Lode Jewellery began life as part of   "Frame & Forge" in its current location in 2000.       

Roley McIntyre and partner, Janet Lewis, opened Frame & Forge to cater for their individual businesses.  Roley, as a Master Jeweller, was keen to establish her own store after working for other Jewellers for many years, and Janet needed bigger space to cater for her Picture Framing  business. 

This was an arrangement that worked well for a two years..However, events, time and a large tree put a stop to all that, and the injuries sustained in a car accident meant the framing side of the store had to close.  Roley, despite her injuries, continued with the jewellery business, changed the name to Lode and began to gain a reputation and a following.

It was not easy, starting from scratch, but the jewellery spoke for itself. With a different approach and unusual but beautiful designs the pieces being produced were Uniquely Lode. Word of mouth about the jewellery and the consultation process spread and suddenly there was too much work for one.  The shop increased in size to allow extra work benches, polishing room, display cabinets and computer stuff.  The business was evolving.

The bigger shop proved successful, the wildlife started to arrive and the work came flooding in.  The requests for consultations and custom design jewellery increased to the point that appointments had to be made and Saturdays no longer seemed to have enough hours in them.  Sundays were also being sacrificed... balance had to be restored.

The purchase of land in the Hokianga gave a breathing space and a bolt hole for the overworked jeweller but the creative mind never sleeps and the idea for yearly exhibitions took hold.

Far Northland Light

The first exhibition in 2008, Far Northland Light gave Roley the freedom to design and manufacture pieces of jewellery inspired from the Far North, that otherworld light that filters through the trees, the nothingness of the world seen from an isolated place.

Roley would say they were her sculptured memories. 

The sales generated from the almost sellout exhibition were a testament to the demand for high quality Gold and Diamond NZ inspired Jewellery.

And so it started...

Where Land Meets Sky

The following year 2009, the exhibition went South!  But in a good way!  Where Land Meets Sky tells the story of the land and the changes wrought over the eons of time, in the central parts of the South Island of New Zealand. A collection of work influenced by the spaces caught between the rocks and the people, the mountains and the valleys, the formations and undulations. The place where the vast horizon meets the sky. This exhibition surpassed all expectations, and before the night was over the customers were asking about next year...the theme, the inspiration and the journey...

 

The Limited Edition Range

But, like life itself, (never to be taken for granted),  Roley decided that for 2010 she wanted to design a range of Limited Edition pieces  that would celebrate New Zealand flora and fauna, something  that would capture the feeling of walking amongst the forest, the ferns and grasses, flax and kowhai that we all know and love.  Something  that would remind those overseas to come home.

Forgoing the brilliance of Diamond and the gold and platinum of her usual work, the Limited Edition Range is manufactured in Sterling silver, is limited in its numbers and once sold out never repeated.
This range made the jewellery more accessible and more wallet friendly.

And so here we are, the story to date. 

But like any good story, the ending is far from over...