Almonte Studio 88 Queen Street Almonte, Ontario 613-256-7997
Kehla Design Studio
Kehla Design was established in 1996 by award winning Master Goldsmith Michaela Wolfert. Schooled in the fine art of jewellery making in Munich Germany, Michaela and her team bring a wealth of design and jewellery making expertise to the table. Housed in a historic building in Almonte, Ontario, Kehla Design specializes in four areas of jewellery creation:
- Custom design and remodelling
- Repairs and restorations
- Ready to wear collections of Kehla jewellery
- "One-of-A-Kind" pieces by Michaela Wolfert
Our years of experience and skilled craftsmanship ensure that all our pieces of jewellery, be they repairs or new creations are of the highest quality and execution. At Kehla Design ok is not good enough. For us as close to perfection as possible is the only acceptable option.
Please explore the rest of our site to see what Kehla Design can do for you.
Michaela Wolfert
An award winning jeweler, Michaela is one of few Master Goldsmiths in North America. Michaela started her career in 1978 as an apprentice in the workshop of a master goldsmith in Heilbronn, Germany. After her yearlong internship, she enrolled in a three-year goldsmith apprenticeship program. Following her graduation with honors, she gained practical work experience working for three years under the tutelage of master goldsmiths in several studios. Michaela then enrolled in a two-year full time program of practical and theoretical studies, the “Meisterschule fur Goldschmiede” in Munich, Germany’s premier school of metal arts and goldsmithing. For her final project, Michaela fabricated a neckpiece from sterling silver, white gold and aquamarine beads. The collar, fitted to Michaela’s shoulders took 340 hours to make (270 hours was the minimum required). Together with a written and oral exam, five masters judged that Michaela had achieved the high level of craftsmanship meriting the title of Master Goldsmith.
In 1990, Michaela moved to Canada and accepted a position as a jewellery designer and goldsmith with an established Ottawa firm. She worked in Ottawa for six years before opening her own studio, Kehla Design in 1996.
Since then she continues to produce high quality, handmade precious metal jewellery and sculptural pieces that combine traditional craftsmanship with timeless yet elegant designs. Several of her pieces have won awards (see below). Michaela also accepts commissions, creates one-of-a-kind jewellery and designs ready to wear pieces at her own studio.
In addition to time spent at her studio, Michaela was asked to establish the Diploma metalworks program for Nunavut Arctic College in Nunavut, (formerly the Northwest Territories). Michaela is also on the faculty of Haliburton School of the Arts where she teaches Jewellery Essentials.
Michaela has been featured on CBC and CTV radio and television programs, in the Ottawa Citizen, Preston Catalogue, Canadian Jeweler Magazine and the Metal Arts Guild of Canada. Her work is available at galleries nationwide, on her website and in her studio in Almonte, Ontario.
“Our goal is to enrich people’s lives by creating jewellery that symbolizes a special moment in their life. Our jewellery suits the human body; it becomes a part of the person. It is a symbol of their legacy."
- Michaela Wolfert
1994 – Canadian Craft Museum double winner for Beyond Tradition: A Union of Diamonds and Craft where designers were asked to combine diamonds with unusual materials in wearable contemporary jewellery pieces.
1998 – Metal Arts Guild of Ontario and the Conseil des métiers d’Arts du Quebec Identity Award for Identity: an exhibition where the piece Michaela designed called “Erscheinung” (meaning appearance or apparition), most clearly addressed the theme of the exhibition.
2007 – Metals Arts Guild of Canada, Judges Choice Award and “Steel Trophy” for best in show winner at the Metal Arts Guild 60th anniversary exhibition.
2007 – Canadian Jeweller’s Excellence in Design Award – Finalist.
2014 – Canadian Jeweller’s Awards of Excellence – Best Pearl Design of the Year Award - Runner Up.