Harm Caused by Jewelry: A Deficiency in the Design Process

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Iran University of Science and Technology. Tehran. Iran.

Abstract

Jewelry design has traditionally been evaluated in relation to aesthetics, material properties, and cultural value, whereas ergonomic fit and user safety have received comparatively limited scholarly attention. This study aimed to identify the principal ergonomic and safety-related challenges associated with ring design and to assess the extent to which these issues are represented in the scientific literature. A mixed-method descriptive design was employed, drawing on four complementary sources of evidence: a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms to approximately 30 frequent ring users, semi-structured interviews with jewelry and industrial designers, a review of ring-related injury cases reported by municipal fire and safety services in Rasht, Shiraz, and Shahriar, Iran, and a bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSSWin 27, interview data were thematically coded, and bibliometric records were processed in Bibexcel and visualized using VOS viewer and Gephi. The findings identified recurring design-related concerns, including finger-size fluctuation, sharp or protruding forms, excessive weight, material-related skin reactions, and inadequate ergonomic fit. Bibliometric results further indicated that existing scholarship is concentrated primarily on the cultural, artistic, material, and technological dimensions of jewelry, while ergonomic and safety-oriented research remains scarce. The study underscores the need for a user-centered design framework that systematically integrates ergonomics, safety, and aesthetics in order to enhance comfort, usability, and injury prevention in contemporary ring design.

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References

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Journal of Design Thinking
Volume 6, Issue 2
December 2025
Pages 249-257

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