OUR STORY

For more than three decades, Forge and Form has operated as a gold- and silversmithing workshop on Granville Island in Vancouver, Canada. We work to create joy in people's lives by providing a humanized experience of jewelry, using traditional metal-working techniques and modern design sensibilities.

The pieces we create can be the most treasured and sentimental objects our clients purchase, so we prioritize timeless simplicity and durable fabrication in our designs to ensure they last a lifetime. Our pieces are forged by hand in the workshop - every step from alloying the metal to polishing it. Each piece is made from scratch. We generally avoid using prefabricated components, castings, or computerized techniques. 

Forge and Form was originally founded by Jürgen Schönheit and Dietje Hagedoorn in 1990. While Dietje has since moved on, Jürgen continues to work out of Forge and Form’s current location on Granville Island. Clare Atkinson began apprenticing under Jürgen in 2016 and now works as a partner in the workshop.

Jürgen Schönheit

Jürgen grew up in a small coal-mining town in Northern Germany, where he began his goldsmithing apprenticeship at 15 years old. On his 18th birthday, Jürgen moved to Sweden and ultimately worked in Ray Urban's acclaimed workshop in Stockholm from 1974 to 1984. During this time, Jürgen was certified as a Master in Goldsmithing in Sweden. 

Inspired by a backpacking trip across Canada, Jürgen moved to Vancouver in 1984  and opened Forge and Form a few years later. By bringing together his German training, Scandinavian design influences, and sense of fun, Jürgen offers a unique and charming experience of jewelry for his customers at Forge and Form.

Clare Atkinson

Clare was born and raised in Vancouver, but only walked into Forge and Form for the first time at 20 years old. She was instantly captivated by Jürgen’s design sense, his commitment to preserving traditional techniques, and his attitude towards life. Lucky for her, it was a fast friendship. Since then, Clare has apprenticed with Jürgen to learn traditional European goldsmithing techniques. She works at Forge and Form with aspirations to carry the torch of the traditions and unique character of the workshop.