Flying Gurnard Necklace
with Lapis Lazuli

2025
Sterling silver, 18ct gold, lapis lazuli, silicone, steel, magnets.

Available for sale at Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery

I’ve always been obsessed with fish and once on a family holiday in France, I saw my first Flying Gurnard.

Bored of sunbathing and other beach activities I took myself off for a solo swim in search of fish. There wasn’t much to see beneath the gentle waves and I felt disappointed, but then I noticed a lone fish resting on the sand beneath me. It was frankly quite unremarkable until suddenly it spread these beautiful, oversized pectoral fins, like huge fan-shaped wings of blue and green. I followed it for a while until it swam off faster than I could keep up. It took my breath away.

There are many different varieties of Flying Gurnard and in a range of colours, often with a blue spot like an eye on each wing. 

This necklace is a little nod to that fleeting yet unforgettable moment and a continuation of my exploration into fin/wing shapes with radial vanes.