Experimenting with materials

A universal desire for renewal was manifest in virtually all social sectors in the 1950s. In jewellery the change was expressed in a revolutionary handling of materials and an unconventional language of forms, which was accompanied by a radically new philosophy of personal adornment.

Apart from purely decorative jewellery, which was still worn as an expression of status, works began to gain acceptance that were notable for distinctively individual signatures and made powerful statements, a trend that decisively shaped developments in auteur jewellery.

Influenced by fine-arts movements of the time, such as Tachisme and Informel, which were premised on examining the principle of controlled chance, jewellery-makers dematerialised noble metals by subjecting gold and silver surfaces to specific treatments. Jewellery objects were also given a sculptural dimension. Thus an important step was taken towards acknowledging jewellery as an autonomous art medium, a perception that opened the way for daring experimentation with materials and techniques.