‘Plain gold is soulless’: Why collectors love contemporary jewellery

Contemporary jewellery or “art jewellery” as it’s sometimes referred to, has been ubiquitous since the 1950s. And despite shunning traditional materials such as diamonds and gold for resin or steel, these unique pieces can still command considerable sums.

If you ask Anne Rutland, a collector of contemporary jewellery, to choose between a chunk of gold or a well-designed piece of contemporary jewellery, it’s a clear decision. “Gold in its raw form is just soulless, dead,” says Rutland, who has spent the last 25 years collecting contemporary jewellery.

Contemporary jewellery may not involve massive diamonds and 24-carat gold, but the unique pieces – such as this collection by Lisa Roet – can still demand considerable sums.

One of her first acquisitions was a simple brooch, priced at $20 by Melbourne based artist/jeweller Roseanne Bartley. When her momentum for collecting built, Rutland purchased a couple of neck pieces by Carlier Makigawa from Gallery Funaki in Melbourne. Priced at well over $2000 for each, the value has since increased significantly.

“A similar neck piece was purchased by the Decorative Arts Museum in Paris,” says Rutland. “Contemporary jewellery is still fairly niche and many still don’t get the idea of wearing something that’s more about the story it tells, than the value of materials,” she adds.

Pieces of Eight, a store/gallery in Russell Place, Melbourne, has been a champion of contemporary jewellery for the last 20 years. Jeweller and owner, Melanie Katsalidis, showcases a combination of contemporary jewellery and more traditional pieces, such as engagement rings.

A brooch by Melbourne jeweller Roseanne Bartley.

Even some of the rings that appear fairly conventional, such as those by William Llewellyn Griffiths, have a slight goth edge, with miniature gold skulls on the shoulder of the ring and a sun dial pattern concealed behind a marquis diamond. Priced at $16,000 (includes GST), the ring is loosely reminiscent of the Memento Mori jewellery that appeared in the Georgian period.

Lisa Roet, an artist whose sculptures of primates are well known in the art world, has produced a number of bracelets. There’s a gold-plated bronze bracelet, emphasising the strong grip of a primate, or a sterling silver bracelet with the texture of the skin of a gorilla, embossed on the surface, retailing for $575.

Other jewellers, such as Belinda Esperson, take inspiration from the Australian bush, with one of her “paper” cuffs, made of sterling silver rather than paper, priced at $1380. “Belinda is the ultimate in creating bespoke jewellery, working directly with a client,” says Katsalidis.

Pieces of Eight also showcases the work of Kate Rohde, recognised for her fluorescent vases and sculptures. Recently, she has started to design jewellery, starting out with resin a few years ago, and now designing with brightly coloured gemstones.

“Kate’s first foray into contemporary jewellery was when she designed for the fashion label Romance was Born’s collection (2010).” While Rohde’s pieces start at $2000, they are, according to Katsalidis, a way of “watching the value increase”, given the artist’s achievements and standing in the art world.

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