ROY KING A GOLD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE, Circa 1960The collection of the late Joan CrebbinROY KING | A GOLD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE, Circa 1960Of woven design set with round brilliant-cut diamonds, estimated total diamond weight 1.50carat, signed RCK, London hallmarks, accompanied by Hardy Brother's box, 18ct gold, length 40.0cm, weight 79.2gm.British jeweller and watchmaker Roy Cecil King (1913-2000) whose pieces were sold by luxury brands including Cartier, Rolex, Asprey and Garrard. King's ethos of exceptional craftsmanship was learnt as a young apprentice in Hatton Garden where, if considered imperfect, his finished pieces were crushed by a mallet and he was made to start again. His later work as an engineer on the production line for Hurricane fighter aircrafts during World War II influenced his unconventional techniques in working gold. When the 1960s began, Roy King was well-placed to play his role in the "swinging sixties" and started the decade by sweeping the board at the British Modern Jewellery Exhibition in 1961, winning two first prizes, one second prize and one third prize - the winning pieces are now held permanently at Goldsmiths' Hall. By 1965, King had his own factory, employing 65 staff, producing 25,000 jewels and watches a year.