This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I started my gemology studies in London February 2009. The whole Gemology program took 6 months of two courses combined; Diamond Grading and Colored Stone Essentials. My class was a pool of students from 18 to 60, ranging from singer, to diamond trader, born-to-the-family-business, designer, silver-smith, fresh grad or the more experienced professional in the trade – exciting that we came from all walks of life, all different nationality. It was very diverse and international setting.

Diamond grading was 7 weeks of intense diamond grading. Each day was spent in the lab looking at diamonds under the microscope. We learned the history and mining practices in the diamond trade, as well as the 4Cs – carat color clarity cut ; which is basically the basis of diamond grading. We had different tools and equipments in the lab; devices to measure the florescence of a diamond, refractive index and specific gravity, an ever dependable flashlight (white and yellow light), the loop and a measuring card for mm and angles. We learned about the 10 other kinds of simulants that look like diamonds. We also learned about colored and rare kinds of diamonds (ie diamonds that change color in different light and diamonds that florescence). It was very technical and interesting. I honestly felt like a scientist sometimes.

Colored Stone Essentials was a 5 month course where we studied the different kinds of gemstones with importance to Rubies, Sapphires and Emeralds. We were trained to check for treatments and fracture filled stones. It was here I also  met some of my favorite gems like fire agate, fire opal, demantoid garnet, star sapphire, rutilated quartz, color changing Alexandrite, and paraiba tourmaline. These rocks are a result of different chemical compositions + chemical structure + thousands of years + heat and pressure. The world of rocks is indeed very interesting even more so when viewed under the microscope – its like viewing an entire galaxy!

After graduating, numerous sketching, some write ups, joining a competition, and my 2 short courses in Central Saint Martins, London. I sent my resumes to a few jewelers, but had really really wanted to work for jewelry designer Wynn Wynn Ong. I sent my resumes – and I was happy to get an interview with her over lunch.

Jewelry designer Wynn Wynn Ong is a very knowledgeable and interesting woman, she has a very graceful presence and sweet voice. She is intelligent and somewhat poetic in her thoughts. Its always nice to talk to her. I intern with her for a few months, and asked her to help me write a recommendation letter for GIA.

I worked on a portfolio to at very least have credentials to apply for GIA scholarship- I first learned about the scholarship while I was in college,when Dad was asking for my plans – and I had presented him the steps I needed to take…I came across the GIA website, and saw open application for scholarship – so I worked in the next two years to get that.

I applied and after 1 and a half month, I received a letter from GIA. Ofcourse I thought it was a “sorry but thank you letter” but to my surprise… as I read my email carefully, I was selected as a recipient for the GIA Endowment Scholarship, soon after, I received a letter by post.. I was soooo happy I got the scholarship!! so here I was going back to my favorite city London!! – it was another dream come true, as I remember clearly on my last day in London the year before, I was looking out the student hall of Central Saint Martins, saying Ill be back again…. visualize your dreams, and they can come true….

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

When I graduated from college, I expressed to my dad that I wanted to pursue a career in jewelry design. He asked me what steps I needed to take to be able to achieve that, and I gave him a big plan… (hahaha!) He looked at the possibilities (but was careful not to burst my bubble kindly enough) and told me to take first take an immersion course in Central Saint Martins London, Experimental Jewelry and Building a Jewelry Business to see if I would really like to pursue this career.

The short course only lasted 2 weeks, but it was the perfect combination of studio work and classes to get my feet wet in the jewelry industry. In the first course; Experimental Jewelry, I learned to soldier and polish silver, and to create resin molds and pieces. In this course I realized how laborious it is to make handmade jewelry, I commend all the goldsmiths and silversmiths for their laborious work. The second course; Building a Jewelry Business was an in-dept practice of what designers do in London, from the associations they belong to, to funding, to hallmarking, consigning, creating collateral, pricing and simple accounting.

I spent my graduation gift and money in London, for those two weeks as it was a burst of my creative immersion and appetite! I learned and was inspired more from the museum trips to the British Museum and Design Museum. The best gift was to have the freedom to explore a new city on my own. The next two weeks I spent traveling with my friend Mica Santos in Switzerland and Italy. It was such a beautiful and good experience.

Here you see some of my pics around London, including works in the studio at Central Saint Martins, my instructor Anastacia Young who doesnt talk much but happens to be the author of my favorite Jewelry book Bible of Jewelry Techniques, my finished piece of resin + silver jewelry, my Spanish classmate Christina whom makes beautiful lace-like leather jewelry, pics from the British Museum with Egyptian artifacts (still amazes me all the time), pics from the Design Museum and the Science hospital (something) museum near the student hall, my friend Anna Villalon-Fraser whom I have mentioned earlier regarding my design influence from Harajuku Japanese fashion, and pic of the perfect English gentleman (and friend) Jayme whom was my personal tourguide of the city.

My love jewelry making started with arts and crafts. There were always a lot of materials at home to work with since my mom owned a dress shop (Angelino’s). I used to help make various decor, or cut up cloth stick beads and the like to make my barbie dresses. I was 7 then and I loved craft making. The following years were replaced with cartoons (haha!) and years passed and I did not really do anything creative (except for the occasional art classes in painting).

Years later (2004), I found a treasure box of a shop The Beadshop sold glass beads and supplies. They also had a very skilled staff who knew knotting and beading. Although I also know how to bead, I seek help from the staff to put my pieces together so I could produce more of my designs. I’d buy beads, draw my designs and put em in little ziplocks… then sold em. That went on for a few months – it was only when I visited F.A.M.E. show and saw companies like AVATAR where I became very interested to pursue accessory design.

These are some of my pieces from 2005

My early works were inspired by Harajuku themes. I had a fascination with Harajuku dressing, toys, pastel and bright colors. My friend Ana Villalon-Fraser lived in Japan and introduced me to Japanese fashion and trends. We made jewelry together and dog collars. The pendants here are hand painted by her. Shes so much fun and creative. She even made me a hand painted M.O.P. for my birthday. Theres something undeniably happy and childlike about Harajuku. Thats also how I saw her, she was fun and refreshing and a starting jewelry designer like me. We had the same dreams. She doesnt know it, but she influenced me in my career. It got me very excited to create.

http://www.clickthecity.com/metro/?p=1800

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I saw these pieces in the display gallery of Central St. Martins,College of Art & Design, London (when I took a short course in Experimental Jewelry). These pieces had a lasting impression on me as it opened my eyes to a different kind of fashion, a different kind of jewelry. You can see here how interesting the pieces are put together. Its almost skeletal. I dont have the names of the artists whom made the pieces and I wish I knew but you can check out artists like Inni Parnanen and Liang Li for similar style.