Freeform Aquamarine Pendant Necklace, 2023

<p>London-based Mark Nuell is a goldsmith as well as lapidary artist. He is renowned for cutting rough gemstones into unconventional faceted designs. Mark sources the rough sapphires directly from Australian mines himself. With 30 years of goldsmithing experience, Mark skilfully integrates the precious gems into dazzling pieces of jewellery. Giving him the unique freedom to creatively direct all aspects of his designs.</p> <p>Mark’s fascination with gemstones comes from early contact with raw gems in Australia, where his father mined sapphires. His family emigrated to Rubyvale, Australia from the UK in the 1960s and mined sapphires for 30 years.</p> <p>Encouraged by his childhood adventures, Mark learnt to cut and polish gemstones spending six years as a gem cutter and later studying jewellery design and making in Sydney. He still visits the sapphire mines in Australia, where he has a longstanding relationship with local miners, giving him unique access to rare and beautiful sapphires.</p> <p>Mark masters the art of lapidary, which has become a dying craft. He uses his experience and knowledge of gemstones to accentuate the stones’ natural beauty. Transforming rough parti-sapphires into one-of-a-kind freeform designs.</p>