From the ground up
Architecture is another source from which to draw inspiration. Gothic arches and flying buttresses have great appeal for me—their controlled curves translate very well to jewellery forms. Post-modernism, Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, art nouveau and deco, and Frank Lloyd Wright have all influenced my work over the years, even from something as simple as the curve of an arch or a tiny detail of a doorway or window.
The combination of a gemstone and architecture inspired the ring to the right. Entitled ‘Magnum Opus,’ the piece comprises a magnificent 20-mm square rubellite tourmaline cut by Stephen Avery in his ‘square morph’ shape. Created in CAD, the ring is a series of gothic arches rising to support the tourmaline. This was one case where I had accent gems cut to order. Specifically, I asked Stephen to cut 2-mm square tsavorite garnets in the same morph cutting style as the larger stone. After some hesitation, he agreed to cut the minuscule gems. Using a post-in-sleeve method, we bezel-set the four stones as the claws to hold the tourmaline, laser welding them in from the underside.
