Cygnus by Aurum - Jewellery Inspired by icelandic nature
- by Hugrún Hannesdóttir
- December 11, 2016
- in Design, Icelandic, Jewelry from http://www.nordicstylemag.com/
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This past Thursday was the celebration of Aurum’s 17th anniversary as well as the local unveiling of their new collection Cygnus.
Aurum was founded in Iceland in 1999 by designer and goldsmith Guðbjörg Kristín Ingvarsdóttir and has flourished locally from the beginning. In recent years the company has been expanding internationally and their market is ever growing – most recently in the UK where they’ve participated in large scale exhibitions, such as Jewellery & Watch and International Jewellery London, and Aurum jewellery is now available in 25 different locations in the UK.
Their Cygnus collection consists of a variety of items – necklaces, bracelets and earrings – of silver and gold featuring the curved shape of a swan’s neck. It is incredibly versatile as it is a balanced combination of coarse and delicate, equally suitable for wearing day-to-day and for formal occasions, mixing shiny silver and gold with dark oxidised silver to create a powerful contrast.
Cygnus is Aurum’s second collection to draw inspiration from a swan. The previous one, titled Swan, featured the wings and feathers while the focus of Cygnus is a swan’s gracefully arched neck. The immense difference between the collections shows how a seemingly simple concept can evolve to be complex and multi-dimensional as it is interpreted in completely new and different ways.
Guðbjörg gets her inspiration directly from Icelandic nature, taking long walks in solitude through the rough and beautiful landscape of the Westfjords. This is a dominating theme in Aurum’s designs as previous collections have also been inspired by staples of Icelandic nature and wildlife.
Also demonstrated at the event was Bond, a collection made in collaboration with Icelandic charity organisation Göngum Saman or Walk Together which raises money for breast cancer research. The project is a long-term collaboration between the two companies and its knotted silver jewellery is inspired by bonds between people, intimacy and love.
Aurum is heading for very exciting times as their upcoming year is filled with international exhibitions and events such as Milan’s Artisan expo, LOOT: MAD about Jewelry in New York and a pop-up shop in Singapore’s Takashumaya.
Photos by Ellen Inga
For more information about Aurum and their collections visit www.aurum.is
