DESIGN NAME: Tooth Fairy
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Earrings
INSPIRATION: These earrings were designed as part of a collaborative project titled Gems and Teeth to introduce the mysterious dental world through jewelry. Equipment and materials are mutual to both, dental equipment being developed from the jewelry craftsmans tools. Aspects of design, dental education, cultures and traditions in gems and jewelry techniques were all considered. Ethically and responsibly sourced materials were used.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The design is based on the Tooth Fairy tale and depicts the primary tooth in dental development. The boy figure is made of 18K gold with a heart shaped pearl beneath it representing the incoming adult tooth, the crown atop refers to a dental crown. The female figure represents the Tooth Fairy. A heart shaped pearl are her wings and an orange pearl depicts the coin she brings in exchange for the tooth.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Due to their unique appearance they are a springboard for many topics including the story of the Tooth Fairy, gems and jewelry, tooth function, and ethical topics surrounding jewelry.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: Concept making and design in Japan. Manufacture in Italy June-Dec 2021.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: 18K Pearl Diamond Earrings: 18K white and yellow gold from responsibly sourced Valcambi Swiss Gold Products. Japanese cultured Akoya pearls (baby, twin, heart and sphere shaped blue, white, silver blue, pink), Freshwater pearl (orange). Round Brilliant Cut Diamond total 0.08ct. Florentine Tattoo Finish applied to yellow gold root of primary tooth, used by master engravers to apply tattoo dots to give a sparkly, diamond like finish in contrast to the tradition matte Florentine Finish.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Boy: Height 43mm Width 11.2mm Thickness 8.2mm Tooth Fairy: Height 36mm Width 9.6mm Thickness 7.2mm
TAGS: Tooth Fairy, dentistry, pearls, jewelry, earrings, craftsmanship, handmade, ethical, sustainability, recycling
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: Acquiring novel dental knowledge and exposure to new ideas helped build the design concept and add reality to the design. Dental investigation topics included shape, roles, bite, forensics, oral bacteria, nerves, history and dental technology, tooth models, X ray images, dental impressions, consultations and education videos for children. The character and functional beauty of teeth and way they grow resemble pearl growth.
CHALLENGE: Maintaining a lovely realistic tooth motif impression while avoiding a scary tooth image was the hardest part of the design. A playful and happy image was created in conjunction with the Tooth Fairy tale by using pale toned natural pearls and showing the tooth roots as the figures legs.
ADDED DATE: 2022-09-07 16:26:06
TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
IMAGE CREDITS: Chiaki Miyauchi, 2022.
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