Following an early career which spanned sculpture, jazz piano and model making for science fiction movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, in the early 1970s David Watkins turned his creative attention to studio jewellery. In his own words at that time, ‘How Jewellery Might Be‘ was the idea that was to drive his studio research. His very individual approach to the possibilities for jewellery as wearable art quickly placed him at the forefront of work in the genre - in the first wave of what was to become known as ‘The New Jewellery’ - and attracted many invitations to exhibit around the world. In 2012 Watkins was selected to design the medals for the 2012 Olympic games in London. In 2010 a retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, titled Artist in Jewellery, a Retrospective View (1972-2010).