This slightly lunar-like landscape is a study in grey, black and silver; the meteorite changes as the light catches it in different directions. The customer originally came to me asking me to make a dress ring but in the end decided that she would wear a necklace much more often. This photo shows it on a black rubber necklet, but I also made a special clasp for a silver snake chain that can be worn as an alternative, both work well. 2022.
This nebula necklace is closely linked to the previous one. The recipient came with her husband, apparently for a different reason. He had seen it and wanted a similar piece made for her. She saw the first necklace and immediately admired it, so imagine her surprise when she was handed a box with her one in it for a surprise 50th birthday present – a nice moment. This one is made of silver with my special ‘Nebula’ precious metal scumble, and has a marquise aquamarine set in green gold. 2021
This domed piece is a brooch as well as a pendant. The central section is precious metal ‘nebula’ which made from different colours of gold and silver melted together, then patinated to make this warm nebula-like effect. The large antique diamond is set in green gold. This piece is sometimes worn with a heavy snake chain. 2019
A special birthday present for an American. She saw the picture of the pendant next to this and loved the design but wanted an oval, and silver rather than gold.
This is the pendant featured in the video above. The client brought me her late husband's wedding ring which she wanted making into a pendant, using also her birthstone. The inlaid ebony panel has a satin finish and the surrounding circle is polished. 2017
This is the first piece I made using meteorite and I found it one of the most challenging and fascinating of materials. It is the core of an asteroid and the extraordinary shimmering patterns (Called Widmanstätten patterns) are caused by its exposure to heat and cooling over billions of years. The meteorite is made of iron with impurities that give the patterns, and it must first be polished and then etched to reveal the patterns. 2014
Made for a 60th birthday present, the design is inspired by one I made in the 1980s (see next piece).
This one is made of white gold, inlaid with ebony and etched meteorite panels. A lovely bluey-grey sapphire is inlaid into one of the ebony panels, echoing the colour of the meteorite. I took a series of photographs throughout the making of the piece because the client was interested to see the techniques involved in making her necklace. 2015
Made in the 1980s, this is one of the only pieces I have kept to wear myself. The ebony is inlaid with silver and titanium, which is coloured blue to reflect the blue tints in the moonstones. 1980s
These turquoises were bought by the client in the 1970s. They are all slightly different sizes and most of them not quite round. So for me this was a bit of a challenge. But they were of great sentimental value. To connect the Middle East with Scotland, I decided on a Paisley pattern design. The central stone is set in gold. The clasp is my special design which is much safer than so-called safety catches.
Set with gold and silver mokume gane and a diamond. Made for a 60th birthday present, the diamond was sent on the birthday and the recipient decided what she wanted it made into. 2009
Made to match an engagement ring, this piece now lives in the United States. 2010
Made from the diamonds, gold and platinum from a family ring, the pendants were made for the client's granddaughters. To keep a connection between them, I decided to make them all the same, but adding the birthstone for each of the granddaughters: a deep ruby, a square aquamarine, a square yellow sapphire, and a cabochon emerald. 2015
Made as bridesmaid presents.
Each one was set with a different shape of peridot – one of the wedding colours.
2010
This piece was made in the 1980's, from gold and ivory, inlaid with gold and two cabochon aquamarines. The ivory came from a broken antique piece found in a bric-a-brac shop, and even if it was made from old ivory, I couldn’t make or sell an ivory piece nowadays.
Another early 1980s piece. The ivory came from an old hairbrush which gave it a pleasing curve. It is made of silver, with the ivory part inlaid with silver, titanium and moonstones. The necklace was exhibited at Goldsmiths’ Hall and the American purchaser asked me to lengthen the chain for her.
This is a page from the ‘Loot’ catalogue in the 1970s. ‘Loot’ was and exhibition of affordable designer jewellery that London’s Goldsmiths’ Hall held for many years. These are pieces from my Perspex era and they are set in silver. I used to dye Perspex rods before making it into jewels. The piece on the bottom left ended up in Oxford but was stolen.
This is a page from the Goldsmith’s Hall ‘Loot catalogue in the 1970s. The top one is made from abalone shell and silver; the other two are ivory and silver. In those days I used pieces of ivory from things like old hairbrushes, piano keys, etc. However, even though these were so old that they did not affect the elephant population of today, it became obvious that using any kind of ivory is not acceptable.
