The art of conceptual jewellery

Kelvin is a London-based jewellery maker
His jewellery interprets themes of chaos and rebirth
His method includes crushing precious stones and gluing them back together

There is nothing static about Kelvin J. Birk’s jewellery pieces. His objects are products of destruction, reconstruction, and transformation. His approach is to find order in chaos, redetermine what 'precious' is and to artfully play with it. Having started at the age of 17, opening a London studio in 1998, Kelvin has been steadily creating pieces of jewellery art. In Kelvin's work, collision and subsequent resurrection of materials are central. He smashes various gemstones (sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and others) into fragments, glues them together, uses a sand casting process, and never stops experimenting. His inspiration comes from the making process itself. Kelvin’s work is exhibited all around the world from the USA to Taiwan.

Kelvin J. Birk is a master artisan: he began his career in 1992 and he started teaching in 1998

Discover his work

Discover his work

Big claw ring

Crushed blue claw ring

Black claw ring

Coral claw ring

Freeform rings

INTERVIEW

I completed my jewellery apprenticeship in Germany studying at the BFS Glas und Schmuck in Kaufbeuren. I then came to London to study at the CASS Faculty of Art (now London Metropolitan University) in a Master's programme in Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Crafts.

From a young age, I wanted to do something creative. Studying sculpture was not an option as I found it too academic and abstract. Jewellery was just right as I love working with materials and still being able to make creative sculptural objects.

I still use all the knowledge from my traditional training to create pieces. Though often I disregard the traditions too and glue stones instead of setting them. I experiment a lot and I let the materials and techniques determine the outcome of my work.

Keep learning and studying as much as you can. Especially the techniques, as they are not being taught as much as they used to. Also keep an open mind on designing, experimenting, and playing. And do not copy the work of others.