There is nothing delicate about the beauty of CC-Steding’s jewellery. The way founders Nic Farnan and Ben Chaplin use silver is more ‘metal’ than precious, but their cult brand is no less desirable for it. Like poetic hardware, every twist and chain link holds a story.
Handmade in the east London studio they share, their work combines contorted forms with simple functionality, crafting fine jewellery that is gestural and unapologetic. 'We don't use a lot of decorative adornment because it can often be a distraction to hide behind,' says Chaplin. 'What we’re enthusiastic about is being honest and clear about how things are done.'
‘Whatever emotion or moment is attached to it, our jewellery should have a purpose, so it needs to last’
Ben Chaplin, CC Steding co-founder
Raw materials double as both subject matter and medium, taking centre-stage in a celebration of the unique properties that make them precious metals. 'We think a lot about what we’re asking the silver to do,' says Farnan. 'And how we can highlight and amplify it.' There’s more to what makes a metal valuable than just the expense, and CC-Steding embodies that deeper meaning.
'Working with something like stainless steel is a lovely idea, but too complex,' says Chaplin. 'Gold and silver don’t tarnish or degrade easily. They’re soft and malleable enough that you can work on them by hand but they're hard enough to last a lifetime. Whatever emotion or moment is attached to it, our jewellery should have a purpose, so it needs to last.'
This unfussy and intimate sense of storytelling lends itself to collaboration, whether on showpieces for knitwear designer Cecile Tulkens or custom jewellery for Lorde’s world tour. But commissioned or not, the work always feels personal. That’s why having the opportunity to see and hold it in real life at a store like Two’s Care in London’s Hackney is so special, because you can connect with the weight and feel.
'I like the idea that you can pinpoint the moment when a piece of jewellery came into your life,' says Farnan. 'It reminds me of when we were younger, and it would have been badges from gigs instead of a necklace or earrings, but to me they felt like treasure.'
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