The jewel, an object representing ritual exchange, is always laden with symbolic values that transcend those which are purely material: jewels are given as gifts on ritual occasions; they are tokens of love and fidelity, and are inherited. For this, figuration assumes a significant value. Designers are tempted to challenge themselves with different symbols, often inspired by fauna and flora. The recent exhibition Loot at the Mad in New York (28 September-3 October 2015), dedicated to new talents during the celebration its 15th anniversary, proposed an impressive selection of works by the most original creative jewel designers of the moment. The event boasted models made of different materials and with the most varied techniques, characterized by the ironic and playful; almost as if the designers intended to demystify the sacred value of the ornament, to give fetish a playful note.