“A Fascination with the unseen”- Jessica Pass’ Curios
Discover Jessica Pass’ ‘Curios’ collection- a swarm of beauty
Reading Time:
1 min {{readingTime}} mins
Jessica Pass’ ‘Curios’ collection is a striking feat in style and design. A homage to the Curio and the cabinets that contain them, Pass’ own glass cabinets are a-flutter with beautiful gilded insects, frozen in tableau at each stage of flight like an ornate flip-book.
The magnificent pieces are beautiful in their own right, yet, each piece is hinged to reveal an inner cubby. As is the case with the standout ‘Cicada Neck Piece’; This contemporary locket opens to reveal a stunning golden beryl in the clutches of a miniature figure whose limbs serve as the stone setting. The veins along the wings and the markings on the body have been hand engraved, and are plated in 22ct yellow gold, providing a striking contrast to the main body plated in black ruthenium. The cicada is fixed to black ruthenium branches that form a torque-style necklace, reminiscent of the cicada’s natural habitat.
The collection continues with a series of insects that adorn other areas of the body, ranging from large cocktail rings to cufflinks and tie pins, all opening to reveal a hidden secret. The collection’s recursive nature is reminiscent of a series of Russian nesting dolls, with its use of layers of seeing: a cabinet containing trinkets, a trinket containing a secret. Whether this is intentional or just a product of Pass’ ‘’fascination with the unseen’’, it is an intriguing notion.
When ruminating on the issue herself, Pass traces her interest in hinged jewellery to her first ever acquisition
“The first piece of jewellery I fell in love with was an ornate hinged armour ring, given to me by my grandmother. I immediately adored how it moved so perfectly with my finger, and I was amazed that a piece that looked so heavy could be worn effortlessly.”
Although, Curios is not her first foray into the arena of hinged jewellery
“The first piece I made was a fairly ambitious cocktail ring, a spherical globe. Its domed lid was split into quarters, each one hinged and opening up to reveal gemstones hidden within.”
The young designer’s success has been in the spotlight recently for being featured in iPhone X campaign, as well as being worn by Erykah Badu at the 2017 fashion awards.
For more information, visit:
Author:
Published:
