Chris Boland’s fascination with inorganic structures informs his bespoke jewellery pieces. Strong, bold forms are used to highlight the unique inclusions and natural characteristics of gemstones. He draws inspiration from architectural metalwork and sculpture, particularly from surfaces where construction marks are left visible and often emphasised.

For Chris, authorship lies in the physical making of the object. He works directly in metal, responding to its properties through a hands-on approach. These are not cast or digitally rendered pieces; they are the immediate result of tools acting on metal. He uses traditional techniques; score-folding, soldering, filing, and hand-finishing, allowing each mark and decision to remain present in the final work.

While his designs begin from a place of minimalism and structural clarity, complexity develops through the making process. Serendipitous marks and intuitive responses to evolving forms become part of the work’s identity. The gemstone is always offered up to the viewer prominently, and often in an unorthodox way.

The story of the gemstone is fundamental to Chris’s practice. He works only with natural, minimally treated stones, believing their individual qualities deserve to be honoured through thoughtful, one-of-a-kind settings in metal.