The Melting Pot is a conglomeration of all jewelry making facets today and in the yesteryears before us.
A publication by Qompendium in collaboration with Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim.
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Jahnstraße 42
75173 Pforzheim
schmuckmuseum@pforzheim.de
+49 (0) 7231 39 2126
SCHMuCKMuseum Director
Cornelie Holzach
Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Creative Direction
Kimberly Lloyd
Qompendium
kl(at)qompendium(dot)com
VISUAL IDENTITY
DESIGN
Sascha Lobe, Pentagram
Melting Pot is the online magazine and editorial arm of the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, a cultural landmark showcasing treasures dating as far back as the 3rd millennium BC through to contemporary art jewelry. Melting Pot serves as an anchor for all of the museum’s activities and is geared towards collectors, designers, artists and publishers.
Under the auspices of Qompendium, Melting Pot’s curatorial partner, the realm of jewelry is brought to life through a treasure trove of essays, think pieces, questionnaires, books, podcasts and special international events.
Melting Pot is a conglomeration of all jewelry making facets today and in the yesteryears before us, being an anchor for all of the Schmuckmuseum’s activities and is a focal point for a number of subjects. Curiosities spin narratives on the history of jewelry, its stakes in pop culture, the publishing realm, politics and sports and why mankind wears jewelry in the first place. Melting Pot’s coverage of luminaries keeps its eye on the prize through extended and on the fly interviews and portraits of collectors, jewelry bigwigs, style mavens and the like. The exhibitions category takes us into the museum’s events – past, present and future, while the resources area is the definitive index of what’s what and who’s who in the jewelry sphere.
Melting Pot appeals to jewelry enthusiasts and hobbyists, jewelry houses, art university students, artists and art buffs, museum lovers and publishers. It serves as an anchor for all of the museum activities, focusing on:
- The preservation of culture
- Upholding history and heritage
- Making a difference through the arts
- Sharing thought-provoking works with the public at large
- Inspiring creators, artists and art lovers alike
- Acting as a pillar for the city of Pforzheim
Why did we choose the name Melting Pot?
Smelting has been around for centuries and the earliest melting pot, also known as a crucible, can be traced back to around the fifth millennium BC in Eastern Europe and Iran. In early human civilization, gold ore was mined from the earth and crushed with simple tools. The ore was then washed in water and smelted in earthen kilns.
Melting pots were historically made from clay, although they can be constructed from any material that is able to withstand the high temperatures needed to melt the metal in the crucible. In the case of gold, its melting point is 1064°C and a graphite crucible is typically used because it has high resistance to chemical erosions and thermal shock.
- Melting Pot [meltɪŋ pɒt] 1: a pot in which metals or other materials are melted and mixed.
- 2: a process of blending that often results in invigoration or novelty.
- 3a: a place where a variety of races, cultures, or individuals assimilate into a cohesive whole. b: the population of such a place.
The Schmuckmuseum Collection
The collection on permanent display at the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim is overseen by Director Cornelie Holzach. The museum showcases treasures dating as far back as the 3rd millennium BC, all the way through to Etruscan jewelry from 600 BC, Greco-Roman antiquity, the Renaissance and Jugendstil/Art Nouveau, as well as contemporary art jewelry. Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim also shines a light on the Golden City’s jewelry-making expertise, presenting a notable collection of rings and pocket watches.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Qompendium and Kimberly Lloyd on Melting Pot, broadcasting the many embodiments of jewelry and long-standing collections of the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim to a worldwide audience through an engaging and interactive medium.”
– Cornelie Holzach, Director of the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim