Austrian by birth, Gerda Flöckinger emigrated to England as a child. She studied fine art, followed by jewellery and enamelling, and in 1956 took the then-unusual decision to become an independent designer and maker. She established the pioneering course in experimental jewellery at Hornsey College of Art in 1962 and became a key figure in the flowering of British artist-jewellery. Flöckinger was the first contemporary jeweller to have her own exhibition at the V&A, in 1971.

Flöckinger's early work was distinguished by strong abstract forms with flat, polished surfaces. This gave way in the 1960s to organic, molten swirls of fused gold or silver set with glowing gemstones or subtly shaded pearls, a distinctive combination that has come to typify her work. Characteristic is the rich surface textures she achieves, often enhanced by swirls and grains on the molten surface.