My third fish brooch creation came about with pleasant surprises along the way. I initially planned to carve a piece of mother-of-pearl for its body. Just before commencement of the work, some forgotten Australian rough opals (kept for 2 years) were shown to me. One particular rough with an unusual pattern and colour, and with the exact shape of the fish body I had in mind, caught my attention. Soon, everything started to fall into place.
From removing the opal host rock to retaining its original shape, improvements were made when required. Details were added to the fins and tail: a round cabochon Aleaxandrite cat’s eye from Sri Lanka was cut down to size for its eye to give it life. The final touches were made using enamel. The clown fish was the inspiration for the creation of this brooch, giving rise to splashes of yellow and black enamel on its body. Knowing the journey of each creation creates ownership to the owner. The knowledge of the journey is relived from one generation to the next.