 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Old
issues |
Vol.
18 No. 5 -- January 2005 |
|
 |
 |
 Tanzanain Goverment Seeks Beneficiation of Gemstone Resource |
||
| Platinum and Diamonds : An Age Old Combination Gets A New Look |
||||
Plans to Revive Activity in Gems
Other Than Tanzanite |
 The International Colored Gemstone Association
(ICA) recently released its Mine and Market Report from Tanzania.
Written by Abe K. Suleman, the ICA Ambassador to Tanzania, the report
focusses on the Tanzanian Government's efforts to increase beneficiation
of the country's gemstone resources as well as its plans to revive
interest and activity in gems other than tanzanite.According to the report, earlier in the summer of 2004 the Tanzanian govt. had commissioned a board of inquiry to review and recommend the direction that government policy should take in order to benefit the country's gemstone sector. The members of the board travelled extensively throughout the country, visiting mines and mining locations and meeting the miners. They held hearings about the current practices prevalent in the local trade and mining community. Finally, they visited Far East Asia on a fact finding trip to  investigate
the policies governing rough gemstone exports, and the structure and
operation of the gemstone cutting and polishing industry in a number
of countries including Thailand and Sri Lanka. It is more than a year
now that the Tanzanian govt. had declared its intention to put an
end to the exports of certain rough gemstones in order to add value
to the gems and thus increase the earnings of the sector as well as
the export revenue coming into the country. However, it was not possible
to do so without a legislative change to the Mining Act. In August
2004, Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa signed into law an amendment
to the Mining Act that will facilitate changes in the industry by
means of the recently appointed Gemstone Advisory Board, which is
made up of both government and industry representatives. The Board
will directly advise the Minister of1.Mr.Abe Suleman
4.Paparodscha-colour sapphire from Tanzania; Photo
: ICA
|
Energy
and Minerals and his ministry on the gemstone sector.
important
to extract the maximum value possible and use the profits to build|
Platinum
and Diamonds : An Age Old Combination Gets A New Look |
Platinum and diamonds are
a classical match. The white metal and the scintillating white brilliance
of diamonds seem to be made for each other and jewellers have concentrated
on their pairing almost to the exclusion of other coloured gemstones.
Two hotshot German designers have put old wine in new bottles and
given a new look to the age old teaming of platinum and diamonds.
1.Earring with platinum and diamonds,Helene M.Apitzsch,Kircheim. 2.Platinum collier,Helene M.Apitzsch,Kircheim. 3.Platinum ring with black and white diamonds,Schwab,Winterbach diamonds, some of which are interchangeable. The House of Schwab, together with owner and designer Uwe Fiedler, produces jewels that caress the skin and delight the eye. These pieces feature an uncommonly high quality fur known as Saga Select Mink. Set amidst the pelt's aromatic softness are platinum and diamond elements that endow a high end sophistication to the luxurious softness and inevitably cuddly look of the rich fur. Thanks to their flexible interior structure, the "Magic Fur" and "Magic Wrist" bracelets wrap naturally around the wearer's wrist. Uwe Fiedler prefers midnight black, perfectly smooth leather because it optimally emphasises the beautiful combination of platinum with diamonds, coloured gemstones or pearls. Both Helene and Uwe reveal new aspects to platinum thanks to their long familiarity with the use of this metal in their jewellery. Helene, in fact,
4."Olympia " collier in platinum
and diamonds,Helene M.Apitzsch,Kircheim. has used it almost exclusively for the past two decades. "For me, it's the ultimate metal. And it's also the most honest one because of its high degree of purity," she says. "Furthermore, I've fallen in love with its singular white colour and unique attributes," she concludes.
9.Flexible "magic wrist" bracelets:
leather wristlet bracelet: platinum element with diamond on leather
with "Saga Select Mink", Schwab, Winterbach.
13.Flexible "magic fur" with
plaitnum element, red garnet and diamonds; leather bracelet with
black and white diamonds set in platinum; leather bracelet with
a diamond set in a platinum element, Schwab, Winterbach Leather
bracelet with platinum element and Tahitian pearl, Gallner firm;
designed by Schwab, Winterbach.
|
 |
C
o p y r i g h t © 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 1
6 D4U
WEB TM A l l
R i g h t s R e s e r v e d
|
