A WORLD OF INVENTION

Rings from the Goldsmiths' Company Collection 1961–2021

Finger rings were at the forefront of the development of jewellery as modern art. The rings shown here demonstrate the importance of the international scene at the end of the Second World War in the explosion of skills and originality, as well as the adoption of novel techniques and unusual or space-age materials. Rings were no longer merely mounts for precious gems but became wearable sculpture in new and exciting forms. Makers started to explore a visual language that was closer to contemporary art than to more traditional jewellery.