Hand Engraved Treasures Inspired by Nature & Storytelling

Visit Modern Heirloom® at our studio and gallery located in Manteo, North Carolina. Experience our iconic hand engraving and explore our latest jewelry treasure artifacts designed to tell your unique story.

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The Art of Modern Heirloom®

At Modern Heirloom® Jewelry Studio, our team of goldsmiths, jewelry designers, hand engravers, and artisans create handcrafted fine jewelry designed to carry meaning across generations. Combining old-world jewelry-making techniques with modern technology, we specialize in custom jewelry, hand engraving, masterful stone setting, restoration, and heirloom-quality craftsmanship. Every Modern Heirloom® is designed and created in our North Carolina jewelry studio with the intention of becoming a future family treasure.

Kathryn and Ben Stewart

Our origin Story

Kathryn Holton Stewart and Ben Stewart are the co-founders of Modern Heirloom® Jewelry Studio and Silver Bonsai Gallery. Both earned BFA degrees in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design and have spent more than three decades creating handcrafted fine jewelry. Their work combines illustration, goldsmithing, hand engraving, stone setting, and custom jewelry design to create heirloom jewelry that reflects the stories, milestones, and memories of each client.

Vision

To be recognized as a leading jewelry studio creating handcrafted heirloom jewelry through exceptional design, masterful craftsmanship, hand engraving, and innovative goldsmithing techniques.

mission

We create handcrafted fine jewelry, custom engagement rings, wedding bands, engraved jewelry, and meaningful personal adornments that honor story, artistry, and enduring craftsmanship.

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Highlighted Collections

Explore our curated collections, each reflecting story, artistry, and timeless design:

  • Into the Garden
  • By the Sea
  •  Say I Do
  • Modern Heirloom®Gents
  • Equine and Anvil
  • Moon over Manteo

Equine and Anvil

With a passion for the beauty and magical presence of horses, Kathryn designs and creates each piece inspired by their spirit and elegance.

Modern Heirloom ® Gents

Our Gents collection honors a time when men wore jewelry as symbols of identity and individuality, crafted with striking precision

Say "I Do" with a
Modern Heirloom®

Specializing in hand-engraved wedding and engagement bands, each piece captures your unique story with timeless artistry.

meet our team

Modern Heirloom® is carried by a small team of four, balancing the daily rhythm of the gallery and studio with the deeper work of creativity, craft, and story.

Kathryn Holton Stewart

  • Kathryn Holton Stewart is Co-Founder and Creative Director of Modern Heirloom® Jewelry Studio. As a jewelry designer, hand engraver, illustrator, and goldsmith, she specializes in custom jewelry design, heirloom jewelry, restoration, and ornamental hand engraving. Kathryn is a GIA Certified Diamond Grader and holds a BFA in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Ben Stewart

  • Ben Stewart is Co-Founder and Lead Goldsmith of Modern Heirloom® Jewelry Studio. His expertise includes stone setting, hand fabrication, custom jewelry creation, CAD design, 3D modeling, and jewelry restoration. Ben combines traditional goldsmithing techniques with advanced technology to create heirloom-quality jewelry built to last for generations.

Jimmie Lee Brooks

  • Specialties include
  • Silver Smithing
  • Forging and Fabrication
  • Gem Setting
  • Chainmaking 
  • Repair

Visit Modern Heirloom® at our studio and gallery located in Manteo, North Carolina. Experience our masterful craftsmanship and explore our latest jewelry artifacts designed to tell your unique story.

Silver Bonsai Gallery

905 Hwy 64 Manteo, NC 27954

Phone: 252-475-1413

Email: kat@modernheirloom.com

Studio Hours

  • Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Our masterful goldsmiths create each piece on-site, transforming ancient inspiration into modern craft. Whether you are looking for a unique engagement ring or a personalized hand-engraved medallion, we invite you to begin your journey of creating a future memory with us.