Mea Era Jewelry Set

Press Kit

Unique Properties

This jewelry set gets it inspiration from Art Deco and combines two decoration techniques enamelling and stone setting. The designer did not want to imitate Art Deco jewelry with Mea Era, but wanted to invent a modern jewelry design that draws from the style direction. In this jewelry set, the enameling has a plump effect, which makes the design distinctive. Making a plump effect in enamelling is challenging, just the right amount of enamel and just the right firing makes it durable.

Dimensions & Packaging

Ring 21x10,5x21mm ring size 17,5 Earrings 10,5x9,5x2,5mm Longer earrings 10,5x42x2,5mm

Tags

enamel jewelry, Art Deco inspired, handmade jewelry, jewelry with enamel and stones

Production Technology

The silver pieces are made by casting and the ring sized for the right size if needed. The earrings are made from the same ring casting by sawing two similar parts for earrings. Earrings have studs soldered to the back side and if needed, a small ring soldered for hanging the silver bar with stones. The enamelling is made with two layers of enamel, first layer is the flux and second layer the emerald colored enamel. The stone are set last by hand engravers. The overall finish is polished silver.

Design Challenge

The hardest part was and still is the enameling. Vitreous enamels are somewhat unpredictable material. No matter how many years you work with enamels, you still learn every time you make a new piece of enameled jewelry. Enameling is difficult because it a glass compound, it might break and the colors might appear different from your designed ideas. You have to do several tests with colors and technology in order to achieve a durable result.

Project Duration

Designing Mea Era jewelry set started from a one sketch a day project in 2017-2018. From that visual diary this one sketch was selected for development and that ring became the first version of Mea Era. After visiting Art Deco district in Miami, USA in 2019 the inspiration for further developing of the ring took place. In 2022 the Mea Era set was developed, tested and finished and took part of the Jewelry of the year 2023 -competition in Finland. Mea Era was one of the finalist sets.

Operation Flow

This jewelry set can used the same way than any other jewelry for daily use. Earrings have studs and normal back side piece to hold the earring in place.

Research

Main research for Mea Era was the production of durable enamel with "plump effect" and desired color. Most of the research was testing suitable color combinations. For this result I used combination of flux enamel and dark green enamel that were suitable for each other. If I would like to change the color, I would need to whole new series of tests to know what color combinations work as well as this.

Inspiration

The Mea Era jewelry set has its origins in my love for the style of the first half of the 20th century. I consider the era to be my own design-wise, which is also where the name of the jewelry set comes from, my era - Mea Era. Specifically the style of Art Deco and its features has been the inspiration for this set and which I wanted to combine with enameling and stone setting. The designed pattern, shape of the ring frame and emerald color makes the atmosphere of Art Deco but with modern twist.

Image Credits

Main image: Ellina Noronen, Competition finalist-Mea Era, 2022
Optional image 1: Visual RAMA, Mea Era -earrings, 2022
Optinal inage 2: Visual RAMA, Mea Era -ring, 2022
Optinal image 3: Kaisu Tullinen, Mea Era -ring, 2022
Optional image 4: Ellina Noronen, Competition finalist-Mea Era, 2022

Colors of Mea Era Jewelry Set