Silversmith Workshop – Hanoi

Always on the lookout for unique things to do and more things to learn while travelling, I stumbled upon a silversmith workshop in Hanoi. In the silver crafting village Dinh Cong, about 30 minutes from the Old Quarter of Hanoi, held inside a community house, this workshop takes you back to the time when Hanoi was still called Thang Long (1010 AC).

Silver Smith Workshop

Once I got to the community house I was welcomed warmly by a master silversmith and his pupil, who explained that silver smithing in the Dinh Cong village is one of the few ancient crafts of old Hanoi that still exists today in its original form.

First, you flatten the silver string by pulling it through several holes, each a fraction smaller than the previous one. Once it is thin enough it is forced through a press until it becomes a flat silver band.

Then you pick your shape and bend the silver to fit. Afterwards, the big band is put away for the moment and you twist very thin silver strands into tiny circles which you fit into the frame you crafted before. Once they are in place you cut off the tail ends to make them fit. Finally, the silver is welded together by adding a silver-borax-powder and applying heat from a torch you have to operate with your foot. It was a little scary at first, but I figured out how to do it with help.

Before I went here I had never done any smithing or jewellery work. I only had a rough idea of the shape I wanted to create and they helped me bring it to life and craft a beautiful pendant I will wear as a necklace at home.

If you are interested in this silver smith workshop, message them on Instagram @beyond_backstreet or have a look at their website: www.beyondbackstreettours.com or book the workshop directly on GetYourGuide Traditional Silversmith Workshop in Hanoi*: