Graduate Directory 2020: Watches & Jewellery

Casting their gaze between the technical and the technological, our pick of graduate jewellery pioneers have bright futures in watch and jewellery design. Discover what separates the best from the rest here

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Yilin Wang Royal College of Art, UK

Wire underwear

Dream collaborator: Loewe
yilinjewellery.com

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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

Large white circular earring

Dream collaborator: Nendo
@jiangsanri

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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

Chunky black necklace

Dream collaborator: Portuguese sculptor Rui Chafes
erinnmcox.com

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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

White shirts folded in boxes

Dream collaborator: Industrial designer Shunji Yamanaka
zihanzhou.art

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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.

Hannah Silver
Hannah Silver

Hannah Silver is a writer and editor with over 20 years of experience in journalism, spanning national newspapers and independent magazines. Currently Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles for print and digital, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury since joining in 2019.