When I think about what makes my jewellery different it always comes back to one thing: the stones. And not just any stones, but an exclusive mix of Australian gemstones that few, if any, jewellers in the world are working with in the way I do.
For years I’ve made it my mission to showcase the incredible diversity of gems found here in Australia. Vibrant Australian sapphires from Queensland and New South Wales in shades of blue, green, pink, purple, yellow and parti-tones. Ethereal black, white, crystal and boulder opals from the rugged outback of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. Rare turquoise from the Northern Territory, apple-green chrysoprase from Queensland, and even Australian emeralds from New South Wales and Western Australia. Add to this pink, yellow and cognac diamonds from the Kimberley and luminous South Sea pearls from the waters off our northwest coast – and you start to see the palette I’m so privileged to work with.
But this isn’t a passing trend for me. It’s a deeply held commitment to honour the place I call home and the extraordinary natural treasures unearthed here. Over the years I’ve worked closely with fossickers, cutters and local family-run gemstone merchants, building relationships with the people whose hands and lives are intertwined with these stones. I’ve stood on the opal fields, been underground in Andamooka and Lightning Ridge, and seen firsthand the landscapes that shape these gems.
This commitment is reflected in the latest version of my Seagrass Meadow Ring, which brings together vivid Australian sapphires from Central Queensland and an Argyle diamond from Western Australia… some of favourite gemstones unearthed right here in our backyard.
Very few jewellers work almost exclusively with Australian stones and even fewer with such a wide range. But for me it’s not just about rarity for rarity’s sake – it’s about celebrating provenance, sustainability and a sense of place.
When you wear a piece I’ve created, you’re carrying a fragment of this country’s landscape shaped by millions of years and finished by hand in my Sydney studio. And there’s something incredibly powerful in that.
L: Australian emeralds in the rough and cut from Curlew, Western Australia. R: A bespoke cluster ring featuring an Argyle champagne diamond from Western Australia, Australian emerald from Curlew, Western Australia and purple amethysts.
L: Australian turquoise in the rough from the Northern Territory. R: Australian turquoise, Australian sapphire and Argyle diamond earring clusters.
L: The Seagrass Meadow V2.0 Ring featuring Australian sapphires from Queensland and an Argyle Diamonds from Western Australia. R: Emerald cut Australian sapphire from Queensland