This site explores the world of Bouke Willem Hollinga. his life and his fine handcrafted exquisite jewelry designs.
Boke Hollinga has been a jeweler for over thirty years and still creates fine jewelry by hand, keeping alive the techniques and traditions taught to him by Maestro Feriozzi.
His studio is located by the sea in Santa Cruz California and he can be found there most days plying his craft.
His Work
This wonderful collection of work represents some of the many pieces created by Master Jeweler Bouke Willem Hollinga. In a world where fabrication of almost everything seems to be a science of soulless production, Bouke Hollinga stands like a weathered oak tree representing the fundamental principles and values of tradition and refined workmanship.
He represents the refined artistic sensibilities of only a few of Europe’s contemporary jewelers and the craftsmanship and high individualistic standards that one may find today only in the watchmakers of Patek Philippe or Chopard. Bouke puts his heart into his work and being a truly artistic and creative person he celebrates his completed works, when the piece is sold or traded, its spirit prevails, he is glad to have his work out there for people to enjoy.
Fine jewelry may find its way to the heart and hands of the appreciative or perhaps unfortunately to the crucible through ignorance. Each creative inspiration carries a piece of his spirit and is timeless. Fine artistry is timeless. French Impressionist Edouard Manet (1832-83) said, “That which time participates in, time will honor”.
A masterwork whether it is music, art or in this case fine jewelry, takes time to create. At inception, the imagination and its resulting images are captures in the mind’s eye of the artist. The keen visualization is indelibly imprinted as a haunting image gathering its own power and spirit within the soul of the creator.
As the image returns to his mind, the creator refines details, imagines its depth and breadth and he is compelled through a creative and specular madness to give birth to his creation.
The magic presents itself and is made tangible through the artist’s concept sketch and then a Roma Plastillina model with gemstones in place. These are the steps in creating anything of enduring classic elegance, this inspired process, from the master’s imagination then finally to a tangible level of a shared reality. In this picture gallery you will see the broad spectrum of his talent. Some pieces are deceptively simple and others breathtakingly intricate.
Boukes studio is located at: 22594 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California