‘Hoag’s Object’
£6,100.00
‘Hoag’s Object’ by Eimear Malone is a bracelet handcrafted in sterling silver and set with lab diamonds.
The vastness of the universe is something Eimear Malone cannot really grasp – so she thinks about it often, turning it over in her mind. Exploring this through jewellery means there will be something physical to wear to pull the abstract into reality. NASA uses data from its Hubble telescope to create images of far-away nebula and galaxies – Malone finds these beautiful but searched for something more. Then she discovered that they use the same data to create “sonifications” that allow people to listen to these astronomical marvels. These are exciting and capture the magic better than the images. Sometimes hearing is more powerful than seeing.
This bracelet, titled “Hoag’s Object”, is named after the sonification of the galaxy of the same name. In this NASA sonification, a clockwise radar scan transforms data into beautiful sounds. Bright light is represented with louder volume, and light further from the centre is higher-pitched. Stretching over 100,000 light-years across and studded with clusters of young, massive stars – the musical notes dancing off each star were the perfect source of inspiration for her bracelet.
To capture the changing notes of the stars each of the 65 lab diamonds are set at different heights. Further light notes are added with reflective bright cuts. Each sterling silver link is connected with a riveted hinge and a split-pin clasp securely closes the loop. The contrast between light and dark is achieved by cold fixing the settings into each of the oxidised clouds with rivets. The designing and making was fittingly complex considering the cosmic musical inspiration.
Materials: sterling silver, lab diamonds.
Measurements: 190 x 19 x 6mm.
