How Andrew Grima Inspired My Jewellery Designs
Andrew Grima has been a major influence on the way I think about jewellery, particularly the idea that precious jewellery doesn't have to be traditional, polite or predictable.
What I admire about Grima's work is its confidence. His jewellery often feels more like sculpture than conventional fine jewellery. Gold becomes textured, irregular and architectural, while gemstones are celebrated for their natural character rather than simply their value or perfection.
That approach has strongly influenced my own work. I've always been interested in allowing the construction, texture and form of a piece to become part of the design. Rather than hiding how something is made, I often want those details to be visible.
Grima also demonstrated that unusual stones, rough textures and abstract forms could sit comfortably alongside diamonds and precious gold. That freedom is important to me. A piece of fine jewellery doesn't necessarily need symmetry, a perfectly polished surface or a conventional gemstone arrangement to feel precious.
There is also something distinctly brutalist and architectural about much of his work. Heavy textures are balanced against delicate details, while seemingly random forms are actually carefully considered. That contrast between refinement and rawness is something I continually explore within my own jewellery.
Perhaps the biggest lesson I take from Andrew Grima is the importance of developing a recognisable visual language. His work could only really have come from him.
That's something I've always tried to achieve myself — not designing jewellery around what is fashionable, but developing ideas, techniques and forms that gradually become part of your own identity as a jewellery artist.