It all started as an idea … something I imagined in my mind. I pictured Australian mother of pearl held in gold frames, lime green Australian sapphires and textured gold forms. The design was sculptural but restrained.

Next, my idea led me to the remote coastal region north of Broome in Western Australia – the Dampier Peninsula. In those pristine waters, South Sea oysters form nacre layer by layer. These are the very oysters that produce Australia’s coveted South Sea pearls, which many of you may know. But rather than focusing on the pearl itself, I was drawn to the shell. Like pearls, mother of pearl isn’t rushed… it grows slowly, building its iridescence over time.

After sourcing oyster shells from Western Australia, I sent them off to Perth to be custom cut. This stage was transformative as the rough exterior of the shell became a considered, oval form.

These carvings, or “slices” made their way across the country to my little Sydney studio and here is where the idea and the material finally met! Yellow gold frames were built to hold the mother of pearl slices delicately but securely in a pair of earrings and a necklace. I paired them with green Australian sapphire and grey Australian diamond clusters. To finish off the earrings, yellow gold castings of real sea urchin spines were added – a small, sculptural element I collected myself from the NSW south coast.

What I love most about these pieces and their journey is the continuity – from the initial idea, to sourcing the materials, to transforming and finishing them by hand. This is more than just a “gemstone” story; it’s a story of place, and of keeping the entire process here, within Australia.

Explore these two creations here.