"For all the 37 years we've been together, we have worked with our hands. Building houses, yacht interiors, cabinets and one of a kind sculptural utensils. In the mid-1970s, we studied silversmithing in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. There we started making jewelry for Robbin. Later, when we starting cruising on a small sailboat, jewelry making fit well with this lifestyle and people in the many oceanside resorts were ready customers. For 15 years, we sailed up and down the eastern Caribbean islands selling jewelry we completely made ourselves on our boat.

"We have sailed the world living and working with non-industrialized artisans and their traditional materials. Our joy is helping these people and making jewelry with them that is both ancient and contemporary. When you wear our jewelry, you are proclaiming an awareness of the planet's diversity and beauty. We probably hold the record for low environmental impact jewelry, using things like bamboo, coconut shell, bone and horn for most of our designs, and sparingly using sterling silver.

"Our inspirations evolve from the materials and artisans we find as we travel. We collect what we find beautiful and environmentally responsible. We create all the designs ourselves, then work with the artisans wherever we are. Sometimes, as we work with a new design, the materials take on a life of their own and unexpected designs become extraordinary jewelry.

"We work together on every piece, from the idea to the final prototype. Our ideas evolve as we handle the material. After we complete the prototype, one of us wears the new design to be sure it meets our expectations. Only then does the design go on to our craftspeople.

"We both enjoy the physical hands-on aspects of working with natural materials and manipulating them until their beauty is evident. We also enjoy the exchanges with all the varied craftspeople we have worked with around the world.

"We have sailed the Pacific and are currently anchored in Bali, the morning of the world. It's inspiring to be in Asia where the artisans are so gifted and the range of materials so varied. We feel this is where our work will be transformative, where it will sing.

"The most satisfying thing is when a piece we are designing takes on a life of its own and surprises us with how cool it is. Also, when we watch a woman fall in love with our work – what's better than to be able to make something that brings joy? When you wear our jewelry, you can be sure you have aided many families in a responsible, low environmental impact way. Also, you are proclaiming your awareness of the many cultures of our world."