about us
Aide-Mémoire creates bespoke, eco-friendly, and conflict-free fine and wedding jewelry, with a focus on minimalist, modern, and rustic designs — all handmade in the United States. We are dedicated to marriage equality and to maintaining an eco-conscious studio practice, using recycled precious metals and ethical, fair-trade, recycled, and lab-grown diamonds and gemstones in a low-impact studio environment.
The term aide-mémoire (pronounced aid memoir) is literally translated as "memory aid," and is often used to refer to notes taken to jog one’s memory later. In that same way, your ring acts a reminder of that important moment in your life.
aran galligan
founder, designer & maker (ze/they/she)
Aran is inspired by principles of modern design (simplicity, functionality, and truth to materials) as well as the idea that beauty lies in the imperfect mark of the hand and the natural weathering of materials over time. They believe that subtle imperfections in handmade work, or a patina on a ring after a lifetime of wear, are moments of celebration and beauty.
Aran is a PNW transplant from the East Coast, who started their metalsmithing journey in 1996 at Virginia Commonwealth University, then went on to study metals at Penland School of Crafts and SUNY New Paltz. They spend their free time crafting functional objects in various materials and browsing antique malls and salvage yards, searching for unique wood and rusty metal stuff with rich texture and patina.
our process
rooted in quality, ethics + environment
We believe in high-quality craftsmanship with a sharp focus on ethically sourced materials and processes. We merge traditional handcraft techniques with the latest technology – utilizing everything from time-honored metalworking skills to computer-aided design and 3D printing.
We work exclusively with a select few suppliers for our metals, diamonds, and gemstones; as part of the Ethical Metalsmiths Community, we collectively vet these suppliers. The precious metals we use are recycled, except for chains. Currently, there is no source for 100% recycled chains.
Our colored gemstones are either lab-grown, recycled, or fair trade. The diamonds we use are lab-grown, or recycled natural. At Aide-mémoire, we are more stringent in our diamond sourcing than the narrow scope of the Kimberley Process (KP). We acknowledge that the KP alone is not enough to make a conflict-free claim. Our strict sourcing limits the range of stones we offer; however, our priority is creating jewelry with integrity.
alaina steffan
studio coordinator (she/her)
Alaina has lived in the PNW her whole life and loves living in Seattle (although she could honestly do without all the rain). A life-long maker, she has always loved creating things with her hands and studied art and jewelry design in college. When she's not working you can find Alaina knitting, playing games with her husband and friends, and having her personal space encroached upon by her dogs Melee and Mayhem.
sloan selle
jewelry production assistant (she/they)
Sloan has lived in Washington state most of their life and now calls the Olympic Peninsula home. With a degree in graphic design and a background as a mixed media artist with a love for fine details, Sloan's skills naturally tranlated to the precision of production jewelry. When not in the studio, Sloan is usually playing with their two dogs, skateboarding, or taking beach walks and watching the neighborhood birds and otters.
rings don't have a gender
As a queer-owned jewelry studio, we believe jewelry is for everyone. A ring is simply a circle of metal—it doesn’t have a gender, and we don’t assign one to it. You won’t find “men’s” or “women’s” categories here. Instead, we describe bands by width: narrow (under 4mm) and wide (4mm and up).
Most of our ring styles are available online in sizes 4 to 11, and we’re happy to make many designs in other sizes by request. Our goal is to help you find something that feels good to wear and true to you.
We also know that identity is personal. We’ll never assume your pronouns, and we’re committed to creating a space where you can show up exactly as you are.
technology meets tradition
We merge traditional handcraft techniques with the latest technological tools.