Pierre Degen
(Switzerland / United Kingdom, 1947)
Winner Françoise van den Bosch Award 1984
Pierre Degen is a Swiss artist and jeweller known for his experimental and unconventional approach to contemporary jewellery. Trained as a goldsmith at the École d’Arts Appliqués in La Chaux-de-Fonds, he became interested in non-precious materials and began creating jewellery from everyday objects such as plastic labels, electronic components, spray-can nozzles, and found materials. Emerging in London’s avant-garde jewellery scene during the 1970s, Degen challenged traditional ideas of wearability, scale, and value. From the 1980s onward, he created increasingly large works in which the shadow cast by the object became an integral part of the piece. His practice explores the relationship between jewellery, the body, performance, and space, often questioning conventional notions of adornment.
The award ceremony took place at the Haags Gemeentemuseum, 20 September 1985.
The jury of the 1984 Françoise van den Bosch Award:
Ralph Turner
Marion Herbst
Jerven Ober (chair)
Maria van Kesteren designed the trophy for Pierre Degen.
Marc Monzó 2009
Sun
Blanca Sanchez 2005
N.T.
Berend Peter Hogen Esch 1974
N.T.
Lauren Kalman 2015
Device for Filling a Void (4)
Jing He 2014
Potential Pin
Sally Marsland 2001-2002
Flat Colour
Françoise van den Bosch 1967/77
N.T.
Peggy Bannenberg 1992
N.T.
Manfred Bischoff 1991
Mann mit zwei Fragen
Otto Künzli 1992
When Mickey Mouse was Born
Françoise van den Bosch
Two hallmarks in original box
Marc Monzó 2003
Flat Brooch
Andrea Wagner 1997
Ring with stone and ingrown jewelry
Karl Fritsch 2000
N.T.
Chun Chang 2026
Gideon
Marc Monzó 2006-2010
Black Star
Mikiko Minewaki 2003
PLAchain
Marijke de Goey 1986
Square
Marijke de Goey 1986
Square
Françoise van den Bosch 1969
N.T.
Helen Britton 2001
Silver Structure with 2 Dishes
Marijke de Goey 1986
Triangle
François Morellet 1972
N.T.
Conversation Piece 2016
Gold Rush
Liesbet Bussche 2009
Urban Jewellery
Noon Passama 2013
Portrait #6
Virág Motesiczky 2019
Not So Sad Anymore
Unknown artist ca. 1970
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1967/68
N.T.
Barend van Herpe 1990
N.T.
Ruudt Peters 1990
Lamego
Marion Herbst 1971
N.T.
Onno Boekhoudt 1990
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
N.T.
Corrina Goutos 2024
Lit Clip
Françoise van den Bosch 1968
N.T.
Ineke Heerkens 2021
Beading Breath
Françoise van den Bosch 1971
N.T.
Susanne Klemm 1996
Man-Woman
Benedikt Fischer 2023
N.T.
Emmy van Leersum 1969
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
Life cycle
Ted Noten 1995
Cinderella’s Ring
Blanca Sanchez 2005
N.T.
Noon Passama 2009
Big Fat Trophy
Sophie Hanagarth 2013
Trap
Françoise van den Bosch ca. 1974
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1972
N.T.
Masao Takahashi 2005
Samurai Sword
Hil Andringa
Square tile with one curled angle
Bernhard Schobinger 1984
Vogelkette
David Bielander 2008
Corn Cob
Tomomi Arata 1997
Treasures from under the Sea
Ted Noten 2004
Coffee Cup
Kimmo Heikkilä 2004
Measure Ring
Françoise van den Bosch ca. 1969/70
Life Cycle
Zbigniew Kosc 1990
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1976 / 1993
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1970
N.T.
Richard Elenbaas 2013
Lost Story
Jan van der Vaart 1972
Zig-zag vase
Robert Smit 2002 - 2003
Bottle in Landscape
Onno Boekhoudt 1996
N.T.
Veronika Fabian 2020
Biglink
Manami Aoki 2017
Hair of the Wood 1
Maureen Kortenbusch 2021
The Quiet Globe of Air
Norman Weber 1999
Minimal nr.2
Manon van Kouswijk 1996
An Angel at my Table
Terhi Tolvanen 2004
Prima Gemmula
Françoise van den Bosch 1968
N.T.
Jiro Kamata 2005
Sunny Ring
Françoise van den Bosch 1968
N.T.
Paul de Nooijer 1990
N.T.
David Roux Fouillet 2012
Princess of 22
Virág Motesiczky 2019
Not So Sad Anymore, letters
Françoise van den Bosch 1976
Cushion brooch
Lin Cheung 2007/2019
Jewellery Library
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
N.T.
Noon Passama 2011
Extra Button
Unknown artist 1970 - 72
N.T.
Frans van Nieuwenborg 1972
N.T.
Dominique Pelletey 1990
Ode au noir et blanc
Lin Cheung 2016
Together
Hil Andringa ca. 1970
N.T.
Roos van Soest 2008
Bravo
Iris Bodemer 1999
N.T.
Warwick Freeman 1992, 1997, 1998, 2001
5 brooches
Réka Fekete 2018
Sydney Parks
Suzanne Esser 1973
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
Two-part object
Marion Herbst 1986
N.T.
Zaina Benhamou 2025
Going for Gold
Julia Obermaier 2024
KOH-I-NOOR and Friends – Hardtmuth
Terhi Tolvanen 2004
Flos Bipetalus
Françoise van den Bosch
N.T.
Frans van Nieuwenborg 1972
N.T.
Noon Passama 2017
from the series 0123456789
Gijs Bakker 1987
Jonas Nr 1
Julia Obermaier 2024
J/D/M_110_U+
Richard Elenbaas 2013
Distinction
Marcel Wanders 1992
N.T.
Tarja Tuupanen 2003
Black Granite Necklace
Marc Monzó 2004
N.T.
Helena van der Kraan 1990
N.T.
Esther Knobel 1987
Train
Charlotte van der Waals 1974
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1971
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1970
N.T.
Marion Herbst 1994
Little Cake
Kimmo Heikkilä 2001
6 x Brooch
Andreea Raluca Cojocaru 2021
Made in Belgium by a Romanian
Nel Linssen 1992
N.T.
Paul Derrez 1985
N.T.
Corrina Goutos 2024
Ehmi
Sally Marsland 2000/2001
Almost Black
Erik Kuiper 2008
Ranah
Frans van Nieuwenborg and Martijn Wegman 1982
N.T.
Thomas Gentille 21st Century
N.T.
Lauren Kalman 2015
Device for Filling a Void (4)
Lucien den Arend ca. 1970
N.T.
Susanne Klemm 1996
Inflammable
Ted Noten 1998
Chew Your Own
Marit van Heumen 2015
Ladder
Bruno Ninaber van Eyben 1975
N.T.
Gijs Bakker 1967
Circle bracelet
Françoise van den Bosch
N.T.
Maureen Kortenbusch 2021
The Archive of Adorning Entities
Yutaka Minegishi 2005
Ants’ Queen
Maria van Kesteren 1970
N.T.
Xavier Ines Monclús 2004
The Whale’s Playground
Eline Willemarck 2015
Trophy
Jing He 2013
Trophy for David
Sarah Regensburger 2017
N.T.
Rudi de Gruijl 2023
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Gijs Bakker 1967
Pinkring
Frans de Wit 1975
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Sophie Hanagarth 2013
Lipstick
Tarja Tuupanen 2000
Smokey Quartz Necklace
Frans van Nieuwenborg 1972
N.T.
Annelies Planteijdt 1987
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1970
Two-piece bracelet
VES 1984
N.T.
Ruudt Peters 1972
Necklace
Jing He 2014
Potential Pins No.7
Unknown artist 1965 - 68
N.T.
Berend Bodenkamp 1975
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1976
N.T.
Marc Monzó 2016
Moon
Marc Monzó 2004
N.T.
Marc Monzó 2013
Wall
Xinyao Ding 2023
Sprouting
Lisa Walker 2010
Newtown Necklace
Maria van Kesteren 1982
N.T.
Marit van Heumen 2015
Neck Piece
Françoise van den Bosch 1969
N.T.
B.O.E.-group 1974
B.O.E.-box
Manami Aoki 2017
Hair of the Wood 3
Marc Monzó 2004
Plastic Sticks
Chun Chang 2025
Everything is born at the End of the Flow
Françoise van den Bosch 1974/77
N.T.
Pierre Degen 1984
N.T.
Gemma Draper 2005
Is almost the right shape
Boris de Beijer 2011
N.T.
Yuka Oyama 2003
Schmuck Quicky
Eleonora Radke 2021
Schmatzen
Marion Delarue 2017
Parrot Devotees
Karl Fritsch 2006
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch ca. 1974/75
N.T.
Helen Britton 2002
Garden of Infinity
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Adriaan van Strien 1971
Ball-bearing Bracelet
Iris Eichenberg 1995
N.T.
Lin Cheung 2018
Delayed Reactions – Slightly Sad
Florian Weichsberger 2019
Decontext
Sophie Hanagarth 2008
Bretzel
Sally Marsland 1999
Composite (white, two cups)
Richard Elenbaas 2012
Elenbaas coin