We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Britta Schwalm about their original and creative rings design work. Britta Schwalm is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original rings works.
Britta Schwalm ("BS") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Blessed Child rings. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
BS : I was inspired by my newborn son. He was so heartwarming to look at , I decided to make that feeling last by capturing it in a precious material.
BS : The baby should represent an archetype, so that everyone can see his or her baby in it. Or even a connection to one’s inner child or a stillborn child.
BS : I'm planning to realize bangles with the baby inside. But I have to do research first, the bangels should be in paper.
BS : I’ve worked on this for more than a year. It was very complex to find a way of modelling a baby on the inside of a ring. I encountered a few setbacks before I found the solution. It was a newly developed 3D computer program.
BS : It was my inspiration. Having a look at my son would explain everything.
BS : I am selling and marketing the rings myself. I reserved the rights and am expanding my network of customers and resellers.
BS : I liked the hide and seek game, the two rings play. And I like to design a baby in a clear and formal way.
BS : I collaborated with Martin Schellhas. His work with the 3D program brought to life the design I was looking for.
BS : Moms, Moms to be, Dads, Dads to be and Parents of stillborn children. Anyone seeking connection with their inner child.
BS : A baby ON a ring is a quite new idea. A baby IN a ring is unique.
BS : In German "Glückskind" is a person that has good fortune in life. The closest in English was "blessed child", which is not the same, but some words aren't possible to translate exatcly. "Blessed child" hits the meaning very well. And if you have the gift of life, you are blessed.
BS : 3D Shaper by 3design. Pencil, rasp and a lot of time.
BS : The wearer of the ring with the baby outside (Sam) has the chance to show how proud a mom/dad can be. The wearer of the ring with the baby inside (Jamie) has a secret. He or she can decide whether or not to reveal the baby.
BS : I collaborated with Martin Schellhas, who programmed the ring design in 3D Shaper. Also with "HMS rapid prototyping" in Germany, who are specialists for 3D printing in jewelry.
BS : It is most important. I tried to carve the rings in wax to create them, which workedsuccessfully for the baby on top of the ring. But inside the ring – I wasn't able to shape a baby in the way I wanted. The 3D Shaper came out at that time and I found a way to have the baby in that shape I had envisaged.
BS : I started only with my initial inspiration – to capture the emotions regarding my baby son in jewellery. Then I had the idea to have him inside the ring and had some obstacles in making that. At that point I decided to have a look if more goldsmiths had the idea to honour their children in the way I was trying. Consequently I saved the design rights and the name, as there was no previous design in that way at all.
BS : At the beginning I tried to shape the baby inside the ring in wax. It is so tiny, I had to change tact and try something new to archive the quality I wanted.
BS : I was sure that the design idea is good and wanted to have a proof by an international award. Furthermore I know that giving a present to a Mom for giving birth is most common in Europe, but not very common in Germany. So the international character of the A'Design Award was important to me.
BS : I learned that a mother having a healthy child is a blessing not to be taken for granted... A mother of a stillborn child is living in hell. And, to my complete surprise I have learned that parents who lost a child can experience emotional relief through the rings, as they help to represent their loss physically.
BS : Yes - Sustainability: The Your 'Glueckskind' rings are made of 100% recycled precious metals and are made in Germany. Where does the gold and silver for the your 'Glueckskind' rings come from? We can't provide proof in form of a certificate just yet, but the issue of sustainability and upcycling is very important to us. Jewellery on the subject of babies should in our opinion always be sustainable. Herefore we make a promise: All 'Glueckskind' rings are made of 100% recycled precious metals. The metal refineries with whom we work have set themselves high ecological standards, so that the manufacturing process of the precious metal itself does not impact the environment. All companies we work with are based in Germany and are subject to German law. We are happy to provide further information on this subject if requested. If you would like a ring made from your own gold or silver, please contact us. Please have a look at http://www.dein-glueckskind.de
