Rachel Church studied history at the University of Cambridge, followed by an MA in Museum Studies from Leicester. She was a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1998 to 2021 and worked on major museum projects such as the refurbishment of the Silver Galleries, the British Galleries and Sacred Silver and Stained Glass Galleries. She was part of the core team which redisplayed the William and Judith Bollinger Jewellery Gallery. She has researched and written widely about jewellery, including Rings (V&A / Thames and Hudson, 2011 and 2017) and Brooches and Badges (V&A / Thames and Hudson, 2019). Her website www.thelifeofjewels.com explores stories behind jewellery and its history.