Artist Gregory Grozos Turns Old Pocket Watches Into Fascinating…
Caitlin Yabut
Have you ever read Mary Norton’s story ‘The Borrowers’ that Studio Ghibli later adapted into a movie called ‘The Secret World of Arrietty’? If you have, then chances are that you’ve found yourself developing a fascination with miniatures and you’re not alone. It’s a pretty open secret that everyone’s got their own little worlds in their minds. And now, you can carry your very own Miniature World with Gregory Grozos’ miniature jewelry creations!
Gregory Grozos creates impeccably detailed jewelry that you can carry along with you, no matter where you go. Awesome Inventions reached out to Gregory to learn more about him and his craft. And it was certainly enlightening!
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Gregory Grozos creates wearable ‘Miniature Worlds’
Each and every jewelry piece that Gregory creates is as intricate as possible. The miniscule globe in his miniature library, for example, has tiny continents painted on it. He also makes the tiny people in his creations look as expressive as possible, which gives you the impression that you are peeking into an actual moment. His creations are no bigger than the size of an antique pocket watch, which, as you can imagine, does not offer much space for Gregory to work with. But he always manages to create the most fascinating scenes anyway!
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So, this one is perfect for those who love unicorns because it is so magical!
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The creation process is an adventure in itself for Gregory
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Each piece of miniature jewelry features a unique world
Instead of sticking to one theme or specialty like most miniaturists, Gregory creates miniature jewelry that belongs to various universes. He makes jewelry inspired by the steampunk universe and whimsical worlds where mythical creatures thrive, to name a few. His most recent creation features two tiny men manning the machinery inside a miniature factory that ‘turns stones into gold’. The extremely intricate work is bedecked with a myriad of cog wheels fitted inside a vintage watch case. It’s worth noting that Gregory doesn’t always use vintage watch frames or pocket watches – sometimes, he places his miniature jewelry masterpieces under delicate glass domes and orbs.
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Putting together a miniature world requires a lot of resourcefulness and flexibility
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Gregory uses unexpectedly ordinary materials to create his mini jewelry pieces
At first glance, you’d come up with the impression that Gregory uses special materials for his miniature jewelry. But that couldn’t farther from the truth. In reality, he repurposes parts of broken watches and random objects he finds in his studio. And sometimes he even uses things he finds when he’s out and about!
All these things are transformed through Gregory’s masterful manipulations and painstaking attention to detail. It’s certainly no easy feat paring down regular-sized objects into something smaller than your thumb nail! And as you would expect, it does take a lot of time to accomplish as well: one jewelry piece could take days or even a year or two to finish!
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On images like this one you can see how tiny his creations really are!
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Creating and piecing together miniature worlds takes a lot of time and patience
It’s been said that all good things take time. This certainly rings true for Gregory, as his craft requires a lot of time to accomplish. The entire process of putting together a ‘Miniature World’ will require astounding levels of concentration and focus. But he also emphasized that it’s equally important to know when to pause and bide your time. After all, forcing yourself to finish work when your muse is absent won’t end well!
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Gregory credits a traditional Chinese meditation practice in helping him develop his focus
Every single Miniature World that Gregory puts forth into the world is a testament of his beliefs and hard work. No two of his miniature jewelry collections will ever be the same. In fact, he doesn’t seem to re-make his designs, which makes his work truly one-of-a-kind. Give his Etsy shop a browse, and who knows? You just might discover something you’ll love! He also accepts commissions, so if you’re looking to bring your little world to life, get in touch with Gregory and make it happen.
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Now, that we have seen many tiny worlds, which piece of miniature jewelry is your favorite? Let us know in the comment section!
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Posted Jun 14, 2023
Created a feature article for UK-based online magazine, Awesome Inventions, showcasing the story and work, by interviewing the artist.
