Each piece of St Justin jewellery and giftware is crafted by hand and eye in Cornwall, the South West extremity of Britain. This wild and beautiful land was home to the many native Celts who were driven away from the temperate midlands of Britain by invading European warriors, such as the Angles of Northern Germany. It is in places such as Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and Scotland that the art of the Celts and ancient Britons has survived, carved into stone tombs and discovered on pottery fragments and ornaments.
The venerable alloy of pewter is made of 92% tin, with copper and antimony to harden it and enhance casting.
Pewter rose in popularity during the Middle Ages, replacing wooden tableware in well-to-do households. Enduring and malleable, it acquires an attractive patina with age, and can be fashioned into almost any form desired. Unrivalled until the 19th century, pewter-ware was exported to all the corners of the world during the grand days of the British Empire. Its quiet dignity and venerable history makes it the material of choice for St Justin’s noble jewellery and gift-ware.
At St Justin, the distinguished tradition lives on. High quality pewter ingots are fused in a crucible and the molten metal is poured into the rubber moulds created from the artist’s original sculpture. After cooling and linishing, the items are hand-polished and painted by skilled craftspeople, before clips and other findings are spot-welded into position.
The result is a gift of great beauty and craftsmanship – an object of art to treasure forever.