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The 1960s heralded a wave of change, a new freedom of spirit, epitomised in contemporary jewellery design by the arrival of a man who was going to revolutionise the traditional image of gold jewellery and pave the way for a more fluid construction.

With the advent of a more prosperous era, John Donald’s designs were Baroque in mood and essentially organic in form.  Luxurious gold was twinned with exotic crystal demonstrating two of the most notable trademarks of John Donald’s work from this period which are still prevalent today. His predilection for uncut precious stones and natural crystal together with the fact that his goldwork echoes the striations found in the natural world, came to represent the quintessential John Donald.

Experimenting with molten gold in water, John Donald created a myriad of fascinating shapes with which to work.  From this initial research came his famous ‘crown’ design which marked a complete departure from any previous jewellery concept. The stones were set on very fine wires, all at different levels within the textured goldwork of the crown.

A celebration of the innovative work of this leading jewellery designer reveals that John Donald has bequeathed a rich design heritage to the precious jewellery arena.  The continued success and demand for individual commissions also illustrates that the ethos behind John Donald’s designs remains as relevant today as when he moved into his first studio in a converted mews in Bayswater over forty years ago.

Email: john@johndonald.com