Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin

Detail. Brooch-transformer ‘Autumn kiss’. Tompak, gold, agate, amethyst. Mixed technique. 2003. Work by Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin

Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin
Born in 1946 in Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg now), V.D. Khakhalkin is a talented Russian jeweler who has international recognition. The amazing, philosophical and creative works of the jeweler admire with their boldness and dissimilarity. The unusual plasticity of the metal and the idea is the creative handwriting of Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin.
The has received lots of awards and prizes of the international memorial fund of Karl Faberge: orders of Mikhail Perkhin, Franz Birbaum, and Karl Faberge. Among his titles – “the court jeweler”, “Honorary Jeweler”, and “Master” and “Honorable Jeweler”. Also, he is the owner of the Gold Badge “Jewelry House – Russia”, medals and two cups of Russia.
His works are in collections of museums and private collections in Russia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, the United States, and other countries.

Work by Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Hahalkin

The phenomenon of time – Brooch ‘Oligarch’, Hairpin ‘Bankrupt. Metal, gilding, silvering, quartz, carnelian. Work by Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin

Khakhalkin graduated from the Art College of S.P. Diaghilev in 1960, and the Sverdlovsk Art and Vocational School, specializing in jewelry, in 1963. Immediately after graduation, since 1963 he worked as a jeweler at the Sverdlovsk plant “Russian gems”. Already in 1964 he created jewelry that was approved for mass production.

Working in 1972 – 1977 as the main artist of the Machine-Building Plant, Vladimir Khakhalkin got acquainted with various technologies of metal processing. Toreutics – the art of handcrafted artistic metalworking – becomes the main focus of V.Khakhalkin’s works at that time. He perfectly possesses various methods of processing metal, giving preference to man-made.
A lively character and curiosity open up new opportunities for Vladimir. He enjoys fresh ideasworking with chasing, and with colorful stained-glass windows.

‘Ice’ Necklace. Silver, gilding, automotive glass. Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin

However, the desire to be a jeweler comes from the depths of the soul with such strength and love that it outweighs everything in the artistic professionalism of Vladimir Khakhalkin. And since 1980, he participates in exhibitions as an artist-jeweler.

Meanwhile, an original vision of the beauty of the stone and the knowledge of the features of the processing of a mineral came with experience. Besides, knowledge of the methods of toreutics is decisive in working on the composition, the key to the successful embodiment of the plot. According to the artist, his jewelry is the song, which he sings creating his masterpieces.

The Golden Fleece. Brooch. Tompak, smoky quartz, zircon, gilding. Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin

Traditionally, the artist uses gems and unconventional materials: decorative glass, slag, mirrors, etc. As for metals, he gives preference to the base, and likes to use a tombac (alloyed brass).

The creations of the well-known Ural artist-jeweler Vladimir Khakhalkin are not simply stones in a frame, neither are they flowers on a chain. They are parables, pieces of our everyday life that the craftsmanship and fantasy of the master have put into shape.