About Me
My name is Emine Thompson and I am a contemporary jewellery designer and maker. I used to live in Istanbul – the melting pot of many many different cultures & traditions. And I now live in Whitley Bay with my husband & daughter and design & make my distinctive jewellery at my studio in Ouseburn Valley, the creative heart of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
One of those traditions I inherited is the jewellery… have you ever been to Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and seen all those shiny windows of small jewellers…Since I was a little girl I always loved jewellery, my ears were pierced when I was 5 or 6 and since then I love wearing earrings.
You should have seen my husband’s face at our engagement party; seeing my little pouch (matching to my outfit in blue) filled with jewellery and gold coin presents. This is a generous tradition to support the bride and the groom in their future life. Same thing happens when a baby is born, apart from the clothing gifts etc., gold coins are given to support the family with their future needs. With that deep jewellery tradition behind me I never thought I would be making jewellery and sharing my designs with other jewellery lovers.
After more than 25 years teaching design and 3D modelling in different settings and in different countries, I started to make jewellery as a hobby initially and since 2017 I have created SILVERKUPE as a small business to work on my passion. It is so magical to turn raw materials after a very messy process into something shiny and beautiful.
Sophisticated handmade art-jewellery for people who like unique and timeless pieces.
One of the other family traditions is teaching. My grandmother was one of the first primary school teachers in the Turkish Republic. And my brother, following my father’s footsteps, is a dentist but also teaches dentistry in UCLA. And my husband taught Landscape Architecture at the Newcastle University almost 30 years. I love sharing my love of jewellery and jewellery making with others at my jewellery making classes.
Jewellery
I like to play with forms, surface textures, infills and patterns to create wearable objects that are sophisticated and timeless. I use a combination of techniques to create my jewellery – traditional silversmithing, metal clay and sculptural techniques. I seek to bring together the individual characteristics of different materials and techniques to construct unmistakable pieces. I also enjoy using colour in my designs, employing deep blacks by oxidation and deep shades using vitreous enamels and adding indulgence to my designs with 24k-gold accents. My pieces get hallmarked at the Edinburgh Assay Office.
My modern, silver, art-jewellery with pop of colour and gold might be just the thing you are looking for. You can select a statement piece or an everyday jewellery to accompany your own style.
What is in the name?
You might wonder what does Silverkupe mean?
I have been living in the UK for more than 20 years now and the Silverkupe name encapsulates my background and my future. “Küpe” means an earring in Turkish. As a child and a teenager I always liked silver jewellery and especially earrings. So I put those two words from the two different cultures I am influenced by to create my brand name.
Contact me now via email at contact@silverkupe.com to find more about me or my jewellery or commission a special piece for yourself or a loved one.
