»Geborgenheit« describes one of the most important feelings in life. It is a state of safety and protection that results directly or indirectly from the affection, acceptance and love of others, often mirrored by the personal feelings connected to closeness experienced in childhood.
This Study on more conscious haptic and tactile perception of jewellery originated as the bachelor's thesis of Julian Graeve at Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd. Design of pleasantly touching rings, a bracelet and a collier, which create a feeling of »Geborgenheit« when worn.
Body jewellery is one of the oldest forms of human communication. The interaction between public presentation and personal feeling when wearing jewellery is a complex phenomenon. The visual presentation is only one part of adornment. Rather, the jewellery object plays a greater personal role for many people. It offers protection, reminds us of important people or moments, and can bring concentration and order to everyday life. Body jewellery is the closest anchor we hold on to because it is already connected to us. It offers »Geborgenheit«. By concentrating on the connection between body jewellery and the person and the personal relevance, "feeling" comes to the fore. If you want to perceive jewellery consciously, you want to feel it consciously.
How to feel body jewellery even more consciously and deepen the personal connection to it and the integrated personal meaning is the subject of this work. Research into human anatomy and the physiology of the skin laid the foundations. Interviews with people and their personal wearing habits as well as their personal relationship to their own jewellery brought important insights. Subsequent experiments on material, surface, shape and placement led to the first prototypes. Finally, all the findings were transferred into the design of a collection of jewellery pieces.
Four rings that have clear edges and corners to emphasize interaction. They have shapes bending towards the inside and are not round on the inner surface to break with a continuous flow of the object when in interaction. This interaction lets you concentrate on the object and the good memories you connect with it. A bracelet that clamps with slight force against the hand to imitate a comforting handshake. And a collier that rests with pleasant heaviness on the shoulders like a warm hug, and can be lifted up to snuggle against the face. They all trigger pleasant stimuli on the body. They are objects that are designed for the sensation of the person adorning him or herself. Through their design, the pieces of jewellery are perceived more consciously when worn and through the perceived stimuli create a feeling of »Geborgenheit«.
