MEET

Catherine Mannheim

London

WHY F&L LOVE
Catherine Mannheim

L and I visited Catherine Mannheim in her cosy Clerkenwell studio together to hear about the stories behind her innovative jewellery designs. L was captivated by the range of tourmaline colours that Catherine works with for creating truly distinctive engagement rings. She’d not seen examples of bi-coloured stones in the flesh and there was a whole toy chest of these to look at in this studio!

I was particularly attracted to the gentle sloping cabochon cut that Catherine Mannheim is fond of incorporating into her designs – it gives the gemstones such a soft and calming appearance.

More Great Designs by Catherine Mannheim

[Show slideshow]

Catherine Mannheim

Catherine Mannheim Rose Cut Diamond Rings

Catherine Mannheim White and Yellow Gold Ruby Ring

Catherine Mannheim Aquamarine Ring

Catherine Mannheim

Gold and Moonstone Ring by Catherine Mannheim

Silver and 18ct Gold set with green tourmaline, aquamarine, amethyst, andean opal, aquamarine and grey moonstone

Catherine Mannheim’s Minimalist Agenda

All you have to do is glance at Catherine Mannheim’s work to understand the extent to which Minimalism as an art form has inspired this designer. Having trained in Dusseldorf with the renowned and unorthodox jeweller, Friedrich Becker, Catherine has absorbed his experimentalism and love of simplicity.

I love the essence of form and construction in her engagement ring designs. It reminds me of my appreciation for the legacy of the Bauhaus movement and its practitioners’ celebration of technical virtuosity. Each of Catherine Mannheim’s rings is a testament to a workmanship that complements her imaginative scope and innovative ideas that she has evolved in her design work.

Catherine Mannheim and the Pot of Gold

Catherine Mannheim is well known for her creative use of precious metals and her ingenious ability to play with gold to generate designs for unique engagement rings. L and I were shown the range of tools she uses to make different marks and patterns on the metal surface so that each piece is individual in its design. For Catherine an implement’s sole purpose is defined by its potential to create an interesting mark on her gold!

Catherine Mannheim uses a rainbow of gold colours in her work: white, green, red, yellow - and she combines these hues to produce soft, warm and matt metal bands. She embellishes these metal sculptures that will adorn the hand of the wearer with stones that have an earthy and rich tone.

If you like this designer’s work as much as we do then you can also rest assured that all her gold jewellery is ethically sourced and free from chemical treatments.