'The Cavolfiore design was inspired by my travels in Sicily. It was only when I travelled north to the great Volcano of Etna, that I began to understand just how fertile the land is; its natural mineral explosions have created an isle where almost anything will grow, and in lush quantities too.

The markets of Taormina nearby were overflowing with blood oranges, enormous golden lemons and great fluffy white cauliflowers. I could not resist transforming those beautiful vegtables into a jewelled form and so it was with pearls that I made my first pair of earrings - the diamonds adding the feeling of drops of early morning dew.'

Precious coral, in a palette of soft oranges and reds, ranges from opaque and waxy to translucent and vitreous. Originating from marine environments, this is one of the most ancient of gems, with its unique concentric structure like a spider's web. Found in Celtic tombs from the Iron Age, one of the seven treasures in Buddhist scriptures, and thought to be a powerful talisman, it has a rich and fascinating history.