Space exhibit sheds light on jewelry design
Who knew that space and jewelry had so much in common? The reality of the matter is, the two subjects have been linked together for quite some time. Ancient Egyptians are said to have worshipped both the sun and moon gods while the Chinese were obsessed with the moon, according to Elyse Zorn Karlin, co-director of the Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts. Karlin is the curator of the "Out of This World! Jewelry in the Space Age" exhibit, now on display at the Forbes Galleries until September 7, 2013.
Vintage and contemporary pieces on display
Custom jewelry pieces on display as part of the exhibit range from precious stones, brooches and pins to one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by the first human-made satellite, Sputnik. Notable designs showcased include a white and yellow diamond necklace inspired by Jules Verne's 1864 novel, "From the Earth to the Moon." The necklace was made by a French jeweler back in 2010. Another French jeweler made a custom replica piece in 1969 of Apollo 11 after the ship landed on the moon. The item was presented to astronaut Michael Collins, one of the crew members of the expedition.
In addition to the custom, vintage pieces, there are select modern items in the collection as well. These items include earrings worn by astronaut Cady Coleman and a West Point ring worn by astronaut Ed White. According to SPACE, the ring was obtained by the West Point class of 1978 who pooled money together and brought the ring back to the school to honor White, who died during the Apollo 1 ground fire back in 1967.
Lose yourself in these space-inspired jewelry designs
For those space-obsessed individuals, there are plenty of contemporary pieces available for purchase that look like sparkling stars and the night sky.These custom jewelry designs from Brian Gavin reflect star bursts you might find in space:
Hearts Jackets diamond stud earrings - The custom made diamond jackets are the perfect addition to your 0.30-ct center stone set in handmade bezel setting or a 0.50-ct center stone set in a 3-prong martini or 4-prong basket setting. The additional sparkle adds an element of luster that resembles the twinkling stars in the night sky.
Diamond Star pendant necklace - You can literally drape a star around your neck with Brian Gavin's Diamond Star pendant design. The star is made via Brian Gavin's signature melee and is available in 14K white and yellow gold. The pendant hangs from a 16 inch fine cable chain and the diamonds total 0.48 ctw.
Elegance AC10 fashion ring - If you want a little color in your space-inspired piece of jewelry, a deep blue sapphire is an elegant way to replicate the night sky. The Elegance AC10 fashion ring features an 8x6-mm oval cut sapphire stone. Surrounding the gem are 136 round brilliant diamond melee, which equal 3/4 ctw.
