Our Story
Made by hand. Worn for a lifetime.
Aureum was born from a belief that jewelry should carry meaning — not just beauty. Every piece we make is formed slowly, deliberately, and entirely by hand.
The Beginning
A studio, a torch, and a single idea
Aureum Handcrafted began in 2017 in a small Brooklyn studio with a single jeweler's bench, a propane torch, and an obsession with the weight of gold in the hand. Our founder, Mara Voss, had spent a decade working in high-volume production jewelry — and grew tired of pieces that looked beautiful in photographs but felt hollow in person.
She set out to make something different: jewelry that rewards close attention. Pieces with texture you can feel, edges that catch light unexpectedly, forms that look slightly different from every angle. Work that takes time to make because it takes time to understand.
Today, every Aureum piece is still made in that same Brooklyn studio — now shared with two other goldsmiths who share Mara's conviction that the slowest way is usually the best way.
The Process
How a piece comes to life
01
Sketch & Model
Every design begins as a pencil sketch, then a wax or resin model. We work through proportions by hand before a single gram of metal is touched.
02
Fabricate
We cut, forge, and solder each piece from sheet and wire stock. No casting. No shortcuts. The metal is worked cold and hot until it holds the form we want.
03
Texture & Finish
Surface texture is applied by hand — hammered, chased, or burnished depending on the design. No two pieces carry exactly the same marks.
04
Polish & Inspect
Each piece is polished by hand, then inspected under magnification before it leaves the studio. If it isn't right, it goes back to the bench.
Materials
What we work with
We source responsibly and work only with materials we'd be proud to wear ourselves.
14k & 18k Gold
All gold used in Aureum pieces is recycled through certified refiners. We work primarily in 14k yellow gold for its durability and warmth, with 18k available on select designs.
Sterling Silver
Our silver work uses .925 sterling, also sourced through recycled channels. Silver is finished to a bright polish or a matte oxidized surface depending on the design.
Conflict-Free Stones
When we set stones, we source only from suppliers who can trace origin. We favor sapphires, opals, and tourmalines for their range of color and their relative abundance.
Responsible Sourcing
We are members of the Responsible Jewellery Council and audit our supply chain annually. We believe knowing where your materials come from is part of making something worth keeping.
What We Believe
The principles behind the work
Slow is better
We make fewer pieces than we could. That's intentional. Speed is the enemy of quality in handwork.
Imperfection is honest
Handmade pieces carry the marks of their making. We don't sand those away. They're proof the work is real.
Jewelry should last
We design for decades, not seasons. Every Aureum piece is made to be repaired, resized, and passed on.
Explore the collection
Each piece in the shop is made to order in our Brooklyn studio. Allow 2–3 weeks for fabrication.