North Penn student-jeweler a cut above the rest
A full table setup that displays usage of stone-wrapping, chipped stones, and beading along with emblems.
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone obsessed with “wrapping stones” anywhere else than in the hallways of North Penn. Junior Raymond Fox has not only forged his very own line of jewelry from the ground-up, but has transformed his passion for posh into a bonafide business.
Seeing an opportunity to refine his interests into products, Fox used the pandemic lockdown to dive headfirst into developing technique and creative ethics.
“Above all else, getting into jewelry at that time taught me patience. There’s so much potential in little details like wire-wrapping and making what I do look the best it can, so if it didn’t look nice, I had tons of time to redo it. Sitting down and taking the time really taught me that I can make it, and gave me the confidence to keep going,” Fox gleaned as he twirled a beaded bracelet between his fingers.
If there’s a stone to make a piece out of, chances are Fox has it in his catalog already. His website rayssjewlery.com offers anything from wrapped sodalite earrings to beaded necklaces capped with ditzy fairies and crescent moons.
A large portion of his works capture the beauty of the materials while embracing a modern take on gemstone culture, so much so that his offbeat-Y2K aesthetic has attracted local business “The Moon Gazing Rabbit” to his brand.
“There was a girl in my chem class that posted pictures of her being in that store all the time, and it looked like something I could totally do… So I took a look around, and it was small but so cute. I ended up meeting the owner, who I got stuck talking to for an hour. We got to the part of my jewelry and she was so excited when she saw the pictures… She told me to bring it all in, and now it’s the store I supply to,” Fox explained.
Moving up to high school also created plenty of opportunities between new peers to promote his brand, but Fox claimed that a lot more has gone into success than simply creating his pieces.
“I’ve really found an appreciation for small businesses more than ever, and all the work that goes into it. At the same time society says so often that it’s not possible to keep a business running while working a 9-to-5 or going to school. That’s totally stupid. Having expectations for your success lets you accomplish all that and more,” Fox said.
For those that aren’t sold on sporting jewelry, Fox asserted that his pieces are “for anyone and everyone, to make you look and feel your best, even if you’ve never worn jewelry. I’m one-thousand percent here to support your style.”
Fox is lined up to be a vendor at Eclipse Art Studio for an indoor holiday craft market, from 10am-5pm on December 3rd and 4th. Follow him also on instagram @rayssjewelry where he regularly showcases his inventory.
