Steampunk Jewellery

I have only just heard about this style of jewellery, having seen some interesting rings selling on Etsy.com by Catherinette Rings, whose blog I'm now following. Steampunk jewellery is often described as retro-futuristic and neo-Victorian, being inspired by fantasy and science fiction, as well as the era of the steam engine. It is an aesthetic which celebrates the vintage and antique in a fantasy and futuristic way, and the style is more industrial with hints of H.G Wells and Jules Verne fictional invention.

It appears to have gained more popularity in the USA than in the UK, but there are places here and online where Steampunk jewellery can be bought. I will put a few links at the end to websites I found and post a few photos from them as a picture explains it better than I can.

When I first saw examples of Steampunk jewellery I felt really excited at all the possibilities of creating original and contemporary fantasy pieces that is not at all like the usual fantasy jewellery offering of fairies, dragons and the like, although sometimes these other fantasy elements creep into Steampunk too. No, this was more like a mad scientist's invention. Translated into jewellery terms, some of the more common jewellery components used are old watch faces and cogs, antique keys and locks, springs, dials, typewriter keys - in fact anything that can be recycled from junk and antiques that gives the flavour of a fictional bygone era that looks both futuristic, fictional and nostalgic at the same time. Very clever, I love it.


And although it is not really my own style, I think my excitement at discovering it sprang from wanting to do something a bit similar, with the mixing of time periods into a new fantasy genre, before I ever heard of Steampunk. I am feeling my way into a style that is not Steampunk but will end up being my own. It is still gestating while I'm familiarising myself with different materials and techniques, and all I know so far is that it is an archaeological style with a more contemporary influence, mixed with a dash of Venice Carnival. I don't really have the words for it yet, but discovering Steampunk has inspired me further down the fantasy jewellery road and I'm actually going to try making a few Steampunk pieces myself.


So today I ordered some more supplies, including some watch faces and brass washers, springy looking jumprings and anything else that could be vaguely Steampunkish.

I shall have fun with this, and will attempt to get up early tomorrow to find myself some old watches and keys in Portobello market. I don't feel quite so silly now in having wanted to save all the offcuts of copper tubing that the plumber left behind when my kitchen was being renovated, as I must have been subconsciously tuning in to this artform even before I was made aware of it.

Here are some links to Steampunk jewellery websites:

http://www.steampunkjewellery.co.uk

http://PinkWaterFairy.etsy.com

http://CatherinetteRings.etsy.com

http://www.1000markets.com/groups/steampunkstyle