About Laura: Laura is a professionally trained gem cutter and gemmologist based in Adelaide, South Australia who has been working in the jewellery industry for over 10 years. She is the owner of Tatum Gems and has been professionally cutting gemstones for 9 years, trained in both specialist repair work and custom cutting across various gemstone materials, including having dabbled in diamond cutting.

The inspiration for her unique designs comes from nature itself and the crystallography of each individual gemstone, and she very often allows the natural shape of the rough to guide the design of a finished gem. Her broad skill set allows for great adaptability when cutting, as she doesn’t use GemCad or any computer software to generate her designs, and rarely uses books or diagrams: all her unique designs are cut freehand, while standard cuts are ingrained in her memory from repetition.  

Eager to share her expertise and make a difference in the industry, Laura began lecturing in 2015 for the Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA) until present day, as she finds teaching to be a rewarding way to stay informed, and to further develop her own skills as a gemmologist and gem cutter.