Aurum Deorum / Vancouver
The Maker's Mark
A small owl and the initials A.D. identify work made by Aurum Deorum. The mark changes with the object, but its purpose remains the same: to leave a record of who made it.
The owl
A mark made to belong to the object
The owl has been with us since the beginning.
The first Aurum Deorum logo began as the reverse of an ancient Athenian coin, depicting ΑΘΕ, the Owl of Athena.
Over time, the coin fell away and the owl remained.
It was redrawn, reduced and refined through several iterations before becoming the mark we use today.
Our interest in maker's marks comes from the language of old world jewellery; small symbols quietly recording the history of an object's maker, material, and so much more. We wanted our own mark to belong to the jewellery in much the same way, without pretending to be a historic hallmark.
When the construction allows it, we incorporate the owl and A.D. into the design itself. Generally framed with a recessed background, it may follow the edge of a ring or occupy a small piece of a clasp. Sometimes it is deeply engraved and immediately visible; sometimes little more than an outline.
Its form changes with the object. Its meaning does not.
A small signature, a record of where it began.
Maker's mark / fineness mark
What the marks symbolize
The owl with A.D. represents Aurum Deorum.
A separate 925 mark identifies sterling silver, an alloy containing 92.5% silver. 585 or 14K represents gold alloyed to 14 karat, while 750 or 18K represents gold alloyed to 18 karat. Other fineness marks may differ according to the material.
Body piercing jewellery in particular can vary. In order to maintain clean surfaces, our 14K body jewellery will not have a maker's mark, especially in areas with skin contact. So in general, we leave these pieces unmarked.
Identifying a piece
Found the owl?
If you are trying to identify a piece of jewellery carrying an owl with the initials A.D., compare it with the marks shown here. Aurum Deorum marks can vary slightly in depth, scale and orientation depending on the object and the process used to make it.
The mark is deliberately small. Jewellery travels, changes hands and sometimes survives long after its original context has disappeared. We like the thought that the owl can remain behind as a quiet route back to the studio.