In the late 1980s, Jamie Bennett revolutionized the way artists work with enamel. For this series called Priori, Latin for “what comes first,” he freed the color from the traditional metal framework (bezel) used in cloisonné enameling. The innovative approach challenged the centrality of gemstones and the ancient practice of framing or mounting stones and enamels. In breaking with convention and creating a completely original form, Bennett paved the way for a new generation of contemporary jewelers to create works of art that were unrestrained by the framework of traditional enameling.