Ola Gorie: A Profile
Early Days
Ola Gorie is considered one of Britain’s leading jewellery makers, with a reputation for high quality craftsmanship, and creations that blend innovation with tradition.
A pioneer of the Scottish jewellery industry, Ola returned to Orkney from art college in 1960 and drew on her native islands for inspiration. These award-winning designs quickly gained approval at home and abroad, and her name became synonymous with stylish, finely-crafted jewellery. She was awarded an MBE in 1999 in recognition of her work both as a designer and as a founder of the modern jewellery industry. This honour was welcomed by the many loyal customers and collectors of Ola Gorie’s jewellery around the world, as fitting recognition for the long-standing quality of her designs.
Prizes And Exhibitions
A familiar name in Retail Jeweller’s ‘Hot Brands’ barometer, Ola Gorie also frequently appears in judges’ lists for prestigious awards such as the Scottish Gift of the Year, (winning in 1997 with May Queen, shortlisted in 1998 with Jasmine in 1999 with the Vision millennium collection, and again in 2002 with the Rossetti pearl collection) and the Kayman Award (runner up in 2000). The Company’s specially developed in-house staff-training programme, which ensures the outstanding quality of our manufacture, was recognised by an SQA Enterprise Award in 2001.
Ola Gorie’s continuing tradition of excellence was underlined by the World Gold Council’s invitation to participate in ‘Evocative Gold’ – A New Renaissance’. Launched at Vicenza in 2001, the exhibition travelled worldwide, presenting collections from twelve countries. Ola Gorie, one of only ten British companies to be invited to produce designs for the project, created Eve Limited Edition neckwear, which now forms the centrepiece for an extensive collection.
Ola Gorie’s gold and diamond ‘Vision’ brooch was selected by the Goldsmiths Company for inclusion in the prestigious ’Celebration in Gold and Silver’ exhibition for the Queen’s Jubilee. The ‘Vision’ brooch, inspired by the position of the planets over Orkney at the turn of the millennium was produced in limited numbers and bears Ola Gorie’s signature on the reverse.
Orkney: Always An Inspiration
Ola Gorie is based in the medieval heart of Kirkwall, the Orkney Islands capital (pop. 9,000.) The sea is a few hundred yards away, and its sound and salty tang are with us every day, even in the centre of this bustling market town. Our studio, office and workshop are located on the town’s main street, in the shadow of the magnificent sandstone St Magnus Cathedral, built from 1137 by Orkney’s Norse rulers.
Now, of course, Orkney is part of Scotland, and everyone involved in designing and making our jewellery draws inspiration from the rich mix of Norse and Celtic history and culture that surrounds us. We are lucky to be part of such a rich tradition, and our goal is to share the best of those traditional skills with future generations – and with friends around the world.
The Present And The Future
We are used to taking the long view: we live amongst houses, monuments and standing stones dating back to Neolithic times, 5000 years ago. And, on a slightly shorter time scale, it’s worth noting that Ola’s family has been in business on exactly the same spot in Kirkwall since the 1850s. We have a reputation to live up to, both at home and abroad! So all our jewellery is designed to look fresh and stylish for the long run, not just for five minutes of fashion. And everything we produce is made to the highest standards and checked carefully before we let it leave our workshop.
Our range is strengthened each year by regular launches of fresh new collections, as well as the continued production of proven ‘classics’ from our extensive back catalogue. We are proud to be a design-led company, still family-owned and managed, in an increasingly impersonal, mass-market world. We hope you come to know and love Ola Gorie, and appreciate her jewellery’s unique qualities, as everyone here does.
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Ola Gorie Jewellery 11 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DH, Scotland Phone: +44 (0)1856 873251 e-mail: info@olagorieshop.com |
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