Putting Jewelry Hubs Back to Work

How artisan Hugo Kohl found his life’s work

A stack of rings made by Hugo Kohl using recovered hubs and the traditional methods of jewelry making. Courtesy of Hugo Kohl

As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” But can one man’s trash be turned into a thriving business? For Hugo Kohl, it did.

Kohl is the president and curator of the Museum of American Jewelry Design and Manufacturing in Harrisonburg, Virginia. His serendipitous find on a vacation almost 25 years ago has revived a method of jewelry making long forgotten in the United States.