Aurus x Moi in dialogue with Melanie Grant at the Society of Jewelry Historians
At the Society of Jewelry Historians, jewelry is never treated as ornament alone. It is examined as material culture, an object shaped by time, trade, ritual, and human touch. It was therefore a fitting setting for Aurus and Moi to present Unbound by Beads, a research-led initiative that seeks to reframe beading not as embellishment, but as one of jewelry’s most enduring and sophisticated languages.
The evening took the form of an intimate conversation between the founders of Aurus and Moi, moderated by Melanie Grant, one of the most respected jewelry journalists of our time. Known for her rigorous historical lens and cultural sensitivity, Grant guided the discussion beyond aesthetics and into questions of lineage, authorship, and value.
Image: Melanie Grant and Puja Shah, in conversation at the Society of Jewelry Historians.
Beads as Knowledge Systems
At the heart of the conversation was a shared belief: that beads are not decorative afterthoughts, but carriers of knowledge. Across cultures and centuries, beading has functioned as a method of construction, of communication, of recording identity and status.
Through Unbound by Beads, Aurus and Moi are attempting to trace this lineage thoughtfully. The discussion explored how beading traditions, often dismissed as repetitive or ornamental, are in fact highly complex systems requiring precision, rhythm, and deep material understanding. Each bead carries weight not only in gold or gemstone value, but in labour, time, and inherited skill.
Melanie Grant contextualised this within a broader historical framework, noting how beaded jewelry appears consistently across ancient civilisations, religious adornment, and courtly dress, yet is rarely afforded the same scholarly attention as metalwork or gemstone cutting.
Craft Beyond Nostalgia
A recurring theme throughout the conversation was the need to move away from viewing craft through a nostalgic lens. The founders of Aurus and Moi spoke about engaging with heritage without freezing it in time, allowing traditional techniques to remain alive, adaptive, and intellectually relevant.
Unbound by Beads was discussed not as a collection, but as an ongoing inquiry, one that involves research, documentation, and dialogue with historians, craftspeople, and contemporary audiences. Beading, in this context, becomes a living practice rather than a relic.
Grant’s questions drew attention to the idea of authorship in jewelry. Who is the maker when a technique has existed for centuries? How do brands responsibly position themselves when working with inherited forms? The responses emphasised humility, credit, and transparency, values increasingly crucial in contemporary luxury.
Jewelry as Cultural Record
Another significant thread was jewelry’s role as a cultural archive. Beaded forms, in particular, have travelled across geographies through trade routes, migration, and colonial exchange. Their patterns, materials, and structures often reveal histories that written records overlook.
By placing Unbound by Beads within the Society of Jewelry Historians, Aurus and Moi underscored their intention to contribute not only to design discourse, but to jewelry history itself, bridging practice and scholarship.
Why This Conversation Matters
In an industry driven by trends and surface novelty, this conversation was a reminder that true luxury lies in depth: in research, restraint, and respect for process. Unbound by Beads positions Aurus and Moi as brands willing to slow down, ask difficult questions, and invest in knowledge that outlives seasons.
The evening did not offer definitive conclusions, and that was its strength. Instead, it opened a space for continued exploration, inviting historians, designers, and wearers alike to look more closely at what beads have always been doing quietly: binding cultures, stories, and hands across time.
