Journeys in downtown Lewes offers new line of jewelry

Journeys in Lewes is offering two new exclusive lines of handcrafted jewelry. Since jeweler Christopher Hahs has joined the staff, Journeys has expanded a line of his spiral pieces.

The spiral is the symbol of the store, said owner Roni LaVache. It is an ancient symbol of many meanings. It signifies the cycle of life, the connection between heaven and earth, knowledge of the self and spiritual growth, she said.

LaVache is excited to have Hahs on board and to be able to offer his spiral variations. “He really is an incredible jeweler,” she said. The two met four years ago after LaVache saw a women wearing one of Hahs’ necklaces and asked who had made it. “I was stunned by it; it was gorgeous,” LaVache said. At that time, the store needed a jeweler to work on a line of jewelry centered on its signature symbol. Hahs began with simple spirals but has begun to create new and different ways to incorporate them into bracelets and necklaces.

Each piece is handmade, so while some may be similar in design, each piece is entirely unique.

Hahs has more than 16 years’ experience as a jeweler, completing an apprenticeship at Stuart Kingston Gallery in Wilmington and later working with other jewelry artists to learn different techniques. Among them is a folk method for making jewelry out of sheets of metal and wires from an artist who had studied in Europe.

In addition to Hahs’ work, Journeys is offering a line of jewelry called Be, created by LaVache and her partner Sarah-Jean Douglas, both of whom are learning silversmithing. The Be line is crafted from precious-metals clay. The artists form the pieces working as they would with clay. After the piece is fired, it emerges from the kiln as 99.9 percent sterling silver. “The theme of Be is: Don’t strive for perfection, just strive to be,” said LaVache.

Hahs said he enjoys working in Lewes. “In this small-town setting, you depend on the community and what you put back into it. This store is based on friendship when clients walk in the door, not on sales,” he said.

Hahs is available for all types of jewelry repair, including platinum and gold pieces. He can also custom-design jewelry and incorporate stones as well.
Source: capegazette