Coming Winter edition: January 19th - 26th 2026
Coming Summer edition: July 22th - 28th 2026
The Creation Retreat
Winters & Summers · 1 week · Ardennes, Belgium
Immerse yourself in the art of jewelry making in an extraordinary setting, and create a custom piece that honors your story.
Beginning January 2026, in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes, I invite you to a one-of-a-kind retreat — a week to slow down, reconnect with your inner rhythm, and shape a jewel that is uniquely yours.
Held within a restored château where elegance meets soul, every detail — from the natural textures of the space to the meals crafted by local chefs — is designed to nourish you deeply and embody a way of living that is both beautiful and sustainable.
Here, time softens. Space opens — for deep rest, quiet inspiration, and the pure joy of creation.
Your first custom design
This retreat is an initiation into a world where artistry, presence, and refinement meet. Step by step, you will be guided through my beloved craft to create your own custom design — a jewel shaped by your hands, infused with your story, and destined to stay close to your heart for a lifetime.
Each day unfolds in a slower rhythm, attuned to nature and beauty: yoga in the morning light, seasonal meals crafted with care, unhurried afternoons at the bench, and conversations that awaken inspiration and imagination.
More than learning a skill, this retreat is about reconnecting with your essence — honoring the artistry within you, savoring the feel of precious materials, and discovering the joy of creating something at once meaningful and enduring.
The pillars of the retreat
At the heart of this retreat is the joy of bringing an idea to life — shaping a piece of jewelry that reflects your story, your symbols, and your inner world. Each day, I will personally guide you step by step, offering demonstrations, feedback, and space for you to sketch, reflect, and let images, words, or memories surface into form. From carving wax to refining textures, I will be at your side to ensure you feel both supported and free to explore. Every stage becomes a dialogue between your hands, your heart, and the attentive guidance you receive. This is not simply about making jewelry — it is about translating something deeply personal into form. You will leave with a custom design that carries your meaning: a piece of jewelry that is both beautiful and symbolic, born of your own creativity, and shaped with care throughout the journey.
Learning & creation
Beauty & harmony
During your stay, every detail is designed to restore you and awaken inspiration. The château holds a quiet grandeur: its spa offers warmth and stillness, while seasonal meals prepared by chefs arrive as rituals of care, shared around tables adorned with flowers and candlelight. Here, beauty is not mere decoration — it is a language. It speaks in the way light falls across old stone, in the way food is prepared with intention, and in the way silence opens space for reflection. Immersed in this atmosphere, symbols begin to surface — images, dreams, and memories that naturally weave into your design. Harmony arises effortlessly, and from it, your creativity flows with more depth, subtlety, and joy.
Connection & presence
The retreat unfolds as an intimate circle of only eight women, each entering her own journey of creation. Presence deepens not only in shared meals and gentle conversations, but also in the quiet focus of designing side by side — each woman turning inward, listening for the symbols or stories that wish to take shape in her jewelry. In this atmosphere, connection is not about many voices, but about resonance. You may find yourself inspired by how another woman’s vision mirrors your own, or how her symbols awaken something within you. Together, the group becomes a living mirror: each piece carrying personal meaning, while also belonging to a larger story of beauty, artistry, and belonging.
Once I have read your answers, we will connect in a private call to ensure this retreat feels aligned. It is in this conversation that I will share the full details of the journey, including the investment and available payment arrangements.
About your host - Emma Olyff
I am Emma Olyff — jewelry designer, educator, and guide. I come from a long lineage of artists and artisans: sculptors, designers, seamstresses, garden architects. Growing up surrounded by studios, tools, and creative expression taught me early on that true artistry is built on both vision and craftsmanship — the quiet refinement of hands shaping something that lasts.
My own path has been devoted to creating custom designs, where I listen deeply to a client’s story and translate their symbols into jewelry they can carry close to their heart. This has shown me again and again how jewelry can become more than ornament: it can be a vessel of memory, meaning, and transformation.
Alongside my personal work, I have taught more than 100 students, guiding them with patience, presence, and the belief that artistry belongs to everyone. What lights me up is not only seeing someone learn a technique, but watching them discover their own creative voice through it.
For me, these retreats feel like the centerpiece of the puzzle — where everything I love comes together: craftsmanship, storytelling, presence, beauty, and community. My role here is to gently guide you step by step as you create your first custom design. You will not only learn techniques, but also discover how to listen inwardly for the images, memories, and inspirations that want to take shape in your piece. I will support you in each stage so you feel safe, confident, and inspired as you bring your story into form.
At its heart, this retreat is not only about making jewelry, but about honoring life itself — slowing down, reconnecting with what matters, and shaping a piece that will remain with you for years as a symbol of your own journey.
Included in the retreat are:
Accommodation
– 7 days, 6 nights in a Château in the Ardennes
– Private luxurious room with double bed and en-suite bathroom (with bath)
– Full access to spa (hammam, sauna, outdoor hot tub, relaxation room) and pool
– Vintage home cinema for evenings of rest and inspiration
– Daily meals prepared by three professional chefs (seasonal, nourishing, and beautifully presented, with floral arrangements)
Stay & Rhythm (all optional & included)
– Guided circle moment to open and close the week
– 45 min. group yoga class every morning
– Forest walks in the surrounding area of the Chateau
– One massage per guest offered, additional available on demand
Workshops & Creation
– an initiation to your very first piece of custom jewelry
– + conversations & workshops about beauty, creativity, and presence
– Guided custom jewelry experience from start to finish
– Step-by-step support with your design and making process
– Materials, tools, and creation supplies
This retreat is held as a premium, all-inclusive experience, created with deep care for each woman who joins. It reflects both your jewelry-making journey and the nourishing rhythm of a week together in the château. After you complete the short questionnaire, we will connect in a discovery call where I will share all investment details with you personally.
The schedule
Each day is designed with a rhythm that weaves together creation, inspiration, and rest. There is space to work on your jewel, time to share in circle, and moments to simply enjoy the beauty of the Ardennes.
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Welcome to the château, time to settle into your private room
Gentle opening circle in the evening to set intentions and connect with the group
Shared dinner of local, seasonal, healthy dishes prepared by our chefs
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Optional morning yoga
Light seasonal breakfast
Guided exercises to connect with your story, symbols, and inspiration
Local, seasonal lunch served with care by our chefs
Sketching, mood boards, and refining your design concept
One-on-one design conversations with Emma
Local, seasonal dinner served with care by our chefs
Time to meet, relax + prepare for the next day
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Optional morning yoga
Light seasonal breakfast prepared with care by our chefs
Introduction to traditional techniques, tools, and materials
Local, seasonal lunch served with care by our chefs
Begin carving your design in wax, with individual guidance throughout the afternoon
Local, seasonal dinner served with care by our chefs
Evening reflection or quiet rest
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Optional morning yoga
Light seasonal breakfast prepared with care by our chefs
Deep work on your wax model, refining textures and details
Local, seasonal lunch served with care by our chefs
Afternoon forest walk for integration and inspiration
Local, seasonal dinner served with care by our chefs
Gentle evening circle to share progress
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Optional morning yoga
Light seasonal breakfast
Your wax models are cast into silver or gold
Local, seasonal lunch served with care by our chefs
Guided polishing, texturing, and refining work begins
Local, seasonal dinner served with care by our chefs
Relaxed evening in the spa, by the pool, or in the cinema
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Optional morning yoga
Light seasonal breakfast
Closing circle: sharing the story of your jewelry and reflecting on the journey
Local, seasonal lunch served with care by our chefs
Free afternoon for integration, spa, or walks in nature
Farewell dinner — a festive evening meal celebrating your creations and the circle we’ve shared
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Morning:
• Breakfast
• Farewell gathering & departures by 9:00
The custom jewelry you will create
At the heart of the Beginner Edition is the creation of your own custom piece of jewelry — a piece that carries meaning, memory, and your unique story.
You may arrive with a clear vision, a symbol that speaks to you, or simply a life moment you wish to honor. Before the retreat begins, we will take time to explore your ideas together, ensuring that your design feels both meaningful and achievable within the rhythm of our days.
Throughout the week, I will guide you step by step:
– Gathering inspiration through sketches, textures, colors, and personal stories
– A design conversation to refine your vision and reveal its symbolic depth
– A gentle initiation to the traditional techniques we will use
– Ongoing one-on-one support through every stage of the creative process
Over two days, you will carve your design in wax, supported with care and patience. Once complete, your model will be cast into your chosen metal — gold or silver — before we refine it through polish, texture, and, if you wish, the setting of a stone.
There is great freedom in what you can create. I will guide you toward details that can be beautifully realized in our timeframe, while honoring your vision in its essence. For more intricate designs, I can complete the finishing touches after the retreat and deliver your finished jewelry to you with the same dedication.
All tools and materials are provided. No prior experience is required — only the desire to slow down, turn inward, and create a piece of jewelry that feels deeply meaningful and will stay close to your heart for years to come.
Once I have read your answers, we will connect in a private call to ensure this retreat feels aligned. It is in this conversation that I will share the full details of the journey, including the investment and available payment arrangements.
The location, the Chateau
The retreat unfolds in a historic domain in the heart of the Ardennes, surrounded by ancient forests, rolling meadows, and quiet gardens. The château itself balances elegance with warmth: high ceilings and wooden beams, light streaming through tall windows that open onto nature. Each space is crafted to invite calm and presence — from luminous salons and the intimate library to the hammam, sauna, and outdoor hot tub that await you.
Meals are an experience in themselves: seasonal dishes prepared by chefs who treat food as art, served in a dining room that feels both refined and welcoming. Tables are set with flowers and candlelight, inviting conversation and beauty in equal measure. Between sessions, you may rest by the pool, walk barefoot through the garden, or settle into the vintage home cinema for a moment of inspiration.
The entire domain holds a sense of seclusion and care. Time slows, and space opens for your own rhythm to emerge. Here, beauty is not added decoration — it is an atmosphere, a way of being. It gently surrounds you throughout the week, allowing creativity and presence to unfold with ease.
The philosophy
This retreat invites you into another rhythm — one that feels softer, slower, and deeply nourishing. Presence arises here not as something to chase, but as a natural unfolding, supported by beauty and care.
Far from the urgency of daily life, surrounded by forests, gardens, and quiet light filtering through old stone walls, your inner pace softens. Time expands. The mind clears. You begin to notice again — the sound of birds at dawn, the warmth of a meal prepared with intention, the quiet of sitting at a bench with your hands shaping something meaningful.
Each day unfolds with a gentle structure: mornings begin without hurry, meals are served as seasonal offerings prepared with artistry, and creation sessions weave together with moments of rest, conversation, and reflection. Inspiration does not come from pressure, but from the simplicity of gestures — sketching at a wooden table, walking slowly through the garden, pausing in the spa, or noticing how the light shifts over the trees.
Being together is part of the retreat. Around shared meals, in women’s circles, or in the silence of carving side by side, a sense of true connection emerges. This is not about many voices, but about resonance — belonging with others who also long for beauty, depth, and creativity.
In this atmosphere, your jewelry takes shape. It is not only a piece of gold or silver — it becomes a symbol of your story, born of reflection, shaped by your own hands, and carried within a community that holds you with care.
Once I have read your answers, we will connect in a private call to ensure this retreat feels aligned. It is in this conversation that I will share the full details of the journey, including the investment and available payment arrangements.
The investment
The investment for the retreat, including
- The Chateau accomodation (bedroom, spa, pool)
- The chef prepared meals (3 daily local & seasonal + 10h + 16h snacks)
- The additional acitvities (yoga, massage, guided forest walks)
- The workshops (more than 20h of guidance from Emma)
- The materials (tools for 8 participants + silver + gold)
-The support (from a specialised stone setter)
- The inspiring talks + conferences (more than 10h guidance form Emma)
- Your very own custom design finished at the end of the stay
7500.- per participant. Flexible installments possible.
First or full payment to confirm your space.
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The retreat takes place in the quiet beauty of the Belgian Ardennes, within a historic château surrounded by forests and gardens. A place to slow down, connect, and feel deeply inspired.
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Travel is simple. Guests make their own way to the retreat, but we can help coordinate carpooling with other participants or arrange a pickup from nearby train stations or airports if needed. Whether you come by car, train, or shared ride, arriving is easy — and from the moment you step onto the grounds, everything else is fully taken care of.
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This experience is designed for a small circle of eight women. You may come on your own, with a friend, or alongside a loved one, and you will be welcomed into a group that quickly feels like community. Some arrive to mark a life moment, others to rest or to rekindle creativity — but all are received with the same presence and care.
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Yes. Your fee includes:
– 6 nights in a private room with en-suite bathroom, within the château
– Access to the spa (hammam, sauna, outdoor hot tub, relaxation room) and pool
– Seasonal meals prepared by professional chefs (all dietary needs accommodated), plus morning and afternoon snacks
– Women’s circles to open and close the retreat
– Daily guidance and creation sessions with Emma, including the full design and crafting process
– All tools and materials (including up to 5g of recycled gold or silver, and stone setting if desired)
– Optional workshops such as floral design or seasonal cooking
– Space for restoration: yoga, forest walks, massage, or quiet time in the gardens and salons -
After reading your answers to the appellation form, I will likely invite you to a call to feel if our energies match. During this conversation, I will share all details about the retreat, including the investment and payment options.
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You’ll receive a detailed guide after booking. But in short: bring soft, comfortable clothes, a notebook for your reflections, shoes for walking in the forest, and anything small that helps you feel at home.
F.A.Q.
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All meals are prepared for you by our chefs, using seasonal and organic ingredients, with care for every dietary preference — plant-based, gluten-free, or omnivore. Breakfasts, lunches, and three-course dinners are served at set times, always nourishing and beautifully presented, with morning and afternoon snacks to keep your energy gentle and steady. Every table is dressed with flowers, making each meal not only food, but a moment of care and beauty shared together.
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Yes, absolutely. We take this seriously. Upon booking, you’ll be invited to share anything we should know—so that every detail can be adjusted to your needs, in advance.
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None at all. The process is intimate, slow, and entirely guided. Whether it is your first time working with your hands or wether you already have experience, you will be fully supported at each step.
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Yes. The retreat is thought so you can each create your own personal piece, or collaborate on one together if you come accompanied. It’s up to you. We will discuss this in your initial call so everything is tailored to your wishes.
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Each project is different. Some guests come with a clear idea, others with a memory, a color, or a symbol. Together, we co-create a design that feels right for you.
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You are not alone in the process—I will be by your side every step of the way. Whether it is your first time working with your hands or you feel unsure about your design, you will be guided with patience, kindness, and expert care. This is not about perfection—it is about presence, meaning, and the quiet joy of creating something that feels true to you. We go at your rhythm. And if needed, I will lovingly shape certain steps by hand, so that your piece reflects your story—beautifully and faithfully.
"Emma is fantastic. After Sam bought one of the rings from her collection as engagement ring... We immediately thought about her when we discussed our wedding bands. We went to her with an idea and she turned it into reality. She sent us the prototypes of the rings in very short time and they were already perfect 🥰 We loved chatting with her and discussing ideas. We can't wait to have another jewellery project in our head just to work with her again." Rox & Sam
"Emma is fantastic. After Sam bought one of the rings from her collection as engagement ring... We immediately thought about her when we discussed our wedding bands. We went to her with an idea and she turned it into reality. She sent us the prototypes of the rings in very short time and they were already perfect 🥰 We loved chatting with her and discussing ideas. We can't wait to have another jewellery project in our head just to work with her again." Rox & Sam
"We called on Emma for a rather special request. We had some old jewelry belonging to my grandmother. Unfortunately, they were no longer to our taste. So my mom and my sister and I wanted to create something that would unite the three of us. As my mom already had a gold band, we decided to ask Emma to create 2 other identical bands, as well as a ring from her existing collection. Emma listened, advised and, above all, explained the whole creation process! We were really able to follow the whole process, step by step. I'm so happy to have called on her magnificent talent and creativity for this project, which was very close to our hearts. What's more, supporting a young craftswoman was essential for us."
"We called on Emma for a rather special request. We had some old jewelry belonging to my grandmother. Unfortunately, they were no longer to our taste. So my mom and my sister and I wanted to create something that would unite the three of us. As my mom already had a gold band, we decided to ask Emma to create 2 other identical bands, as well as a ring from her existing collection. Emma listened, advised and, above all, explained the whole creation process! We were really able to follow the whole process, step by step. I'm so happy to have called on her magnificent talent and creativity for this project, which was very close to our hearts. What's more, supporting a young craftswoman was essential for us."
