The Treasure Beneath the Gold

The hearing aid jewellery brand that is challenging stigma through fashion, visibility, and self-expression.

At first glance, Auzi looks like a jewellery brand. Gold finishes, sleek design - the aesthetic more commonly associated with luxury accessories rather than medical devices. But beneath the polished surface lies a mission that feels deeply personal: changing the way people see hearing aids, and in turn, the people who wear them.

Founded in 2024 by Dec and Daniela, Auzi was born from an experience Dec knows intimately. He has lived with hearing loss since birth and wears hearing aids in both ears. Yet for much of his life, he tried to hide them. 

“For a long time at school and even into university, I only wore one hearing aid when I needed to wear two,” he explains. “The biggest reason for that was I didn’t want people to see. I felt they were very medical, and they just weren’t cool.”

That feeling, the pressure to conceal something so central to daily life, shaped much of his relationship with hearing aids growing up. Rather than feeling empowered by them, he saw them as something separate from his identity. Something functional, necessary, but never beautiful.

Daniela, however, saw things differently. Originally from Romania, she has been making jewellery since she was very young, often creating collections with purpose. Over the years, she made Dec bracelets and necklaces as gifts, pieces he loved wearing because they reflected his personality in a way his hearing aids never had.

Two years later, he had an idea, “As a birthday gift, I asked if she could make jewellery from hearing aids,” he says. “Initially, you think it’s probably not possible because it’s very technical. But she worked really hard on it.”

The result transformed more than just the device itself, “I instantly loved it,” Dec recalls. “It changed how I felt about wearing hearing aids completely. I wanted people to see them.”

Soon after, he began wearing two hearing aids for the first time in years. What had once been a source of insecurity became something he was proud to display. That personal shift sparked a bigger question for the couple: how many other people were hiding their hearing aids for the same reasons? That question became the foundation of Auzi.

Even the brand’s name carries layers. “Auzi” derives from a Romanian expression pronounced “Auzi”, used to get someone’s attention, similar to saying “hey”, “oi”, or “are you listening?” Naturally, the connection to hearing resonated. But there were other associations too. Dec, who studied chemistry at university, points out that “Au” is also a chemical symbol for gold, a nod to the jewellery aspect of the brand. Then there is also the sound of the name of itself. “We wanted hearing to enter the conversation in the same way people speak about fashion brands,” he says. “Like Gucci or Fendi, sharp, stylish and memorable,” he stated.

The brand’s jewellery-inspired hearing aids covers are designed not simply as accessories, but as conversation starters - objects that challenge the idea over hearing aids should be invisible. 

Still, launching the company came with fears. “You never know how people are going to respond,” Dec admits. “At the start, it was based on my journey, and there was definitely nervousness around whether others would feel the same.”

There were also practical concerns. Producing the covers is expensive, and early criticism sometimes focused on pricing. Yet, Dec says those conversations overlooked the craftsmanship and purpose behind the products. More surprisingly, some criticisms came from outside the hearing loss community altogether. Dec commented, “we had few comments from people who don’t wear hearing aids speaking on behalf of deaf people, saying things like, ‘The deaf community could never afford this.” He added, “that felt offensive, honestly it reinforces this idea that because you wear hearing aids, you’re somehow limited in life.” Though those reactions were rare, they highlighted the lingering stigma surrounding hearing loss, a stigma Auzi is actively trying to dismantle. 

Statistics show that around 80% of people who need hearing aids do not wear them. Dec believes shame and visibly plays a major role in that reluctance. While much of the hearing aid industry focuses on making devices smaller and less noticeable, Auzi is pushing in the opposite direction.

”We want to challenge the status quo,” he says. “Hearing aids can be fashionable. They can be beautiful. They can be part of your identity if you want them to be.”