Rainer Beneke was born in Hamburg, Germany and initially trained and worked as a design engineer. After coming to New Zealand in 1984, he studied jewellery making at Otago Polytechnic School of Art and now has a studio based in Dunedin.

The mountains and the wonderful Central Otago landscape have been a major inspiration for Beneke’s work.  Creating jewellery mainly in precious metals - often a combination of gold and silver - his pieces reflect this landscape in their shape and surfaces.  His innate knowledge of the metals’ possibilities gives him the ability to make timeless classic works.

Beneke exhibits nationally and his work is held in collections in New Zealand, USA and Germany.

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