Precious Titanium: technology and ornament

The exhibition “Precious Titanium: technology and ornament” forms part of the “Gioie e colori” project financed by Regione Lombardia (Bando Metadistretti 2008 – Design). The aim of the initiative is to create a supply chain for the production of titanium jewellery. This project has been promoted by Politecnico di Milano ("Giulio Natta" Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering and Department of Industrial Design, Arts, Communication and Fashion - INDACO) with the consultancy of Fondazione Politecnico di Milano and the following companies: Titalia Srl (project leader), Bama Srl, Eurometal Srl, Labodesign Srl, Nanosurfaces, Taigher Sas and Vacuum Surtec Srl.

“Titanium has never enjoyed much success in the world of jewellery since being discovered accidentally on a Cornwall beach by Reverend William Gregor in 1791” remarks curator Alba Cappellieri, professor of jewellery design at Politecnico di Milano. “The first titanium jewellery in Italy dates back to the 1970’s when a meeting between Pietro Pedeferri, who experimented with the electrochemical colouring of titanium, and goldsmith James Riviere in 1972 marked a new departure for titanium jewellery. But despite a few bold pioneers, titanium jewellery subsequently stirred up little interest among gold designers. This resulted in the decision to get thirty-one Italian jewellery designers to design a titanium gem and explore this material and its technologies: maestros and young designers, who were also joined by two students from the Politecnico advanced jewellery design course”.

We managed to provide the jewellery designers with a material, titanium, and moulding and finishing technologies from other areas – such as Direct Manufacturing, Metal Injection Moulding, “soft” electropolishing, anodising and Anodic Spark Deposition – rarely employed in the gold sector until now” comments Barbara Del Curto, researcher from the Faculty of Design at Politecnico di Milano, who focused on the technological aspects.

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