Daniela L’Abbate
"I was 16 when I fell in love with opal," says Daniela L’Abbate, "but nobody in Italy could teach me how to cut it" so she started working in traditional gem faceting in Italy during the 1970s.
Once in Australia, and in spite of the lack of English, she took up a three year apprenticeship, indentured to Andrew Cody in Melbourne, while qualifying as a Gemmologist in 1994, with the Gemmological Association of Australia
It was during this apprenticeship that Daniela started to realize how much good gemstone material was being ground away in cabochon cutting and she started experimenting and – aided by her Italian flair – developing her own carving technique, for which there were no standard tools.
That was a time of sourcing the equipment overseas and even developing one’s own tools to free the gem from the rough while respecting the elusive bars of colour hidden within the matter and letting the mind travel and choose the optimum shape through all possible imagery.
The resulting stunning opal carvings of this rare, challenging and precious gemstone are a flowing confluence of nature conception, human artistry and creativity. The uniqueness of these distinctively sensuous shapes have been recognized by a long list of awards over the years and –thanks to Down to Earth Opals who believed in her - Daniela was regular presence at the Tucson, AZ, USA show
These carvings, sometimes figurative and often abstract, provide jeweler designers with a challenge, and the opportunity to create unique and distinctive pieces. Daniela believes that opal carving produces gems ideal for jewelers’ design whilst the carving approach preserves, and consequently maximize, carat weight.
"A flowing free form approach perfectly suits the natural shape of the opal" says Daniela.
Daniela’s works are in private and merchants’ collections world-wide.
AWARDS::
Multiple award winner 2000-2011, IOJDAA, International Opal Jewellery Awards, Australia.
G.A.A., Australian Gemstone Design Awards, 2000 and 2006
Tucson Gem Show carving demonstration, Tucson , Az.
PRESS:
Rock and Gem Magazine, Canada, February, 2004
Metal Stone and Glass, Australia, 2004 and 2014
"I was 16 when I fell in love with opal," says Daniela L’Abbate, "but nobody in Italy could teach me how to cut it" so she started working in traditional gem faceting in Italy during the 1970s.
Once in Australia, and in spite of the lack of English, she took up a three year apprenticeship, indentured to Andrew Cody in Melbourne, while qualifying as a Gemmologist in 1994, with the Gemmological Association of Australia
It was during this apprenticeship that Daniela started to realize how much good gemstone material was being ground away in cabochon cutting and she started experimenting and – aided by her Italian flair – developing her own carving technique, for which there were no standard tools.
That was a time of sourcing the equipment overseas and even developing one’s own tools to free the gem from the rough while respecting the elusive bars of colour hidden within the matter and letting the mind travel and choose the optimum shape through all possible imagery.
The resulting stunning opal carvings of this rare, challenging and precious gemstone are a flowing confluence of nature conception, human artistry and creativity. The uniqueness of these distinctively sensuous shapes have been recognized by a long list of awards over the years and –thanks to Down to Earth Opals who believed in her - Daniela was regular presence at the Tucson, AZ, USA show
These carvings, sometimes figurative and often abstract, provide jeweler designers with a challenge, and the opportunity to create unique and distinctive pieces. Daniela believes that opal carving produces gems ideal for jewelers’ design whilst the carving approach preserves, and consequently maximize, carat weight.
"A flowing free form approach perfectly suits the natural shape of the opal" says Daniela.
Daniela’s works are in private and merchants’ collections world-wide.
AWARDS::
Multiple award winner 2000-2011, IOJDAA, International Opal Jewellery Awards, Australia.
G.A.A., Australian Gemstone Design Awards, 2000 and 2006
Tucson Gem Show carving demonstration, Tucson , Az.
PRESS:
Rock and Gem Magazine, Canada, February, 2004
Metal Stone and Glass, Australia, 2004 and 2014