Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak by Britta schwalm

Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak by Britta schwalm is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2017 Burdinazko Saria A' Design Award in Bitxigintza Diseinua Competition Category.

BurdinaBitxigintza· 2017

Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak

by Britta schwalm

Client: Britta Schwalm

Burdinazko Saria A' Design Award Winner in Bitxigintza Category

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Colors

The Design

About Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak

Familia edo gertaerei buruzko oroitzapenak dauzkaten bitxiak daude. Ordutik zaharra bihurtu dira, baina oso eskerga eta maiteak dira saltzeko. Maiz bitxien kutxan sartuta daude. Bihotz esanguratsua bitxiak izaten dira lepoko batean eramateko zintzilikarioak, batzuetan xarma, eskuorria edo giltza-euskarri gisa. Forma berriko bitxi pieza berria da, baina oraindik emozio eta oroimen indibidualak betikotzen ditu. Brittas Schmiede-ren konfiantza izan zen urrezko maitearengandik egindako hutsik da. Bihotza urtzeko kontzeptua da.

The Recognition

About the Burdinazko Saria A' Design Award

Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak Burdinazko Saria A' Design Award irabazlea da, ondo diseinatutako sorkuntzetatik espero diren eskakizun profesional eta industrialak betetzen dituzten diseinu onei ematen zaien aitorpen prestijiotsua. Burdin-mailako irabazleek beren sortzaileen trebetasun handia, espezializazio handia, adituen ulermena eta sormen-gaitasuna erakusten dituzte. Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak oso estimatua, miretsia eta maitea den sorkuntza izatea espero da, praktikoa eta berritzailea dena. Burdinazko Saria A' Design Award irabazi duen diseinu honek sektoreko praktika onenak integratzen ditu eta know-how-ari eta talentuari lotutako ezaugarri tekniko gaituak ditu. Meaningful Heart Jewelry Bitxiak zehaztasunagatik errespetatua den lana da, eta mundua leku hobea egiten laguntzen duten bizi-kalitatearen hobekuntzak eskaintzeko diseinatua dagoena.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Meaningful Heart jewelry is usually a pendant to be worn either on a necklace, sometimes as a charm, a brooch or key holder. It is melted from old pieces of jewellery. Pieces with strong memories attached, but not wearable because of shape or constitution. The result of the melting process is a heart shaped pendant, solid gold, with a smooth or rough surface, depending on the customers wishes. It is still full of emotions and memories and it is without fail the e.g. wedding ring of grandma.
Dimensions & Packaging: Depending on the amount of material a melted heart measures approx. 5 mm to 5 cm in diameter.
It is above-mentioned to have a rough melted surface.
Tags: Meaningful, Heart, jewelry, gold, preloved, sustainable, recycling, up cycling, reused, pendant, key ring, charm,
Production Technology: The gold has to be analyzed, to make sure it is gold. Thereafter it will be arranged in a heart shaped form on my melting place. I put the fire on it and heat it up all-over till it starts melting. With a little stick the fluid gold can be arranged. Then I cool it down in some water. Then I polish the surface to a smooth or rough finish. If there is a piece of jewellery which should stay untouched, I construct a wire or panel, to get a heart shape, with the precious untouched piece e.g. inside.
Design Challenge: The challenge in this project is to recognise the ideas of a person, not used to think about the shape of a jewellery and reach this ideas so that the customer feel Yes, that's it. The second challenge is to create a design which is close resembles a love heart, while avoiding to bee cheesy or appearing too chunky.
Research: The pieces consist of preloved gold or silver and of diamonds or precious stones which were part of the jewelry melted for this project. The material of the pendant is 100 percent recycled gold or silver. The environmental savings: No new material has to be mined. All of it is already there and usually at least 20 years old. There is a saving of poisonous chemicals, which are usually required in recycling gold. These chemicals are not needed in my process, as the gold is only re-shaped.
Inspiration: First step into this direction was an event called Goldrausch - gold fever. Visitors were invited to bring their old silver or gold items and melt a nugget by themselves. Once a client came and sought advice about what to make out of her preloved gold. She didn't want to sell it, as it had belonged to her grandma, but she could not wear it. I remembered gold fever and asked her to make it to a heart shaped melted nugget. The result was a beautiful little golden heart, which my client loved.
Project Duration: First gold fever-event took place in early 2010. After yet another gold fever in November 2014, the idea appeared to take off and I implement the Heart of preloved gold option on my website and in my goldsmith's shop. In February 2016 I was invited to give a demonstration of my Meaningful Heart jewelry live in the TV show Hallo Hessen. In March 2016 I registered the website Herz-aus-Altgol.de
Operation Flow: There exist a lot of jewelleries carrying memories. They have become old-fashioned since, but are too special to be sold and are tucked away in the jewellery box. As a Heart of preloved gold the jewelleries can be worn. In a new look, but the material still carrying the memories. It is much more cost efficient than buying something new. The only money to be paid is for my work. And, my benefit: I love this special glance in the eyes when the customers pick up their completed jewelry.