Brutalist ring I - Slim

Okay, so it’s not for everyone. The architectural movement literally got its name from the Brits thinking the buildings created in this style looked “brutal.” But that’s exactly why we love it: it was something new, something ultra-modern, Dune-like, spiky and severe. When this movement began in the 1950s, buildings in this style were stripped back to their raw materials, leaving quirky angles, mottled textures and sharp edges. Gone was the cover-up; the essentials were laid bare for all to see.

Some were repulsed, while others were inspired and interpreted this movement in jewellery design. Perhaps one of the most famous jewellers to favour this artistic genre was Andrew Grima. Borrowing directly from the textures of nature, Grima created jewels that looked otherworldly. In the 1960s and 1970s, his designs entered the mainstream when Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret, were frequently seen adorned with his jewels.