Magnis

This is one of Rob Morris’ most enduring designs. Truly original jewellery for men is surprisingly hard to come by, and Rob was keen to make something wearable, practical and durable – it was not to come off, not to wear out, it needed to be rugged and long-lasting. Rob has worn the wristwear himself for 12 years, and it happily survives the environment of a rough workshop, so it really is made to last. The most unusual tool involved (for a silversmith) is a wood-turning lathe, which he uses to shape the housing, rounding it, and scoring deep grooves in the silver. The piece has something of the feel of a Viking torque, with the black stripes matching the dark leather.

Rob uses ultra-strong magnets from Switzerland, setting them in the silver housing with a locating pin – and in the dozen years of wearing Rob has never lost his Magnis bracelet, a testament to its durability and safe construction. (With such a powerful magnet, it’s even been useful for retrieving things dropped in confined spaces!) The wristwear is custom-made to the wearer’s wrist-size using incredibly high quality 6mm leather from Germany, and it is also possible to have it made to a neck size on request.

To really make the design sing out, Rob has oxidised the low spots. This is done by painting oxidising fluid, which artificially ages the silver’s surface. The fluid most commonly employed used to be liver of sulphur, but the smell in the workshop made Rob fearful customers might think he’d ‘stepped on a duck’, so he switched to a Swedish product, Platinol, and thankfully the finish is superior and the colour is richer. Rob then gently satins the surfaces with fine sandpaper, leaving the grooves blackened, providing a strong contrast to the silver.