Christmas Rocks! celebrates the timeless beauty and allure of precious gemstones through the lens of fine, contemporary jewellery. We have selected both contemporary and modern masters, each of whom uses stones that have captivated and inspired for centuries, ranging from semi-precious to diamonds, as well as non-precious materials.

Disa Allsopp

Born: 1958

Disa was born in London and grew up in Barbados. This special island really influenced her jewellery designs, visible in her use of colourful gemstones. Disa personally selects each stone such as golden citrines, warm garnets, rubies, sapphires and morganites.

White and coloured diamonds are set on unique bands while rough and rare cut gemstones make Disa’s work contemporary and current, maintaining a timeless charm.

Disa exhibits internationally throughout the UK, United States, Japan and France. All work is individually handmade in Disa’s London studio.

Malcolm Appleby

Born: 1946

Place of Birth: West Wickham, London

Malcolm Appleby was born in 1946. He studied at Central School of Art, Sir John Cass and the Royal College of Art in London before establishing his studio in Scotland in 1969. A silversmith and metal engraver, known for his imaginative use of line and form, he considers gold “just another lovely material to work with.”

The Scottish Gallery has been associated with Malcolm Appleby since the 1970s; the many facets of his work have brought joy to many, each piece sold marking the beginning of a journey of discovery around this senior artist. The Gallery honoured Malcolm Appleby’s seventieth birthday in January 2016, which marked over fifty years of a creative tour de force. Malcolm Appleby has dedicated his artistic practice primarily to engraving and pushing the boundaries of metalwork; constant experimentation has made him a master of his craft and in 2014 he received an MBE for his outstanding contribution to the arts.

2019 marked fifty years since Malcolm Appleby first set up his studio in Scotland and the exhibition 50 Golden Years in Scotland, featuring both jewellery and silversmithing, recognised his unique contribution to the arts. Malcolm’s infectious enthusiasm for his craft, his willingness to work with other artists and his pleasure in sharing his skills is characteristic of his generosity and pre-eminence. The natural world that surrounds Malcolm’s studio informs every piece; the artist’s inspiration unlimited in the abundance of the world around him.

Public Collections include:
The Victoria & Albert Museum, London; The Goldsmiths’ Company, London; British Museum, London; Royal Armouries, Tower of London; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums; The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh; and Perth Museum & Art Gallery

Malcolm’s jewellery collection can be viewed here.

In August 2021 we celebrated Malcolm Appleby’s 75th birthday with Malcolm Appleby & Friends. Previous exhibitions include 50 Golden Years in Scotland in March 2019 and The Gallery also hosted a special exhibition in January 2016 to celebrate Malcolm Appleby’s 70th birthday.

Michael Becker

Born: 1958

Place of Birth: Paderborn, Germany

Michael Becker is renowned for working predominantly in gold, which he combines with stones such as lapis lazuli, uvarovite and red mineral pigment.

His exquisite small scale constructions offer us a powerful contemporary interpretation of these most ancient materials, which examines Becker’s use of subtle texture, colour and geometric shapes. Michael studied at the Fachhochschule Cologne, Germany and his work is held in numerous public collections.

Public Collections include:

V&A, London; Schmuckmuseum, Pforzheim; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; Musée des arts décoratifs de Montréal, Montreal; Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York

Paul Preston

Born: 1943

Place of Birth: Leeds

Born in Leeds, Paul Preston a.k.a. the ‘Red Mole’ originally practised architecture before becoming a self-taught jeweller. His combination of fine workmanship and imaginative ideas make him one of the most distinctive contemporary British jewellers today. Paul practised architecture for just two years before retiring to dive the waters round Lands End for crawfish and the recovery of non-ferrous metals from wrecks. His interest in jewellery began after seeing the jewellery of artist and sculptor Breon O’Casey.

A large proportion of Paul’s work is based on themes from nature, especially birds and fish. This natural world in metal often has a strong element of fantasy influenced by cartoons and story books, as well as a whimsical, poetic quality.

Paul Preston now works from his studio in West Wales. His work is in many public and private collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

The Gallery will be hosting a solo exhibition in August 2024 – The Impartial Observer.

Wendy Ramshaw

Photography by David Watkins

Born: 1939

Died: 2018

Wendy Ramshaw, CBE, RDI, was an international champion of modern jewellery. Her signature ringsets are represented in over 70 public collections worldwide. Ramshaw’s work also encompassed designs for textiles, screens, gateways and sculpture. The Scottish Gallery has exhibited some of her most ambitious ideas through exhibitions such as Picasso’s Ladies (1989), Rooms of Dreams (2002), Prospero’s Table (2004) and A Journey Through Glass (2007). Exhibitions such as Room of Dreams, which was designed and created as a theatrical stage set for the jewellery, have become embedded not only in Ramshaw’s spectacular career but also illustrate the commitment by The Gallery to truly original ideas.

Public Collections include:
Victoria & Albert Museum, London; National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA; National Gallery of Western Australia, Canberra; British Museum, London; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

In August 2023 we presented Wendy Ramshaw – The Early Years as part of our Festival Presentation – Wonder Women. You can discover more about Wendy Ramshaw’s life and work in her words in our special blog series here.

Guy Royle

Born: 1954

Place of Birth: Devon

Guy Royle’s jewellery inhabits a space between the definitions of Art and Craft; mingling influences from both, yet never so far as becoming exclusively one or the other. Brooches are paintings in metal, necklaces are sculptures for the human form, while the tones, shades and textures of raw materials are his palette. This combination of elements brings a timeless and natural quality to his work. What is more, Guy’s jewellery is graceful for its functionality; whatever beauty stems from his work, has derived, and is inseparable from its intent to be worn.

Using the simplest of tools and methods, he works mainly with sheet silver, which is cut, bent, beaten and formed. This metal work compliments his use of natural pebbles and semi-precious stones, which are ground, shaped and drilled into beads.

Since the nineteen-eighties Guy has made a name as a jeweller, however, his varied practice includes printing, painting and weaving. Except for his time at Morley College of Art, Guy is largely self-taught. Perhaps more valuable than any formal education, 25 years as an assistant to the artist Breon O’Casey’s has proved of deeper and more longstanding influence.

Misun Won

Born: 1979

Misun Won graduated with a masters degree in 2008 from Edinburgh College of Art. Originally from Korea, her work is associated with the delicacy of highly refined handcraft from the East. Her extensive experience of living and working in both Britain and Korea has given her a broader cultural outlook. It has enabled her to position herself in what she calls “neutral territory” and to examine both cultures with “fresh eyes”. Influences from both countries can be seen in her work: a major inspiration is Korean patchwork, but this highly traditional form is interpreted through Western fractal geometry; creating dynamic structures for her collection.

Misun received a commendation at Goldsmiths’ Fair 2019 for her latest collection.

Christmas Rocks!