About Wild Bryde
Now that the studio has closed and nothing new is being made, this digital archive is a labor of love to document and preserve that remarkable body of work before it quietly disappears. Here is the story of the makers and the craft behind it all. Note: There is a fake "official" Wild Bryde site showing up in Google results to fraudulently direct people to unrelated Amazon links - the real official site (www.wildbryde.com, no dash) is defunct. Don't be fooled!
Artist’s Statement
“Wild Bryde Jewelry is a species-specific wearable art collection. The essence of the wildlife that inspires our designs is evident in every piece, as is the quality of the materials. Our light and comfortable creations are enjoyed by people of all ages who want to show their love of nature, and look good while they do it. Nature is not just our business, it is our passion. As such, we support several organizations working to conserve wild habitats and teach environmental awareness. We think you’ll be happy wearing Wild Bryde. Thank you for choosing us.”
The Artist: Mike Warner
In 1980, Mike Warner and Tracy Holzman started making jewelry together in a garage on McBryde Avenue in Richmond, California — right at the foot of Wildcat Canyon. The company's name was born from that address: Wild from the canyon, Bryde from the street. Warner had studied art and botany at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, and that dual training showed from the very first pieces.
That combination of disciplines became the Wild Bryde signature. Warner’s background as an illustrator and naturalist meant every design was drawn from life, not stylised abstractions: individual feather barbs, muscle contours, the right number of toes. Each animal was painstakingly photo-etched into thin sheets of recycled brass with a fidelity that still astonishes. He once described the process as “drawing with acid” — building up layer after layer of fine detail before cutting the silhouette free.
Warner ultimately became the sole owner and lead designer, and the artistry only deepened over time. What started as a two-person garage operation grew steadily through the 1980s and 1990s. By the mid-2010s, the studio had moved to a larger workshop in El Sobrante, California, with a team of roughly ten artisans. The "species specific" catalog had ballooned to over 8,000 individual designs — birds, mammals, reptiles, marine life, wildflowers — produced as earrings, pins, necklaces and bracelets. The company also expanded internationally, supplying nature centres, museum shops and specialty retailers across the United States and abroad.
Nature wasn’t just business — it was the animating passion behind every design. Wild Bryde actively supported wildlife conservation organisations and environmental education programmes throughout its existence, a commitment that was printed on every brand care tag. That ethos permeated the whole operation: recycled brass, non-toxic processes, and designs that aimed to foster genuine appreciation for the species they depicted.
Pieces were made from 100% recycled brass and usually finished in 14k gold plate, with non-tarnishing rhodium plating used for the silver-tone variants. On rare occasions, pieces were also produced in solid sterling silver. Gold-fill or sterling earwires were standard on earrings.
Note: Historical details, maker biography, and production counts on this page are drawn from archived records of the original Wild Bryde studio website and other verified sources.
How the pieces are made
Etched recycled brass
Each design is photo-etched from sheets of recycled brass with extraordinary precision — producing the fine open cut-work and interior detail that makes Wild Bryde instantly recognisable.
Hand-hammered
Every piece is individually hammered with a planishing tool, strengthening the metal and creating those subtle facets that catch the light so beautifully. No two are exactly alike. See video on the blog!
Gold, rhodium or sterling
14k gold plate accounts for the warm gold tone. Non-tarnishing rhodium plating produces the silver-tone variants. Very occasionally, pieces were also made in sterling silver — always a find.
Made in the USA
All pieces were manufactured in the United States, from a small workshop in El Sobrante, California. Earrings used gold-fill or sterling silver earwires as standard.
The Wider Wild Bryde World
Each collection in this network documents one corner of a much larger catalog. Over roughly four decades, Wild Bryde grew to more than 8,000 nature-inspired designs across many themes — all in the same etched, recycled-brass style. Here is the wider family these pieces belong to.
Explore the Collections
Each regional line has its own catalog within this network, documenting one corner of Wild Bryde’s vast wildlife range. Dive into any of the collections below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about identifying, collecting and caring for Wild Bryde — a vintage line no longer made, preserved here for the collectors who love it.
Jewelry Care
Wild Bryde pieces are sturdy, but a little care keeps them looking their best for decades. Most “tarnish” is really skin oils, hairspray, and dust — a gentle wash fixes it. For the full walkthrough, see our guide on cleaning vintage pieces without destroying the finish.
Gold & Rhodium Plated
- Gold plating is a thick layer over brass — it will not tarnish on its own, since the plating seals the brass underneath.
- Rhodium plating is a bright silver-tone layer over brass. It is thinner and more delicate, especially on high-contact pieces, so handle it gently.
- For most dullness, soak 5–10 minutes in warm water with a drop of mild dish soap (Dawn works well), then rinse. Dry immediately with a lint-free microfiber cloth — never air-dry, which leaves water spots.
- Never use abrasive polishes, silver dips, polishing cloths, or rotary wheels — they strip the plating and expose raw brass that will tarnish.
- If brassy patches appear at friction points, the plating has worn through — stop cleaning that spot.
Sterling Silver
- Solid sterling does tarnish over time — that is normal. Confirm it is sterling by the .925 or script STERLING hallmark.
- Soak in warm water with mild dish soap first to lift oils, then dry immediately with a lint-free microfiber cloth.
- An ultrasonic cleaner is also safe for solid sterling silver pieces.
- For real tarnish, use a liquid silver dip for 2-3 seconds, then immediately thoroughly rinse it off and dry on a soft cloth. Sterling can be restored again and again.
- Don't over-polish with abrasives like polishing wheels, cloths, or creams — too much abrasion wears away the hand-planished facets that give each piece its detail.
- Keep sterling out of pools, hot tubs, and chlorine, which speed up tarnishing.
General Tips
- Put jewelry on after hairspray, perfume, and lotion, never before.
- A quick wipe with a soft cloth after wearing removes oils and keeps the finish bright.
- Store pieces separately in hanging organizers, pockets, or small bags so the etched surfaces don't scratch each other.
- If a pin mechanism or earring post loosens, a jeweler can re-solder it inexpensively — the thick brass takes heat well.
About the Curator
Bekka RR
Hi, I'm a collector and jeweler who truly loves the Wild Bryde collections, both their artistry and what the brand stood for. I decided to turn my personal treasure hunt into a (hopefully useful) shared project. I hope you enjoy exploring it as much as I enjoyed making it. As for my own background, I was an art jeweler for well over a decade until life and hand stiffness conspired to stop me. I studied metalworking at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Tufts University, and for my thesis project created a collection of jewelry and a book, Gender and Jewelry, that remains available today on Amazon and has become a cited part of the academic literature on the topic. For my day job, I run a nonprofit based in East Africa.
Rights & Credits
I hold immense respect for Mike Warner’s 40+ years of original natural artwork. This is an independent, non-commercial reference created by and for collectors. It has no official association with Wild Bryde, its founders, or any successor, and is not endorsed by them.
All images shown here are drawn from public e-commerce listings on eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Etsy, WorthPoint, archived catalog pages, and other resale and auction sites. They are used to document, identify and preserve a record of this vintage, now-discontinued line. If you are a rights holder and would like an image removed or credited, that can be accommodated - just contact me.
If you are a reseller using this guide to identify your inventory, please consider contributing your clear, high-resolution photos of unlisted designs to help the census grow.