One of the hottest new trends in the gem industry is the development of shape shifting jewelry. This futuristic effect manifests itself in the form of metals and gems which stretch or move automatically, making it appear as if the jewels have come alive. The effect has been popularized by designer Chi Huynh and others are beginning to take notice.

How Shape Shifting Jewelry Works

Shape shifting rings will often be made with nitinol, which is a type of alloy consisting of titanium or nickel which “remembers” its former shape and can shift back into it when activated by a stimulus. While few jewelers carry such products at the present time, they are expected to be released worldwide sometime in 2018. Aside from jewelry which moves, other designs include pearls which are carved by hand, and which are designed to reveal gems beneath them. Some change colors automatically, and the sheer collection of patents from Chi Huynh has continued to increase.

The key to shape shifting jewelry is nitinol itself. It was discovered during routine research on magnetic engines, and it has a number of characteristics which make it ideal for the development of jewels. For one, it moves whenever it is heated, through either contraction of expansion. Developers then purchased wire and begin experimenting with the many ways in which they two could be used together.

Nitinol is no ordinary alloy. Its “personality” and behavior may be altered depending on the manner in which it’s handled, which is akin to an individual. It consists of two states, with a transition point that is based on the temperature between them. It is the first material that can be “trained” through the usage of cooling and heating to behave in the manner desired. It will recall its initial shape and can be taught to remember another. It is essentially programmable, not a term normally used in the gem market.

How Shape Shifting Jewelry Can Be Used

Industry insiders are excited by this form of jewelry, and believe it will have a lasting impact. Unlike most trends and fads, which come and go, shape shifting jewelry represents a quantum leap. There are an infinite number of way in which it can be used. A designer for instance can create a heart which transforms into a flower, or it can be used for origami. A celebrity could wear it as a mood ring, which opens when they are feeling warm and shutting itself down when they’re cold.

Most exciting to engineers are its mechanical applications. Jewelry can be created which is hair thin, and should it be bent out of shape it can be heated to resume its former position, something that’s impossible with normal jewelry. A bangle can be created which will automatically close around the wrist, and rings can be designed which automatically extend over the knuckle. The possibilities are truly endless, which makes it arguably one of the most exciting developments since jewelry was first created.