David Watkins, an artist and designer renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to contemporary jewelry, transformed the field into a form of sculptural art. Trained as a sculptor, Watkins initially worked in the film industry and contributed to the iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), notably crafting models for the famous bone-to-spacecraft transition scene. This innovative approach to materials and form foreshadowed his later work in jewelry design. In the 1960s, Watkins transitioned to jewelry, redefining adornment by merging industrial materials with minimalist, architectural forms. Eschewing precious metals, he worked with materials like anodized aluminum and acrylic, creating bold yet elegant pieces that blurred the boundaries between wearable objects and modernist sculpture. As Head of Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork, and Jewellery at the Royal College of Art (1984–2007), Watkins mentored generations of designers, cementing his legacy as both a maker and educator. In 2012, he designed the gold medals for the London Olympics, further solidifying his global influence.