Non-precious materials summary

Breaking away from traditional materials has taken time but non-precious materials are not new, it can be found in historical ethnic and folk jewellery. Art-jewellers adopt non-precious materials because the material value can be replaced with the value of art. These pieces are still handmade which makes pricing for mass markets difficult therefore some jewellers moved back to precious or mixed materials.

Non-precious materials are still used for expression, lowering financial cost, creating political statements and practicality. It allows for exploring what can be made precious, colour, texture, form and patterns. Jane Adam's uses anodised aluminium for practicality so her large pieces are light in weight. She then mills the anodised aluminium to reveal the metal beneath thus adding colour and texture. Similarly, using a stencil in enamelling and leaving some metal exposed. Christoph Zellweger rejects the traditional role of jewellery by using steel in a non-pretty way which gives a decayed look, the same way my gilding-metal casts will eventually tarnish.

Contemporary jewellers comment on what is jewellery or use their materials to validate their creations. We need to define the difference between if something is precious by monetary or aesthetic value.

Figure 1 - Jane Adam's aluminium neckpiece 

Figure 2 - Christoph Zellweger steel brooches