Have you ever wondered how our concept of time is formed? Time flies or stands still.

Tempus Fugit, an exhibition by Marcon Caruana of jewellery made from upcycled watch parts, opened last week and will run until August 23. In the case of the watches used to make this jewellery, they are ‘timeless’ but have now been given a new life.

We often utter the famous words ‘time flies’, and perhaps in the past months many of us have found ourselves in the situation where we wished that we could make time fly, yearning for the day when we can be set free from lockdown or self-isolation.

Le Jardin au Printemps – The Garden in Spring time

Caruana gives life to otherwise damaged and unwanted watch parts by upcycling them into new forms of jewellery, thus creating the idea of ‘timelessness’. Each creation is inspired by nature, more specifically winged creatures, varying from insects to celestial beings, with the main component being the vintage watch parts that are no longer ticking their mechanical parts indicating that time has finally escaped from them. The watch parts are now ‘time less’ but they now live on in harmony as re-imagined creations with vintage charms and beads that each could fly if they were real.

In the past months many of us have found ourselves in the situation where we wished that we could make time fly

In her exhibition, Caruana invites the public to take a nostalgic journey and imagine where those watch parts might have been, whom they belonged to and the adventures they might have had tens of years ago. With this exhibition, you can observe the workmanship of these watch parts from the post-war era and look closely at how they have now been reimagined with the addition of interesting beads, charms and other components.

Papilio Auram – Golden Butterfly

The vintage jewellery pieces have a story, bringing the past to the present, and have had another life before they have reached this point. Each vintage item is hand-selected for the way it captures the essence of what vintage means.

Caruana is the only artisan to create earrings, necklaces and bracelets in this style through a selection of story-themed necklaces, mixed media compositions and recycled clock parts.

Atelier Nineteen does not make use of single-use plastics but gives new life to otherwise damaged watches and upcycles old jewellery into wearable pieces of art.

Tempus Fugit by Marcon Caruana from Atelier Nineteen Wearable Art is held in aid of The Malta Community Chest Fund. The exhibition will be held at Donatella Cinelli Colombini Venue Suite, Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s, Gozitano Agricultural Village, Mġarr Road, Xewkija, Gozo. Public viewing will take place until August 23, Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to noon. One can also meet Caruana on Wednesday (August 19) from 5 to 7pm and on August 23, until 2pm. Other dates and times are available by appointment. For more information, visit the Atelier Nineteen Wearable Art Facebook page, www.ateliernineteen.com or call 9999 9019.