1960s Brutalist Nest Ring
Exquisite brutalist statement ring dating from the 1960s. Textured twigs and branches intertwine to form a nest around the gemstone: a bottle-green tourmaline that's cut to mimic ripples on a pool. A ring very much 'of its time', with all the playfulness and creativity of the British post-war modernist movement that was spearheaded by the likes of Gerda Flöckinger, Gilian Packard, and Andrew Grima.
Brutalism, in jewellery, is a melting pot of various flavours of 20th century modernism: geometry and repetition was not exact and mathematical, but now flowing, as though improvised; the organic forms and textures that Constructivism had dispensed with were restored; and sometimes combined with weaving contours and rough, unfinished edges favoured in Surrealism. "In Geoffrey Munn’s forward to a book on Andrew Grima, he notes a return to splendour in the 1960s which in the interwar period until the immediate post-war1950s had largely been lost…
"'It is, as they say, always darkest before dawn and in the early 1960s a small band of artist craftsmen were determined to revive and maintain the high standards of the past'
"In 1961 that small band (the British modernists at the Goldsmith Exhibition) weren't so 'splendorous' yet. Nevertheless, from their small studios - several in London's Art Schools - an incipient proto- Brutalism was indeed taking shape..."*
[*Source: Post-War Modernism and Talismanic Numinousness, the Lost Owl Blog]
Era: Vintage, circa 1960
Ring size: O 1/2 or 7.5 US. Resizable for £35
Head size: 16.2mm by 15.6mm
Stone: Tourmaline
Marks: Stamped 9ct
Condition: Good vintage condition
Full appraisal document provided with each item.
This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable).
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain).
Shipping
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Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
US Shipments
US Customs no longer charges a 10% tariff on antiques shipped from the UK. We will ensure that our parcels are correctly declared using the relevant HTS codes to qualify for the tariff exemption and zero-rated (0%) duties so you won't have any customs fees to pay at the border. You will remain liable for any handling/storage fees charged by DHL as a result of a delay in providing any additional customs information.
[Last updated: September 2026]
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
25% deposit taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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