A few years ago, a new jewellery design studio appeared like a breath of fresh air on the Icelandic design scene. At the time, modern Icelandic jewellery design was hopelessly fixated on rocks that were set in convoluted metal shapes that I can’t imagine would have looked flattering on anybody. Enter Aurum, who brought light, airy and feminine designs that were totally enchanting while also being cool and sophisticated. Every time I passed their shop in Bankastræti I used to stop and gaze through the window at their collection, and dream. This was SO what I thought beautiful jewellery should look like. Especially on me.
Here in Iceland it’s traditional for a newly-married couple to give each other gifts the morning after their wedding, and when we got married a couple of years ago in Toronto, EPI pulled out a present that he’d remembered to buy just before we left Niceland [as opposed to YT, who had no prezzie, boo]. It was a beautiful package, and turned out to contain a bracelet from Aurum.
Isn’t it beautiful? The thing I love about it is its flowing movement; it’s never static since the little silver pieces move along the thin wires, thereby changing the shape of the bracelet.
Later that same year, EPI got me the rest of the set for Christmas. The necklace:
… and the earrings:
Only at that point did we realize that this particular line of Aurum jewellery is called – what else? – ALDA. All the lines have Icelandic women’s names, and of course ‘alda’ means ‘wave’, which obviously echoes the shape of the little silver pieces. The other women’s names also echo the different designs – ‘Fold’, for example, means ‘earth’, ‘Dögg’ means ‘dew’, and so on – which to me is another delightful feature of their designs. So obviously it was meant for me, from the start - it already had my name on it.
WE’RE EXPERIENCING SUCH INCREDIBLE SUMMERTIME WEATHER
Everything is so lush and green right now. At the moment we have exquisite sunshine – the kind that makes the Nicelanders instantly whip off their clothes and pretend they’re in Spain, or somewhere. [I used to laugh about it – but no more because I totally do it too.] It’s 12°C [54F] at the moment with just a light breeze; sunrise this morning was at 3.02 am and sunset is due in a few minutes, at 11.54 pm.
[This post is filed under MY ICELAND.]
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
They are gorgeous. I love it when the planets align like that! As for weatehr, we got up to a high of 10 yesterday. The coldest first 10 days of June on record. Sounds like you’re sort of benefitting from the heatwave in the eastern part of North America.
Oh, pretty jewelry, and named after you too!
Starting to get into Springtime here, where we sit outside and have breakfast and dinner, a little wind today with temp right now of 29c [84f], but should warm up a bit more, then increasing each day up to 110f on Sunday.
Lovely jewellery. Looked up the website and also really like Heida. The pendants look so fluid.
Gorgeous. Makes me want to buy, AND WEAR, jewellery.
andrea - 10°C?!!! In June?? What’s happening to the weather systems?
Joe - sounds about right for your neck of the woods.
Violet - I think Heiða is my favourite too, apart from Alda of course.
maja - you can order online …
You may have seen this already, but your latest fave restaurant Sjávarkjallarinn received a nice mention by Daily Candy: http://www.dailycandy.com/travel/article/36476/Ice+Ice+Baby
Better make those reservations soon before you’re inundated with American tourists.
I loved a lot of the jewelry I’ve seen in Iceland, but I missed Aurum. I’ll have to visit when I return. Icelandic design is so unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere.
Nice bracelet.
Love to see a photo of you wearing it.
linguaphile - no, I hadn’t seen that - thanks for the link. It’s always interesting to read ‘external’ reviews about Niceland.
Will - thanks - but not likely. I hate being photographed - the pictures never end up looking like me, for some reason.