The lord of rings

• • Castro masters metal intaglio engraving
• • His rings are symbolic creations of hope and memory
• • For him, working on custom pieces is a cathartic experience

The inspiration for Castro Smith’s jewellery creations come from his background in the north-east of England, and his time spent in Japan. His skills in metal engraving and carving were honed with a one-year experience in Japan, where he learned under different master artisans. For him designing jewellery through engraving is a platform similar to that of creating short stories for a writer. The ring is the perfect canvas to experiment and create miniature narratives in intaglio engravings, and to Castro these must stand the test of time. Currently, he closely works with a small team of other artisans in a shared workspace in London, where they can learn from each other, create and train as a unit. Castro believes that craft is something learned when you are older, but that being a creator is innate, and that (re-)setting limits over time is the way to improve and push creativity further.