|
|
Covert
Team to Uncover Synthetic Lab |
|
| |
An
Indian diamond industry association has reportedly formed
a secret task force to discover the locations of clandestine
laboratories where synthetic diamonds are produced. In order
to defend the economics interests of the largest diamond cutting
centre in the world, the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion
Council determined to weed out manufacturers of synthetic
diamonds who mix the artifical goods with natural stones for
profit.
Two Indian diamond hotspots
which are likely the subjets of investigation by the new task
force are Varachha and Katatgam, which have both seen many
incidences of parcels containing both natural and unnatural
diamonds. The synthetic diamonds are often sold at the Nandu
Doshi Ni Wadi, since it is already used to offload so-called
'badla goods', which are natural diamonds pilfered from firms
by their own workers.
|
|
|
 |
|
The
GJEPC has aligned with the Bharat Diamond Bourse, the
Mumbai Diamond Merchants Association and the All India
Gems and Jewelry Trade Federation to create a new body,
the Natural Diamond Monitoring Committee, which is overseeing
the investigation. |
|
|
|
India
Probes Synthetic Diamonds |
|
|
India's Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)
has launched an operation to discover which diamond factories
in Surat are manufacturing synthetic stones.
The
move follows the alarm expressed in the global diamond industry
in recent months over undisclosed lab created diamonds being
sold with natural melee stones, including in India. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
The
GJEPC has appointed global management consulting firm
A T Kearney and De Beers brokes Bonas & Co, to assist
in the project of "estsblishing the current status,
and to prepare a framework/guideline for the indistry
members to trade in natural and synthetic diamonds."
A Natural Diamond Monotoring
Committee (NDMC) has also been created, including bodies
such as the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), the All India
Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) and the Mumbai
Diamond Merchants' Association (MDMA), to take vital
decisions pertaining to synthetic diamonds. Industry
sources said experts from Mumbai have been in Surat
in recent days with the aim of uncovering the scale
of synthetic diamond production and how they are mixed
with natural diamond parcels. |
|
|
|
|
| |
A
senior GJEPC official said, "We have sent a team of experts
to Surat to find out units manufacturing synthetic diamonds.
The manufacturers would be quizzed on various pointed. A detailed
report will be submited to the Natural Diamond Monitoring
Committee. |
|
| |
|
|
|
Dalumi
Clarifies Synthetic Diamonds Reports |
|
| |
Israeli
diamond and jewellery manufacturer Dalumi Group has issued a
statement clarifying its position "following recent reports
in the market suggesting that (it) has been involved in the
trade of synthetic diamonds". |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
Dalumi
said that in September, Dalumi India purchased a small
parcel of polished diamonds, consisting of 19 stones
weighting a total 6.3 carats on the Indian market for
an order in Japan.
"Since the Indian supplier,
Patni Gems, was new to Dalumi, we sent these diamonds
to be checked in a lab in Japan. The Japanese lab (CGL)
found that all 19 stones were CVD synthetic diamonds.
Dalumi informed Patni Gems, as it may also be a victim
in this case, and the Indian authorities - the Gem and
Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Bharat
Diamond Bourse (BDB).
"The authorities took this
matter very seriously and are running a thorough investigation
in order to find the source of this parcel of dia monds.
We believed that diamantaires around the world should
maintain their customers' confedence by taking all necessary
measures to make sure their stock is free of undisclosed
synthetic diamonds.
"Dalumi has a zero tolerance
to thr mixing to of synthetic diamonds and natural diamons.
Dalumi does not deal with synthetic diamonds at all. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
New
African Ruby Mine |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
A
newly established company will begin mining a rich deposit
of rubies at Namanhumbir in the northern province of
Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Until recently the deposit
was exploited by informal miners, who allegedly wew
selling the goods illegally to buyers from Tanzania,
Nigeria and Thailand.
The new company is Montepuez
Ruby Mining Lda, which in partnership with a British
consortium has been granted a 25-year licence by the
Mozambique government , which grants it the right to
mine an area of 32,000 hectares.
Geological studies indicate
that the region contains ruby deposits that can support
mining for a period of 50 years, it has been speculated
that his may be the largest deposit of rubies ever discovered
anywhere in the world.
According to Asghar Fakhar,
one of Montepuez Ruby Mining's managing partners, "We
estimate that we will create about 350 fixed specialist
jobs for mining engineers, geologists, topographers,
and economists among others. The installation of the
equipment and all the apparatus to start operations
will begin in January."
The company also is commited
to undertake corporate social responsibility projects,
including the digging of wells in the areas, rehabilitatting
the local primary school and building a market for local
residents. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Trend
Forecast for Jewels in 2014
By Maria Doulton in London |
|
| |
As
we look ahead to a new year, is there anything I can see in
my crystal ball in the way of jewellery trends for 2014? I
this year is anything to go by, then expect 2014 to be a richly
coloured time for jewellery lovers. And I can tell you that
without any help from my mystical orb because for staters
2014 is a year.
The Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris
comes but once every two years and it is when the jewellers
present their biggest and most spectacular collections. Consider
what you have seen so far this year as a warm up to the big
show. The Biennale will open its doors to show-stopping collections
from Cartier, Chanel, Chaumet, De Beers, Harry Winston, Louis
Vuitton and Van Cleef & Arpels, who all display under
one roof, each outdoing the other with their marvels. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
1) L'Odyssee de
Cartier Parcours d'un Style high jewellery ring in white gold,
set with a 33.42 ct brown tourmaline, obsidian and diamonds.
2) Hemmerle earrings in black finished and green patinated silver,
white gold, with green tourmalines, demantoide garnets.
3) Boucheron Hotel de la Lumiere Perles d'Eclat ring in white
gold, set with a rock crystal bubble and white diamonds. |
|
| |
As for
what we can expect to see in the way of trends. I predict that
our fascination with top quality coloured gemstones will only
increase as the best of the mines' yields dwindle away. So we
can look forward to more emeralds, rubies and sapphires of the
highest quality in spectacular settings. Colombian emeralds
are enjoying an all time high, and this is set to continue:
think David Morris' head-sponning $12 million emerald ring or
Boodles' Green Fire emeralds suite. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
4.Louis Vuitton Voyage dans
le Temps Denelle de Monogra ring in white gold with a 9.50ct
purple spinel from Tajikistan and 2.59 ct diamonds.
5.Faberge Solyanka Vera ring in 18K white gold, set with 129
diamonds totaling 1.8 ct. The centre stone is an ethically mined
8.27 ct Gemfields cushion -cut emerald.
6. L'Odyssee de Cartier Parcours d'un Style d'Chine high jewellery
bracelet in platinum, set with a sarbet-pink 66.43 ct carved
rubellite, onyx and diamonds.
7. Astley Clarke large Fao pendant featuring a 8.23 ct morganite
surrounded by molten pave' diamonds. |
|
| |
As a
consequence we will see more of the lesser-known stones in unusual
shades beyond the more obvious neon-bright colours. I predict
we will see more of the shy hues of spinels; morganite and Kunzite,
a trend on the rise as seen in Louis Vuitton's smoky purple
spinel ring from the Voyage dans le pink morganite in the new
Fao collection and smoky quartz and lavender jade as seen at
Kiki McDonough. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
8. Boodles Greenfire
collection Colombian emerald earrings
9.David Morris emerald and diamond necklace
10. One-of-a-kind Irene Neuwirth earrings in rose gold with
mixed Mexican fire opals and Boulder opal drops.
11. One-of-a-kind Irene Neuwirth ring in rose gold with mixed
Mexican fire opal surrounded by diamond pave. |
|
| |
Opals
have been top of the pops for the past few years and it seems
that we can only fall more in love with them , with Mexican
fire opals, with their syrupy sunset orange colour, becoming
more in demand. Moonstone, with its mysterious lunar sheen and
flashes of colour, is another stone on the rise. And with the
Pantone Institute declaring Radiant Orchid the official colour
of 2014, we will be welcoming all things purple . The possiblities
are wide, from the deep purple of Amethyst, powdery lavender
chalcedony, violet sapphires, tourmalines, spinels and jasper
to the little-known bright-mauve sugllite. Pearls, like emeralds,
are hugely in vogue and designs are becoming more daring. Think
necklaces and Mikimoto's new Hello Kitty range. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
12.David Morris emerald and
diamond ring
13.David Morris sapphire and diamond ring
14. Boodles Greenfire collection necklace set with rare Colombian
emeralds |
|
| |
As
for styles, expect to see more mashing up of colours, textures
and shapes while moving away from the more ornate and fantastical
designs to more abstract themes. I predict less in the way of
jewels with lions, spiders and flowers running around them and
more clean designs, like Boucheron's mininalism. The trend for
micro-pave-ing every flower petal and bee's knee is also likely
to wane as we focus on the natural beauty of stones.
At the same time, a return to the glamour
of the 1960s and early 70s is on the cards, with long chains,
wide bracelets and hoop earrings making an apperearance towards
the end of the year. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
15.Astley Clarke Fao earrings
in rose gold, set with 4.54 ct of morganites and molten pave
diamonds.
16.Kiki McDonough smoky quartz and citrine earrings
17. Melanie Georgacopoulos M/G Tasaki necklace with sliced 12
mm white freshwater pearls and 18K yellow gold clasp |
|
| |
But
then again, I could be totally wrong, so save this article and
wave it at me this time next year and I will blame it all on
my crystal ball. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
18.Melanie Georgacopoulos
M/G Tasaki necklace with titanium chains and 5 mm white freshwater
pearls.
19. Boucheron Hotel de la Lumiere Perles d' Eclat white gold
necklace with rock crystal bubbles and white diamonds
20. One of the standout pieces from Mikimoto's new 20-piece
Hello Kitty collection includes this layered pearl necklace,
which traces Hello Kitty's face in diamonds, rubies and onyx
pearls. |
|
| |
|
|
|
The
history of pearls at the V & A
By Daisy Tinker |
|
| |
|
|
| |
In
its exhibition in partnership with the Qatar Museams Authority,
the V & A museum in Kensington, London, explores the uniques
beauty and timeless allure of pearls through the ages. Running
to 19 January 2014. the major new Pearls exhibition delves into
the long and distinguished history of this classic form of adornment,
showcasing everything from ancient specimens to contemporary
jewels, via cultured pearls, celebrities and key moments in
history. |
|
| |
1.Bodice ornament
in gold with enamel, turquoise, abalone pearl and mother-of-pearl
by George Fouquet, Paris, Circa 1900. On loan from the Sparkasse
Pforheim calw Art Foundation. Photo by Rudiger floter ©
ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2013
2. Lover's Eye brooch, England, 1800-1820, in gold, with pearls,
diamonds and a painted miniature © Victoria and Albert
Museum, London
3. 1930s Carties necklace in platinum, with natural pearls from
the Gulf and diamond clasps, from The Qatar Museum Authority
Collection. © Sotheby's
4. Pendant with standing ram, Spain or spanish colonies, circa
1600, in gold, enamel, spinel and pearls from the Waddesdon
Bequest, British Museum, London © The Trustees of the British
Museum |
|
| |
Long associated with royalty and glamour,
the pearl has long been an object of desire due to its rarity
and beauty. Exceptional jewels from the Roman times to the
present day are on display, highlighting the pearl's enduring
appeal. Across the Roman Empire, jewels featuring the pearlescent
stones were a symbol of wealth and status. In medieval Europe,
they appeared in religious symbols as metaphors for purity
and chastity.
By the 19th century, courts across
Europe employed the opulence of the pearl, wearing them strung
onto necklaces of varying sizes. And come the 1920s, pearls
had taken on a different meaning once again. An era defined
by a new feeling of freedom for women, the Roaring Twenties
saw the pearl shed its religious and regal connotations and
become a symbol of liberation.
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
5. Yoko London
pearl and diamond necklace
6. Yoko London "Carnevale" pearl and diamond necklace
7. Hemmerle's Tarantula brooch (1995), from the "Art of
Nature" series. The body is made up of a 111.76 ct dark
brown conch pearl one of the largest and rarest ever found -
and 39.84 ct natural coloured fancy shaped Umba sapphires.
8. Hemmerle earrings with Melo pearls, nephrite jade discs,
copper and white gold from 2009. Courtesy of Hemmerle. |
|
| |
From
the 1920s onwards, the exhibition delves into one major event
that changed the way in which the world perceived pearls: the
development of cultured varieties. At the beginning of the 20th
century, Kokichi Mikimoto was granted a patent for developing
round cultured pearls from Akoya oysters and, by the 1950s,
his cultured pearls had conquered the market. This innovation
enabled the once rare and expensive pearl to become increasingly
affordable to a mass market, igniting a global love affair with
these precious pearlescent orbs. A number of important Mikimoto
pieces are on display at the exhibition, including a cultured
pearl necklace once owned by Marilyn Monroe. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
9.The Rosebery
Tiara in gold silver and diamonds, with natural boutan and drop
pearls in fitted case by R & S Garrard, London, Circa 1878,
from the Qatar Museuma Authority Collection Photo © Sotheby's
10. Earrings in gold with natural seed pearls and diamonds,
france, circa 1795-1810. © Victoria and Albert Museum,
London.
11. Liz Taylor wearing her Bulgari pearl earrings in the film
'Ash Wednesday', 1973. © Paramount Pictures Photofest. |
|
| |
Today,
the range of contemporary pearl jewellery is endless, and the
exhibition will showcase in incredible breadth of modern-day
jewels. During the 1960s and 1970s, avant-garde jewellers such
as Andrew Grima used pearls in creative and abstract ways, while
today the emphasis is increasingly on the creative ways in which
pearls can be incorporate into designs. To illustrate this diversity,
modern pearl jewels by Yoko London - a pearl and diamond jewel
specialist - are also included in the exhibition, together with
a number of peices by German jeweller Hemmerle, including a
spectacular tarantula brooch featuring one of largest and rarest
brown conch pearls in the world. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
12. Imperial Court
Robe Qing dynasty, circa 1870-1911, crafted from embroidered
silk, silk and gold threads, corals and pearls © Victoria
and Albert Museum, London
13. Necklace with natural pearls set in coloured gold, probably
England, circa 1850 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
14. Head ornament from a wedding set. Qing dynasty, China, circa
1800-1911, in gilded bronze, with kingfisher feathers and natural
pearls. The house in the centre, symbolic of the young couple,
is flanked by two dragons. Qatar Museum Authority, Doha ©
Hubert Bari |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
15. Mikimoto Sash
Clip Yaguruma made from cultuvated Akoya pearls, sapphire, diamonds
and emeralds. This multifunctional adornment can be transformed
into 12 different pieces of jewellery, from hair ornaments to
brooches and rings.
16.Cross pendant in gold with rubiesand natural pearls, Germany,
1500-25 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
17.Pendant earrings by Bulgari Rome, 1972 with platinum, diamonds
and natural pearls - formerly the property of Elizabeth Taylor
. Qatar Museums Authority Doha © Hubert Bari
18. Brooch with natural brown pearls set in platinum and diamonds
France, 1900 © Albion Art |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
19.A rare selection
of natural pearls from the Qatar Museums Authority Collection
Photo © Creut
20. 'Frozen' by artist Sam Tho Duong, silver nylon and freshwater
pearls, 2011 Photo © Petra Jaschke
21. A worm that invaded a New Zealand abalone (Haliotis iris)
, Qatar Museums Authority Doha © Christian Creutz |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
