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The
Gilder's Studio

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Martin Walker-Watson

Martin graduated with his Accredited
Gemmologist Diploma from the Asian Institute of Gemmological Sciences
(Bangkok, Thailand) in 1982;
and Diplomas from the Gemological Institute of America in Jewelry
Manufacturing Arts (California) 1986, and Diamonds and Diamond Grading
(NewYork) 1995.
In 1997, after 15 years working in the Jewellery
trade, he was invited to assist with the gilding of the Dhamma Yaung Chi Ceti Pagoda in Sunshine, New South Wales, Australia;
the following year with the gilding of the Dhamma Yaung Chi Ceti Pagoda in
Westminster, Maryland, U.S.A.;
and in 2000 the Dhamma Yaung Chi Ceti Pagoda at the International Meditation Centre near Klagenfurt, Austria.
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Born in the UK, Martin left school in Paris,
hitchhiked to India in 1974 and started work on
a farm on a remote mountain-top in the Himalayas, and for the next 8
years lived in an isolated Buddhist community. Over the past 35 years he has
studied with meditation masters in the Theravadin , Mahayana and Vajrayana Traditions, receiving full
monks ordination at the World Peace Pagoda in Rangoon, Burma (1979).
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On returning to lay-life and completing gemmological and jewellery training during the
80's, Martin spent the next decade working for goldsmiths on the island of Grand
Cayman in the British West Indies; designing custom-made jewellery, buying
gems at source, jewellery appraising, retail jewellery store management, and
wholesale and retail jewellery business software development. Martin specialised as a numismatic
researcher and consultant, buying gold doubloons and other shipwrecked
treasure from Caribbean salvage operations, as well as successfully bidding
at auction for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins. Many of these coins
were incorporated into one-of-a kind necklaces, earrings, pendants, rings
and other jewellery pieces embellished with coloured gemstones and diamonds.
While in the Cayman Islands,
Martin lived on his sailing yacht "Kantaka"; taught
Scuba Diving, Lifesaving and sailing at the Marine Institute; raced in international
competitions and sailed both the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Completed both Offshore and Ocean Yachtmaster
Certifications (200 ton., and Celestial Navigation).
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Martin returned to
the Indian Himalayas in 1998 and set up the studio/workshop specialising in Buddhist and Asian
Art.
Works
include Burmese Buddha Thrones, Maitreya Project replicas, Padmasambhava,
Tara, Manjushri and Vajrapani statues and various other Buddhist statues and
meditational objects.
Building the new studio at "Nalanda" on Bruny
Island, Australia was completed in 2006. Martin lives with his wife Mary.
Member of the Convocation of Jewellers.
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thegilder 2008
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