The alchemical dream of man-made gemstones

Boons, Sofie

Abstract

With crystal growing techniques having been around for many years, bespoke man-made crystals now drive innovations in a range of industries. This has however not fully translated to the jewellery industry, where innovations with man-made crystals have remained limited, and most are still produced to replicate mined crystals. In her PhD study Boons investigates the design implications, possibilities and limits of utilising man-made crystals in the development of innovative jewellery designs. In this presentation a brief contextual review traces our human fascination with gemstones back centuries, and covers the key developments in their "imitation." Furthermore, the terminology used to label man-made and mined crystals is interrogated and a need for the identification of alternative terminology considered. Finally, through the review of contemporary artefacts created in collaboration with Klein and Becker and Brevalor, where man-made crystals have been used, their ability to enable creativity is highlighted, and their further future creative possibilities explored.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: Intergem
• Start Date: Sep 30, 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 12, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11170499