There is an hilarious photo of me aged around 7 in an 80s gymnastics leotard and a full suite of giant pink plastic jewels so I think you should say I've always been a jewellery lover. When I was a teenager I was making and selling beaded neckalces and after the birth of my first child, I studied goldsmithing at UCLA in Los Angeles.

 There are so many gemstones that I love but I have a soft spot for a black opal. Their ability to capture an entire universe in just one stone is incredible.

 Yes I've been incredibly fortunate to have seen wonderful jewels all around the world. I have a particular soft spot for the endless invention of Claire Choisne at Boucheron. Her creations incorporate unlikely materials such as a hi-tech aerspace gels and 3D printing together with the most precious gemstones. They are ambitious yet wearable and beyond your wildest imagination.

There is a mind-blowing jade sarpech, or turban ornament, in the South Asia gallery. It was created in the 18th century in the Mughal Empire and combines a mosaic of rubies, emeralds and crystals set into the thinnest imaginable jade setting, an unbelievably challenging stone to work with. The entire piece is a masterclass in gem-cutting, setting and harmony of proportion and colour.

 Thank you for your kind words. It was an absolutely incredible experience. We wanted to tell the story of how Cartier became such a univerally renowned name through exceptional design and craftsmanship and sophisticated storytelling. Every piece we included neded to serve that story in some way and it was absolutely thrilling to include pieces that had never been exhibited before among rarely seen but well-known treasures such as the Maria Felix snake necklace. Two particular favourites for me were the 1937 opal (coincidence? probably not!) and diamond tiara Cartier London created for Mary Cavendish, the future Duchess of Devonshire, and an incredible Cartier Paris Art Deco onyx and diamond sautoir from 1923.

 It's hard to put your finger on one thing but I think there needs to be an element of originality and authenticity to the design and a grace to the craftsmanship. Some collections just have the X factor that make them stand out above everything else.

Well, I don't think the debate around transparency in metals and gemstones is going anywhere. It's a massive challenge for the industry but one which it must come to terms with. I also think the price of gold is insane and will mean that silver and platinum come back with a vengeance!

Get reading and writing, and out and about meeting people. There are so many wonderful stories that deserve to be told. Most importantly, don't give up!

This is such a tough question! One piece I treasure is my Emily P Wheeler tiger's eye and gold ring which is set with a beautiful rhodolite. Not only do I love the chunky design and the colour combination but I love that I know exactly where in the world the gem came from. Emily sourced it from Moyo Gems, a project that connects artisanal miners in Tanzania with vocational training and a fair mine-to-market price for their stones.