Before any piece reaches its final form, it passes through the hands of one artisan.
Jero is the goldsmith behind every Thomas Nestor creation.
Trained in traditional goldsmithing, his path into the craft began early, not only in the classroom, but in practice.
During his years in school, he had already begun taking on his own assignments.
What started as small, independent work quickly evolved into a rhythm of creating, learning and refining. Often outside of formal training, in a small atelier where he developed his own way of working.
That combination of foundation and experience shaped his approach: precise, intuitive and deeply connected to the material.
The following is his perspective, in his own words.
The Artisan
Jero Leeflang, Goldsmith
“I didn’t always know this is what I wanted to do.
But I was always drawn to details.
To how things are made.”
I started in a small workshop, learning the fundamentals of goldsmithing. At first, it was just curiosity. But the moment I began working with metal, I knew, this is it.
What followed wasn’t just training, but years of refining the craft. Not only in school, but through real work. Through making, adjusting, failing and improving.
That’s where you really learn.
“When something is well-made, you can feel it.”
For me, craftsmanship is not just about how a piece looks.
It’s about understanding the material. Knowing how it behaves, how it holds, how it lasts. Every piece has to be thought through. Not only visually, but technically and structurally.
It has to make sense.
“I like building forms. Especially in wax.”
Some pieces begin as solid metal, shaped and forged by hand. Others start as wax, carved, refined, almost like small sculptures.
With wax, you remove material. You search for the form inside it.
It allows for more freedom, more detail. But forging has its own strength. It creates a density, a solidity that you can feel over time.
Both have their place. The choice always depends on the piece.
“You design better when you understand how something is made.”
You don’t have to make everything yourself. But you need to understand the process.
How a ring is constructed.
How a stone is set.
What metal can and cannot do.
That understanding changes the way you design. It makes things stronger. More honest.
“What I hope people feel when they wear it?”
That it’s real.
That it’s not just something made quickly, but something considered. Something with presence.
A piece you keep looking at.
Not because it stands out too much, but because it feels right.
Something that becomes yours.