Prepare to be entranced.
Aur Jewelry’s Kinetic collection is an always-moving, incredibly cool line comprising sterling silver with flame-worked borosilicate glass. Its movement is mesmerizing all its own, but the creations’ experiential factor is upped through the use of glass that changes color depending on whether it’s in natural or fluorescent light.
Select from jewels that shift in color from yellow to pink, green to gray, lavender to pale blue, aqua to purple, or multicolored pieces in a number of different styles. While I’m gaga for the line of Kinetic styles, Aur features a number of creations that don’t exhibit the movement but still maintain the cool color-change feature (the jeweler also offers one-of-a-kind creations).
Much of Aur Jewelry’s offerings take on a sculptural aesthetic, and it makes sense why: Its creator, Bianca Abreu, graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in sculpture with a concentration in installation. While there, Abreu realized a love for glass—and metal, shortly after—which led to the creation of these miniature, wearable works of art.
Below, a conversation with creator Bianca Abreu of Aur Jewelry.
What is your inspiration behind the Kinetic collection?
The Kinetic collection is inspired by simple machines! I knew I wanted to make work that moved, but I never realized how much gravity would play an integral role in this collection until construction. I also think that since I studied amusement park rides while making these pieces, there may have been a bit of influence coming from there as well.
So cool that you work with glass to create these pieces. Why have you chosen that medium? Do you ever see yourself working with gemstones?
The material is so versatile, and I knew I had to work with it in this way once I found the color-changing glass—on accident might I add! I was searching for some opaque glass while shopping one day when I pulled out the wrong rod (the glass I buy comes in rods, then I make each glass orb or cabochon over a 2,000-degree flame). It changed right before my eyes and it was so magical, I knew I had to find a way to share it. Every piece on my site changes color in fluorescent lighting, and watching every pair and pendant I make changing color throughout the day is so captivating. I’m obsessed, and I hope my customers are too. I absolutely can’t wait to combine the glass with natural gemstones in the near future.
Can you tell us a bit more about the color shifts in your jewelry—what factors influence the color changes? Is this even more apparent in the Kinetic line with its movement?
Although I get a lot of jokes about my work reminding people of mood rings, my work changes color in fluorescent lighting, no body heat needed! There are four “shifts” as I call them, and each has a distinct glow in different lighting. There is the lavender glass that shifts to pale blue, green glass that turns gray, yellow glass that turns pink, and aqua glass that turns dark purple. I think the Kinetic collection highlights the full spectrum of the glass on a broader scale. I love showing off all the color shifts at once, and incorporating a multicolor vibe into the collection was so much fun.
How has the pandemic influenced your business? Have you had to make any big changes?
In the beginning of the pandemic I didn’t have access to my studio spaces. I self-quarantined in a major way and missed making so much. I took the time to plan for the future of Aur Jewelry while virtually connecting with my family often. Now that I am able to make my work again, I feel like I’m back in balance. I think the biggest change I had to make was figuring out how I was going to reintegrate myself back into public spaces. I live in Brooklyn, so I knew eventually it was going to happen, but I must admit it was difficult for me at first. I have a routine now that makes me comfortable and it gives me what I need—which is a clear head while making my shiny things.
What’s on the horizon for Aur Jewelry?
Many of my more extravagant ideas have been put on hold, but I’m excited that I’ll still be able to incorporate more ring designs on my site this fall. Stay tuned for even more color-changing madness!
Top: Pendulum Shift earrings in sterling silver with flame-worked borosilicate glass, $720
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