A pair of gold and inlaid black jade earrings in the form of stylized leaves, in 18k. Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co.

A tour de force of twentieth-century jewelry design, Angela Cummings received her artistic training in Europe, graduating with degrees in goldsmithing and gemology. She started her career in jewelry at Tiffany & Co. in 1967 and designed a collection for them under her name in 1975. She established her own company in 1984, which allowed her to retain artistic freedom and eventually expand into silver, housewares, and leather goods. Her designs are known for their fine craftsmanship, easy wearability, and sporty sensibility. Organic forms are a hallmark of her work, as exemplified by these striking earrings.