Pembrokeshire designer and opal cutter Dan Voaden builds one-of-a-kind jewels around some of the world’s most captivating gemstones.

In the world of fine jewellery, certain gemstones dominate the conversation. Diamonds, sapphires and emeralds often take centre stage, prized for their consistency and familiarity. Opal, by contrast, remains one of the most unpredictable stones in jewellery — its colour shifting constantly as light moves across its surface.

For designer and opal cutter Dan Voaden, founder of Opal Wild, that unpredictability is exactly what makes the gemstone so compelling.

Based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Voaden has built a jewellery house centred around one of the most fascinating gems in the world: the Australian Lightning Ridge opal. Rather than designing jewellery first and selecting stones later, his process begins with the opal itself. Each gemstone is cut in-house before the final piece of jewellery is imagined around it.

This lapidary-first approach means that every jewel produced by Opal Wild is shaped by the character of the stone — its colours, its internal patterns and the way light interacts with its surface.

Designing Around the Stone

Lightning Ridge opals are among the most prized opals in existence, formed deep beneath the Australian outback over millions of years. Their dark body tone allows flashes of colour — greens, blues, reds and oranges — to appear with extraordinary intensity.

Because no two opals are ever identical, designing around them requires both patience and adaptability.

For Opal Wild, the gemstone is never simply an element within a design. It becomes the starting point for the entire creative process.

Each stone is carefully studied and cut to reveal its internal colour play before any jewellery concept is developed. Only once the gem’s character is fully understood does the design begin to take shape.

The result is jewellery that feels deeply individual, where the metalwork appears to grow organically from the stone itself.

The Anemone Collection

One of the most striking expressions of this philosophy is the Anemone Collection, a series of jewels inspired by the flowing forms of marine life.

The pieces echo the movement of sea anemones and coral structures, with sculptural gold elements extending outward like underwater tentacles. Coloured enamel and gemstones add depth and contrast, reinforcing the sense of motion within the design.

The collection has resonated strongly within the industry, earning Collection of the Year at the National Association of Jewellers Awards, a recognition that reflects both the originality of the designs and the craftsmanship behind them.

But beyond the accolades, what makes the collection compelling is its sense of movement — the way the jewels appear almost alive.

The Anemone Reef Ring

One of the standout pieces within the collection is the Anemone Reef ring, which features a dramatic 6.85-carat Lightning Ridge dark crystal opal cut by Dan Voaden himself.

The opal is set within 18ct white gold, accompanied by sapphires and framed by flowing royal blue enamel structures that rise around the stone.

The enamelled forms create a striking contrast against the opal’s shifting colours, enhancing the gemstone’s vivid flashes of green and orange. The design evokes the sensation of coral structures forming around the stone, reinforcing the marine inspiration that defines the collection.

The Anemone Reef Ring

The Anemone Reef Ear Cuff

Another remarkable design is the Anemone Reef ear cuff, where a 2.15-carat Lightning Ridge dark crystal opal appears to emerge from sculptural coral-like forms.

Crafted in 18ct rose gold, the piece incorporates rubies, pink sapphires and white diamonds, complemented by graduated translucent pink enamel.

The structure curves elegantly along the ear, with gemstone-set elements extending outward from the central opal. The result is a jewel that feels both architectural and organic — a piece that captures the fluid movement of marine life.

The Anemone Reef Ear Cuff

The Anemone Caress Ring

The Anemone Caress ring presents a different interpretation of the collection’s aesthetic.

At its centre is a Lightning Ridge opal displaying a rare rolling “cat’s eye” pattern, where bands of colour appear to glide across the surface of the gem as it moves in the light.

The opal is gently held within sculptural gold claws while a diamond-set arc curves over the stone, creating the impression that the gem is being delicately embraced — a gesture reflected in the piece’s name.

The Anemone Caress Ring

Where Lapidary Meets Jewellery Design

What ultimately distinguishes Opal Wild is the fusion of two crafts that are often separate in modern jewellery: lapidary and jewellery design.

By cutting his own opals, Dan Voaden maintains complete control over how each stone reveals its colour and character. This allows the jewellery to respond directly to the gemstone rather than forcing the gem into a predetermined design.

In many ways, the finished pieces feel less like conventional jewellery and more like miniature sculptures shaped by both nature and craftsmanship.

Designer and Opal cutter Dan Voaden

The Jewels Club Take

Opal Wild is a reminder that some of the most exciting jewellery today is being created by designers who allow gemstones to lead the creative process.

In a market often dominated by predictable diamond designs, collections like Anemone demonstrate how powerful gemstone-led design can be. By building each jewel around a singular opal, the pieces become inherently individual — objects shaped as much by nature as by the hand of the designer.

For those drawn to jewellery that feels expressive, sculptural and deeply connected to the gemstone itself, Opal Wild is certainly a name to watch.

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