Midnight Tide Monile by Elinn Yi Fang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum in Designatio Ornamentorum Competition Category.

ArgentumOrnamenta· 2023

Midnight Tide Monile

by Elinn Yi Fang

Client: Bijoux d'Elinn

Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum Winner in Ornamenta Category

45,078
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #149862

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Midnight Tide Monile

Aestus Mediae Noctis est monile ex auro albo XVIII unciarum confectum, adamantibus insertis ornatum. Torques constat ex LXXIX unitatibus singillatim formatis, quarum quaeque fusa est ad munus proprium explendum et ad similitudinem ossium humanorum figurata. Unitates inter se conectuntur per mechanismum iuncturae originalem, ligamentis corporis inspiratum, qui tensionem moderatam motumque fluentem efficit. Quaeque unitas exemplari primo formata, composita et denuo fusa est accurata accommodatione, atque iuncturae manu subtiliter temperatae sunt. Forma inde nata motum aestuum oceani per umerum revocat.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum

Midnight Tide Monile victor est Praemii A' Design Award Argenteum, honoris eximie amplissimi formis summi generis, pulchris et conspicuis dati. Victores Argenti opera valde splendida et creandi ingenio praedita sunt, quae praestantem peritiam, talentum et acumen auctorum suorum ostendunt. Exspectatur Midnight Tide Monile opus mirabile, exemplare, valde professionale et penitus novum fore. Haec forma Argento victa inventum notabile et admiratum est, quod ad fines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae promovendos confert. Midnight Tide Monile creatio est, quam multi invident, quae cupiditates excitat, sensus bonos affert et admirationem miraculumque movet.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: To realize the artistic vision, the neckpiece consists of 79 meticulously modeled units, each cast to fulfill specific functions, resembling the distinctive shapes of human bones. Inspired by body ligaments, these units interconnect through an original linkage mechanism that delivers curated tension and choreographed movement. The combination engineers a textural unity that is simultaneously resilient and agile.
Dimensions & Packaging: 125mm x 3mm x 195mm
Tags: Bespoke jewellery, Necklace, Diamond neckpiece, Exquisite craftsmanship, Serenity, Artistic expression
Production Technology: Diamond inlaid 18ct White Gold, individually modelled and cast with 3D printing techniques that interconnect through an original linkage mechanism. Relentless trial and error and countless prototyping culminated in the final engineering of the structure.
Design Challenge: In order to achieve visual harmony and convey the intended artistic vision, the neckpiece required specific qualities in terms of texture, color, and reflection. The desired movement is achieved by meticulously crafting each individual unit with subtle variations. This involved a precise and laborious process of manipulating the hardened 18ct Gold wires in order to control the angle, direction, and extent of joint movements, similar to the way ligaments function in the human body. The goal was to attain a universal balance across all units and joints, which required significant effort and attention to detail.
Research: Visual qualities: Inspired by oceanic movements and tidal imageries, artist made pencil studies and observations that progressed seamlessly from figurative sketching to the finalized abstract form.
Engineering: The adult human body comprises 206 individual bones, each with a unique shape and function in facilitating movement. The engineering of this neckpiece is influenced by the anatomical structure of body joints.
Inspiration: The neckpiece crystallizes the inner serenity to which the artist is drawn. The piece is reminiscent of the frothy ebbs of midnight tides, draping effortlessly over one's shoulder: mimicking the fluidity of a wave caressing down the coastline, imbuing the pulse of the ocean into the wearer's very being.
Project Duration: Starting April 2022 during the 2 month city-wide lockdown in Shanghai, and finished in January 2023, Shanghai.
Operation Flow: The design process originated from the shaping of the piece that was completed within one sitting. The artist then came up with different structures to combine and separate the materials in order to achieve the fluidity and strength of the shaping. Each unit was prototyped, assembled, and recast with precise adjustment. After more than 10 types of structural redesign and finishing, the joint movements were individually fine-tuned by hands to enable desired movements multi-dimensionally.
Team Members: Elinn Fang
Image Credits: Image No.1-5: Mo Zhou
Video: Lin Zhu
Copyrighting: Simone Zhang