Ring thumbnail 1
Ring thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Ring

1979 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Elizabeth Gage has been a major figure in British jewellery since the 1970s. She is admired for her distinctive interpretations of a wide range of historical and cultural styles, and for her ability to create jewellery which is both glamorous and subtle, and which remains highly wearable despite its bold scale.

She studied at the Sir John Cass College in the 1960s, and in 1968 designed a collection for Cartier, New York. In 1972 she won the De Beers International Diamond Award. Her business expanded rapidly during the 1980s and by 1989, when she was awarded the Queen's Award for Export Achievement, she employed twenty-five full-time staff.

This flexible style of ring, known as an 'Agincourt' ring, is arguably Elizabeth Gage's most innovative and distinctive contribution to contemporary jewellery. Of the first example, created in 1967, she has written 'I wanted it to look like a modern drum, but when finished it resembled a Persian carpet. I called it my Agincourt ring'. Many different versions have followed, including one with diamond-set panels of carved gold which won the De Beers International Diamond Award in 1972.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Ring
  • Box
Materials and techniques
faceted tourmalines, cabochon rubies, 18 carat gold
Brief description
Box for 'Agincourt' ring, gold set with tourmalines and rubies, by Elizabeth Gage, London, 1979

'Agincourt' ring, gold set with tourmalines and rubies, by Elizabeth Gage, London, 1979
Physical description
Flexible ring made of gem-set panels of alternating rubies and single tourmalines. The panels are held by a woven gold chain which is threaded through loops along the upper and lower edges of the band.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22mm
  • Diameter: 26mm
Marks and inscriptions
GAGE (stamped on a plaque inside)
Credit line
Given by Elizabeth Gage
Object history
The piece was selected from Elizabeth Gage's personal collection.
Summary
Elizabeth Gage has been a major figure in British jewellery since the 1970s. She is admired for her distinctive interpretations of a wide range of historical and cultural styles, and for her ability to create jewellery which is both glamorous and subtle, and which remains highly wearable despite its bold scale.

She studied at the Sir John Cass College in the 1960s, and in 1968 designed a collection for Cartier, New York. In 1972 she won the De Beers International Diamond Award. Her business expanded rapidly during the 1980s and by 1989, when she was awarded the Queen's Award for Export Achievement, she employed twenty-five full-time staff.

This flexible style of ring, known as an 'Agincourt' ring, is arguably Elizabeth Gage's most innovative and distinctive contribution to contemporary jewellery. Of the first example, created in 1967, she has written 'I wanted it to look like a modern drum, but when finished it resembled a Persian carpet. I called it my Agincourt ring'. Many different versions have followed, including one with diamond-set panels of carved gold which won the De Beers International Diamond Award in 1972.
Bibliographic references
  • Church, Rachel; Rings; Thames and Hudson/ V&A 2017, p. 126
  • Gage, Elizabeth; The unconventional gage; London, 2003
Collection
Accession number
M.21-2010

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Record createdAugust 18, 2010
Record URL
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