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Maike Valcarcel was born in Germany into a family of artists. She studied jewellery design and manufacture in Pforzheim and Heidelberg.

 

In 1993 Maike moved to South Africa to live and work in Johannesburg and later relocated to Cape Town, where she designs, manufactures and sells her unique brand of jewellery.

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Inspired by ancient techniques I develop my own way of implementing them.

Kuem Boo (a traditional Korean technique), granulation, chasing and repoussage are just a few of the techniques that have been around for thousands of years and can still be used in modern and contemporary jewellery.

I like to combine the old and the new, the precious and the ordinary, diamonds with pebbles, gold with glass and silver with felt.

The fusion of silver and fine gold and the way of mixing colours in an unexpected fashion makes my jewellery lively and unique.

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Maike has won Riches of Africa 2001's  Overall winner in the professional category