Hearing aids are medical devices designed for individuals with hearing impairments, calibrated according to hearing test results to amplify sound appropriately for everyone’s hearing loss level. Traditionally, these devices featured clinical designs that clearly indicated their medical nature, with little consideration for modern aesthetics, which often led to users feeling self-conscious while wearing them. However, with advancing innovation and fashion trends, conventional hearing aids are no longer considered outdated.
As innovation and technology continue to progress, hearing aids, like many other products, have undergone transformative changes, becoming more diverse, modern, and compact for enhanced portability. Most recently, Auzi, a jewelry brand, has pioneered the concept of integrating hearing aids into sophisticated jewelry, boosting users’ confidence while incorporating hearing assistance technology into elegant Smart Jewelry pieces. Co-founders Daniela Groza and Declan McLaughlin believe that this fusion of hearing aids with their brand’s jewelry will become a globally recognized innovation.
Declan McLaughlin, one of the brand’s co-founders, shared that his personal experience as someone born with hearing impairment, requiring hearing aids throughout his life, often left him feeling frustrated and embarrassed about wearing them. This was largely due to their medical device appearance and the subtle skin-tone coloring designed to minimize visibility. However, Auzi has transformed hearing aids to allow wearers to express their personal identity and style. The brand offers over 60 different designs crafted from precious metals including silver, 9K and 18K gold, and rose gold, with options for colored gemstones and diamonds. Customers can also opt for custom designs to suit their preferences.
Auri’s founders are committed to establishing their brand’s reputation as pioneers in transforming medical hearing aids into artistic creations. They achieve this using premium materials and AI technology, seamlessly integrating design and technology while adhering to principles of quality and environmental sustainability. The brand has set ambitious expansion plans to extend their presence from London to Paris, New York, and the United Arab Emirates.
This brand’s innovative approach may serve as a catalyst for future collaborations between the medical and jewelry industries, inspiring the creation of new innovations that go beyond mere therapeutic functionality to emphasize aesthetic beauty for patients’ emotional well-being. Such developments not only fulfill practical requirements but also enhance users’ confidence and enable them to express their personal identity through their medical devices.
Written by Mr. Budhiphorn Vichaidist
The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization)
November 2024
