Ted Noten's Shamelessly Curious Jewelry

Ted Noten creates compelling, high-profile jewelry that strays from the beaten path of accessories design. The Amsterdam-based designer creates conceptual pieces including pearl adorned mice, pill-shaped wedding rings that are swallowed rather than worn, brooches made from a cut-up Mercedes-Benz and animals cast in acrylic handbags. As his manifesto declares: "Jewelry must be shamelessly curious."

Defying the self-promoting purpose of "bling" culture, Noten creates art by finding beauty in the obscure. His design Chew Your Own Brooch, for example, requires that gum be chewed into a one-off personal piece that is then cast in silver and gilded.

These unique pieces parody greed and vice, turning the wearer into a mobile exhibition and vehicle for social commentary. Noten combines contrasting elements to produce unexpected creations. His recent Limited Edition series, for instance, featured acrylic-encased objects such as cocaine and guns in an absurdist attempt to disempower the items themselves.

For more information, see www.tednoten.com.

—Candice Rafferty