About The Gilder

Martin Walker-Watson

Martin graduated with Diplomas from the Gemological Institiute of America and the Asian Institute of Gemmological Sciences, in Jewelry Manufacturing, Diamonds and Diamond Grading, and Gemmology. (Santa Monica, California, 1986, New York, 1995, Bangkok, Thailand, 1982).

Born and educated in the UK, Martin travelled to India and from 1974 lived for many years in the foot-hills of the Himalayas. Over the past 35 years he has studied with Teachers in the Theravadin, Mahayana and Vajrayana Traditions, receiving full monks ordination at the World Peace Pagoda in Rangoon, Burma (1979).

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.

In 1997, after 15 years working in the Jewellery trade, he was invited to assist with the gilding of the Burmese Meditation Dhamma Yaung Chi Ceti Pagoda in Sunshine, New South Wales, Australia;

the following year with the gilding of another International Meditation Center Pagoda in Westminster, Maryland, U.S.A.;

and again in 2000 near Klagenfurt, Austria.

Martin returned to the Himalayas in 1998 and set up his studio/workshop specialising in gilding Buddhist and Asian Art.

Gilded works have included Buddhist Art from all the major Theravadan and Nalanda Traditions, including Thai and Sri Lankan statues, Burmese Buddha Thrones and Pagodas, Japanese, Tibetan and Nepali bronze statues, copper repousse, plaster and clay sculptures, as well as various other Buddhist meditational objects.

Martin lives on Bruny Island, Tasmania and frequently travels through Tibet, Nepal and India. His wife Mary is the Nepal Program Co-ordinator for oneHEARTworldwide (Health, Education and Research in Tibet).

Gemological Institute of America Alumni Association

Member of the Convocation of Jewellers

Asian Institute of Gemmological Sciences Alumni

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