A BBC documentary shows how the V&A s most exciting jewellery is its contemporary treasures
Including a brooch made from 105 rubies and an oxidised gold ring
Emefa Cole and her ring
The Victoria & Albert Museum is many people’s ‘happy place’, but for me, there’s a particular space within it that feels like paradise. The V&A’s William & Judith Bollinger Gallery has over 3,000 jewellery treasures on display, from Queen Victoria’s coronet and a collar from 8
th Century BC Ireland, to items by great masters like Lalique and Belperron and everything in between. The two floors are dark and narrow, with light pooling on the objects, and a more beautiful place to spend hours and hours gazing in wonder doesn’t exist – to me, at least.
Cindy Chao’s reputation precedes her. Her designs a unique collection of wearable art have featured in prominent institutions the world over, from the Smithsonian in the US to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. The high jewellery artist has achieved a long list of accolades over the years, including the Outstanding Exhibit award at Masterpiece London in 2018.
And while she is no stranger to success, for Chao, having a piece of her work inducted into the collection of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is a dream come true and a privilege without compare. “It is indisputably one of my greatest honours,” she says.