“For the past 3 years, my necklaces have been the most iconic, popular pieces in my collection. Unlike most 3D printed necklaces out there, our pieces are fully 3D printed without any additional analog assembly nor non-3D printed hardware to hold these incredible statement pieces around the neck,” said Wu, who is also a partner at the Oyler Wu Collaborative architecture firm. “This type of necklace was a technical and financial challenge to 3D print entirely in metal until now. While we love the wearability of our nylon necklaces, our goal was always to 3D print our necklaces in metal, from the hinge down to the latch. After many years of testing and prototyping with various different technologies, we were finally able to produce the Catena necklace with ExOne and their 3D printing process.”
Since the avant-garde LACE by Jenny Wu line was launched three years ago, the unique bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and rings it creates have quickly risen in popularity, adorning the bodies of celebrities like Jessica Alba and Christina Aguilera. The luxury line combines organic movement with line-based geometry, and features over 26 different styles. Three different 3D printing processes are utilized to make the jewelry: binder jetting for steel, selective laser sintering (SLS) for nylon, and wax pattern 3D printing for precious metal.
According to the website, “The design of every LACE piece starts with a sketch. Each design is meticulously digitally crafted from its edge detailing to its intricate, interlocking assembly. We create modern, beautiful pieces that people actually want to wear-not just what is cool at the moment or what the technology can do. We think about jewelry as ‘architecture on the body,’ and we carefully consider the relationship of each piece to our body and to each other.”
Celebrities aren’t the only ones interested in Wu’s architectural jewelry designs – last month, the Catena Steel Necklace was officially acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) for its permanent collection.
Bobbye Tigerman, the Marliyn B. and Calvin B. Gross Curator at LACMA, said, “Jenny translates the complex line-based geometries of Oyler Wu’s architectural projects into jewelry and brings a high level of technical skill to the crowded 3D-printing field. The Catena necklace is her most sophisticated design to date, both conceptually and technically. The complex design of interlocking pieces is entirely articulated, a feature made by possible by the 3D printing process, without requiring extensive manual labor and time investments.”
Check out the video to learn more about the process of making the 3D printed steel Catena necklace:
https://vimeo.com/oylerwu/catena
Discuss in the Jenny Wu forum at 3DPB.com.
[Images: LACE by Jenny Wu]