The Islamic love of geometry is echoed in the Mashrabiya screens created on their travels wherever they went. Geometry builds on simple shapes of circles, squares and rectangles turning them into puzzling patterns. And through the spaces in between, it is possible to create endlessly varying vistas for the eye to wonder at.

As I walked from palace to palace around Morocco, the trellis pattern was repeated in each one: different and yet the same. I made gold sections of the squares and created earrings and rings set with diamonds, turquoises and lapis lazuli.

Esteemed as a precious jewel, with origins from the Latin word "opalus", opaque opals are famed for their fascinating polyphony of colour when twisted in the light. Their fire and lustre vary, from extraordinary opals in Coober Pedy Australia, to the soft turquoise blue opals in Peru, to fiery orange in Mexico. The most valuable stones showcase vivid iridescent colours, whilst others have the translucent milky appearance of opalescence. As the birthstone for October, these beguiling stones, as precious as they are playful, symbolise creativity, confidence, hope and faithfulness, and are said to soothe your mind, and strengthen your memory. Softer than other gemstones, they should be worn with care and kept in a moist environment (it is a good idea to keep a glass of water in your safe if you have opals).