Todd Turner loves natural stones. Sarah Whitlock prefers synthetic.

CLAIRE DEUTSHER talks to two respected and innovative designers with contrasting views.

To the untrained eye there is no difference between natural and synthetic gemstones. Yet for Sydney-based designers Sarah Whitlock and Todd Turner, the source of a stone directly influences their work.

Both designers are talented, fresh and creative, and who like shaping timeless pieces using coloured gemstones. Yet each value different qualities in synthetic and natural stones when forming the base of their work. Whitlock loves the brilliance of synthetic, while Turner prefers guileless natural stones.

Whitlock chooses synthetic stones to create an impression of "glamour without the pretension". Working under the name Flying Lobster Jewellery, she has developed popularity around Sydney for her bold and bright use of coloured gemstones. "I tend to use synthetic mainly for size, colour, and therefore cost.

The cut and colours have so much more depth than natural stones and suit what I do a bit more," she explained.

Whitlock describes her work as big, fun and able to be seen from a distance. Arabic floral ornament, Erte (a 1920s fashion designer), Gustav Klimt, and Chinese jade carving influence her work.

Although she's not locked into purely using synthetic stones, the size availability of the laboratory gem works well with her ring designs. "Synthetics tend to work a bit better for the rings I do, I usually use a large stone, they fit the design. For smaller pieces I'll just use natural."

Turner, on the other hand, uses natural and organic forms as inspiration for his work. Therefore he works predominantly with natural stones to give a more thorough expression. "I love that natural gems are found in the ground and have occurred through a natural evolution. Also natural stones are often flawed and that has an appeal to me - if you look at anything in nature it's often flawed. In the market, a stone with great colour will demand top money, but I can see a stone that does not have that; it might be washed out and to me it inspires me to create something."

Inconsistencies in natural stones don't work as well for Whitlock who likes to emphasise strong colour.
"I love the size, intensity and range of colour in synthetic stones. Some of the colours I've never seen in a natural stone rose sapphire when they're really large they're just such a deep colour."

Whitlock, who always refers to man-made stones as synthetic, said many of her customers don't initially realise the stones she uses are true gems.
"Usually they think it's glass. I have to explain that it's grown like a natural stone and once they know that they think it's a lot better than what they originally thought. The customers don't seem to have a problem, so far nobody has said they won't buy it because it's synthetic."

While Whitlock is happy to create pieces using natural stone if it is her customer's preference, she doesn't think she would always achieve the same flamboyant result. "A lot of the naturals have flaws in them, or the colour isn't even or intense."

Although Turner also enjoys colour in his work, it's precisely the vibrancy of colour in synthetic gems, which doesn't appeal to him. "Synthetic stones are usually perfect, that's something I don't like about them. But natural gemstones have character like recently I found this beautiful pink spinel and I knew instantly what I was going to do with the stone. I try to go after stones that are flawed you don't have to pay a lot of money to have a beautiful stone."

Turner uses a wide range of colour gemstones, exploring beyond the conventional precious gems. "About 90 per cent of my work is colour stone. When I think of gem stones I think of colour, like when I look at diamonds I sometimes think they have very limited expression.
How rare is a diamond really? Pretty much someone in everyone's family has a diamond, but who has a beautiful tourmaline or spinel they're the real rare stones."

"Working with materials that are created from the earth is one of the most pleasing aspects of jewellery to me," he said.

Whitlock and Turner differ further regarding the use of treated natural stones. She considers treated stones similar to synthetic while he believes treatment is part of the art. "Treated naturals have all been a bit adjusted, nature didn't make them that way," Whitlock said.

"People say 'I wouldn't buy a treated stone', but then I ask 'why would you even begin to sculpt or shape gold?' Otherwise you'd just wear it around your neck in a nugget. You treat it for the desired effect," Turner said.

Neither Turner or Whitlock caters too much to fashion trends, preferring to create timeless pieces appealing to people of all ages. Further, neither have a particular market in mind when they're designing their jewellery. "My work is always evolving.

At the end of the day, whether I'm inspired by organic form, architecture, I always try to create a piece that you cannot tell whether it was made today or several hundred years ago," Turner said. .

Whitlock said her individual pieces of jewellery appeal to a myriad of women.
"My customers range from early 20s to 80s. I think they're people who appreciate a bit of ornamentation, personal adornment," she said.

Although both designers have different preferences for the type of stones they choose to primarily work with, each believe in the benefits of natural and synthetic stones, claiming there's a market in both.