Orkney has the largest concentration of craft jewellers in Scotland and their work is exported around the world.

In fact an Orkney jeweller Ola Gorie led the way for heritage jewellery and was the first in Orkney to make handmade jewellery here since Viking times.  She was inspired by Norse art, such as the Maeshowe dragon, carvings in St Magnus Cathedral and a brooch found in an ancient grave in Westness, Rousay.  Now Orkney is famous for its many talented craft jewellers who draw on Orkney’s culture and natural beauty for their designs.  Stunning contemporary pieces are also created in the many workshops or visitor centres where you can call in and see the craftspeople at work.

Many of the names you see in Orkney are big names in the high streets of the south.  When you witness the sheer craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into the work by small teams of people in Orkney you realise how special some of these pieces are and how passionate the artisans are about their handcrafted products.  Their work is completely different from the mass-produced pieces of jewellery made in factories across the world.  Most jewellers welcome visitors to watch them work and will undertake commissions and design one-off pieces.  If you can’t get out to a workshop, you will find work by Orkney’s craft jewellers in shops in the towns and around the isles. Most jewellers and silversmiths also have their own websites and offer mail order services.