Becky's Diamonds in the Library Blog

vitae ascendere’s metal lace.

November 17, 2016

You know by now that I love antique jewelry (I think that’s pretty obvious). What I love so much about it is its soul, its uniqueness, the way the pieces reflect the innovations of the times they were created.

Every once in a while, I’m lucky enough to come across contemporary jewelry that makes me feel the same way: Vitae Ascendere and their gorgeous metal lace designs are a perfect example.

Look at this glorious mishmash of contradictions. It’s ethereal and industrial, hard and soft, strong and delicate. I want to touch it. It feels like a modern re-imagining of Edwardian platinum filigree, but with a wilder edge.

This leaf brooch gives you a great look at the internal and external structure of these pieces. Here, the openwork mimics the veins of a real leaf in a slightly abstract way that makes you want to look twice.

My favorite thing about Vitae Ascendere’s designs is that they carry the beauty of the past, but with an aesthetic and design process that are completely modern; cutting edge, even.

I love how light these designs are, and the way the negative space is so integral to each overall piece.

Here’s a word from Vitae Ascendere about how they create these fantastic-looking jewels:

Execution of our designs frequently utilized mathematical algorithms or models that reflect the organizing forces of the natural world. Utilizing CAD (Computer Aided Design) allows rapid manipulation of designs to realize alternate sizes and variations.

Our pieces are developed using high resolution 3D printing promoting fine detail and complex shapes, many which would be difficult or even impossible to create using older techniques. The waxes from the 3D printer are then cast then finished by hand.

Thus, Vitae Ascendere pieces are a perfect amalgam of cutting edge and traditional techniques.”

So: inspired by nature, made possible by technology, perfected by humans. What a glorious microcosm of our modern world.

I love a lot of Vitae Ascendre’s work, but I think the pieces that I most want to own are the earrings. They’re just so irresistible dramatic while still feeling delicate – it’s an extremely difficult balance to strike.

I also love how creative they are with the overall shapes of the designs. With such a cool concept for the base material – the metal lace – it would be easy to make basic shapes and let the lace be the impressive part. But to use an unexpected texture in an unexpected way elevates the whole thing to a new level.

Vitae Ascendre’s work ranges from truly major statement pieces (hold tight, I’m about to show you one) to easily wearable pieces like the bracelet above.

This little beauty is a light, fascinating take on a beaded bracelet. Anyone could wear it anywhere. It’s innovative, but in a very accessible way.

BAM. Major statement piece, made possible by Vitae Ascendre’s fabrication techniques. If these were solid metal, they’d be unbearably heavy. Detail shot on the right so that you can appreciate how intricate they are.

I’m not sure you can tell just how major they are in the product shot. Here they are on a model:

You see what I mean??? They’re enormous, and in such a cool way.

I like how the top part of the earring is more linear, to elongate the face, and then it blossoms into concentric circles just below the jawline. It makes the largest part of the earring occupy a space above the shoulder that isn’t usually adorned, and I think that’s fantastic.

I showed you a big ol’ stack of Vitae Ascendre’s bangles up top, but I wanted to give you a closer look at a couple of them. As you can see, they come in a few variations – tighter or looser metal lace, available in several colors of metal.

These are the kind of versatile everyday piece that is a jewelry lover’s true holy grail piece. Sure, you’ll love your crazy cocktail ring when you find an occasion to wear it, but the pieces you’ll get the most value out of are ones like this, that you’ll throw on with a thousand different outfits.
Another pair of fantastic statement earrings. Mixed metals, negative space, AND movement. The rotate gently like little models of the solar system.

I feel like Mrs. Frizzle would have worn these to talk about the orbits of the planets, and I mean that as a huge compliment.

What do you think of Vitae Ascendre’s mix of nature, technology, and art? Are you as into these cool modern pieces as I am, my darlings?