“It all started when I was introduced to a bespoke jeweller, Danilo Gianonni, by a girlfriend of mine who knew him when she was in Hong Kong dealing with coloured diamonds. Danilo relocated to Singapore because of his family – his wife is Singaporean – and he wanted to make Singapore his home base and raise his children here.
My girlfriend was telling me that I could do one of those fabulous dinners and make connections… something less formal. So I was like, ok sure.”
“As I was talking to him [Danilo] and looking around his office – because my background is in communications and branding and I used to do this for my clients all the time – I spied at the corner of my eye [a gem], and asked:
“Is that a tsavorite; a tanzanite?”
And he said: “Yes it is. Oh! You know this stuff!”
Then I said: “Yes, I know this stuff! I love this stuff!”
So our entire conversation sidetracked, and he started bringing out his gems and showing them to me.
And I told him that I was actually wanting to start a collection myself.”