny smooth metal on the inside/around the rock. The rich brown coffee diamond brings out the rich red tones in the gold and creates the rich autumnal depth the costumer was looking for.
See how it was made
Twist
A
Twist
cuff
on the classic
hollow
cuff
The Jewelers Journeyman’s certificate
The Journeyman’s Letter is an international certification for the bench jeweler/working goldsmith. The graduating student anonymously submits 2 pieces of intricate jewelry that a committee of experienced gold smith’s then expect and grade. The judges typically demand that each applicant make a classic hollow cuff bracelet with a click lock and hinged opening. Thet judge the soldering, the proportions, the state of the locking mechanism, the angle in which the bracelet opens, the surface of the metal, among other things.
I wanted to challenge myself by placing the lock on top of the bracelet and adding an extra hinge. The hinges rest upon a pipe that acts like a stop, so the bracelet open up in a certain angle. You can learn more about my certification here:
Materials: 925 silver hollow cuff bracelet, Journeyman's Letter graduation project
Inspiration
into
Turning your
Jewelry
Jewelry
I love helping clients translate their inspiration pictures into meaningful jewelry they can wear.
This client fell in love with Anya Taylor Joy's wedding. The couple wanted a ring that captures the view of Anya gazing out from a 15th-century balcony overlooking Venice’s Grand Canal on her wedding day.
The dior dress mixes classical elements and timeless elegance with unconventional touches. My client adored the blush toned fabric, naturalist details and woodland embroidery of the gown. The couple wanted a ring that balanced the touches of thorn-like wild nature with the symmetry and gothic essence of the regal venue.
The milky portrait cut hexagonal sapphire with its bezel setting harmonize beautifully with the nature pattern along the sides of the ring shank. I was asked to keep the ring simple and demure, but still make it unique.
Materials: 18k gold, sapphire ring
The stone setting echoes with the walls of the church while the vines running down the shoulders of the ring hum to the tunes of the embroidered gown. The see-through rock captures the energy of her sheer veil.
Contact me for your own custom piece or hear what my other customers have to say in the review section
The art of
setting
stones
Materials: 925 silver, CZ earrings “Idun”
Being a stone setter is a career in itself and I humbly respect it as such. I´ve met stone setters that I spent a lifetime mastering their craft and that is something I admire them for, but like my stone setting teacher used to say
“You don´t need to master stone setting to be a gold smith.
But you need to know our craft so we can create together”
Materials: 925 silver, red garnet earrings “Smultron“ (wild strawberry)
Therefore I´ve shaken hands with everything from delicate prongs to the sturdy walls of a bezel setting. Protecting the sharp corners of princess cut diamonds and getting to know every crystal and mineral I’ve worked with before giving them a home in a piece of jewelry.
Mathematics
and working hand in hand with
Technology
In our day and age, it´s crucial to be able to use make
use of the computer. The art of jewelry making is ancient but it´s important to stay up to date with the changing times. I spend a lot of time behind the camera and editing in different adobe programs, as well as dabble in programs likeCAD,
3Design and learning about
different digital
tools that may
revolutionize
the jewelry
industry.
Materials: 925 silver earrings and necklace “Fullmåne“ (Full moon)
Using mathematics to turn abstract ideas into functional patterns and finished jewelry can be as important as the ability to come up with designs and the skill of shaping metal. Being able to use math and digital tools works
like a bridge between the
abstract and the physical
product in my work process.
When I made this set of jewelry, I used CAD to create the patterns and to figure out what proportions they needed to have in relation to each other for the 2 halves of the spheres to meet in the correct spot.
dainty
and
robust
Materials: 925 silver, emerald ring “Ekskog“ (forest of oak)
Materials: 925 silver, watermelon tourmaline ring “Rosenknopp“ (Rose bud)
Some people are drawn to organic, delicate, and romantic styles. Others like rough texture, solid forms, and bold lines. I think of people as handwriting done in different fonts, music playing in different melodies and keys or wildflowers showcasing different colors and shapes. When I make personalized jewelry, I like to think of the piece as an extension of its wearer.
Translating someone’s essence
into a piece of jewelry.
It´s important to be able to work in different styles and to apply your personal touch on different art movements. It allows me to take on different clients and grow as a designer. These 3 pieces were designed for 3 very different clients and each one is just as special to me.
Materials: 925 silver ring “Näckros“ (water lily)
Creation
Content
Marketing
and
Knowing your way around the camera and being able to market yourself makes it so much easier to stand out. I´ve been trained in photography, marketing and editing in college as well as consistently being given such responsibilities in corporate settings and projects linked to my time in education.
Materials: 925 silver, watermelon tourmaline “Rosenknopp“ (Rose bud)
Facets
Raw Crystals
and
I wanted this ring to tell the story of how gemstones grow within the earth under pressure, heat and darkness to enter the sunlight as the sparkling crystals we wear on our fingers. The faceted and raw emerald crystals contrast each other to illustrate the relationship between humanity and the planet we live on. Where we all come from and where we are now. The beauty of human art harmonizing with the beauty of mother nature. A reminder of how difficult times often lead to beauty and strength.
It's important to me to dare to think outside of the box when I design my pieces and let my values as an artist and smith shine through.
Materials: 18k gold, emerald ring
“Photography
“ helps me link my work
to the stories I want to tell”
Content creation makes it possible for me to reach customers through social media, giving my clients an intimate look into my workshop and adding additional value to their purchases. Whether we are doing a creative shoot, a clean product presentation, filming and editing the process of creating a piece of jewelry or running more of a blog segment – thanks to the many hours behind the camera I am prepared.
By taking and editing all my photos and videos myself I´ve learnt how to seamlessly incorporate the camera in my work process as well as how to reach/cater to specific demographics on social media.
Materials: 925 silver, peridot, padauk wood rings
Enameling
Enameling
and daring to dive into unfamilar techniques
Everything I´ve learnt in life, I´ve learnt through fearlessly trying. The world of jewelry making is vast and vibrant, so I never want to be stagnant in my journey.
The Mushroom collection was a deep dive into the art of enameling. Through research, reaching out to skilled masters of goldsmithing and trial and error I became familiar with the trials and triumphs of using enamel. Mastering something can take a lifetime, but it starts with a first step. If I would have listened to the people telling me I couldn´t do the things I do today, I would have never reached the heights I´ve reached.
Materials: 925 silver locket with enamel “Flugsvamp (toadstool mushroom)“
Casting
Casting
jewelry
In order to do this, I carved out the shape of the sheep in vax, made a latex mold and had it casted in sterling silver. I´ve also experimented with techniques like sand casting, builing 3D models in CAD, and plaster casting. I believe it´s important to dare to try different ways achieving the customer is looking for, especially when it comes to personal pieces such as this.
Materials: 925 silver ring “Gotlandsfår“ (gute sheep)
