John Hardy
Born in Canada on November 28, 1949, John Hardy first traveled to Bali as an art student in 1975 where he learned ancient jewelry-making techniques from traditional Balinese silversmiths. He incorporated these techniques into his own unique design visions, where frequently complex patterns and shapes represent a philosophical harmony inspired by Bali and its many stories, myths, and legends.
John Hardy Jewelry
John Hardy Jewelry's design studios lie deep in the center of the rice farming communities of Bali, Indonesia. John Hardy did not want to disturb the rice farming land surrounding his studio, so he incorporated an organic farm into its design. This farm is complete with goats, poultry, cows, rabbits and even a fish pond. The pond serves as an ecosystem quality control. If the fish thrive, pollution from the factory is not affecting the surrounding land. The paths between buildings are made from river stones. These smooth stones serve as inspirations for the John Hardy Kali collection. "Kali" means river in Balinese.
Most known for his use of silver, John Hardy has recently been working with gold, diamonds and other gemstones. However, his enthusiasm remains with silver. Silver has a high resistance to corrosion and is a very malleable metal. Almost all John Hardy jewelry is made by hand.
John Hardy and the Environment
John Hardy is an enthusiastic advocate of the use of bamboo as an alternative to timber for building. His pioneering program of Sustainable Advertising aims to offset the carbon emissions associated with his yearly corporate print advertising by planting bamboo, a versatile natural grass that sequesters carbon, on the island of Nusa Penida, some twenty kilometers off the east coast of Bali. Working collaboratively with the Institute for Sustainable Communication, John Hardy concluded that offsetting the carbon emissions associated with all of his print advertisements in the year 2006 would require two hectares of planted bamboo for 6.83 years, a calculation based on the estimated rate of carbon dioxide sequestration for bamboo grown on Nusa Penida. The project also achieves several social and conservation goals, as the bamboo is fully owned and managed by local community groups, while the planted groves provide a habitat for the endangered Bali Starling
Food, such as rice and eggplants, are grown to feed the more than 700 workers. If you happen to be in the area, lunch is at 1 o'clock sharp! The buildings are made from organic materials such as sun-dried brick, adobe and bamboo. The studio was designed with the environment in mind. It can be fully demolished and able to turn back into rice field within about a week.
Return to our online showroom to buy your own John Hardy Jewelry.