Graduate Directory 2020: Watches & Jewellery

Yilin Wang Royal College of Art, UK

Wang’s moulded silver wire undergarment is designed to bear tension and is surprisingly resilient. When worn, its intricate weave embosses the skin. ‘I wanted to conceptualise the beautiful and delicate nature behind the archetype of the submissive and silent East Asian female,’ says Wang.

Jing Jiang Central Saint Martins, UK

The ancient Chinese technique of tian-tsui, where blue kingfisher feathers are used to inlay and cover the surfaces of ornaments, is subverted in Jiang’s designs. Her modern, sustainability-consious take utilises discarded poultry feathers to create exquisitely technical jewellery pieces.

Erinn M Cox Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia

Cox’s satisfyingly weighty designs are constructed of hundreds of tightly wound rings of oxidised copper. Pieced together with thick slabs of metal and crafted silver, her work expresses the suffering and burden of grief in physical form.

Zihan Zhou Birmingham School of Jewellery, UK

Zhou’s tags in brass, gold, steel and diamonds are an observation on the unending nature of desire. Rather than remaining unworn, they become a precious adornment in their own right, ensuring every shirt is permanently new.