If you’re watching this year’s The Great British Bake Off, you might find yourself drawn to the rather oversized, artistic creations on screen. Yes, we’re talking about Prue Leith’s mammoth necklaces, not the show-stopping bakes. The presenter’s penchant for larger-than-life designs got us thinking about the top OTT jewelry pieces recently. And who better to cast their beady eye over the strongest contenders than Cecily Motley – Papier pal, art jewelry expert and co-founder of Motley London?
Motley London x Sian Evans
18k gold vermeil on 925 silver with Majorcan pearl back
After studying History at Oxford, Cecily immersed herself in the art jewelry world, working for the prestigious Christie’s auction house then as director of Mayfair’s Louisa Guinness Gallery – a space that collaborates with contemporary artists, like Anish Kapoor and Ed Ruscha, as well as dealing with works by 20th century artists, from Alexander Calder to Picasso.
Realizing that art jewelry pieces were far out of most people’s budget, Cecily co-founded Motley London in 2017 – a jewelry brand on a mission to democratize design. “I saw that the leading jewelry designers – sculptors, engineers and artists all in one – weren’t being recognized for their brilliance. Motley London is jewelry done differently: we collaborate with the world’s leading jewelry designers on exclusive collections that are brilliantly designed, beautifully crafted and – crucially – absolutely affordable.”
Read on for Cecily’s rundown of her favourite art jewelry pieces…
1. Alexander Calder’s Jealous Husband Necklace
“You can’t speak about big or OTT without talking about Alexander Calder. He was an American artist who redefined the horizons of sculpture – by making it move. His jewelry was intended to subsume the wearer in an art performance; they are wonderfully oversized contraptions. This piece is my all-time favorite.”
2. Salvador Dali’s The Eye of Time
“Dali worked with New York jewelers to make an amazing group of Surrealist pieces – dripping hearts, pearly smiles (literally a mouth made of ruby with pearl teeth) and this crying eye brooch/watch. There are only four known examples of the piece, most of which have come up at auction for eye-watering prices.”
3. Claude Lalanne’s Serpent Necklace
“The wonderful surrealist Claude Lalanne, one half of the artistic duo ‘Les Lalannes’ is a metalsmith who has made jewelry alongside her sculpture all her life. She uses the ancient technique of electroplating to create wearable copper sculptures. This isn’t OTT. This is JUST THE RIGHT LEVEL.”
4. Lucio Fontana’s Anti Sofia Necklace
“The story goes that Sofia Loren went to Fontana’s studio. After irritating the artist with various requests, Sofia demanded that he make her a jewel. Fontana devised this necklace that can only be worn by a flat-chested woman: on Sofia the spike would become a lethal weapon (!)”
5. Motley London x Sian Evans’ Bubble Earrings
“I couldn’t write a list without including some of the conversation stoppers in the Motley London launch collection. Sian Evans is cult British jeweler designer and former lecturer at Central Saint Martins, who creates designs inspired by her love of art, design and technology. Her bubble earrings are 18k gold vermeil on 925 silver, with a Majorcan pearl back.”
Head to Motley London's gleaming new website here.
