scientific nature of jewellery

interpreting the profession of goldsmith from various angles and opening up towards new inputs

year 2009
category Processes / Machines & Their unique Results
commissioned by
Vienna Design Week
in collaboration with
Rozet & Fischmeister

chemical substances are part of the transformation progress

Invited by the Vienna Design Week 09 to participate in that year’s Passionswege*, this project was realized together with Rozet & Fischmeister Court Jewelers.
Famous for their silverware, they recently began to focus, once again, more on fine jewellery.

Researching into hand-crafted jewellery and all its productions steps, it became obvious that the making of jewellery requires much training and specification as well as patience, careful planning, love for perfect details, and an immense amount of knowledge in materials. This finding was translated into an experimental set up with the title the scientific nature of jewellery.

*Passionwege is a project format of Vienna Design Week. Every Year ten emerging designers (national and international) are invited to collaborate in an experimental project with Vienna-based companies.

growing necklace

To make a beautiful and accurately-made piece of jewellery, it needs time, mindfulness and patience. Similar to a grain, which slowly develops and becomes the plant.
In this experiment, gemstones are replaced by grains. Tenderly cultivated, taken care of and shaped, the seed grows gradually up, becoming the actual “piece of jewellery”. The owner can cultivate and form the plant to his imagination and experiment with various species.

setup for growing jewellery

seeds are pre-growing in little glasses

seeds as the base of the later necklace

discolouring necklace

the sulphide liquid will reveal the silhouettes

Knowledge about material and its physical and chemical properties, enable to broaden the boarders of classic craftsmanship.
In this second experiment a silver necklace is doused, again and again, in sulphide liquid. After some time, black graphics emerge on the necklace. In this case, the silhouettes of two children become visible.

A reinterpretation of classical amulets showing the ones we love.

chemical instruments and metal tests

original necklace by Rozet & Fischmeister

It requires many work steps and fine-tuning until a classic piece of jewellery is finished. The piece is melted, hit, wrought, soldered, edged, polished …
To emphasize the importance of details, beauty and precision, an original piece by Rozet & Fischmeister is examined through magnifying glasses.