The Jewellery

“Growing up in difficult circumstances in combination with my desire to stand out, meant that I learned to look for alternative styling options early in my life. I sewed and knitted my own clothes and tried with the funds we as a family had to create my own style. It was a great success when I managed to create and find clothes and jewellery that could be used in more than one way. I think it was the feeling of freedom to choose that gave me the joy. Today, in all my designs, I try to think of several styling options into each piece of jewellery. Whether it's the adjustable length of my chains, the multifunctional features of my earrings and necklaces or just the ability to place a ring exactly on the finger as you prefer with my adjustable rings. Having the opportunity is a very strong driving force for me in my design and in my entire design process.”

The jewellery design process at Dansk Copenhagen

 

 

Coating

All the jewellery you find on our website is designed by Malene Storm. She is the creative and passionate force behind the jewellery company, and below you can read her thoughts about material selection and design. All jewellery is plated with either 14 carat gold, silver or rhodium. Silver and rhodium are very similar - but silver seems a bit more white - especially in the matte version. Silver can tarnish, while rhodium is very resistant and stays nicer over a long period of time. All of my jewellery is of course nickel-cadmium and lead-free. All earsticks are made of surgical steel.

 Jewellery coating at Dansk Copenhagen

The base materials

Copper is one of my favorite materials when designing jewellery. Copper is a 100% natural element and it is naturally nickel free. The material is very resilient - and at the same time it can be infinitely shaped. Copper also has a good weight - which I really appreciate, as I would like some weight in my jewellery. Copper is one of the few metals that act as pure metal in nature, rather than chemically with other substances - and that has a big impact on my choice. In addition, copper can be recycled again and again, which also weighs heavily in my decision to use copper. Brass, I always use when the material needs to be adjustable - for example in adjustable rings and arm rings. Brass is softer and it allows molding e.g. open bracelets so they always fit perfectly on your wrist. Brass is an alloy of molten copper to which zinc is added. Should a lot of metal be used in a design - I use a lighter material than pure copper and a less soft material than brass. Typically, I use copper mixed with tin. The ratio is typically 83% copper and 17% tin

The base material of Dansk Copenhagen jewellery

Pearls and crystals

Currently, pearls are a big trend and I always use real freshwater beads (never plastic or acrylic beads). This is because, among other things, real pearls naturally vary slightly in both shape and color, which makes each and every pearl jewelry very special. In the Embrace Imperfection collection you will find earrings, bracelets and necklaces with baroque freshwater pearls.

I also use crystals that shine with the characteristic facet-cut surfaces. In Challenge Femininity you will find Cubic Zirconia (CZ), which is an artificially made gemstone in a family with crystal, but it is tougher and of better quality. It is the most widely used crystal stone and I love using them in my designs because they create a glittering and exclusive look. Depending on the design and size of the stone,I also use glass crystals, which also reflect the light.

In the Illuminate Yourself collection you will find my most sparkling designs with both CZ crystals and glass crystals.

How we use pearls and crystals in our jewellery designs at Dansk Copenhagen

The Design process

For me, the design process starts off with many hours of reflection on what expression I want to create. How should the surfaces of the collection stand out - which structure should be the primary - how do I ensure that the collection is in line with my wish to allow all women to create their own, personal expression.

Both my materials, shapes and textures are essential in my design process. The structure of a piece of jewelry can be a surface that is polished with a rough sandstone to create a brushed appearance. The effect of this work process gives me the feeling of life in the design and highlights the beauty of rounded and circular designs.

When I mix this structure with a very simple, matte surface, I feel that these two get the best out of each other. Actually, I'm probably very captivated by the contrasts that arise when 2 worlds meet. I think this contradictory universe describes my own personality very well, which is probably why I feel very comfortable here.

In this collection you will quickly notice that brushed, matte and glossy surfaces can be combined to create dynamic and varied expressions.

The design process of Dansk Copenhagen jewellery

 

 

 

Read all about the story of Dansk Copenhagen here