Coloured Gem Specialist
Nicky's Sydney studio is a treasure trove of rare and precious colourful stones waiting to be incorporated into unforgettable handmade jewellery.
Nicky's fascination with gemstones began long before he became a jeweller. Growing up on Tasmania’s remote Tasman Peninsula, Nicky was always collecting rocks and searching for objects shaped by the natural world. That instinct has never left him. He still approaches gemstones as a collector. He is not just drawn to rarity or value, but to unusual colour, character and the feeling that an individual stone can inspire.
Nicky often lets the gemstone lead the design, creating an original piece that belongs entirely to that stone.
Finding the Right Gemstone
With almost three decades of experience working with precious gemstones, Nicky can guide you through the practical considerations of choosing a stone. Colour, cut, origin, treatment, durability and value all need to be considered, but ultimately the right stone is often the one you keep returning to.
His collection includes sapphires, tourmalines, emeralds, rubies, garnets and other rare and unusual stones, with further gemstones sourced through trusted suppliers.
Natural Gemstones
Nicky works exclusively with natural gemstones and natural diamonds. For Nicky, part of a stone’s beauty lies in its geological origin. Natural gemstones are formed in the earth over immense periods of time, with subtle variations and characteristics that make each one unique.
Gemstone Certification
For important gemstones, Nicky works with Gem Studies Laboratory (GSL), an independent Australian gemmological laboratory, to provide certification. A laboratory report can confirm important details about a stone, including its identity and whether detectable treatments are present.
Sapphire
Sapphires offer far more than the traditional deep blue. Nicky works with exceptional Australian, Ceylon and Madagascan sapphires in shades ranging from royal blue and teal to green, yellow, and pink. Their beauty, durability and remarkable variety make them very well suited to engagement rings and jewellery intended to be worn often.
Explore Sapphire Jewellery
Tourmaline
Few gemstones can rival tourmaline for its breadth of colour. Lagoon blues, vivid greens, soft pinks and warm peach tones each bring a completely different feeling to a design. Nicky is particularly drawn to tourmalines with distinctive cuts and unexpected colour, using their individuality as the starting point for bold, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Explore Tourmaline Jewellery
Garnet
Garnet is one of the gemstone world’s great surprises. Although most people picture a dark red stone, the family also includes the electric green of tsavorite, the fiery glow of mandarin garnet and the rich raspberry tones of rhodolite. Nicky loves garnets for the strength of colour they bring to bold, expressive jewellery.
Australian Stones
Gemstones found closer to home hold a strong appeal for Nicky. Australian sapphires are celebrated for their distinctive blues, greens, teals and parti colours, while Australian chrysoprase offers luminous shades ranging from soft sea green to vivid apple. Their strong sense of place and naturally individual character make these stones a beautiful starting point for original Australian gemstone jewellery.
Explore Australian Stones
Other Gems
Some of Nicky’s most memorable pieces begin with stones that sit outside the usual choices. The vivid green of peridot, the depth of emerald and ruby, the shifting patterns of agate and the extraordinary variety found in quartz all offer something different. Nicky chooses these natural gemstones for their individuality and their potential to become distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Explore Other Gemstones