James Arnold Frew (American, 1912–2008), Ring, 1960s, gold, pearls, diamonds

Audio Description

This ring was made by James Arnold Frew in the 1960s. Frew was an American jeweler who lived from 1912–2008. The ring is made of gold, pearls, and diamonds.

Made of yellow gold, the top of this large ring is a randomly shaped group of grey and opalescent, textured baroque pearls that are held in place by tendrils of gold. Small, faceted diamonds are scattered randomly among the pearls.

Label Copy

This ring was made by James Arnold Frew in the 1960s. Frew was an American jeweler who lived from 1912–2008. The ring is made of gold, pearls, and diamonds.

As early as 1954, J. Arnold Frew was showing his work alongside American modernist jewelers Betty Cooke and Irena Brynner. Preferring to spend his time creating rather than beautifying his studio space, he made his jewelry in his garage in Arcadia, California and sold it in small like-minded boutiques. Despite these humble surroundings, Frew’s work was internationally known and sought out by many socialites and celebrities.

Creating jewelry that Frew called non-representational, he liked unusual things, believing there was enough mediocrity in the world already. His inspiration primarily came from the organic world: trees, rock formations, or the patterns of rain in the sand, for instance. His favorite form was the ring, appreciating its depth and architectural dimensionality. In this example, tendrils of yellow gold grasp baroque opalescent pearls, and the entire construction rises well above the finger. It becomes a personal sculpture worn on the hand.

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