Books on jewellery and adornment I have collected or been given over the last 30 years have not only shaped my jewellery journey, but are still my most treasured ‘tools’. Some written on technique, others on ancient museum collections and some are simply goldsmith bibles - catalogues of the most significant designers in contemporary jewellery. All as valuable as each other. Books stand the test of time, a constant and reliable reference to go back to year after year. The wholeness of pages bound together in a specific order, carefully and intentionally - no algorithm, diversion or distraction. Books provide a solid and physical presence of unchanging reliability which in the nature of design, an evolving process, is an essential anchor.
Studying a masterpiece can mean looking at a simple fluid shaped 1970s bangle design, a 3000 year old Egyptian gold amulet or a highly intricate Cartier diamond brooch. All as relevant as the other in their design importance to me, I find it’s almost better to not concentrate too much on how a piece has been created (in order to limit unwanted influence) but instead to focus on the intent and effect from maker to wearer.
For me, jewellery is a wonderful recipe of three main ingredients in equal measure; sentiment, skill and beauty. To achieve this books are crucial. It sounds obvious but when it comes to classic, authentic and high quality jewellery design and creation, the addition of great books is a key part of my studio equipment. They encourage consideration, time to absorb the form and functionality of a piece or technique whilst working through my own concept I may be trying to develop at the time (They also discourage shortcuts… something that is increasingly accessible but always best avoided when striving for quality).
Books allow more time for our own thought to get involved, and in jewellery design this has to bring in not only creative ideas but also a chosen method. Of course the technical process and the artistic concept cannot exist without each other, but in my design one often causes the other; for example the Ocean nugget. An idea first conceived when contemplating a collection on the movement of the Atlantic waters surrounding Scilly. Whilst reading a book on Nubian gold I saw a picture of a large gold nugget with a beautiful form shaped entirely by the ground it came from - that’s when my curiosity looked to whether I could create the same ‘natural’ form but with water, specifically seawater… I could, and the Ocean collection was born.
Nothing comes close to sitting down with a heavy book on Calder or Grima or revisiting Tim McCreight’s instruction with my own sketchbook in hand. Nothing except museums, they are also crucial… but that’s another story…
