This publication presents the work of the artist and professor Elisabeth Holder and showcases her unique evolution. Coming from a classical goldsmithing background, she placed jewellery in relation to ancient signs and the ornamentation that emerged from them, pursuing the examination of materials in the charged arena between mastery and dialogue, and posing the fundamental question of what jewellery is and can be. This led to a paradigm shift. Jewellery was recontextualised. Illustrated with examples from fields such as architecture and nature, it becomes clear that such jewellery forms are never excessive and are at once Contextual art. Text in English and German.