- Because of fear we tend to miss to see the beauty of things around us. Roughness and timidity lead us through everyday situations. -
This project is dedicated to my grandfather Otto Kaiser. He passed away when I was very young, thus I did not get to know him very well. Still, he is one of my biggest inspirations, and the biggest nature- enthusiast, who lived a life up in the mountains in a valley called Engiadina. He was a typical fearless mountain person and took many photos up in the mountains where he knew every rock and corner.
He was one of the people who set out the first five juvenile bearded vultures in 1986, and thereby saving them from extinction.
Trepidation is a jewellery project inspired by the bearded vulture, focusing on the animal’s distinctive movement and strong presence. The final piece is a necklace designed specifically for a man’s neck, thus a little more robust.
As the biggest breeding bird in Europe, the bearded vulture, is a majestic animal. The physical appearance and the colours of the vulture are features I wanted to include in my project. From the colour palette ranging from the black to warm beige and orange-brown.
Inspired by the animals colours I decided to include and use a gemstone in my modular necklace. Inspired by champagne diamonds and brown diamonds I chose to use a smoky quartz which has a colour that resembles and represents not only the vultures colours but also his habitats tones. It resembles the colour of the steep rock faces of the alps.
In order to understand the vulture’s movement and form, I wanted to study its lifestyle and anatomy. Its large size offers several advantages, for instance, it has no natural predators and sits at the top of the food chain. Additionally, as scavengers, vultures primarily feed on carcasses. Due to their size, a wingspan of almost 3m, they glide using the thermal up winds. Knowing exactly where they are between the mountains, they fly using locomotion.
For navigating their way to locate food, they only have to move the tail in a horizontal motion. The Torso and wings are body parts they almost never have to physically move to advance in the air. When a carcass is located, the claws come into operation. Vultures have the ability to swallow big bones, due to very corrosive stomach acid. If the case be, that the bone is too big, they developed a highly precise technique of scattering the bones from more than 80m hight on flat rocks. The claws play a very big role in this process.
Inspired by the bearded vulture, I focused on its tail, one of the few moving parts during flight and a key feature that distinguishes it from an eagle. This form, combined with the bird’s horizontal gliding motion, informed the design of modular pieces that echo both its silhouette and the rocky textures of its habitat.
Equally important are the necklace's joints, which influence both movement and fit. Especially since it’s designed specifically for a man, taking into account the broader neck and more prominent trapezius muscles. The joint designs draw inspiration from bones and claws, with bone-like sockets and ball rivets creating a functional yet aesthetic structure. After studying various forms, I chose an asymmetrical arrangement, two "claws" on one side and three on the other, which I found to be more visually balanced and appealing for the modular necklace.
The handcrafted necklace is made of sterling silver 925, partly oxidized for contrast, and features a custom box clasp that functions both as a pendant and a secure closing system.