Last February, Sotheby’s London held a Masters of Design exhibition displaying hundreds of jewellery drawings from a European private collection. The illustrations traced six decades of the best of 20th-century jewellery design and the impact of major artistic movements and socio-economic and political changes. These drawings in paint and gouache lay the foundation for the birth of a jewel, serving as references to which the jeweler will turn for technical and aesthetic guidance and use in discussions with a client.

We look at three brands whose drawings confirm the vibrancy of their design studios in which creativity remains anonymous.