How I design

Inspiration

There’s no single starting point when I design. Sometimes it begins with a gemstone, sometimes with a shape I’ve noticed, and sometimes with an idea of what a piece might mean to the person wearing it.

In truth, most ideas arrive in the dead of night or the early hours, when everything is quiet and my mind is apparently still working. They draw on things I’ve absorbed - from sculpture, painting and architecture to a line in the landscape, contours on the beach or a weathered stone.

I’m always noticing proportion, colour, surface and the relationship between one form and another. Certain things hold my attention and, often much later, find their way into my designs.

Sketching ideas

I usually begin by gathering references and making quick drawings. These aren’t polished illustrations or final thoughts. Drawing is how I work through possibilities: changing a curve, moving a gemstone, adjusting the scale or stripping away unnecessary details.

A tiny change can alter the entire balance of a piece. I might draw several versions that appear almost identical, but one will feel calmer or more resolved than the others.

Choosing materials

When I include natural gemstones, they often help to lead the design. Each one has its own colour, shape and character, so I prefer to respond to the individual stone rather than force it into a predetermined idea.

I place gemstones alongside different metals, move them around and look at how their colours and proportions work together. A design may become quieter to allow an unusual stone to become the focus, while another might depend on the relationship between several smaller forms.

This is one of my favourite stages, There’s something wonderfully immediate about arranging loose gemstones and seeing the beginnings of a piece emerge.

Working in three dimensions

A drawing can establish an idea, but jewellery ultimately has to work as an object. It needs to sit comfortably on the body and have a pleasing weight and balance.

As I begin making, the design often continues to develop. If I’m working in wax, I can carve and refine the form in three dimensions. Working directly in metal may reveal that a curve needs softening or a detail needs adjustment. I regularly try pieces on, just as a chef tastes food. I hold them in my hand and look from every angle.

The backs and sides matter just as much as the view from the front. Jewellery is both seen and felt, so the way a surface meets the skin or an edge feels to the touch is always part of the design.

Knowing what to leave out

My designs tend to become simpler as I work on them. I remove anything that feels unnecessary and keep returning to the essential form.

This doesn’t mean a piece is plain or without character. A strong curve, a beautifully balanced gemstone or a subtle change in surface can say far more than additional decoration. I always want the finished piece to feel distinctive without any fuss - no sharp corners and no detail added simply for the sake of it.

I believe good design is restrained and dynamic. It develops through looking, making and repeatedly adjusting until the piece feels balanced. The result may appear simple, but that simplicity is usually where the most decisions have been made.