This month we took some time out to chat with the uber creative Roderick Barker-Benfield (AKA Rodology). With an eye for detail, Roderick produces really beautiful and unique pieces of vintage jewellery & cufflinks. All handmade in Roderick's London studio. His current upcycled collection has been made using vintage watch movements, with a steampunk twist. The intricate pendants and the timeless style in which they are presented, make each piece in Rodology's collection incredibly special.
Needless to say, we thought it was high time we find out a little more about the man behind the brand and what makes him 'tick' (see what we did there?!). As if that wasn't enough Roderick is offering our lucky readers 20% off exclusive to The Lost Lanes for one month only!
Needless to say, we thought it was high time we find out a little more about the man behind the brand and what makes him 'tick' (see what we did there?!). As if that wasn't enough Roderick is offering our lucky readers 20% off exclusive to The Lost Lanes for one month only!
Who is Rodology?
Rodology is me! Roderick ‘Rod’ Barker-Benfield – a London
based designer maker who uses bits and bobs he finds on his travels round some
of London’s secret spots to create unique pieces of jewellery and accessories. My current collection is all about time and uses
vintage watch movements as the basis for every piece. When I'm not huddled over an old watch with a
pair of pliers, you’ll find me taking photographs of London’s people &
places or exploring its back streets on my scooter!
Where are you
based?
I'm in Brixton, South
London at the moment, but I'm shortly to be moving east to Hackney. It’s an incredibly vibrant and creative area
with a real eclectic mix of people.
Working by yourself can be tough sometimes so living in an area where
the locals are friendly, down to earth and keen to see you succeed is a real
bonus. (That and there’s some good local
beers too!) I'm looking forward to it.
What inspired you
to start your business?
It was a happy
accident really. A friend of mine had
commissioned me to make a small piece of sculpture for him using old computer parts. At the time I thought some extra bits of
machinery would look quite good so went about trying to source some small
pocket watch cogs. What I actually came
across was a very small, but beautifully formed watch movement. I don’t think I’d ever seen anything so
intricate and detailed before. So much
so that my commission was temporarily forgotten as I tried to figure out a way
to attach it to a silver chain so it could be worn as a pendant. It worked and Rodology was born
overnight! Since then I've been learning
how to work with silver and other precious metals as well as designing a new
collection based upon time and the Universe.
Pardon the pun, but watch this space!
Where do you source
all your pieces?
The watch
movements I use come from all over the place.
Jewellers, watchmakers, flea markets, down the back of the sofa – you
name it, I've probably tried to source parts from it. One of the great things about using vintage
items is that each one of them is different.
Obviously I match similar ones to create cufflinks, but with so many watchmakers
in the 19th and 20th centuries the variety of stuff I
find is huge. That’s not to say they’re always
easy to come by mind. I occasionally go
through shortages as there’s a limited supply out there, but that adds to the
challenge. It also makes for some really
unique pieces!
Describe your
workspace...
It all depends on
what I'm doing. If I'm working on the
website or packaging up an order ready to send out then it’s relatively
organised. If I'm designing, making or
generally ‘creating’ however then all hell breaks loose as one idea will lead
to another and I'm usually in a mad rush to get something produced before I
forget it. Regardless of which ‘mode’
I'm in though I normally have a cup of tea on the go as well as some music in
the background to help me concentrate. I
love a good dramatic film score to help focus the attention!
If you could design one piece of jewellery/cufflinks
for absolutely anyone, what would it be and
who would it be for?
I’d have to say
fashion designer Tom Ford. Always found wearing
a suit and with very high-end
accessories to match, I had the pleasure of
meeting him a few years back and there’s no denying he’s
an incredibly well
dressed man. Generally speaking I think
men are harder to design for than women
as we rarely wear jewellery. There are a few ‘go to’ accessories of course
such as an expensive
watch or a dapper looking bow tie, but a lot of these are
not everyday items so have to be fairly
special to catch our attention. I think Tom would like the cufflinks in my
new collection. Perhaps I
should send
him a pair to see what he thinks!
What is your
favourite item from The Lost Lanes?
There is such an amazing
array of designers and products that it’s incredibly hard to choose just one. I love the mechanics in the upcycled bike chain
jewellery by Katie’s Bikes
as much as I love the cheeky ‘Day of the Dead’ inspired mosaics by Juan is Dead and the
vintage feel to the bow ties by Beau
Tie. But if I have to have one
favourite then it has to be the No.
29 Mens Steel Case Watch with Blue Accents by the Camden Watch
Company. It’s a stunning piece of
craftsmanship and quite reasonably priced too.
Though seeing as I currently make a living taking watches apart I’d have
to be quite careful with it!
>>>>>>>>>
Click here to view Rodology's entire vintage watch movement collection, and remember if you want to own your very own unique piece handmade entirely for you, we have an exclusive 20% off this month only!
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