Barbara Heath — new collection

Jeweller Barbara Heath cheerfully admits gemstones are her addiction, but they might also be yours after seeing her latest collection.

Rings sprinkled with gems; Necklaces dripping in opals; and earrings twinkling with inky sapphires. These are some of the luscious new treasures Barbara has on offer at Handmark Gallery. Her handmade creations – which she describes as “wearable investment jewellery” – are highly coveted. “People can have a deeply personal relationship with jewellery which often holds special memories for them.”

Barbara’s jewellery is a tantalizing mix of unusual gems set in richly textured precious metals. A thumb-sized creamy opal dangles from a ‘Sautior’ – a long necklaces popularised by the jazz age flappers. Golden fire opals line it’s handmade chain. Her striking earrings feature rare gemstones that dangle from her trademark gold and silver ‘leaf lattice’. A cabochon cut yellow sapphire nestles in a beaten gold ‘saddle ring’ laced with gems in hues of apricot, champagne and pink.

Barbara splits her life between Brisbane, and an old Georgian corner shop in the Midlands village of Tunbridge. And, although she began as an apprentice jeweller at the tender age of 16, Barbara constantly challenges her creativity: “My nom de plume is Jeweller to the Lost, which basically means I am always searching for something.”