History of John Hardy
It all started when art student John Hardy graduated from Ontario College of Art & Design. In search of further inspiration for his art, he set off to travel the world before eventually settling down in Bali. Something about the culturally prolific atmosphere, seamlessly blended with a pure and effortless lifestyle, intrigued his knowledge-hungry mind.
John Hardy began working closely with local Balinese craftsmen to study and learn their traditional jewelry-making techniques. These skills were passed down from their ancestors who were master goldsmiths for the former Royal Courts. John Hardy later mastered these ancient techniques including jawan (granulation), tenun (woven mesh), rantai (woven chain) and many more. The finished products are intricate, unconventional, and jam-packed with cultural symbolism and ethnic heritage. In 1975, he began his own small jewelry business that bloomed into what we know today as an international company.
Officially founded in 1989, the John Hardy brand is known today for combining traditional Balinese culture with contemporary design, all while maintaining minimal environmental impact. All John Hardy rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces are intricately crafted by hand using only ethically sourced and sustainable materials. Conservation efforts are always on the forefront of this company’s overall mission, as they proceed to execute energy-saving strategies throughout their entire jewelry making process. Since several of their pieces are inspired by nature, John Hardy feels responsible for protecting the earth and all the beauty it has to offer.
Within every piece of John Hardy jewelry lies a story that begins with designers and master craftsmen gathering inspiration from the natural world around them and catapulting those ideas into wearable fashion jewelry. Each piece of John Hardy jewelry can take between three and ten months to produce because it’s all handcrafted entirely by real artisan goldsmiths.
Some of John Hardy’s most popular collections:
Classic Chain: Meticulous weaving of precious metals that takes standard braiding to a whole new level. The Classic Chain technique takes approximately four hours to craft one inch.
Modern Chain: A reinterpreted take on Classic Chain using a contemporary, chevron-like design in high-polished sterling silver that reveals sophisticated and wearable art.
Legends: Detailed dragons. eagles, cobras, and tigers, featuring fluid lines, intricate sculptures, and precious gemstones are crafted to remind us that these mythical creatures promote love, courage, renewal, and protection.
Bamboo: As “nature’s gift to mankind,” each piece of this collection mimics the shape of bamboo stalks with a minimalistic aesthetic.
Dot: Uses the contrast between smooth, round flattened balls welded to sterling silver or yellow gold, eluding to textured, art-deco glamour.
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