It begins with my grandparents. My grandfather was stationed in Lahore, Pakistan during the Second World War and spent time in both, what is now modern day India and Pakistan. In the early 1970s both my grandparents enjoyed a trip to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, which inspired my grandmother to make her own pilgrimage along the Silk Road overland from Europe to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and eventually through India.

Both of my grandparents had traveled extensively in their time across Europe, Africa, South and southeast Asia. They were keen hikers and adventurers often leaving the beaten path behind. Their home overflowed with souvenirs, minerals and mementos, each with its story, each fascinating me more than the last. Every one of those items carried with it an epic tale and I was eager to hear them all.

While I was not allowed to touch these precious artifacts, I was allowed to ask about the pieces. Each question posed resulted in my grandmother sitting down in her chair, cigarette in hand, puffing away while she recounted the details of each priceless object, where it was from and why it was important to her. These lectures steeped in Marlboro mist revealed the mysteries of how these relics came into her possession, how they were unique in the world and what symbolic meaning they still carried for her. As a small child, there was only so much information I could retain, and so my imagination filled in the gaps, running wild with a million more questions after each answer she offered.

With age and time, distance gave way to enchantment for her, and I began to formally study these far-off lands in school. During my formative years in Melbourne, Australia, I learned where to find these magical places on the map and just how different they were in the 90s from what they had been in the 70s when my grandparents cast their memory nets. A new constitution in Turkey, a revolution in Iran, the Taliban in Afghanistan, continuous uncertainty in Pakistan and a population boom in India had all transformed the places my grandparents had travelled. What I learned of these countries in school was a far cry from the smoke- infused stories I had heard of them as a child. While I didn’t reject what teachers taught, I refused to believe the limiting views of what the schoolbooks portrayed. My heart insisted there was more to these enigmatic and beguiling places.

I never found much inspiration from my own immediate culture or surroundings. Instead, family holidays abroad fascinated and excited me. I loved learning about cultures different from my own and seeing new ways of life and culture.

I first came to India when I was 20 years old, a young backpacker on a shoestring budget out to discover the world. Since long before I had arrived, I had been mesmerised by the stories of India and Asia. This trip was the most exciting journey I had ever taken and something I had wanted to do for most of my life. I had read and studied India in school, listened fondly to stories from my grandparents, watched documentaries and seen the news. I was eager to discover it for myself with and open mind and big heart.

Of course, with time the enchanting nature of India imbued and remains to this day my greatest muse. My innate love of exquisite gems and craftsmanship, cultural diversity and discovery eventually led me to Jaipur in the princely state of Rajasthan. Situated in the north of India, the city has hosted gem merchants, gem cutters, bead threaders, master jewellers, artisans and craftsmen for hundreds of years, serving the city’s royalty. The unquenchable desires of the locations wealthy marched through the markets, satisfied by ever-increasing talents in the industry. I have since made this city my home. And my purpose, is to seek out the most bold, refined and distinctive gems & Jewels and the finest craftsmen to bring life to my ideas and designs.

After seeing jewellery wholesalers in both Australia and Jaipur offer blandly similar commercial products, I became aware of the disheartening repetition in the industry. While beautiful gemstones and jewellery are available, they often lack the personality I believe these gems deserve. Therefore, I have made it my mission to source gemstone products that are truly imaginative, gemstones that can transmit a personality as vast as the one they adorn. Rather than cookie-cutter jewellery that looks the same no matter where it was made or whom it is for, I prefer to take the time to create one-of-a-kind pieces that stand out amongst the crowd.