Angelescu Studio Merges Jewelry With A.I. and Web3

What do jewelry—one of the world’s oldest art forms—and A.I., the current and future big thing, have to do with one another? According to Patricia Musat, founder of Angelescu Studio, a technology-driven jewelry brand based in Brooklyn, the wearability of jewelry represents the chance to create “a partnership between humans and A.I.”

Musat fuses fashion, art, and technology with Angelescu, which launched in 2022. In practice, that’s meant building collections of jewelry outfitted with microchips that come with matching digital artwork. Consumers can scan the microchips with a mobile phone reader to go deeper inside the world of Angelescu and claim digital assets.

The company most recently debuted a series of sterling silver rings depicting space-age robot faces created with an assist from A.I. and embedded with a microchip. The rings were designed to “seamlessly integrate physical and digital ownership,” the designer says. Each $495 Robot ring includes a one-of-a-kind robot digital portrait that lives on the blockchain. The microchip, when scanned by a reader on a mobile phone, offers proof of authenticity, perks/discounts, and advanced access to future drops from the brand.

Musat has been a “fashion tech enthusiast,” for a decade, she explains. “I’ve immersed myself in the fashion tech world, from fashion wearables to digital fashion runways and virtual models. I haven’t stopped exploring the intersection of fashion and technology. When I launched Angelescu Studio, I combined design with the emerging technology that I was so passionate about.”

Musat leverages generative A.I. tools and capabilities built into design software to create the jewelry and visuals for the brand. In doing this, she’s found that A.I. isn’t the creativity-killer some are afraid it’s shaping up to be: “I don’t believe A.I. will kill art or design,” she says. “Using these tools is a collaboration between A.I. algorithms and the creative human mind. A.I. cannot replicate the human experience and interpretation of what is in the creative human mind.”

The Robot rings, which are pleasingly futuristic in design and vibe, are made in New York City and were created using 3D modeling, after which they were 3D printed in cast-able wax.

The microchips are embedded under the of the ring and can be exposed by opening the hinges that let the double bands swing out (see a quick video on how this works). “They are secured with jeweler’s epoxy and sit slightly elevated from the finger,” Musat explains. “They’re also waterproof and metal-proof, ensuring the metal does not affect the tag’s antenna.” So you can wash your hands, but can’t shower or go swimming with it on.

Owners scan the chip to “claim” their ring once they get it, and since “NFC chips and readers on mobile phones are continuously improving with the release of new models,” buyers also get a physical certificate and a QR code to scan. Musat adds, “The goal is to ensure that all customers, regardless of their chip-scanning technology, can enjoy the product. Customers will also receive instructions on locating the NFC chip reader on their device.”

The 100% sterling silver rings compose Angelescu Studio’s second collection. The NYC-based brand launched last year, and digital jewelry from its first drop, called Collection 01, is sold exclusively through Jevels. The IRL ring collection is available only at angelescustudio.com.

The rings’ faces are actually half human, half robot—a nod to the melding of the physical and digital worlds that’s already well underway.

All ring photos: Angelescu Studio sterling silver Robot rings with microchip, $495

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