I drove out of Beijing early one morning with my wonderful driver, Jaws. Yes, he was tall, smiled a lot, was hard to communicate with, drove on the wrong side of the road to get me places faster, and had metal-tipped teeth. When we arrived some hours later at Mutianyu - the place where it is great to see the Wall, I remembered that famously this is where you come back down, off the wall, on a rollercoaster slide.

Once up on the wall, with my picnic, notebook, hat, pencils, and cameras I wandered along the meandering brick 'snake' pathway. Up and down along its cobbled road, in and out of the sentry post gates. I stopped here and there to gaze at the view or to sit on a step, letting my eye reach out far into the distance. It was hot, and the groups of tourists seemed to have lulled, and just for those few moments, I was entirely alone. These are the best moments, when the mind - not bothered with survival - meanders, collecting thoughts, creating.

All Cassandra Goad jewellery is designed and made in the workshops in London.
As a gemmologist, the chemical composition and properties of gemstones have always fascinated Cassandra. Ever in search of the unusual and rare, she travels the world to source beautiful gemstones, either in the rough or cut form. The craftsman works as an artist recreating the design in metal, his interpretation is vital to the overall feel of the jewel. The jewel is then mounted, assayed , polished and set. Many of Cassandra's jewels can be hand engraved with a personal message to make a unique bespoke gift.