KONZUK
The Craft


The Maker


Materials & Care
"I'm drawn to the tension between structure and movement—creating pieces that feel both architectural and alive on the body."
From her Vancouver studio, Karen Konzuk creates jewelry that bridges the gap between sculpture and adornment, transforming precious metals into wearable art that celebrates both geometric precision and organic fluidity.
KONZUK transforms precious metals into sculptural jewelry that defies traditional categories. Using ancient techniques like lost-wax casting combined with contemporary fabrication methods, Karen creates pieces that feel both timeless and thoroughly modern. Her signature approach involves building up forms through layering and repetition—delicate gold chains that cluster into bold statements, or silver elements that stack to create architectural compositions. Each piece begins with hand-carved wax models that capture organic irregularities impossible to achieve through digital methods. The casting process preserves these subtle variations, ensuring no two pieces are identical. Her mastery of traditional goldsmithing techniques—including precise soldering, stone setting, and hand-finishing—results in jewelry with exceptional structural integrity. The interplay of matte and polished surfaces creates depth and movement, while her careful attention to weight distribution ensures pieces feel balanced and comfortable during wear.
Karen Konzuk founded her jewelry practice after studying fine arts and discovering her passion for working with precious metals. Based in Vancouver, she operates from a studio where every piece is handcrafted from start to finish. Her background in sculpture informs her approach to jewelry design—she thinks in three dimensions, considering how pieces will move and catch light from every angle. This sculptural foundation sets KONZUK apart in a field often dominated by flat, pictorial approaches. Karen's process is deeply intuitive, beginning with sketches and evolving through hands-on experimentation with materials. She collaborates closely with a small team of skilled craftspeople, maintaining direct involvement in every stage of production to ensure each piece meets her exacting standards.
KONZUK pieces are crafted from 14k and 18k recycled gold, sterling silver, and carefully selected gemstones. Karen sources materials from ethical suppliers who share her commitment to responsible practices. The jewelry develops a beautiful patina with wear—sterling silver naturally darkens in places where it contacts skin, creating unique patterns that tell the story of each piece's journey with its wearer. Gold maintains its luster while developing subtle variations in texture from daily wear. To preserve the sculptural qualities, pieces should be stored individually in soft pouches and cleaned gently with appropriate metal care solutions. The substantial construction means KONZUK jewelry can be worn daily and passed down through generations, improving with age and developing personal character through use.