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Press Release

Sarah Ring

A' Design Award 2022 Bronze Winner in Jewelry Design

28 April 2022

Sarah Ring by Anna-Reetta Vaananen
Sarah Ring by Anna-Reetta Vaananen
Sarah Ring by Anna-Reetta Vaananen
Sarah Ring by Anna-Reetta Vaananen
Sarah Ring by Anna-Reetta Vaananen

Anna-Reetta Vaananen · CLIENT: Anna's Darling

Sarah is a gold ring inspired by a peony cultivar and by the actress it was named after, Sarah Bernhard. The ring appears solid and delicate at the same time, much like the flower itself. Its appearance changes depending on the viewing angle. Sarah is made from recycled 585 yellow gold using lost wax casting and goldsmith plate techniques. The flower layers were formed by dropping melted wax onto an iron sphere tool, then cast in gold, polished and joined with gold wire using only a few solders. The design combines wearable jewelry and art.

Press Kit

Unique Properties
Sarah ring is made from gold with lost wax casting and goldsmith plate techniques. The ring is massive and fragile at the same time. Sarah jewelry has been inspired by peony and the very first superstar Sarah Bernhard. This design is unique combination of good usability and art jewelry at the same time. From each angle it is different and gives an impression of hand made artefact and unique piece of art.
Dimensions & Packaging
Material 585 yellow gold
Size of the flower 21 mm x 14 mm
Width of the ring 4 mm
Size of the ring varies.
Weight of the ring 19 g in ring size 17.
Tags
ring, goldring, flowerjewelry, peony, sarahbernhard, lostwaxcasting
Production Technology
Sarah ring is made with lost wax casting and goldsmith plate techniques from recycled 585 yellow gold. Original flower pieces were made by melting wax and forming the flower pieces drop by drop on top of an iron sphere. The ring part is made from gold plate by hand. After casting the wax made flower pieces it was all joined together with supporting and visual adding gold wire with only three solders.
Design Challenge
In this Sarah design process were used scketching and model making techniques before moving in to experimental form giving. The biggest challenge was to create something new that does not only imitate nature and flower but expresses the desired character of nature, human being and a time era. These all were to adapt in to wearable and beautiful jewelry.
Project Duration
Project started in July 2020 and finished in June 2021, and was exhibited in June 2021 in Sonkajarvi Finland.
Operation Flow
Challenge was to make original and interesting design. Sarah form giving started with molding wax sheets and adding melted wax on a sphere tool. Wax models were lost wax casted in to gold and then best forms for the flower part were chosen. Casted gold layers were grinded polishes and soldered together with one gold wire. Parts were elevated from each other with slugs to lift the flower layers and make it lively and light. The design is made so there would be as little solders as possible.
Research
For the Sarah project background was to gather visual material about the peony flower construction and appearance. The flower character was as important as the actress Sarah Bernhard who had given her name to this one particular peony. To accomplish this final ring form there were movies to watch, Muchas posters to see and peony blossoms to tear down. The biggest insight was to create more than nature had given in to a usable and pretentious ring.
Inspiration
Sarah design project started from the love towards gardens beauties sarah bernhard peonies that are multilayered lush and fragile. Peony got its name from the worlds first superstar Sarah Bernhard. This actress and courtesan has given her face to a nature inspired Art Nouveau period by artist Alphonse Muchas paintbrush. This one particular peony cultivar has also been named after her perhaps because of their look alike in looks and in essence. Sarah ring embodies them both woman and the flower.
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer Tuomo Jalkanen, Alias Creative, 2021
Image #2: Photographer Elina Manninen, Model Johanna Nordblad, 2021
Image #3: Photographer Elina Manninen, Model Johanna Nordblad, 2021
Image #4: Photographer Tuomo Jalkanen, Alias Creative, 2021
Image #5: Photographer Tuomo Jalkanen, Alias Creative, 2021
Video Credits: Valtteri Kantanen, 2021
Patents
All right belong to Anna-Reetta Väänänen, Anna's Darling Ky, Sonkajärvi, Finland

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