Ring Design Past And Present

The ring is possibly the single item of human adornment which holds universal symbolic value on many different levels. As a material device to mark an emotional or spiritual bond, or a symbol of worldly status and power, the design of this ostensibly simple ornamental object has always reflected its special meanings to the point where contemporary ring design approaches the level of sculpture or high art.This definitive study places the ring within its historical and social context, and follows the development of ring design, manufacture, and the materials used from its earliest appearance in the fifth Century BC to the experimental abstract forms of the present day.The main topics covered are: -- Major periods in ring making-- Fine jewelry and mass production-- Modern and contemporary rings-- Ring designers of the 1980s and 1990sIn addition to offering a comprehensive historical study of ring design, this book enhances its survey of contemporary craftsmen by includingsketches and preliminary designs which reveal the creative process leading to the finished piece. In short, this is a reference work which will prove invaluable now and for years to come.Lambert, Sylvie is the author of 'Ring Design Past And Present' with ISBN 9781577172741 and ISBN 1577172744.