The following pages celebrate Margot McKinney’s creations, featuring imagery captured on the beautiful Bedarra Island.
Iam frequently asked about the source of inspiration for my jewellery designs. My answer is quite simple, and always the same: I find it in the natural world. From my earliest memories I have been drawn to the unique textures and vibrant colours that can only be discovered in Mother Nature’s wondrous realm. Wherever I go, whatever I see or touch, certain sensations and images - and the feelings they evoke - remain with me, indelibly. It is on these memories that I call when I am designing my jewellery.
I am blessed to live in a country that has a rich abundance of natural beauty. Australia offers a breathtaking array of sights, sounds, and tactile experiences – from the sparkle of the morning sun dancing on the shallow waters of coral reefs; the lush deep-green of tropical rainforests that echo with the haunting calls of brightly feathered birds; to the endless, sun-baked red earth of the outback.
These wonders all provide me with boundless inspiration for my designs, as well as offering up the very gems that bring my visions to life: the rare and lustrous South Sea pearls that are harvested from the pristine seas of north-east Arnhem Land, the enigmatic and vibrant opals that are prised from the desert earth by gritty and determined miners, and the many precious gemstones which lend my pieces such energy and exuberance of texture.
It is therefore with much pleasure that I present a selection of my favourite pieces to you in the following pages, captured in the natural environment that inspired them.
Margot McKinney OAM
EXUBERANCE BY DESIGN, GROUNDED IN NATURE.
It is the boldness of Margot’s approach to her work that immediately strikes the first-time observer. An unfettered freedom of expression, combining opals, pearls and precious gems into works of art that are as surprising and yet as natural as the Australian landscape that inspires her.
Margot’s designs do not simply capture the colors and textures of the Australian continent from which her signature opals and pearls are sourced. Rather, each one of her utterly unique pieces – some of which have taken years to create - has a narrative around it to explain and illuminate its natural origins, as well as the people and their stories that helped to bring it to life.
BLOEM
Collier featuring eight significant tourmalines (total 240.56ct) including a gem of 65.85ct at the centre of the piece, along with an impressive collection of twenty-seven large Australian South Sea baroque pearls. The twenty-six pearls in the collier’s double strands measure 15-20mm, while a single, particularly rare example measuring 21 x 32mm is placed as the focal point beneath the hero tourmalines. Bloem is completed with white diamonds, brown diamonds, blue, pink and purple sapphires, pink tourmalines, amethysts and rubellites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
28.3cm x 18cm
PRIMROSE
Ring featuring tourmaline (4.81ct), diamonds, yellow, pink and purple sapphires, tsavorites, amethysts, rose de France and pink tourmalines. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
050270
ROSETTE
Ring featuring Australian South Sea pearl, diamonds, pink, orange and purple sapphires. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
060102
CONCH
Ring featuring a oval cabochon coral (42.32ct); set with diamonds, yellow, pink and orange sapphires and 5.10ct baroque conch pearls. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
050272
BEE
Brooch featuring diamond (0.70ct), pink diamonds (2.27ct), black diamonds, brown diamonds and white quartz. Crafted in 18-karat rose gold.
270027
FLORAL ABUNDANCE
Ring featuring a 16.85mm x 27.85mm Australian South Sea baroque pearl; set with diamonds, blue sapphires and tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 5.5cm x 4.5cm
060103
BLOSSOM
Earrings featuring Australian South Sea pearls and blue sapphires. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold.
020629
TWILIGHT BLOOM
Ring featuring a 22.8mm x 29mm Australian South Sea baroque pearl; set with diamonds, blue sapphires and tanzanites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 5.4cm x 5.2cm
060110
SIRENS
Earrings featuring a pair of aquamarines (total 31.98ct); set with diamonds, blue and green sapphires, tsavorites, aquamarines, peridots and a pair of 19mm Australian South Sea pearls. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold.
020665
A significant seafoam aquamarine, green beryl and yet more aquamarine are set amidst a tide of precious stones and unusually large Australian South Sea baroque pearls. An evocation in gems of the play of light on the reef’s shallows.
MARINA
Collier featuring an extraordinary suite of gemstones including a seafoam aquamarine (241.14ct), a greenberyl (109.48ct) and an aquamarine (65.72ct) at its heart, along with twenty-five large Australian South Sea baroque pearls. The twenty-four pearls in the collier's double strands measure 17-22mm, while a single, particularly rare example measuring 26 × 30mm is placed as the focal point beneath the hero aquamarine. The piece is completed with two aquamarines (32.44ct), two green tourmalines (15.88ct and 24.09ct), green beryl (22.47ct) along with diamonds, sapphires, green tourmalines, Paraiba tourmalines, aquamarines and tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 32.5cm x 18cm
PEARLS. Nature’s Rare Miracle.
Pearls are the only precious gems created by a living organism, and they are an essential part of Margot McKinney’s signature aesthetic. Australia is the birthplace of the finest pearls in the world – Australian South Sea pearls – and the only place where the mighty silver-lipped Pinctada maxima oyster grows. Ranging from the perfectly round to the unique baroque, these rare pearls - often complemented with colourful precious gemstones - feature in works of art by Margot that are as captivating and as natural as the Australian landscape itself.
A DEEP CONNECTION WITH PEARLS
The remarkable thing about Margot is her closeness to the pearl farming process and her involvement in the harvesting of these rare gems. Her pearl journey started with a phone call from old friend Aji Ellies, the fifth-generation proprietor of Australia’s only independently-owned pearl farm located in north-east Arnhem Land at the northern tip of Australia.
He invited her to make the long trip to the farm’s remote location and to be part of the harvest, and this extraordinary experience had a profound effect on her. Ever since that time Margot visits Aji’s farm every year, an experience she regards as a great honour. She describes as a rare privilege the ability to present pearls that have come directly from the pristine waters of Arnhem Land to clients on the other side of the world:
‘No other jewellery designer watches as the pearl comes out of the oyster, designs and creates a jewel and then presents it to potential collectors.’
BOW
Bow pendant featuring diamonds and an openable diamond bail. Crafted in 18-karat white gold. Shown with necklace of Australian South Sea baroque pearls. Bow size: 11cm x 6cm
DIAMOND KISS
Earrings featuring diamonds and Australian South Sea pearl drops. Crafted in 18-karat white gold. 5cm x 2cm
020698
TSAVORITE KISS
Earrings featuring tsavorites, diamonds and Australian South Sea pearl drops. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold. 5cm x 2cm
020691
BLUE SAPPHIRE KISS
Earrings featuring blue sapphires, diamonds and Australian South Sea baroque pearl drops. Crafted in 18-karat white gold. 5cm x 2cm
020598
PINK SAPPHIRE KISS
Earrings featuring pink sapphires, diamonds and Australian South Sea baroque pearl drops. Crafted in 18-karat rose and white gold. 5cm x 2cm
020441
PINK SAPPHIRE KISS
Necklace featuring keshi pearls, an Australian South Sea baroque pearl drop, diamonds and pink sapphires. Crafted in 18-karat rose gold. 19cm x 16.5cm
OPALS.
The Most Enigmatic of Gems.
Margot McKinney harnesses the rich colours in rare opal to evoke the vibrant landscapes of her home. Using the most enigmatic of gems – opal – as the centrepiece of her highly expressive and bold designs, she selects pearls and a myriad of precious gemstones to accentuate the colourful depths, shapes and patterns hidden within the molecular structure of the hero opal.
EACH OPAL HAS ITS OWN STORY.
Margot’s pieces use Australian boulder opal and the rarest form of this gem – black opal – found mostly at Lightning Ridge in outback New South Wales. She prides herself on the relationships she has forged directly with the opal miners who prise these mesmerising gems from the sunbaked arid earth, and makes it a point to visit the mines as often as she can.
Very few jewellery designers have such a level of personal involvement with their supply chains, and it means that her design philosophy is grounded in people and places as much as in colour and form. This inherent authenticity in her approach sets her work apart, and adds a vitally important dimension to the environmentally-inspired beauty of what she creates.
‘I can stand in Atlanta, Georgia and tell the story of that opal and the mine that it comes from and the man who mined it. It makes a piece of jewellery come alive when you can tell that story absolutely first-hand.’
Margot McKinney
This image was photographed at the Margot McKinney: World of Wonder exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.
MIRAGE
Collier featuring Australian boulder opals (147.66ct), Paraiba tourmalines (125.68ct), Australian South Sea pearls, diamonds, sapphires, tsavorites and blue zircons.
Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
120025
BLUE LAGOON
Cuff featuring Australian boulder opal (57.91ct) and turquoises (84.72ct). Enhanced with diamonds, blue sapphires, tsavorites and peridots. Crafted in 18-karat brushed white gold.
BARRIER REEF
Cuff featuring Australian boulder opal (62.29ct), enhanced with Paraiba tourmalines (64.29ct), diamonds, aquamarines, demantoid garnets, green tourmalines, blue and green sapphires, sapphires, tanzanites, tsavorites and peridots. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
COVE
Cuff featuring grey agate (140.88ct), enhanced with Australian boulder opal (28.65ct) surrounded by diamonds, blue, pink and orange sapphires, tsavorites, green tourmalines, peridots and aquamarines. Crafted in 18-karat white gold.
320133
320142
320138
OSPREY REEF
Cuff featuring Australian boulder opal (54.25ct), aquamarine (64.35ct), peridot (78.28ct), white opal, blue and orange sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines and tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold. 6cm x 8.5cm
320150
MARIANAS
Cuff featuring aquamarine (176.65ct), aquamarine (1,089.10ct), and diamonds. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 4cm x 7.8cm
320152
HORIZON
Necklace featuring Australian black boulder opal (87.41ct), peridot (38.40ct), Australian South Sea baroque pearl, diamonds, blue and pink sapphires, tsavorites, peridots, tanzanites and blue enamel. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 36cm x 17cm
CASCADE
Collier featuring Australian boulder opals (38.35ct), pistachio pearls, diamonds, blue zircons, yellow beryls, Paraiba tourmalines, demantoids, green tourmalines, blue sapphires, tanzanites, tsavorites and peridots. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 20.5cm x 16cm
TANGALOOMA
Earrings featuring Australian boulder opals (23.41ct), Paraiba tourmalines (97.72ct), diamonds, sapphires, peridots, tsavorites, Australian South Sea pearls. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold. 7.5 x 3.8cm
030130
CORAL CAY
Cuff featuring peridot (38.15ct), nephrite (1,235.00ct), diamonds, blue, yellow, pink and purple sapphires, tsavorites, tanzanites and Paraibas. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
320164
AZURE
Earrings featuring Australian boulder opals (14.36ct), diamonds, sapphires, tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
030122
MARABELLA
Ring featuring a cushion-cut cabochon green tourmaline (16.19ct) surrounded by tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
050278
CURATING A WORLD OF COLOUR IN PRECIOUS GEMSTONES.
While Australian boulder opals and South Sea pearls often form the centrepieces of her works, Margot is equally adept at harnessing the colour and lustre in precious gems to be the stars in her art. What sets her apart are not only her artistic vision but also her unyielding dedication to her craft. With a patience that knows no bounds, Margot often spends a decade curating the perfect collection of companion gems for a single bespoke piece.
MARGOT PAVÉ
Paul-Otto Caesar, a German gem-cutter at Gustav Caesar with whom Margot has worked for decades, developed a new term for Margot’s use of the coloured stones surrounding and enhancing a central stone. Pavé describes the way diamonds (usually small) are closely packed, in order to complement the beauty in the main stone. Paul-Otto coined “Margot Pavé” to refer to her unique use of stones of significant size and colour to surround a magnificent centre stone.
AURORA
Collier created with gemstones of significant size including pink tourmaline (104.94ct), kunzite (57.40ct) and morganite (38.58ct), along with an exceptional assemblage of twenty-four large Australian South Sea baroque pearls measuring 16.5-23.5mm. The piece is further enhanced with three pink tourmalines (62.73ct) and two kunzites (34.21ct), with diamonds, blue sapphires, pink sapphires, purple sapphires, tsavorites and pink tourmalines. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 33cm x 19cm
LILLIAN
Collier created with a large Australian black opal (41.93ct) as the central focus, immediately framed by an array of significant coloured gemstones including a mandarin garnet (26.32ct), two rubellites (31.79ct), a tanzanite (23.29ct), two yellow beryls (20.49ct) and two citrines (37.23ct). Lillian is completed with green tourmalines, tanzanites, peridots, kunzites, and yellow beryl as well as diamonds, blue, yellow, orange and pink sapphires, tsavorites and amethysts. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 28.5cm x 19.5cm
440030
Dutch National Ballet Soloist, Laura Tosar
BON BON
Earrings featuring kunzites (101.94ct), diamonds, tsavorites, blue topazes, pink tourmalines, amethysts, tanzanites, blue zircons and kunzites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold. 7.7cm x 4cm
010534
CORAL CAY
Cuff featuring pink tourmaline (43.04ct), rose quartz (1,097.75ct), diamonds, pink tourmalines and tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 3.8cm x 7.8cm
320154
COOKIE
Earrings featuring diamonds, yellow sapphires, pink sapphires, amethysts, Rose de France, citrines and a pair of detachable Australian South Sea pearl drops set with diamonds. Crafted in 18-karat rose and white gold. 4.2 x 2.2cm
020668
AURORA
Earrings featuring Australian South Sea pearls, diamonds, pink sapphires, tsavorites, peridots and pink tourmalines. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold. 4.5cm x 4cm
020637
GALAXY
Collier featuring a rare kunzite of significant size (142.02ct) and intensity of colour at the centre of the piece. Complemented with an array of diamonds and multi-coloured sapphires.
Crafted in 18-karat yellow gold. 25cm x 16cm
CHAMONIX
Earrings featuring a pair of 16mm Australian South Sea pearls; set with diamonds, pink and purple sapphires, tsavorites and pink tourmalines. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and white gold.
020655
STAR
Earrings featuring white diamonds and pink diamonds with a pair of detachable 15.8mm pink pearl drops. Crafted in 18-karat rose and white gold.
020708
KALEIDOSCOPE
Ring featuring a 27.01ct emerald-cut pink tourmaline; set with diamonds, pink sapphires, Ceylon, pink sapphires and tsavorite garnets. Crafted in 18-karat rose gold.
050268
SERAPH
Ring featuring a 41.71ct fancy yellow cushion-cut diamond and 4.47ct Argyle Pink diamonds. Crafted in 18-karat rose gold.
330161
PALETTE
Collier featuring extra-large baroque gems of aquamarine, tanzanite, rubellite, amethyst and peridot, set with a suite of diamonds, rare blue zircons, kunzites, blue and pink sapphires, Rose de France, demantoids, green tourmalines, amethysts and tsavorites. Crafted in 18-karat white and yellow gold. 21cm x 14cm
CORAL CAY
Cuff featuring a 28.5 x 2.1cm cushion-cut cabochon pink tourmaline (160.91ct); set with rose quartz (1,230ct), diamonds, blue, yellow, pink and purple sapphires and tsavorite. Crafted in 18-karat yellow and rose gold.
320163
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