Froukje van der Avoird is an Amsterdam based goldsmith. She was born and raised in Amstelveen and started learning the fine art of goldsmithing in 1994 at the school for goldsmithing and jewelry design in Amsterdam. After graduating she fine-tuned the craft at “BLGK Edelsmeden”. She has always had her own studio in Amsterdam on different locations. Nowadays Froukje has a magnificent studio with a view on the inspiring Eastern Docklands and the river IJ, as well as a gallery “BLOU” with studio located in city center close to the Spiegelgracht / Museum Quarter. At both locations she designs and creates her own work.
It's fun to create custom made
“A piece of jewelry is very personal.”, says Froukje, “ That’s why it’s so enjoyable to create a piece of jewelry to suit someone’s desires. It’s nice for the customer to adjust the final outcome to their personal demands so that it becomes unique. And it’s a lot more fun to create something custom made. Sometimes I bump into someone who is wearing a ring I designed three years ago, and I feel that the jewelry is not mine anymore: it has completely and organically fused with the person wearing it.”
FROUKS creates a lifelong decoration that is just as unique as your personality. Since six years her collection is sold at BLOU. Every piece she creates is a unique jewel with (semi-)precious gem and mineral stones in gold or silver settings. Froukjes collection has been evolving over the years. It was an old high school teacher who noticed her talent for composition and fine art and motivated her to explore the craftsmanship of goldsmithing. Now, 20 years later, she developed an authentic style and a vast network of regular clients.
The smith’s secret?
FROUKS is known for her playful, colourful, bold and abundant jewelry. Her designs are pure celebrations, blending organically with the wearer and the life event. Froukjes sparkling character and step-by-step approach takes the client along a journey in which they follow the design of their jewel. She puts her sensitivity and experience at work designing pieces for life.
With a broad knowledge of the material creative mind that is always at work; and an open and positive attitude towards requests, Froukje puts her magic into her collection. You can choose a ready-made piece from the collection, or use this as a starting point for a new design. FROUKS also blends old pieces into a new jewel for a special life event like a wedding, birthday or remembrance.You can scroll through her collection in the webshop and see Froukje at work at the Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 145, Amsterdam.
Froukje is also often giving workshops in her atelier in the West Harbour of Amsterdam.
