Nemo designs limited edition jewellery for a discerning and individual audience.

Nemo jewellery seeks to ascribe significance to fundamental forms. Intending the wearer to interpret and develop personal meaning.

Nemo jewellery draws on influences of collected mechanical and primitive organic findings.

Nemo jewellery was started in 2000 by recent graduate Neil Martin, whilst having initially established himself in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Nemo workshop is now located in 45 minutes drive outside of Oslo in Norway. The workshop is open to the public by appointment, though most sales are through the online shop.

Nemo produces what we term limited edition jewellery. This is usually unique, one-off examples. these designs are made to Nemo's own or a customer's specifications.

Almost all of the precious metal elements are hand made. Specifically, stone settings are individually made, casts are hand made, tubing is hand made and a significant number of the stones are hand cut.

This adherence to hand production is for several reasons, firstly to maintain a completely individual aspect to all jewellery, secondly to provide a high quality and strength of manufacture. With reference to stones, Nemo often uses unusual stones cut to specific forms that would be nearly impossible to acquire any other way .

Terms: silver, gold, anti-clastic raising, lapidary, hand cast, nemo cut, limited edition, one-off, hollow form.

Silver-Nemo always uses sterling silver (925) in all work unless specified. the exceptions are when pure silver (999) is employed. This is unusual as this material is softer and really only suited for large pieces. For example an antillion ring was made for a customer in 999 silver. Another example is a customer who had a reaction to copper (the standard alloying agent in sterling silver) and who wished to have a ring made in pure silver to avoid his skin reacting the alloy.

Gold-unless specifically stated, Nemo always uses 18 karat gold for all gold settings, details and complete pieces.

Anticlastic raising-This is process of working a flat sheet into a 3 dimensional form, such as a bowl, curve or cone. Involving repeated, controlled hammer blows upon the metal surface with a suitable hard form behind. This is an ancient technique employed by metalsmiths throughout the world. An extension of this metal working process is everyday aluminium pots which are spun into their upright form from a flat sheet. Nemo uses a slightly modified version of the contemporary technique to form the strong tubing which is used in the signature bracelets. It is possible to purchase machine made tubing, though this is only available in a thickness half of that which Nemo bracelets use. In our experience this is too thin as it can dent and does not have strength required. For more information on anticlastic, and synclastic raising, see:Ganoskin

Lapidary-This is the craft of cutting, shaping and polishing stones. It includes forming round top stones, cabochons, or the more complex faceted stones. It requires lubricant cooled saws, grinding and polishing machines and a knowledge of how different stones react to these processes.

Hand cast-Nemo uses a casting method which is devolved from the Delft clay casting technique. This a non re-useable two part mould, built around a solid positive form, with the pliant clay contained within a two section metal surround. Originally supplied as a vertical casting method, we use our own metal surrounds which allows us to cast vertically. This gives a wide range of possible forms which can be cast. Though this technique is not suitable for exact replicas, it cannot copy intricate detail as can plaster and centrifuge casting, it is a more personal and involved method for producing pieces.

Nemo cut-These are the stones which are hand cut in the Nemo workshop, this is done to provide the specific and the unusual. Several pieces of Nemo jewellery use magnifiers, that is a clear or opaque stone set upon another stone or element, see Midnight's Compass and "I left my heart in Lima". Nemo always seeks out different stones which are not often used. See larimar,chrysoprase, charoite, pink Andean opal.

Limited edition-Nemo only mass casts a couple of items, the intention is that most jewellery limited to one or two examples in the whole world, ever. Nemo will only ever produce a maximum of ten editions of any piece. The Nemo bracelets pages state the edition to which they have currently been produced. Individuality is the essential element of the Nyad necklaces.

One-off-This is absolutely a unique piece, there will only ever be one, probably. One-*off status is generally due to very special stones or long construction time. See Black opal Nyad and Little Monster.

Hollow form-This generally applies to Nemo bracelets, these are hollow formed using anticlastic raising which ensures strenght whilst maintaining a comfortable weight. these bracelets can be made solid though this weight factor needs to be considered. Please email Nemo to discuss this issue about your design.