Michael Steinmetz
Jeweler
Born in Bavaria,  Michael’s early interest was always in nature and it seemed logical for him to study biology and geography but his second love was always the arts;  drawing, woodturning, enameling and metal work, and it is to this that he has now turned. 

Michael was taught jewelry making by a German master goldsmith but he quickly developed his own style which fused the straight clean lines of Scandinavian and Japanese design with contemporary European styles, and combined this with traditional German craftsmanship. Traditional Polynesian patterns and styles  also appear in his work.

He now considers New Zealand to be home and works from his own studio workshop on Whangarei Heads.
On his first visit to the Cook Islands Michael was fascinated by the Black Pearls cultivated there. The wide variety of colours combined with their origin in the tropical lagoons of the South Pacific was for him a symbol of one of the last almost untouched paradises on earth. Supporting the small family businesses of the pearl farmers in the Cook Islands by propagating their pearls and turning them into unique pieces of jewellery is something he still enjoys greatly. 

Opals from Australia have recently become another focus of his work.
Michael’s work is sold in galleries in Northland such as Burning Issues and through direct contact with clients, by word of mouth and recommendations.
The remodelling and redesigning of jewellery has also become a significant part of his work.

See Michael at the 2018 Arts Trail