SAPPHIRE BRACELET, WALTER SCHLUEP, 1960S

Born in 1931, Walter Schluep trained in Switzerland as a jeweller and diamond setter, before moving to Canada in the 1950s, setting up his own workshop in Montreal. He was known for his avant-garde design, creating pieces which were just as much sculpture as they were jewellery. His work was received with much acclaim, winning several awards and exhibiting in the Canadian Pavilion at the 1967 International and Universal Exposition.