Press Release
Whispers Under Wings Necklace Pendant by Sirui Zhu Receives the A' Design Award in Jewelry Design
The international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Sirui Zhu for jewelry design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 25, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the A' Design Award in the Jewelry Design category for Whispers Under Wings Necklace Pendant by Sirui Zhu, designed for Niutopia. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the A' Design Award Means
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
More About Whispers Under Wings Necklace Pendant
Whispers Under Wings is a necklace pendant shaped as a beetle. The hollow wings form a delicate openwork shell that holds a small suspended sprite inside. As the wearer moves, the inner sprite shifts and produces a soft, bell-like sound. The pendant was developed through digital modeling and made in silver by lost-wax casting, followed by hand finishing, polishing and careful assembly. The piece measures 20 by 40 by 15 millimeters. The beetle is used as a symbol of protection, transformation and resilience, while the moving sprite suggests fragility and imagination.
Award Record
With this recognition, Sirui Zhu is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Jewelry Design Award
The A' Jewelry Design Award is an international jewelry design competition recognizing good jewelry designs by best jewelry designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to jewelry designers, jewelry brands, jewelers and goldsmiths from all countries. Entries typically include rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches and pendants. Awarded jewelry designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/jewelry
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/180832
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/180832
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!180832
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/379399
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Whispers Under Wings Necklace Pendant
- Function
- Necklace Pendant
- Category
- Jewelry Design
- Discipline
- Fashion Design
- Industry
- Luxury and Fashion
- Colors
- Black, Dark Slate Gray, Dark Olive Green and Dim Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Niutopia
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Sirui Zhu
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #180832
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Sirui Zhu
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This pendant reimagines the beetle as a kinetic vessel of enchantment. The hollowed wings form a delicate architectural shell, encasing a suspended sprite that moves freely within. As the wearer moves, the inner fairy gently shifts, producing a clear, bell-like resonance. The design merges sculptural precision with interactive sound, transforming jewelry into a living, sensory experience defined by motion, lightness, and subtle acoustic presence.
- Inspiration
- The design is inspired by the beetle, a symbol of protection, transformation, and resilience. By envisioning the beetle as a living vessel, the piece explores the idea of an inner spirit sheltered within a structured exterior. The suspended sprite represents fragility and imagination, while the hollow wings suggest permeability rather than enclosure. Movement and sound become metaphors for presence, reminding the wearer that life, even when protected, remains dynamic and responsive.
- Research
- The design was influenced by the forests of Vancouver, where close observation of insects, organic structures, and natural movement sparked imaginative exploration. Sketching and prototyping were used to study how a protective outer form could contain a delicate inner presence. Special attention was given to creating a hollow structure that allows internal movement while maintaining stability. Through iterative testing, the relationship between protection, motion, and sound was refined, resulting in a piece that reflects the quiet vitality and mystery of nature.
- Challenge
- The main challenge was developing a hollow structure that could securely contain the inner sprite while allowing it to move freely and produce sound. The internal spacing had to be carefully adjusted to prevent obstruction while maintaining stability. Achieving the right balance between structural strength and visual lightness required multiple prototypes. Special attention was given to suspension, weight distribution, and assembly to ensure both durability and consistent kinetic response.
- Realization and Technology
- The design was developed through digital modeling to precisely define the hollow structure and internal suspension system. Using lost-wax casting, the beetle form was translated into metal while preserving fine openwork details. The inner sprite element was fabricated and integrated through a concealed kinetic mounting. Final processes included hand finishing, polishing, and careful assembly to ensure balanced movement and acoustic clarity.
- Operation and Interaction
- The pendant comes to life through the wearer’s movement. As the body shifts, the small inner sprite gently moves within the hollow beetle form, creating a soft, bell-like sound. This subtle motion transforms the piece from a static object into a responsive presence. The interaction is intuitive and continuous, allowing the wearer to experience the jewelry not only visually, but through sound and movement.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project stated in December 2025 in Vancouver and finished in January 2026.
- Specifications
- 20mm x 40mm x 15mm, silver weight 18.1g
- Keywords
- Fairy, Beetle, Necklace, Niutopia
