This PhD thesis consists of an illustrative testimony which catalogues and analyses, in a comprehensive chronological account, the historical development of children's jewellery, in Europe, from Prehistoric times until the present day. This record, presents a framework for placing jewellery and its relationship to children within European society, whilst addressing typologies and cultural associations that previously have not been well understood. Further consideration of the subject from the perspective of children themselves in the 20th and 21 st centuries emphasises the child as a focal point and source of inspiration, which in turn questions the future of children's jewellery per se. The thesis is divided into eight chapters: Prehistoric Catalogue, Greek & Hellenistic Catalogue, Etruscan Catalogue, Roman Catalogue, Medieval Catalogue, Portraits & Children's Jewellery Catalogue (13th - 19th centuries), 20th Century Catalogue, and Children's Jewellery Today. Each chapter gives a brief overview of the historical and cultural background of established 'adult' jewellery trends for the period, before detailing those jewellery artefacts associated with children. Although this research encompasses specific boundaries pertaining to the subjects of jewellery, children and to some extent childhood, it embodies many other aspects of history, history of art, anthropology, cultural studies, sociology, social policy and psychology, for example. Main areas of investigation have included: the history of jewellery, the history of children's costume, the history of children's portraits, the history of the family, the development of children and childhood throughout history, the beliefs and cultural associations of children and childhood, the changing role of children in society, children as consumers, learning, perception (colour, object and visual), and play. Nevertheless, this thesis does not dwell in detail on anyone of these topics, rather, it draws relevant points to strengthen its arguments in the explanation of forms, functions and meanings with regards to children and their jewellery. This account, offers a new approach to the subject of jewellery and the inclusion of the child as a significant influence, will further acknowledge the position of children's jewellery as a particular area of study. Obtaining a better understanding of a topic's traditions enables further research to challenge pre-existing and conventional notions.

The aim of this research is to investigate laser processes to generate innovative SO utions for the creative industries. It is partly carried out through the author's creative practice at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering and contributes to the discourse of practice-based research within the academic frameworkThe research demonstrates how laser controlled oxide growth on titanium can be used as an artistic tool by producing precisely defined colours.

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The adoption of plastics and rubber to artist jewellers’ repertoire of materials in the late 1960s marks a significant and permanent alteration to the artist jewellery discipline. Since this time the physical and conceptual possibilities of plastics have fuelled and enabled developments in this artistic field. Since the early 1970s museums and private collections have continually acquired artist jewellery created from plastic. Some of these artworks are now exhibiting change or deterioration. Discussion and debate regarding their preservation is a pressing need. To date, whilst there has been recent research into the deterioration of plastic materials found in cultural heritage, almost no published work or debate has addressed artist jewellery specifically. This research positions plastic artist jewellery within the expanding discipline of modern materials conservation and aims to raise awareness of preserving plastic jewellery artworks. The prevalent plastics in use for artist jewellery, their properties and importantly application, to create artistic intent, are identified. Current attitudes of custodians and artists towards preservation, which has a bearing on the past and future prospects of the artworks, are analysed. Despite not having articulated their opinion previously, many jewellery artists have considered the long term prospects of their work as part of their artistic practice. As change and deterioration of the artworks is inevitable the impact of change to jewellery artworks is considered. Understanding how material properties are applied to create intent, as identified, is essential to comprehend meaning and any alterations as a result of change. Finally, having deliberately drawn artists into the preservation debate the nature of their input is considered. Should jewellery artists intervene in their own work when treatment is required? The research is from a humanities rather than scientific perspective and is concerned with objects and their interpretation in the context of preservation. The artworks are the starting point and their context as jewellery objects is the primary concern. Oral testimony of artists is also crucial to draw the artists into the preservation process as stakeholders and because jewellery artists are hitherto unrecorded in this context. What is demonstrated throughout the thesis is that the wearable function of jewellery has a bearing on their perception and interpretation as objects.

The aim of this research is to investigate the role of display within contemporary jewellery, defining an approach that informs both jewellery practice and critical discourse. Conventional structures such as the display case, plinths, frames and mounts operate as communicative platforms from which jewellery is presented, often negating the interactive nature of an object that is designed to be touched, worn or owned. My practice takes the form both of writing and making to explore presentational methods that promote the emotive qualities presented, produced or prompted by a craft object as a means of engaging the viewer within the gallery space. One area of my investigation involves looking at strategies used by craft makers to communicate their work to a wider audience beyond the gallery space. Developments in digital media and an increasing emphasis on audience participation or collaboration offer interactive potential. These methods present an alternative form of communication compared to the conventional display case that tends to hinder such a socially-led approach to contemporary jewellery. Another significant departure from the taxonomic mode of displaying craft collections is the exploration of bodily processes. This ethos inspires a growing number of contemporary jewellers who seek actively to engage an audience with their work using various strategies. This creative drive demonstrates a move away from the presentation of the craft object as an autonomous artefact towards an approach based on social interaction. The impetus of this study arises from Nicolas Bourriaud's notions concerning relational aesthetics. Bourriaud is known for his analysis of late 20th century artists who investigate ways of engaging the individual within a community-based collective through their work. I will show how collaborative practices and the investigation of 'new formal fields' are informing the crafts today. This paper describes how relational aesthetics informs my own practice by focusing on four areas of enquiry. These consist of: an examination of the relationship between maker, viewer and the craft image; the social relevance of patina in the representation of an exhibition object by the use of macro photography; the recording and presentation of social and bodily elements that relate to the worn object; and the role of display methods as a narrative tool. These areas of investigation are developed in symbiosis with my practice, concluding in an exhibition that is rooted in the theoretical framework of relational aesthetics from which the concept of immersive aesthetics is defined.

The chief aims of this practice-based research are to investigate the nature of attachment between person and object in respect to transformation; to find ways in which objects (jewellery) can be transformed to engender a wearer’s emotional attachment; and to demonstrate the different ways of applying such transformations that are pertinent to jewellery. This research has developed a certain type of transformation, which slowly makes traces on the surface of jewellery over time, and is used as an effective way to engender a wearer’s emotional response. The research is situated in the field of contemporary jewellery, and is specifically related to emotion and sentiment; a category of jewellery that relates to the wearer’s emotional feeling. The scope of the study extends to research on emotional design since this research focuses on user experiences in developing emotional relationships with the object and on how the designer/maker can promote the formation of such an attachment to the object. Two practical experiments have been conducted in this research to determine and construct appropriate and effective characteristics of transformation that engender an emotional relationship between the jewellery and its wearer, through the examination of the transformational character of emotional objects and the interactions that people have with transformational jewellery. These two experiments involve the process of making in order to provide a way of thinking through the hand manipulating a material. The use of this material thinking, develops a more broader understanding of the relationship between the transformational object and emotional attachment. Towards the end of the research, a definition of transformational jewellery is constructed that identifies its four important elements. It also provides two sets of practice work that demonstrate the findings and that facilitate the communication of the author’s tacit knowledge gained from the experiential knowledge. This research expands the field of contemporary jewellery by involving studies of emotional design and applying the element of transformation to create an emotional relationship between jewellery and its wearer. This specific transformation, which has been identified in both text and practical works, constitute the main contribution to knowledge in the field of contemporary jewellery.

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