Brooch thumbnail 1
Brooch thumbnail 2

Brooch

1967-1968 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The asymmetric rays of textured gold wirework which radiate around the central cabochon stone of lapis lazuli make this brooch a dramatic example of the revolution in jewellery design in London in the 1960s. The rich colours of the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the textured gold are the main features of the design; the diamonds play a supporting role. On other occasions Grima left stones rough and used objects cast from nature.

Andrew Grima (1921-2007) was born in Rome of a Maltese father and an Italian mother. He trained in Nottingham as an engineer, fought in Burma in the Second World War, and then entered the jewellery firm, HJ Company, owned by the father of first wife, Helène Haller. He exhibited in the celebration of contemporary jewellery organized by Graham Hughes at the Goldsmiths' Hall, London in 1961, won a series of prizes in the Diamonds International Award competitions, and, in 1966, the Duke of Edinburgh Prize for Elegant Design. The same year he opened his London shop in Jermyn Street, its façade made of rough slabs of slate sharing the panache and the energy of his jewels. The Queen, Princess Margaret and Jacqueline Onassis have all worn his jewellery. The V&A's brooch was bought in December 1968 by the director Roman Polanski for his wife, the actress Sharon Tate, to mark their first wedding anniversary.

The firm moved in1986 to Lugano and in 1993 to Gstaad where it continues.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, partly textured, mouted with lapis lazuli, turquoise and diamonds set in platinum.
Brief description
Brooch, gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise and diamonds, by Andrew Grima, London, 1967-8.
Physical description
Lapis lazuli, turquoise and diamond gold brooch. From a central cabochon-cut stone of lapis lazuli radiate gold rays of irregular length roughly textured with light longitudinal lines and transverse cuts or notches. The rays are mounted with cabochon turquoise and seven brilliant-cut diamonds set in platinum.
Dimensions
  • Height: 84mm
  • Width: 75mm
  • Depth: 41mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • GRIMA (incuse inscription on plate applied on the reverse of the rays)
  • HJ Co cameo mark in rectangular punch (On wire circle running around the back of the rays. The H refers to Mr Haller, Andrew Grima's father-in-law and founder of the firm.)
  • crown, 18, leopard's head, lower case m (On wire circle running around the back of the rays: London hallmarks for 18 carat gold, 1967-8.)
  • 689 (scratched on pin mount)
Credit line
Given by William and Judith Bollinger
Object history
The brooch was a present from the film director Roman Polanksi to his wife, the actress Sharon Tate, to celebrate their first wedding anniversary (which fell on 20 January 1969). It appears from an article in the Sunday Mirror on 15 December 1968 that it had just been purchased.
Subject depicted
Summary
The asymmetric rays of textured gold wirework which radiate around the central cabochon stone of lapis lazuli make this brooch a dramatic example of the revolution in jewellery design in London in the 1960s. The rich colours of the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the textured gold are the main features of the design; the diamonds play a supporting role. On other occasions Grima left stones rough and used objects cast from nature.

Andrew Grima (1921-2007) was born in Rome of a Maltese father and an Italian mother. He trained in Nottingham as an engineer, fought in Burma in the Second World War, and then entered the jewellery firm, HJ Company, owned by the father of first wife, Helène Haller. He exhibited in the celebration of contemporary jewellery organized by Graham Hughes at the Goldsmiths' Hall, London in 1961, won a series of prizes in the Diamonds International Award competitions, and, in 1966, the Duke of Edinburgh Prize for Elegant Design. The same year he opened his London shop in Jermyn Street, its façade made of rough slabs of slate sharing the panache and the energy of his jewels. The Queen, Princess Margaret and Jacqueline Onassis have all worn his jewellery. The V&A's brooch was bought in December 1968 by the director Roman Polanski for his wife, the actress Sharon Tate, to mark their first wedding anniversary.

The firm moved in1986 to Lugano and in 1993 to Gstaad where it continues.
Bibliographic references
  • Sydney Daily Mirror, 3 July 1968
  • Sunday Mirror, 15 December 1968
  • Hughes, Graham. Andrew Grima: Designer who shook up British jewellery with his flamboyant ideas. [Obituary]. The Independent. 18 January 2008.
Collection
Accession number
M.34-2009

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdAugust 26, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest