Meet the staff – Yuki Mathwin
Yuki recently entered this creation into The Australian Pearl Jewellery Design Competition’ – hosted by Cygnet Bay Pearls.
Meet the staff – Yuki Mathwin
I grew up living in Middle Park, then in Eden NSW and finished my high school education in Mentone. When I reached adulthood, I moved to Sydney and then Currumbin, on the southern end of the Gold Coast. It’s fair to say I moved around, but I am definitely a Melbournian through and through. Currently I feel I get the best of both worlds as I now live on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula and work in the city! I love the hustle and bustle of the city, it never sleeps, but I also love going home to my family every day.
Travelling has been a huge part of my life and I have always loved exploring different cultures, landscapes and especially food! Trekking to the base camp of Mount Everest and backpacking around a lot of South America have definitely been highlights. I encourage anyone to step outside their comfort zone and explore the world too.
Finding a career in jewellery has also been a huge adventure for me. When my husband proposed, not only did I fall in love with my engagement ring, my curiosity got the better of me. I just had to know how it was made. That was the beginning of my fascination with the engineering side of jewellery manufacture. I was 35 years old when I finally decided what I wanted to be when I grow up. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than to create something with my hands and my previous corporate jobs just weren’t giving me the same joy. It wasn’t until I picked up my first piece of metal and a saw frame that I instantly knew this was the job for me. Since that day, I have been on a huge ride.
Seven years on and I have been extremely fortunate to win some awards. I was Apprentice of the Year three years in a row, I won the apprentice category in a jewellery design competition for two consecutive years, but the one I am most proud of is winning Most Outstanding Apprentice Award at Melbourne Polytechnic in 2016.
As I embark on a new adventure at Abrecht Bird Jewellers, I still pinch myself every day. Not only do I work alongside some incredibly talented people, I have also found myself surrounded by a team of likeminded and supportive people who hold the same values: quality craftsmanship, honesty and integrity, using old-fashioned techniques in timeless design, to name a few. Each and every piece we make is made with love.
Life for me is one big adventure and I just LOVE to go on adventures.
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