Stuller recently launched a partnership with Jordan Mantzke, also known as Modern Goldsmith, to promote tools and other things a new jeweler would need to get started. Jordan is a popular creator on YouTube, boasting over 100k followers! We are so excited to let Jordan tell you a little bit more about himself.
Jordan, we are SO thrilled to have you partner with Stuller to give some educational content to new jewelers! So tell me, how did you get into the jewelry industry?
In 2001, I got my very first job as a polisher. I was in high school and could go to work for my uncle after school. Having a family member in the jewelry industry certainly helped shape my career path. I eventually moved up from polisher to apprentice. I also moved around and worked at multiple jewelry stores. It was very beneficial to learn different techniques from other jewelers. Finally, in 2012, I started my own business and named it Mantzke Metallurgy, and changed the name to Modern Goldsmith in 2016.
Looks like you really know your way around the trade! What would you say is your favorite facet (no pun intended) of the jewelry industry?
My favorite part about being a goldsmith is that there is no ceiling. There’s always room to learn, grow, and improve. There are so many facets to working with your hands or learning how to use certain tools. Your skills and experience compound over the years and you can eventually share your unique journey and set of skills with others. Starting a YouTube channel has been a rewarding way to connect with people from all over the world. I love being a maker in a digital age.
Well, whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it well. Your custom pieces never cease to amaze me! So tell me, why Stuller?
Funnily enough, I’ve known about Stuller since way back when I first started as a polisher. I guess you can say at this point I’ve known about Stuller for more than half of my life! Once I started my own business, I was able to see just how beneficial Stuller was to help me run things. The first few years of my business were heavily focused on repairs, so I went to them for everything I used a lot of. Getting sizing stock in all different metal types and sizes was a tremendous time-saver. Now that my main focus is on custom jewelry, I really value the fact that Stuller sells verified recycled metals and alloys. I also appreciate the fact that they have embraced lab-grown diamonds and moissanite as those are a big part of my business as well.
As a representative of Stuller, I am so glad to hear that we have been there for you throughout your whole journey. Thank you for your constant Stuller support! Lastly, how about you tell us a little bit about your life outside of your job?
Outside of work I am a husband and father. My wife Brooke and I got married in 2011. She often jokes that when she first found out what I did for a living, she was a bit confused because I didn’t wear any jewelry. We have three (yes, three) boys, currently ages 7, 5, and 2. So you can imagine outside of work things are rather exciting at home. My oldest wants to be a weatherman, but our five-year-old says he’s going to be a “modern goldsmith” when he grows up.
My other passions include making music. I play guitar and have a synth and a drum machine in the shop that I use periodically to de-stress. Over the years when I wasn’t learning the trade, I was either attempting to go to college (and failing). I also took a two-year hiatus to go to the Philippines for a church mission, where I learned the Tagalog language. The Filipino people are some of the nicest on earth, so I would love to take my family there one day. I grew up in the pacific northwest in a town across the Puget Sound from Seattle. We have since relocated to California but find ourselves missing the greenery and rain of the northwest.
