The Honour of Joining the V&A Museum

19 October 2022

In a career highlight and lifelong dream for Ruth, one of her OffeRings (a capsule collection created from her mudlarking experience on the Thames foreshore during lockdown), and two more of her early designs, have been chosen to become part of the permanent collections at London's V&A Museum.

OffeRing 3: Time Capsule, 2021

18ct gold, pre-Roman bead, glass shard, shell, rusted metal

Ruth created four rings for the OffeRings capsule and, from their inception, she intended to return these rings created from mudlarked items to the river as an offering for posterity - to be found again by passers by in the future. Read more on the gifting ceremony here.

In an amazing twist, the 'Time Capsule' ring was chosen by Jewellery Historian and Curator at the V&A, Claire Philips, to be part of the permanent display in the museum's jewellery room. The ring brings together unlikely fragments and treasures gleaned from the Thames foreshore that speak of the constant human presence along the river – from the glass beads believed to date back at least to Roman times, to the still-sharp shard of glass - together with the shell of a tiny creature that inhabited its waters.

"It's a gift to the people of London and the creative legacy that Ruth has talked about, from Tudor times and ancient Roman times. It'll provide a very tangible and accessible connection with those stones that could be in the river for hundreds of years - for whenever those rings are found (...) We are privileged to be allowed to preserve this one." Claire Phillips, V&A

Encrustations Ring, 2005 (Ruth’s final year at London's RCA)

Silver, quartz crystals, porcelain 

“This was my first experiment, which influenced my inaugural collection and the brand as it is today. I was looking to recreate what nature may have intended with this design.  I handed it to our college technician to electro form (grow the silver around the materials of the ring) then days later when I followed up to ask where my ring was, discovered he had forgotten it in the tank.  It came out looking like a treasure from the bottom of the sea, more beautiful than I had imagined, a very happy mistake.  From there, I began to understand how to embrace this imperfect preciousness I have always looked at in nature - what makes something unique, natural and spontaneous."

Lustre Raw diamond Ring, 2010

1.5ct raw champagne diamond with grey diamonds in 9ct yellow gold

“This is one of the first fine jewellery pieces I brought to life for our Lustre collection.  The idea was born from a need to create unique pieces that will last a lifetime - jewellery that we attach to our body and our life to symbolise significant moments, using the most precious and traditional materials but designed in an alternative way.”