Favourite gemstone:I do have a fondness for green tourmalines, especially complemented with diamonds as they bring the rich, earthy colour to the fore. Favourite metal:It has to be platinum, which is a formidable metal but once understood can be turned into sculptural works with sweeping sharp edges and a clean, bright, natural white colour. Favourite tool:Saw frame. I believe it to be a jeweller’s most important instrument and once mastered – I spent a full seven months training on it in London – allows for greater technical and creative depth. Best new tool discovery:The Osada Micromotor Drill. You have total control over speed variations, allowing delicate work that is difficult to achieve with confidence on a standard flexible shaft drill. Best part of job:Designing and creating jewellery. Full stop. Worst part of job:Creative block – it’s like walking through a desert! Best tip from a jeweller:I had two mentors – Graham Whitehead in London and Rob Gardner in Sydney – who both instilled in me that designing and creating jewellery is a holistic experience.
When applicable, allow a design to evolve while creating it. That freedom is liberating. Best tip to a jeweller:Find mentors who have the skills you want to learn, even if that means going halfway round the world and walking door-to-door to find them! Biggest health concern on the bench:Posture is a key to longevity. The bench is an extension of the jeweller, so it should be ergonomically set up for ease of use and fluidity. Love jewellery because: It has given me a career spanning the globe, learning Victorian jewellery-making skills in London and the intricacies of style and proportion in Sydney, and has led me to tapping into my own ‘creative well’. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. |