Gem carving of the ‘Lion of Judea’ on a Citrine Gem

The “lion of Judea” artwork

The “Lion of Judea” necklace with a matching Amethyst and Lapis Pendant

Inspired by the “Lion of Judea” from the Bible. I carved a Citrine Teardrop gem to show a Poppy on the top crown facet and the ‘Lion of Judea” on the back pavilion. The left side is carved with a Lion and the right side has a portrait of Jesus with a crown of thorns.

The size is 30mm tall by 25mm wide by 20mm thick. I talk about the wonderful effect where you can see the eyes through the top of the gem while also gazing at the Poppy. This is the name of the daughter.

This was the center of a necklace, that also had Amethyst and Art Deco diamond detailing on each side. The piece was attached to a Lapis Lazuli bead necklace. Designed for the husband to give to his wife for their anniversary.

Easter Artwork: The Passion of Christ and the Horror of World War

Offered at $7700 USD

Crown of Thorns, 100 Year Old Barbed Wire, Easter Egg, Nickel Iron Meteorite, Blood Red Jasper, Golden Calcite Crystals in Petrified Clay Slab

Crown of Thorns made from Barbed Wire from World War I

Jasper Blood Drop for “the Passion” and all Wars

Inside the Egg is a Gold ‘Rising Sun of Hope’

I combined the Easter ‘Passion of the Christ’, with an anti-war theme.  The Barbed wire was recovered from the battlefield from the first World war. I forged this into a circle to form a ‘Crown of Thorns’.

This cradles a “dinosaur egg” in Plicated White Agate that is millions of years old. I have placed a Nickel Iron Meteorite inside the egg. I carefully selected a shape that looks like a baby chick.

Nickel was also used to plate bullets and bombs to strengthen them. The destructive power of arms increased after this use. Nickel is mostly found as meteorites as it is so reactive on Earth.

My artwork sits on a Septarian nodule. Formed millions of years ago when Calcite and Quartz filled a clay nodule. This later turned to stone. I sliced and polished this to make the base.

Ancient World Artworks

I am creating Gem Art inspired by the Ancient World. DM for info!

The Ancient ‘Sabu Disc’ in a Black Schist Stone

I am Carving an Exact Replica in a 42mm Black Jade Disc

Egyptian Pyramids with the Stars of Orion

Iris Agate has the Pyramids carved as a Reverse Intaglio and filled with Gold.

I am creating a collection of Gem Art inspired by the Ancient World. I will share updates as I progress. Get in touch if you want to talk about a project.

Gem Carvings

I can carve any gemstone with your ideas. Selected Gem Art is available. DM for info!

Quartz Reverse Intaglio of  “Guy Fawkes” from ‘V for Vendetta’

Bull with Red Jasper, Meteorite Horns on Black Onyx

‘Bulldog’ Layer Agate Carving

Maple Leaf Pendant in Canadian Ammolite

Black Onyx Portrait of an African Family

Lapis Lazuli Celtic Knot Carving

Jewel with a Red Jasper Bull, Meteorite Horns, Black Onyx

A selection of Gem Carvings, created over a 21 year timescale. Most are carved in Layer Agate, Precious Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Bloodstone, Black Onyx and Amethyst. I can create carvings in any gemstone material. Get in touch if you want to talk about a project.

Reach out for a custom design or gem carving project, purchase request or anything else!

DM for Info!

Hand Engravings

I have won many Awards for my Hand Engraving. Custom engraving is available. DM for info!

A ‘Lynx’ Hand-Engraved on Silver

A Mountain Lion Hand-Engraved on a Silver Bangle

Award Winning Hand-Engraving on Silver

Hand engravings etc

My Cameo Jewel for Queen Elizabeth II

Presented to Her Majesty by the State of Virginia to Honor her visit to the United States

I am not allowed to repeat Queen Elizabeth’s exact words. However, I can say that Her Majesty was loved my Cameo Jewel, and was fascinated by the story behind this gift.

My Pocahontas Cameo in Layer Agate, set in Platinum

Presented by the Indian Tribal Chiefs

Welsh Jewellery Designer’s Very Royal Commission: Express Report by Jess Childs – May 31, 2007

Gareth Eckley has just returned from America after being commissioned to create
a cameo which was presented to Her Majesty the Queen as part of her recent USA visit.

Gareth, aged 43, worked 12 hour days for around three weeks to complete the brooch-like cameo depicting
Indian princess Pocahontas in time for the Queen’s visit to Richmond, Virginia on May 3rd, 2007.

The Jewel was presented to her on the steps of the Capitol building before her speech to members of the American Government.
by The Chiefs of the Powhatan Indian Tribe who are direct descendant of Pocahontas.

He said: ” Usually to create a cameo like this would take twice as long as this one did. However this was such
a high profile order and my time was so short.”

Gareth creates an image on the cameo by delicately carving into layers of coloured semi-precious stone agate and,
using the contrast in colours, creates the desired shading for whatever is depicted.

For the Queen he was asked to reproduce the face of Pocahontas to emulate a cameo which was carved by a London jeweller
from a piece of Layered Onyx for the princess herself in the early 17th Century, after she had moved to Britain.

It later made its way back to Virginia, and was eventually donated to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in the 1950’s by
the Reverend Cary Weisenger III, a direct descendant of Pocahontas.

Gareth added: “In Elizabethan times they had quite a Roman or Greek kind of style and the image had been made to look
quite cherubic, so rather than make a straight reproduction I actually altered the cameo to have a much stronger nose, and a
more Indian shape.”

The Queen was presented with the cameo, which was finished with rare fresh-water pearls fished from the Tennessee, at 3pm
after the tribe had blessed it in a ceremony at 1pm.

Her Majesty then visited Jamestown, also in Virginia, along with Prince Phillip and her host Vice President Dick Cheney
the following day, May 4th to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the town’s founding in a ceremony at a re-created colonial fort.

The town holds its significance as the first area of major western settlement in May 1607, and as the place where Pocahontas
acted as mediator between her native father, chief of the Powhatan tribe, and settling British captain John Smith, effectively
saving the captain’s life.

Pocahontas later married English tobacco planter John Rolfe and moved to Britain before passing away from pneumonia at the age
of 22, and is buried in Gravesend, Kent.

Gareth his wife Sheila and their two sons combined the trip with a family holiday, and also managed to meet some of Gareth’s
stateside clients in person, a process which he says was very rewarding.

Asked about the Queen’s gift Gareth added with a smile :” I did hear that she likes it.”

The Story of my Cameo for the Queen

I received a phone call in March, 2007. I was asked if I was available for a very special project. I was asked to sign a Non Disclosure agreement as secrecy was so important. I had to promise not to reveal who I was to talk to and what we were going to talk about. The agreement was sent to me and I had to return it signed within 10 minutes.

Within half an hour I was on a conference call with very important people. The Senator, the Governor of Virginia, The President, the Chief Curator, and the head Archaeologist of the Jamestown Settlement Museum and the anonymous donor who conceived this project.

When she was visiting the Jamestown museum she saw a 400 year old cameo that was given to Pocahontas and was carved with her image. The donor had the idea to create a replica of this cameo brooch and present it to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II when she visited the State of Virginia in May.

I agreed to put my other projects on hold to make this cameo brooch for the visit. In a few days I was on a plane heading to America. I was welcomed by the donor who was incredibly generous with her time. She took me around the beautiful State of Virginia. I visited the Jamestown Settlement Museum where I handled the priceless, 420 years old Cameo of Pocahontas.

I studied the carving, took precise measurements, many photographs and was given a plaster cast of the cameo brooch that the museum staff had made.

The 420 Year Old Cameo Given to Pocahontas

Pocahontas died after visiting King James I and Queen Anne in London. Her husband John Rolfe returned to America., taking the cameo brooch with him. The Cameo pin was stolen in the Civil war. The cameo was levered out of it’s setting with a Bowie knife. You can see the chipped edges of the original cameo.

Many years later ,the Cameo was found and set in a new brooch. The new owners, the Weisiger family donated the cameo pin to the Jamestown Settlement Museum in Virginia in the 1950’s.

My first challenge was to match the color of the original Cameo. Most modern cameo stones are treated to create strong colors such as white on red, white on blue, etc.

I required an untreated Agate that was the same as the stones the carver could find 500 years ago. I was able to track down a stone in Germany. I had to wait 12 days to receive it. This gave me very little time to finish the cameo.

My donor wanted natural pearls to encircle the cameo. I found a company that fishes natural freshwater pearls in the Tennessee river. These were shipped over the Atlantic and I selected the best for the Brooch.

I made the setting for the brooch from Platinum. I finished the cameo carving, set this in the brooch, set the pearls and completed the jewel just days before my flight back to Virginia.

Creating an Authentic Portrait of Pocahontas
The original 16th Century Cameo of Pocahontas had been carved in a Classical manner. Her portrait was changed to look more European.

With my reproduction, I was faithful to the true portrait of Pocahontas. Making the image more authentic was really appreciated by descendants of Pocahontas.

Now in the Queen’s Private Collection
Her Majesty took the Cameo of Pocahontas back to the UK. It is now part of the Queen’s private collection at Buckingham Place, London.

Custom Made Jewels

Jewellery Design by Request. DM for info!

Precious Opal, Diamond, 18k Yellow and White Gold

Designed to Look like Waves on the Ocean

Matching Necklace-  Pink Diamond, Morganite, Diamonds, 18k Gold

3 Emeralds & Pair of Shield Diamonds with 7 Sides

Sapphire and Diamond with removable Elements

Suite with Bow Tie Pin, Earring Clips, Solid Gold Necklace

Faith Locket with White Gold Cross and a Pink Pearl

Reveals the Cameo, 3 Tanzanites, White Gold Scrollwork

Lotus Flower Earrings to Match the Faith Locket

My Design for the Locket

A Bloodstone Dragon Ring

My Wedding Ring – Celtic ‘Tree of Life’

Portrait Cameo Jewels

Highlights from my Collection. Created over 25 Years, from 1998 – 2023.

Blue Agate Cameo in 18K White Gold

Photo of Ellie at 3 years

Presented in a hand-made Silk Pouch

A Gift for Grandmas’ 80th Birthday

Portrait Cameo in Platinum

Precious Opal Cameo in Gold

A Gift for Grandma in 18k White Gold

Her Beloved Grandchildren

A Gift for his Wife – Layer Agate, Pearls, White Gold

Her Portrait Photo

Three Layer Cameo of Grace Kelly

‘Aoife’ an Irish Daughter – Green Cameo Jewel

Locket with 3 Sliding Panels

Portrait Cameo in Silver

Two beautiful Children

Cameo Jewel with Two sides: Her Daughter and her Pet Dog

Layer Agate Pet Portrait Jewel

Maltese Dog Portrait Agate Necklace

Gold Locket that Opens to Reveal a Secret Cameo

Beautiful Portrait of a Woman in Blue Agate

Druzy Agate Portrait with Gold Hair Accents

Amethyst Portrait Carving in an Art Deco Ring

Cameo Rings with Ancient Greek Gods

A selection of my Portrait Cameo Jewels, created over a 21 year timescale. Most are carved in Layer Agate, Precious Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Bloodstone, Black Onyx and Amethyst.

Family Crest Jewellery

Your Family Crest Engraved Intaglio on Gems or Gold. DM for info!

Family Crest Ring Carved in Lapis Lazuli

18k Gold Crest Inlaid into Green Jade

Stainless Steel Engraved Crest

A selection of my Portrait Cameo Jewels, created over a 21 year timescale. Most are carved in Layer Agate, Precious Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Bloodstone, Black Onyx and Amethyst.