Design Exam

In this comparative analysis of these two pieces I would first like to analyze the two pieces separately and then go into differences and similarities.

The first pendant I am going to talk about is Pendant A, there are two hollow constructed boxes and through my experience of hollow construction this would be created through two pieces of metal bent in the middle and then soldered together. These boxes are made out a silver metal. The box on the top is larger than the box bellow and fits over the smaller box like a sleeve as one can see in figure b, this creates a closed form (the top box becomes a lid). The smaller box has a white pearl that has been strung and placed inside it. The chain looks like wire that would have been drawn through draw plates to achieve this fine thread like evenness.

Pendant B (fig d) is made out a silver metal and the silver seems to be pierced and then slightly domed into a perfect circle then a smooth ‘bite’ seems to be pierced out of the piece to make room or  a seating  for the black pearl. This pendant looks like a hollow construction therefore the back of it would also be a dome that would be soldered to the front to create a space for the pearl. The pearl has been attached to a jump ring which is attached to a mesh like silver chain.

There are many differences and similarities in these pieces, both being some form of pendant is the most apparent. Both are created out of a silver metal that has been soldered and pierced into a hollow constructed shape, however one is a circle and one is a square. The pendants both have ‘housing’ for their pearls, and I think this is where meaning and symbolism comes into play. Pendant A to me is rather masculine and the ‘hidden’ pearl creates a meaning of keeping something precious in a safe place, maybe even keeping someone’s heart without hurting it? Pendent B to me is rather futuristic and looks more like the pearl is being cradled, it seems to be on show but still protected, this could symbolized the need to show off ones most precious aspects of life but still keep it safe and close to concealment if something should happen that could put it in danger.

One can see that both pendants have pearls but one is black and one is white. Ergonomically they both look like they would sit very differently on the body,  Pendant A looks like it would be very light but sharp (the square corners) and it can sit in two alternative ways on the body, in fig b, one can see that when it is ‘closed’ it sits low down just in front of the rib cage, fig c shows the pendant when it becomes two separate items (when its open) and then the pendent sits on the sternum and over the ribs, I think  it sitting in two separate areas could make one feel a little claustrophobic  and  the pressure on two separate areas might be uncomfortable. Pendant B, in fig d, doesn’t show how it would sit on the body so I presume this sits just over the collar bone, this piece looks rather heavy but the smoothness of the dome might be quite comfortable across the chest.