The TOUS Bear Pendant Is Added to the Museu del Disseny

It’s only 19 millimetres tall, 14 wide and 0.80 thick. Even so, the iconic bear from the Manresa firm TOUS has been added to the product design collection in the Museu del Disseny, following the donation ceremony celebrated yesterday at the Museum  .

It is one of the first pendant prototypes produced artisanally by Rosa Oriol in 1985. Oriol was inspired by teddy bears, as well as her fondness and childhood memories, to produce a piece of jewellery that was portable and accessible to the general public.

The piece stands out “for its value as a hugely popular icon on the national and international level, along with the diverse applications it’s had in various bases and objects”, as Pilar Vélez, Director of the Museum of Design of Barcelona, explains. Its production value is important as well, given that since the 1980’s, the manner in which the piece is produced has been changing: starting with artisan production, moving to moulds, microfusion, electroforming, or bilaminates.

The Tous family started their journey in the world of jewellery design on carrer del Born in Manresa in 1920. They focused on an innovative concept that shunned traditional jewellery, establishing themselves as a brand and becoming International, with a presence on all five continents.