Moles in a Hot Air Balloon Necklace, 2009

Paul Preston, also known as the “Red Mole,” is one of the most distinctive and imaginative figures in contemporary British jewellery. Originally trained and briefly employed as an architect, Preston abandoned conventional practice after just two years in favour of a far more unconventional life, diving the waters around Land’s End for crawfish and salvaging non-ferrous metals from shipwrecks. This spirit of independence, adventure and curiosity continues to define both his life and his extraordinary body of work.