Sourcing and ethos:
Materials
Metals:
The primary material I work with is gold. It’s unique characteristics make it a metal that allows infinite experimentation. One of the 118 known chemical elements, pure gold (Au) is one of the densest metals, cannot corrode, and is incredibly malleable. Because it is a naturally soft metal, pure gold is alloyed with various amounts of other metals to make it more suitable for wear. Gold is available in various alloys, such as 14k, 18k, 22k, yellow gold, white gold, or even green gold. 18k yellow gold is most frequently used in my work. Aside from gold, I also work with pure silver and sterling silver regularly. At the moment, I do not often work with platinum.
Stones:
After being in the jewellery trade for almost a decade, and seeing countless gemstones and diamonds, I choose stones that stand out and capture my attention because of some striking or unique feature. I don’t necessarily have a set system or structure for choosing stones and adding them to my collection; I can just as easily be drawn in by the painterly patterns of an agate as the rich colour of a green sapphire. Although certain diamonds can be absolutely stunning, a uniquely coloured or cut gemstone will be of much more interest to me than a tray full of conventional white diamonds.
Always though, the quality of cut and polish is important, whether on a quartz or a diamond. Often stones are cut for speed and size over quality and it shows, whereas a well cut stone makes all the difference to the final look and feel. A stone that is cut in a non-standard way, but instead cut to highlight its unique features, or the natural pattern of the rough, can indicate care and attention to me as well. These stones are often millions, if not billions, of years old, and go through many steps and through many hands to be brought from the ground into a ring; treating the material carefully acknowledges and respects the history and natural preciousness of it. I will choose a beautifully cut and polished, but smaller, gemstone over a hastily cut but larger one any day. This is why my stone collection is quite often made up of stones cut by individual lapidary artists, where the artist has given extra care to the cut, or allowed the natural shape and features of the stone to guide the process, rather than always cutting it into a commercially standard shape or style.
Other:
Material experimentation and combinations are at the core of my work, so while I have metals and stones that I use most often, you will also find alternative materials throughout my collections, and there are no limits to the options as long as the material is suitable for that particular design, and able to uphold a high level of durability and quality of make.