DISCOVERINGS #2 CORNISH TURQUOISE

14th August 2025

Drawn to the Earth's most unique and natural treasures, Ruth's DiscoveRing collections celebrate the rare and unusual gemstones found across the British Isles. Following on from her Scottish Agate creations, the second chapter spotlights vibrant Cornish Turquoise.

Handcrafted at Ruth Tomlinson’s London Atelier and workshop, the collection pays homage to the beautiful Cornish coastline. The vivid blue gemstones evoke the striking clear turquoise waters of Cornwall, while accents of subtle sparkle from grey diamonds represent the rocky Cornish cliffs, and intricate gold work, reminiscent of tangled seaweed, fisherman's rope, and beachcombed treasures, draws you into a miniature nautical world. Over a year in the making, the collection represents an exploration of rarity, craftsmanship and place. 

The discovery of turquoise in Cornwall was one of happenstance. During the 1900s Cornwall played a prominent role in the global supply of china clay as the demand for porcelain surged in popularity. It was the mining of this material that led to the discovery of Cornish turquoise.

Specimens of Cornish Turquoise today are quite rare, but even during its heyday, it was mostly collected by mineral enthusiast and fossickers. To create these unique fine jewellery pieces, Ruth sourced a historic piece of Cornish Turquoise from the collection of esteemed scholar and mineral collector, Dr. Maurice G. Weller. The piece was originally mined from the Gunheath China Clay pit near St Austell in Cornwall, UK.

The turquoise was raw and rough, with areas of quartz, porcelain and iron on the surface. Keen to embrace these natural features as part of the jewels, Ruth worked with local lapidarist Alaa Hindia to produce smaller, organic shapes that celebrate the stones natural finish. Each hand cut gemstone is one-of-a-kind, entirely unique in shape and character, echoing the silhouette of porcelain shards as a nod to its provenance.

“The rock that was unearthed over 100 years ago had the most beautiful patina of age and a dusting of porcelain. I was keen to embrace the uniqueness and character that nature gave this stone and saw the beauty in the rough surface of the rock, choosing not to polish or treat the surface but try and embrace and preserve it as it was discovered. It was the beautiful, undulating textured surface that was so alluring and interesting to use. The turquoise was naturally included which meant the process of cutting was challenging as I was led by what the stone gave me to use and seeing what it revealed. It was really exciting to explore the jewels this single stone could offer!”

While developing this collection, Ruth spent time in Cornwall walking the coastline, discovering little fishing harbours and golden sandy beaches with hidden caves and rugged rock formations which sparked as inspiration for the collection. Each handcrafted jewel spotlights Cornish turquoise accented with antique or salt and pepper diamonds against sculptural golden forms of recycled 14ct yellow gold.

“I wanted this collection to feel very nautical and echo the beautiful rugged textures and colours of the Cornish Coastline... like something plucked from a rock pool.”

The collection is currently on display at the New Craftsman Gallery in St. Ives, Cornwall from 16th August to 17th September. We warmly encourage you to visit and experience the collection in person for this exclusive Cornish showcase. 

New Craftsman Gallery
24 Fore Street, St. Ives
Monday–Saturday 10:30am–5pm

The collection will then be exhibited at Goldsmiths’ Fair London, from 23rd to 28th September 2025.

Click here to discover Ruth's Cornish treasures online.