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AuTime Traveler VI necklace by 'Steampunk Junk
Is it a bird? Is it a watch? No, it’s steampunk . . .
Whether you’re a frugal shopper or a fashionista, you’ve probably
laid eyes upon or at least heard of it. While the popularity of the
steampunk style continues to grow, it is by no means a recent
phenomenon. A term originally coined by K. W. Jeter, author of Morlock Nights,
an 80’s science fiction novel that takes place in an alternate
Victorian England, ’steampunk’ began as a fictional cultural concept.
One that has since garnered a cult following. While its hard core
enthusiasts sometimes associate it with the cyber punk movement, this
falls tragically short of what the true ’steampunk’ ideal was meant to
represent.
But, you ask, what makes a piece of jewelry ’steampunk’?
At first glance it would seem to be a simple matter of components.
Some whirring gears, a few skeleton keys, a flourish of elegant
scrollwork, and voila! A mechanical masterpiece. However, while this
may satisfy the superficial definiton of steampunk, there is far more to
this intriguing trend, than meets the eye.
What lies at its heart is the Victorian sensibility. Influenced by
an honest fascination with the Renaissance, when scientific study and
empirical thought overruled the baser instincts and sinister
superstitions of the Medieval period, the Victorians propelled
themselves full force into the Industrial Revolution.
Steam power was
making it possible to travel and live in relative comfort, while mass
production manufacturing was making that comfort more and more
affordable.
The possiblities seemed endless. This whirlwind of
‘modernization’ laid the foundations upon which were created such works
as H.G. Wells’ Time Machine and Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Captain Nemo’s wondrous submarine, the Nautilus, is a prime example of
’steampunkery’. A mechanized fantasia of unequaled technological
potential created with a spartan, yet refined aesthetic.
With such pedigrees at its disposal, steampunk is certainly more than
a collection of patinated copper clockwork and engraved escutcheon
plates. It is a celebration of the golden age of the thinking man. A
nod to the pioneer spirit and, yes, a touch of rebellion.
So the next time you see a piece of steampunk jewelry, be sure to ask after its maker, because the story behind the watch face may be even more captivating than its cogs!
