Neil Hanna has had his jewellery included in touring exhibitions, and commissioned work for the likes of UK retail outlet Fortnum & Masons. He talks to Verve about his craft.
How did your passion for jewellery come about?
The rock hounding and gemstone polishing craze really began in NZ in the 1960s. Like many people, our family scoured the streams and beaches of the Coromandel Peninsula looking for agates, quartz, and other semi-precious stones. At that time, the equipment for polishing gemstones was very limited, so we improvised and made our own machines for tumbling the stones we had collected. That early interest led me to follow a course in jewellery making, and onto gemmology. I received a Diploma of Gemmology in 1970 from Great Britain, and in 1971 travelled to the UK, where I worked and was able to visit the gem cutting centres of Europe. Later receiving a tourism award.
After 50 years of practising your craft, what materials still present challenges?
Most natural materials such as jade, lapis lazuli, opal, and mother of pearl all have their own unique characters, flaws, inclusions, and fractures. Each piece needs to be studied carefully before work commences to avoid any potential weakness in the finished piece. In addition, polishing and carving each stone requires a different approach.
Which pieces take the most time, and why?
The inlay and mosaic designs are the most difficult. Matching the colour and hardness of each component is very time consuming, but critical to get a good balance and result. Generally, I have three or four jigsaw sections at any one time to assemble, all done by hand.
What is your favourite piece in your collection, and why?
Over the years I have made several pieces that stand out. A black Australia jade disc inlaid with opal, very reminiscent of the planetary system, which I called ‘Opalus Nebulous’, and a sculpture carved in mother of pearl shell which reflects the natural NZ beach landscape.
