Royal Empire Jewelry Set To Work With Master Silver/Goldsmith

When we started Royal Empire Jewelry our goal was to create a lifestyle brand that offered original, quality jewelry. Within this lifestyle brand we wanted to be flexible enough to do unique custom pieces as well as offer our own beauty meets badass jewelry lines. Which represents taking the badass elements and combining them with beautiful elements to create a true REJ balanced piece. Each piece becoming that of substantial quality and beauty with an edge. So far we have hit that mark, however we strive to be the best at anything we do and we want to exceed all your expectations. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do…

If you want to be the best you must surround yourself with the best, In our case we want to work with the best. Master Engraver and World renowned Silversmith Scott Hardy is precisely that, the best! We are not just saying that because he is our father his work an history speaks for it self but before listing some of his accolades and accomplishments we want to explain to you our vision…

Since REJ started the inspiration behind the beauty of our pieces has always originated from Scott’s scroll work. As it was what we grew up on, learning an understanding the true beauty an flow of the scroll and seeing that come through in all of his work. Scott is known as one of the best Brite cut engravers in the world, his scroll work is that of genius. You can sit and look at one of his works for hours, appreciating the fine detail and flow of the scrolls, everything has purpose and meaning. This was the inspiration behind the REJ formula and now we are fortunate enough to have Scott work with Royal Empire Jewelry, incorporating his beautiful one of a kind scroll work into our truly badass pieces. Always raising the bar, this is going to take Royal Empire Jewelry to a new level. Truly to where Beauty Meets Badass.

This badass Cowboy came from humble beginnings leaving home at an early age to work an ride in the mountains, never taking the conventional path he went from working in the mountains, riding bulls, working on the rigs, breaking colts to teaching himself the silversmith craft. Immersing himself with teachings as well as learning from the masters of his time any way he could hustle it. Usually it was his work ethic an not his talent that made him stand out but when you work that hard day and night the talent soon catches up an exceeds it all. To this day he has kept that work ethic, no matter how amazing his pieces get he works harder and harder to raise the next bar. As long as we can remember he has put in a minimum 10 hour days (usually longer), 7 days a week, For 35 plus years. Perfecting his craft and excelling to the Master level.

With our work previous to this, Scott wouldn’t let a piece leave his shop that didn’t meet his standards. When you have a Masters approval, that is everything. To be working with Scott now instead of just along side him is not just going to elevate our work but it will also sharpen our skills as designers, engravers and silversmiths. We have just started the designing process with Scott on a couple pieces an we couldn’t be more excited to bring you jewelry that exceeds your expectations, with that true beauty meets badass touch very soon!

Now let us tell you a little about the legend we will be working with…
Scott Hardy is a fifth generation Western Canadian stockman who in 1981 turned his full attention to Silversmithing and Hand Engraving. From that time on Hardy has built up an impressive resume;

-In 1994 his work was selected Best of Show for the 10th Annual Elko Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada.

-1998 Hardy was one of the founding members of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. ( www.tcowboyarts.com )

– Scott has served 7 years as an officer of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association and was President for 3 years & now is the TCAA Strategic Planning Committee Chairman.

-In 2001 he was honoured by the Academy of Western Artists receiving the Will Rogers Award for Engraver of the Year.

-2005 Scott was commissioned to create personal monogram buckles for all thirteen of Canada’s Premiers.

-2006 was invited to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC to be one of the two Craftsmen to represent Western Heritage and Craftsmanship in Alberta.

– 2009 Scott’s 3 piece buckle set was juried and selected as part of the exhibition for the Cheongju International Craft Biennale in South Korea.

– the same 3 piece buckle set as part of the ACC Cheongju Selection had circulated Alberta for 2 years through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Traveling Exhibition Program.

-Served on the Cowboy Culture Advisory Board for the Western Horseman.

-Commissioned to create a buckle for the Stetson Corporation for reproduction inspirations.

– In 2011 was inducted into the exclusive Stetsons Craftsman Alliance.

– Commissioned in 2011 to create the 25th Anniversary buckle for the Trappings of Texas exhibition and sale at Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas.

– 2012 commissioned to design and create 100 sterling silver and gold buckles for the 100th year Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede. Which Canada Post incorporated the image of this buckle on the Canada to USA postal stamp. First time a buckle had been used.

– 2012 Co Authored a book called Saddles and Silver(Collaboration in the Traditional Cowboy Arts) with A.J. Mangum and Cary Schwarz.

-Scott has taught many workshops on hand engraving and silver fabrication all over North America.

-Has lectured many times on the history of the connection between man, the horse and silver at National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

-Along with these accomplishments over the last 35 years he felt honoured to have been commissioned to create many one of a kind works for various celebrities, artists, business people and cowboys. Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Brooke Shields and Andre Agassi to name a few.

-For the last 3 years Scott has given hand engraving demonstrations, lectured on the culture of the West and its decoration for the Calgary Stampede Ranch Art Project.
Scott comments “Embellishing horse and rider with precious metal is a Tradition as old as man on horseback and deserves the respect of being done one piece at a time by hand”.

Check Scotts amazing work out on his website, www.scotthardy.com.