The idea of sparkling jewelry dates back to ancient times, and gold has always been a constant. However, the innovative use of new materials that is so popular today is not new.
Yes, today modern jewelers widely use aluminum to create jewelry. After all, it is accessible, gives many opportunities for imagination, is lightweight and hypoallergenic - which is valued by modern women.
Aluminum has become a favorite among high jewelry artists. Wonderful cornflowers Hemmerle:
But even simple aluminum jewelry looks great.
Stud earrings - simple, bright and, at the same time, original:
Flower shapes and anodizing are a more complex decoration:
But I’m sure you will be surprised and delighted by jewelry made from this metal, created in the 19th century:
Aluminum, first produced in 1827 by a German chemist named Wöhler, did not leave the laboratory and become available in industrial processes until the early 1850s.
When it happened, it was rare and expensive; so it seemed like a suitable choice for jewelry.
Its advantage over silver was that it did not tarnish and was very light, making it easy to wear. It was also extremely malleable, lending itself to the intricate swirls and curlicues of the organic, scrolled Rococo style that was being revived and expanded in the 1850s.
However, the metal quickly fell in price with commercial production. By the end of the nineteenth century it was no longer used as a material for jewelry, but was moving closer to its modern associations with industrial use.
The 20s of the twentieth century - the heyday of technology and materials such as various types of plastic, artificial crystals and, of course, aluminum jewelry entered the market and became popular again:
Brooch in Art Deco style, 50s of the 20th century:
To add colored dyes to aluminum, you first need to “anodize” the metal. This is done through the process of electrolysis and creates a porous layer into which the dyes are absorbed. Anodizing aluminum also makes the surface harder.
Modern jewelers use recycled aluminum to realize their wildest, bright, unusual fantasies:
And they even create romantic landscapes:
A select few designers have learned to use aluminum in jewelry, meaning they combine it with gemstones and precious metals to create pieces that are large, colorful, and stand out.
De Beers ring from the Ascending Shadows set is made of light green aluminum. It features many round white marquise cut diamonds set in a light gray titanium frame and rare colored diamonds in the center:
One particularly notable example of a jewelry designer who used aluminum is Parisian designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR), whose iconic pieces regularly fetch multiples of their auction estimates.
Rosenthal used the metal to create colorful organic pieces, such as rose petal earrings that sold at Sotheby's in April 2020 for more than $10:
Wonderful aluminum violets JAR very accurately imitate the velvetyness of flower petals and this was made possible thanks to aluminum:
The brand Hemmerle, mentioned at the beginning of the article, has captivated the world with its aluminum flowers and herbs in 2022!
The “Orange Blossom” brooch combines precious garnets, porcelain, aluminum and pearls... A magical union of such different materials!
