Outputs (24)

The alchemical dream and reality of man-made gemstones: A review of 10 stones (2023)
Digital Artefact
Boons, S. The alchemical dream and reality of man-made gemstones: A review of 10 stones. [Blog post]

Through the exploration of 10 stones, I will reflect on our fascination with gemstones and our attempts at creating them. I will outline some of the techniques used to grow them, what a crystal is and what they are used for; from jewellery to electro... Read More about The alchemical dream and reality of man-made gemstones: A review of 10 stones.

Laboratory grown colour and gems (2023)
Presentation / Conference
Boons, S. (2023, March). Laboratory grown colour and gems. Presented at Colour Day 2023, University of the West of England

The search for, wearing and collecting of gemstones has been a popular endeavour for many decades. For most gemmologists, jewellers and gemstone collectors, the crushing of a stone would be the greatest sin. For painters or those who create pigments... Read More about Laboratory grown colour and gems.

Testing grounds - The SIM project (2022)
Exhibition / Performance
Menger, F. Testing grounds - The SIM project. [Photography]. 10 November 2022 - 31 January 2023. (Unpublished)

Exploring how the SIM card shapes a sense of security, identity and community, the project disrupts the automated nature of the smartphone to create unique, wearable artworks, stamped with QR codes. Exhibition of SIM card size glass plate photographs... Read More about Testing grounds - The SIM project.

Crystal growing design method: An investigation into the growing of crystals for jewellery designs (2022)
Journal Article
Boons, S. (2022). Crystal growing design method: An investigation into the growing of crystals for jewellery designs. Craft Research, 13(2), 303-326. https://doi.org/10.1386/crre_00081_1

Grown crystals are used for a range of novel innovations supporting a wide array of industries such as technology, medicine and electronics. Within the jewellery industry however, grown crystals are only used in a limited capacity and those of gemsto... Read More about Crystal growing design method: An investigation into the growing of crystals for jewellery designs.

The alchemical dream of man-made crystals (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Boons, S. (2022, April). The alchemical dream of man-made crystals. Presented at LANS Lab Seminar, Birmingham University

Contemporary jewellers are considered artists of the miniature sentiment and crafters of the wearable statement. Outside the realm of status and commodity, jewellery can be used to visualise the intangible and conceptual, creating objects and adornme... Read More about The alchemical dream of man-made crystals.

Man-made crystals: A review of their historic and contemporary context and use (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Boons, S. (2022, January). Man-made crystals: A review of their historic and contemporary context and use. Paper presented at 16th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices, University of Newcastle, Australia

This paper reports on the history and use of man-made crystals for jewellery in a contemporary context. The cross-disciplinary contextual review traces human fascination with gemstones back centuries, and covers key developments in their ‘imitation’.... Read More about Man-made crystals: A review of their historic and contemporary context and use.

Man-made crystals for jewellery (2021)
Presentation / Conference
Boons, S. (2021, December). Man-made crystals for jewellery. Presented at Future Materials Conference, Birmingham

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 translated into the jewellery industry, where innovations with man-made crystals have re... Read More about Man-made crystals for jewellery.

Man-made gems: An investigation into the design implications, possibilities and limitations of utilising man-made gems for jewellery (2021)
Presentation / Conference
Boons, S. (2021, December). Man-made gems: An investigation into the design implications, possibilities and limitations of utilising man-made gems for jewellery. Paper presented at IASDR 2021: The ninth Congress of the International Association of Societies of Design Research, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

With crystal growing techniques having been around for many years, bespoke man-made gems now drive innovations in a range of industries. This has however not translated into the jewellery industry, where innovations with man-made gems have remained l... Read More about Man-made gems: An investigation into the design implications, possibilities and limitations of utilising man-made gems for jewellery.

Man-made crystals: A review of their historic and contemporary context and use (2021)
Journal Article
Boons, S. (2021). Man-made crystals: A review of their historic and contemporary context and use. International Journal of Design in Society, 15(2), 63-71. https://doi.org/10.18848/2325-1328/cgp/v15i02/63-71

This paper reports on the history and use of man-made crystals for jewelry in a contemporary context. The cross-disciplinary contextual review traces human fascination with gemstones back centuries, and covers key developments in their "imitation."Th... Read More about Man-made crystals: A review of their historic and contemporary context and use.

Man-made crystals (2021)
Presentation / Conference
Boons, S. (2021, October). Man-made crystals

As a self-proclaimed alchemical jeweller Sofie Boons will trace her practice and obsession with scents, substances and science followed by an insight into her current PhD investigation into the design implications, possibilities, and limits of utilis... Read More about Man-made crystals.