What is good design?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Daniel Spirer answered the question:

How does one get credentials of being a jewelry designer if
they’ve never done it?

By actually making some jewelry with a decent design.

This seems both sensible and true. There are no official credentials
in the US that prohibit those not having them to call themselves
jewelry designers. So, what is decent design (leaving aside who
creates the design or the object itself)?

Several people have mentioned that good jewelry design incorporates:

  • Knowledge of the materials and their working properties
  • Wearability of the finished piece

After that, things seem to be muddier. I personally disagree with the
idea that good design = what sells. Plenty of bad designs sell well
for other reasons than their design. But if a piece is ‘great
design’, does that mean it definitely will sell? (doubt it :-))

Do those of you with the benefit of an art/design school education
have any books about design (in general, and for jewelry
specifically) to recommend?

I have looked at the Americal Jewelry Design Council’s gallery pages
(ajdc.org), and there are some very beautiful pieces there. A few
even made me say, “Wow”. What is it that makes a ‘wow’, or makes
these designs great?

  • Looking at the materials in a new way? For example, Alan Revere’s
    gold and pearl piece where the gold reflects the pearls and adds
    depth to the look rather than just adding a beautiful surface and
    color?

  • Variations on simple, classic designs such as traditional bridal
    rings?

What else makes good design?

In hopes of more great conversations,

Laurie Cavanaugh
Elegant Metal

who started out with a Craft Center class in college, and has more ideas
in my head than time to realize them.

2 
There are no official credentials in the US that prohibit those
not having them to call themselves jewelry designers.

this is a rock solid statement, a staring point that leads me to the
question of what is the “benchmark” we need a starting point. has
the public or society demanded one involving credentials?

So, what *is* decent design (leaving aside who creates the design
or the object itself)?

i personally like the guidelines in the jewelers bench reference!
they are easy to understand and not open to excessivly broad
interperetation.

Several people have mentioned that good jewelry design
incorporates: - Knowledge of the materials and their working
properties - Wearability of the finished piece

at this point i think we should consider expanding the label of
designer to designer/craftperson

After that, things seem to be muddier. I personally disagree with
the idea that good design = what sells. Plenty of bad designs sell
well for other reasons than their design. But if a piece is 'great
design', does that mean it definitely will sell? (doubt it :-))

this gets back to the point in my last post on the subject of the
importance of money (add a k to this word) as a motivator in all
this. i dont think great design and or great art is accepted right
away. it would be nice if an agency (design police) could deside to
ban bad designs that fall apart and protect the public but this
seems monumental to me. you have to pay yer dues to sing the blues
so to speak! and BB king now has honorary docorate to prove it!

thank you laurie for the challenge of converstion