Bronze Jewelry Design · 2018
Thonet Tribute Bracelet
- A' Design Award 2018 Bronze Winner in Jewelry Design
- Awarded April 15, 2018
- CLIENT: Camilla Marcondes Design
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 16,539
- Verification code 6682345D90 · Verify this award
About Thonet Tribute Bracelet
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Thonet's popular chairs, the bracelet uses this classic of the furniture design as its main inspiration. Mixing two materials as metal and wood, the piece was designed in contemporary style with an architectural print. All the empty elements on metal sheet, the volume and the wood detail were designed aiming the balance of materials and light weightness of the piece
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The jewelry piece uses a great classic of the furniture design as its main headline. All the empty elements on metal sheet, the volume and the wood detail were designed aiming the balance of materials and light weightness.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Dimensions (mm): Width 66 x Depth 55 x Height 60, Weight: 85g
- Tags
- Bracelet, Cuff, Thonet, Jewelry, Jewellery, Woven Cane, Web
- Production Technology
- Materials: Brass, wood, silver plated. The metals pieces are laser cut, bended into a cuff shape then plated separately. The thin wooden sheet is glued to the base metal and the top metal element is fixed by small rivets.
- Design Challenge
- The project had 2 big challenges. The first and the bigger one was to transform a multi layer braided fiber into a flat single metal sheet. Even being flated, the sheet had to look like the real woven cane web. The other challenge was how to fix the top metal sheet on the base one, since all the metal were plated and welding wasn't an option.
- Project Duration
- The project started with its first sketches in September 2011 in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil. After drafts, alterations and prototypes, the project was launched in March 2012.
- Operation Flow
- Body ornament worn on the wrist or lower forearm
- Research
- The research was made using a real woven cane chair, measuring the entire braided pattern, sketching over it. After the vetorial drawing, many tests were made to determinate the size of the empty elements.
- Inspiration
- The 150th anniversary of Thonet's most popular design served as inspiration for the creation. The object of inspiration consists in handed woven cane seat and backrest and a wooden frame structure. The goal was to take the web pattern of the Thonet's chair, but using the metal as the main element of the jewelry.
- Image Credits
- Photographer: Ernane Pinho
Colors of Thonet Tribute Bracelet
Design Interview about Thonet Tribute Bracelet
The main idea for my bracelet design was the 150th aniversary of the most popular Thonet's chair.
My focus was to represent the woven cane in a flat metal sheet, not braiding the metal, but using a laser cut technique.
I will keep it in my catalog for a while, but only for special orders. I don't want to produce it on a large scale.
The bracelet idea was pretty fast, the hard work was to design it. It was used a real woven cane, measuring the entire braided pattern, sketching over it. After the vetorial drawing, many tests were made to determinate the size of the empty elements. I believe it had taken a whole week to finalize the design.
I am a furniture design lover, all my inspiration comes from architecture, geometry. I love Thonet's design, I love even more wood and natural woven, and I already had used it in others designs. I was starting to design a new collection when I read in a magazine about the Thonet's chair celebration. I was in a 'metal laser cut moment' and the idea to represent the woven cane in metal sheet came quickly.
The bracelet had a small production, only 50 units and was sold in my own store. Now, the production is only by order.
Bracelets are my favorite accessory. I love to wear them and love even more to design them. When my inspiration came, I even didn't think in other product.
Lots of them, the Bauhaus designers influence me, brazilian architects like Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa too.
But my father was the first one to influence me, teaching me the beauty of shapes.
But my father was the first one to influence me, teaching me the beauty of shapes.
First of all, paper and pencil. I also have to build the elements to test the size, so scissor, cutter and card paper was used to sketch. For the laser cut metal sheet I used AutoCad software. To assemble all the parts I need goldsmithing tools to shape the metal into a bracelet, fix the two metal layers, etc
It's a large and bold bracelet, however it's vey light because the metal sheets are very thin.
Yes, Harpia Tec is the metal cutter company which attends me for almost 10 years.
I was very happy with result of this design. I think I achived exactly what I wanted to. The design was highly praised, not only by customers, but brazilian fashion designers and celebrities. So I decided to submit it to A'Design Awards.
I improve myself in every work I am in, specially when it's a new experience, a new material, a new technique or even a new partner. In this particular case I improved a lot my vectorial drawing skills and I also had to improve my patience, I'm kidding. I had to re-draw dozens of times this woven pattern until I reach the best fit.