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Warning
of CVD Diamonds |
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The
New York-based gemmological lab Analytical Gemology
& Jewelry (AG&J) has issued a warning about
harder to detect CVD diamonds being sold as natural,
type IIa brown stones.
A batch of
these stones was recently submitted by a client as natural
HPHT-treated diamonds and contained 75 percent CVD-grown
HPHT-treated diamonds. The stones were purchased from
a trade source with which the client had a long-standing
business relationship.
The AG&J
laboratory specializes in the identification of diamonds
and their treatments. It is reporting a new alarming
find with permission from their client, a U.S. gem dealer
specializing in HPHT treated diamonds, with more than
a decade of experience.
AG&J determined
that a batch consisting of 18 (17 round and 1 marquise-cut)
diamonds weighing a total of 6 carats, ranging in size
from 0.14-carat to 0.635mm, colour ranging from F to
grey and a clarity range from VVS to SI, was submitted
to the lab at the end of July 2013.
Identification was done with its proprietary diamond
testing system, which can also be used to test melee
diamonds, as previously reported. AG&J identified
13 CVD grown HPHT treated synthetic diamonds. |
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The
stones were purchased on the open market in Mumbai as type
IIa brown diamonds. The buyer used a portable FTIR instrument
to test the
stones during the purchase and to make sure he only buys diamonds
that are type IIa or very low nitrogen type Ia stones intended
for HPHT treatment. The HPHT treatment was done at a facility
by means of a cubic press, using undisclosed parameters. AG&J
were, nevertheless, able to conclude from their tests that
the HPHT facility tried to enhance the colour by using a range
of different time and temperature parameters.
The
client grew suspicious after the HPHT treatment did not give
the expected results. Several stones from the parcel turned
a grey colour, while the highest colour was only I. After
submission to AG&J, it turned out that 13 of the 18 stones
were CVD-grown HPHT treated synthetic diamonds.
The
CVD stones were also produced using different parameters and
reactors which supports the conclusion that they came from
different
factories, indicating that the number of facilities for CVD
diamonds is growing rapidly. According to AG&J’s
experience, their research database but also reports from
other researches, none of the 13 diamonds came from the Gemesis
production line.
"It
was not surprising that the client could not detect the CVD
diamonds using FTIR spectroscopy," said AG&J's CEO,
Dusan Simic, "as this requires more saphistcated methods
that also have to keep up with changes in the production of
CVD and HPHT-grown stones as well as all treatments."
Responding
to the trade's concern about rapidly growing occurrences of
synthetic and treated diamonds mixed in natural batches, and
in mounted jewellery, AG & J developed a system for batch
testing diamonds accurately in a cost-effective way. The system
is based on internationaly accepted diamond identification
methods, such as: the UV-VIS-NIR range, and FTIR and photoluminescence. |
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Preciosa
Shows Colour and Cut Crystal Quality Trends |
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| THIS YEAR PRECIOSA® IS INTRODUCING
NOT JUST THE PANTONE® COLOUR TRENDS FOR ITS JEWELLERY
AND ACCESSORIES COMPONENTS, BUT ALSO ITS BRAND NEW LEAD-FREE
PRODUCT LINE, MAXIMA BY PRECIOSA® |
Preciosa
released the Spring/Summer 2014 colour forecast, which
had been prepared, as usual, in collaboration with the
renowned Pantone, partner of Preciosa since 2010. MAXIMA
was created with the proprietary Preciosa®
Hi-Pure Crystal ™ technology and this latest product
line is traiblazing a whole new direction for crystal
components worldwide. Both of these "glances into
the future" were presented jointly to the public
at the Asia's Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Fair
in Hong Kong this June.
The MC Chaton MAXIMA,
the first lead-free product within the MIXIMA by Preciosa®
premium product line in the Preciosa® GENUINE CZECH
CRYSTAL™ collection, garnered great interest both
at the Hong Kong fair and on the international scene,
where it was introduced. Manufacturers especially welcomed
its opulent look and increased brilliance, which is
a result of the combination of the patented 15-facet
cut and newly developed Dura-Foiling™ layer. Customers
also appreciated the high quality of the lead-free crystal
itself, which is among the best on the market today.
MAXIMA has been tested by SGS labobratories and complies
with the most strict global standards for lead-free
children's products.
In contrast to previous
Asia's Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Fairs in
Hong Kong, one of the most important jewellery fairs
in Asia, this year the Pantone® colour trends were
a close second in importance at the Preciosa booth.
The design and layout of the booth was primarity focused
on MAXIMA. Visitors were enthralled with the stone's
new look as well as the technically prefect quality
of its lead-free crystal and cut. MAXIMA will be on
display in Asia again at the major fall fairs: the Bangkok
Gems & Jewellery Fair from September 6th to 10th,
the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair from September
11th to 15th, and again from October 21st to 24th at
the Intertextile Shanghai Apparei Fabrics. |
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The
lead-free crystal and the diamond-like perfection of
cut are the key attributes of the MAXIMA by Preciosa®
product line.
They also clearly set the future
direction for crystal jewellery components and accessories.
And, because fashion never sleeps, Preciosa and Pantone
are already preparing the colour trend collection for
Fall/Winter 2014.
FOR DETAILED INFORMATION
PLEASE REFER TO
WWW.MAXIMA.PRECIOSA.COM
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Finding
Power in Jewellery
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“There is
something about the necklace on the skin,” Marie-Helene
de Taillac said, carefully hooking one of her new pieces, a
22-karat gold
and diamond lace necklace, around her neck.
The
designer, who has split her time between Paris and Jaipur, India
since launching her namesake line in 1996, opened a new boutique
in
New York. It is De Taillac’s third freestanding shop and
first in the United States, joining units that opened in Tokyo
in 2003 and Paris in 2004.
The
Botticelli necklace, which retails for $36,845, is one of de
Taillac’s newest creations — revealed for the first
time at the new shop — along
with a pair of $4,640 sequin earrings made from gold, diamonds,
sapphires and spinel.
She
also designed a Gold Peacock Feather group born from her daily
morning swims in Jaipur, where she would see the most striking
peacocks. |
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The
group features two pairs of earrings — the smaller size
contains Laguna-blue apatites and the larger pair diamonds
— as well as an laborate matching collar that retails
for $44,845. De Taillac said that she wanted the store to
“mix the old and new.” The same wallpaper, a custom-made
powder-blue fabric stamped with the brand’s gold logo
(also De Taillac’s family crest) adorns the walls in
the store and the company’s
showroom next door. It’s also present in the brand’s
two other stores - even though each shop contains unique decor
elements specific to its location.
She describes the space as almost
boudoirlike, but still contemporary — and very French.
In fact, the inspiration came from two private visits to
Versailles specifically. This translated to Bagues-style wall
lamps with rock crystal parrots, mirrors, champagne-hued hand-knotted
wool carpet and a silver ceiling.
De Taillac has worked with The
Gem Palace of Jaipur since the inception of her company 17
years ago, and she is perhaps best known for her
briolette necklaces fashioned from coloured gemstones (a style
once typically reserved for diamonds). She maintains that
every stone passes
through her hands — even the 46,000 carats of aquamarines
that fill the Yves Klein (French artist) glass table in the
centre of the showroom, which
took her a year to accumulate. |
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The
designer runs her company with the help of her three
sisters, Sophie, Gabrielle and Victoire, and expresses
scant desire to turn the collection into a mass brand.
She is content with her distribution — 48 doors
worldwide in Asia, Europe and the US — and her
own three stores.
“It’s difficult
to grow and maintain quality. I want a life —
(and) I won’t be inspired if all I do is make
jewellery,” she said, adding: “When you
do
what you’re meant to do, doors open easily.”
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De Taillac does
want to enter two new categories: jewellery timepieces and books.
Although she has yet to develop the former, her first book is
slated to come out later this year. ”It’s not a
guide, but my view on how to wear jewellery,” she said.
“It has some practical and (then) some crazy
information. Stones have certain powers.” |
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Unlike
other gems, the beauty of a pearl shines naturally without
any cutting or polishing. The more layers there are of the
pearly, iridescent substance called nacre, the more beautiful
the pearl.
“Last
thing on, first thing off,” says Stephen Francis, retail
regional manager of Paspaley Pearls Pty Ltd, speaking of the
most important rule for wearing pearl jewellery. He says chemicals
from make-up, perfume or hair products may harm the pearls
— gifts from nature that aren’t enhanced artificially.
These
pointers on caring for pearl jewellery are just a few of the
aspects covered by Francis at the Pearl Appreciation Experience
at the Dubai Mall Paspaley boutique. The company, which celebrated
its 75th anniversary last year, is one of the leading pearl
companies worldwide with clients including Tiffany & Co,
Cartier and Harry Winston.
At
the boutique, Francis talks through farming processes and
judging pearl quality. Although selecting pearls is based
on preference, he says it is important to know how to assess
pearls. “Lustre, complexion, shape, size and colour
contribute to quality. At Paspaley, these characteristics
are referred to as virtues.” But first, he expounds
on the pearling industry and cultured pearls in jewellery. |
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The
basics: what is a pearl?
A
pearl is a gift from the sea created by the mollusc family,
which includes oysters, clams, scallops and mussels, but only
a few can produce beautiful pearls. If a foreign
object settles inside an oyster, for instance, the mollusc
takes defensive action to ease the irritation by producing
an iridescent substance called nacre, enveloping the foreign
object and crystallising around it. This could lead to a pearl.
Today, most of the world’s natural pearl-producing oyster
beds have vanished due to over-fishing and marine pollution.
Natural pearls are almost nonexistent, especially large varieties.
Those looking for pearls, look for cultured pearls.
Cultured
pearls require human assistance to insert a natural irritant
— mostly organic — into the oyster, after which
nature takes over. Despite the advances of science, it is
nature that determines whether there will be a pearl at all,
and if so, whether it will be beautiful and valuable.
At
Paspaley, highly skilled technicians delicately implant a
foreign organic body we call a nucleus. From the moment this
is done, the oyster begins its natural function of covering
nacre around the nucleus. The oyster is then returned to the
sea for its cultivation period where it spends two years coating
the nucleus with layers of nacre that form the pearl. This
is a critical period during which the oyster needs constant
attention, care and cleaning to help it thrive and produce
a beautiful pearl. The more layers of nacre, the more beautiful
the pearl. |
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Is
there more to this classification of pearls?
Both natural
and cultured pearls are divided into two broad categories
— freshwater and saltwater. Most cultured pearls belong
to the saltwater category; freshwater pearls are considered
to be the ‘odd man out’ as they aren’t produced
by the common saltwater Pinctada family of pearl oysters.
In fact, they aren’t produced by oysters at all. For
instance, in China, freshwater mussels such as the Hyriopsis
cumingii and Cristaria plicata are used; each shell can produce
up to 100 pearls simultaneously, resulting in very low prices
for pearls. Furthermore, freshwater pearls such as Japanese
Akoya aren’t marketable for jewellery in their natural
state and require artificial enhancements such as bleaching,
colouring and polishing. In general, saltwater pearls are
more valuable than freshwater pearls. |
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Why are saltwater
pearls more valuable?
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The
nacre of pearl oysters is far more lustrous than clamshell
nacre. Generally, the most beautiful molluscs — such
as the oysters of the Pinctada family — produce the
most beautiful pearls. Saltwater pearls are durable as they
do not deteriorate when removed from the oyster, whereas freshwater
pearls deteriorate quickly once removed from the clam. The
most precious saltwater pearls are at the height of their
beauty the moment they are removed from the mother oyster,
while almost all freshwater pearls require months of chemical
processing to acquire the beauty required for jewellery.
The
Paspaley South Sea pearl oyster — the giant silver lip
and gold lip Pinctada maxima — is the largest and rarest
of all pearl oysters, prized for its famous thick shell of
lustrous mother-of-pearl. (It can be reseeded up to three
times but will only produce two pearls.) These produce the
finest quality pearls in the world.
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What determines
a good quality pearl?
The
finest quality cultured pearls usually require a cultivation
period of two to three years so that the nucleus acquires
a thick enough nacre coating for deep and lasting beauty.
There
is no way to anticipate the magnitude or the quality of a
particular pearl crop until it is harvested. Neither can one
predict the outcome or assure that future pearl harvests are
better or as good.
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What marine
factors influence the cultivation process of pearls?
The
origin of the pearl is incredibly important and all matters
of the oysters’ environment will affect the pearl. Environmental
conditions such as nutrients in the water; weather; water
temperature; tides; and natural disasters like earthquakes
and typhoons have a profound affect on the outcome.
At
Paspaley, they operate under a Pearling Code of Practice that
promotes policies and procedures designed to minimise environmental
impact.
What value is placed on pearls?
Among
all precious gems, pearls remain unsurpassed. Unlike diamonds,
rubies, sapphires or emeralds, its beauty shines naturally
without any cutting or polishing. The worldwide jewellery
market is dominated by gold, silver, and diamonds with pearls
representing only 2 per cent in value of total jewellery sales.
Cultured South Sea pearls account for barely 1 per cent in
volume of the global production of all cultured pearls, yet
they account for nearly one third of the value.
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Paspaley South
Sea pearl strands
No
two South Sea pearls are the same. Hence, only a small percentage
of the annual pearl crop can be made into strands. They may
vary in length from short choker styles to long opera ropes
and in shape from the traditional rounds to semi-rounds, ovals,
baroques and semi-baroques, among others.
Unlike
the assembly factories for treated pearls, every South Sea
necklace is painstakingly assembled by hand. The
task is extremely demanding and is accomplished by experienced
pearl graders who select each pearl to ensure that all of
the five virtues — lustre, complexion, shape, size and
colour — are matched. Then, each pearl is assessed for
drilling, which must be done by hand. Finally each strand
is crowned with an appropriate clasp. Thousands of pearls
are required to assemble a single strand of 30 or so pearls;
some strands have taken a decade or more to assemble. |
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Caring
for pearl jewellery
Like
any precious heirloom, pearl jewellery requires care
to preserve its natural beauty, starting with the way
you wear it. Put on your pearl jewellery after you finish
applying make-up and other cosmetics, including perfume.
Before putting pieces away, wipe the pearl jewellery
softly with a clean cloth.
Occasionally,
clean the pearls with a soft cloth dipped in mild soapy
water. Then rinse the cloth in fresh water and wipe
the pearl clean. Dry with a soft cloth. For storage,
keep the pearl jewellery wrapped in a soft cloth, protected
from abrasive objects.
“Last
thing on, first thing off,” says Stephen Francis,
retail regional manager of Paspaley Pearls Pty Ltd,
speaking of the most important rule for wearing pearl
jewellery. He says chemicals from make-up, perfume or
hair products may harm the pearls.
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Jutta
and Tom Munsteiner revolutionize gem cutting
By Brook Showell |
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For
Tom Munsteiner, gem cutting is in his genes. A fourthgeneration
lapidary, Tom started his career at his grandfather’s
company, cutting gemstones for fun. As a boy, he made drawings
for his father, the famed gem cutter Bernd Munsteiner, who
took his son’s ideas into consideration in creations
that revolutionized the concept of gem cutting. Bernd’s
masterful eye elevated the craft to art, creating optical
illusions and remarkable expressions of light in gemstones
— an endeavor that empowered his son.
“There
was never another decision. I always wanted to be a stone
cutter,” Tom recalls. He studied the craft from the
ground up during a ten-year apprenticeship in the family business,
from learning the traditional cuts to the more freeform designs
for which the Munsteiner name is known.
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Of
course, formal study was also involved. Tom met his wife and
design partner, Jutta, while both were students at the High
School of Gemstone and Jewellery Design in Idar- Oberstein,
a German town famous throughout history as a gemstone cutting
centre. The two were studying for their master’s degrees
— his in gem cutting, hers in goldsmithing. Though they
still collaborate with Bernd, Tom and Jutta took over the
Munsteiner atelier in 1997, with Tom creating masterful cuts
and Jutta incorporating them into wearable pieces of jewellery
art of her own design.
Although
the couple is based in the small, 900-person farm town of
Stipshausen, about 16km from Idar-Oberstein, their creations
can be seen in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Museum
of Arts & Design, New York, as well as the Aaron Faber
Gallery in New York City, with whom the family has been working
for more than 35 years.
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The Young Generation
Now,
the prolific pair is showing off their work in a new book,
“Munsteiner: The Young Generation, Tom + Jutta Munsteiner,”
a 200-plus-page,
comprehensive, illustrated overview of the past 20 years of
their unique cuts and designs in gemstones like Paraiba tourmaline,
aquamarine,
amethyst and morganite. Tom explains that the book is divided
into 11 “work groups,” from the mantis cut, which
features zigzag incisions in the back of the stone, to his
most recent cut, the magic eye.
In
the latter, a bubble created inside the stone allows the gem
to reflect colour from behind the stone to create the illusion
of a flower inside. “It starts with an idea. We play
with the material; we play with the light. Then I look, then
I see that if I make a facet here, it reflects over there.
This is the fun part of our work,” Tom says of developing
new techniques. |
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Through
their travels, Tom and Jutta look to everything they see —
museums, architecture, fashion, nature, even car design —
to inspire their work. “It’s not just that you
have the perfect idea. We go through the world with open eyes.
Then you try to put it into the stone,” Tom says. Always
thinking ahead to the finished piece, Tom looks at the high-quality
rough stones with which he works to gauge their potential
to become a Munsteiner design. “We already have an idea
when we buy rough stones. When I go to Brazil and I’m
sitting there with one ton of quartz, I sit for two hours
and pick out maybe 10 or 18 kilos. If I have it in my hand,
I already have an idea,” he explains. “We don’t
work against nature, we work with nature. We talk with the
stone. Or the stone talks with us.” It’s a fluid
process, Tom goes on to say, since one concept can transition
into another as he works. “I have the idea in my mind,
I sit down and then I start cutting. In the moment when you’re
cutting — because there was a small crack on the stone,
or you had to change the form — we come to ideas.” |
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Bringing out beauty
Rather
than optimizing carat size, Tom says the Munsteiner philosophy
centres around bringing out the optimal beauty of a stone.
“For us, it’s all about the colour inside the
stone,” he says. For example, “in bicolour tourmaline,
I can change or separate the two colours with my cut. I will
put the red on one side, then I will make another cut and
push the green to the other side.” Jutta then highlights
the life of the finished stone in her settings. For example,
a nearly 25-carat aquamarine cut to reflect its brilliant
blue is set as a necklace in handmade links of matte-finished
platinum, or a pair of rectangular amethyst stones in Tom’s
mantis cut become wide bezel earrings set in 18-karat gold.
Tom
calls their customers, who are a mix of jewellery enthusiasts
and collectors, individualists. “If you buy a piece
from us, you are the only woman in the world who has this
piece. It’s one of a kind,” he states. Influenced
by artists like the sculptor Brancusi and, of course, his
father, Tom has developed his own style that differs from
Bernd’s creations. Jutta compares the styles of the
two: “If Bernd cuts a stone, he gets the most reflection.
Bernd likes it loud. If Tom makes a stone, it’s more
quiet; there’s a dynamic.” |
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Building a legacy
Tom
is also building upon the legacy of his father. The Munsteiners
are currently the owners of the 8-facet patented Context cut
for coloured gemstones. Bernd also created the Dom Pedro,
the world’s largest cut aquamarine, which was mined
in Brazil in the 1980s and cut in an obelisk shape of 10,363
carats. Put on display in 2012 at the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., Dom
Pedro demonstrates the concept of modern gem cutting to the
general public.
Looking
ahead, the Munsteiners have several large projects in the
works. Moving toward the realm of sculpture, they are in the
midst of building a wall ornament consisting of 245 amethyst
stones. They have already completed a similar project made
up of 160 stones in natural-colour citrine. The duo are also
developing, together with Bernd, a window for their church
in Germany, which involves 10,000 to 20,000 pieces of agate
that will be pieced together like a puzzle.
And
it looks like the Munsteiner dynasty will continue into a
fifth generation. Tom and Jutta’s son Philip has displayed
a knack for the family business. “He already cuts stones
at age 9 — and he likes it,” Tom states. Jutta
adds, “When he was born, my father-in-law said, ‘Come
into the
cutting room; he must smell it from the beginning.’” |
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Trends
Moving to Baroque'n roll
By Jessica Knowles |
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A model wears a crown and crucifix earrings on
the Dolce and Gabbana AW13 catwalk.
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Jewellery
design has undergone a renaissance of late as baroque and
Italiante jewels come back into vogue with crucifixes, lace-like
jewels and those with smatterings of dark gemstones with a
gothic twist. Here we delve into this darkly romantic treasure
trove. Maybe it is was the xceptionally long winter and chilly
start to summer, or the equally gloomy state of our financial
affairs, but either way the trend for baroque, almost gothic-inspired
jewels is set to make its mark as we step towards AW13.
In
2012 jewellers were presented with the punkgoth aesthetic:
studs, leather and utilitarian themes dominated the runways
and the translation into costume jewellery before being followed
by fine jewellery designers. The Tough Luxe collection by
Kirsten Goss and Juste un Clous by Cartier are examples of
how punk-goth has filtered into the luxury market.
Looking
ahead to AW13 it is classic gothic themes that are undergoing
a glamorous revamp. This year baroque styles and filigree
detailing give a delicate edge to designs. Bolder tarnished
finishes and talismans featured in the Paris and Milan runway
shows in February, along with an abundance of dark gemstones.
The
baroque’n’roll trend has a decidedly Italian feel;
think raven-haired Mediterranean sirens adorned with ornate,
mysterious pieces. |
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Architectural Themes
Baroque
structures tie into the new gothic trend by connoting ideas
of religious symbolism. Ornamentation of this jewellery is akin
to the decorative elements seen in churches or cathedrals and
features heavy embellishment and regal gold tones. At Dolce
and Gabbana, inspired by the Santa Maria Nuova cathedral, oversized
gold crosses hung from necklaces, dangled as earrings and were
the centrepiece for crowns, covered in ruby and smoky quartz
coloured gems.
Filigree
Filigree
designs feature in many new collections this season nodding
to the roots of the ancient technique which was used in monasteries
during the 4th century to decorate the depictions of saints.
Fast
forward to now and filigree detailing still holds the same reverence
due to the intricate workmanship. For the gothic element of
the baroque’n’roll trend, filigree will typically
be oxidised silver, rose gold or blackened white gold set with
black pearls, black sapphires and gems.
Swarovski’s
Secret Treasures collection is inspired by four locations around
the globe, one of which is Venice. The city and its romance,
combined with its old town aesthetic and strong atmosphere,
have inspired the brand create jewellery with a rustic edge.
Swarovski’s
Vermeil Cuff from the Venice collection is an impressive piece
made of layered solid black chains with a large brooch style
centrepiece covered in black Swarovski crystals. On either side,
smaller decorations are surrounded by shard-like stones and
the detailing makes the cuff appear almost scorched.
At
a fine jewellery level, Pacoma has used a filigree-inspired
design for a collection embellished with 1carat of pave-set
diamonds and finished with Tahitian pearl drops. |
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Talismans
Symbolism
is a strong feature of the baroque’n’roll trend
and whilst the cross has become a classic Italianate motif,
coins and cameos are becoming ubiquitous once more but with
a darker, ancient quality. Combining the cross with dark coloured
stones is the archetypal look but for next season modern interpretations
are making this style wearable, and layerable, for everyday.
Jewellery
brand Silver Service offers a number of gothic charms in her
repertoire of composeable necklaces. Previous collections have
featured black pearl crosses and tarnished cherubs. Both have
an antique, aged feel but hung on silver chains the religious
symbolism is juxtaposed with a modern vibe. The brand also offers
tarnished brass and silver Dutch coin charms, launched recently
and reviving the theme of antiquity.
Whilst
Byzantine designs of the classic gothic cross were seen on the
runway, it has also been reinterpreted at the other end of the
spectrum. Smaller and daintier, the hard edge of the goth staple
has been somewhat softened by brands such as Iswai and designer
Christina Christoforou.
Iswai
is the jewellery and fashion brand founded by former Made in
Chelsea star Caggie Dunlop. It uses fine chains to link minute
crosses across a multi strand necklace, creating a statement
but with a subtler use of the crucifix motif.
Emerging
designer and 2013 IJL Kickstarter Christina Christoforou’s
Cross Collection is another example of a modern play on a classic
symbol. Her work features small crosses linked horizontally
on bracelets, embossed on pendants and used structurally for
rings, all of which have tarnished finishes.
CW
Sellors newest product, Cameo Italiano, is a range that uses
the historic Roman art of relief engraving to hand carve shell
into cameos. While traditional designs exist floral motifs,
angelic carvings and opulent settings nod to the baroque trend.
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Dark Finishes
Gemstone
trends for the coming season are set to complement the oxidised
finish of the metals they are set in. Onyx, ruby, black sapphires
and brown diamonds with their dark and blood tones tie into
the classic gothic ideas and can be seen in jewellery by Thomas
Sabo, Swarovski, Ralph Lauren and Gucci.
A
tarnished or oxidised finish is a key element of the baroque’n’roll
trend; the antiquity nods to darker times and places before
modern polishing and finishing methods were ever considered
or available.
Roberto
Cavalli’s winged serpents and Michael Kors’ oversized
chain chokers at their AW 13 shows were both pewter coloured
as were the coin pendants seen on tartan bracelets at Givenchy.
Rose
gold also features heavily in this trend as a complimentary
tone to the dark jewels. In the Gioia collection from Italian
brand Al Coro, smoky quartz and diamonds are set in rose gold
and, at Swarovski, the Venetie Cuff is rose coloured with an
impressive centrepiece of black and white pearls as well as
black, brown and clear crystals.
Of
course a discussion of gothic jewellery is incomplete without
Stephen Webster. The iconic designer has used rose gold in his
latest Fly by Night collection with diamond studded, overlapping
winged creatures adorning the Mothball ring and earrings. Rose
gold has also been used by Stephen Webster for a set of stacking
rings featuring blood-red garnets.
Black
rhodium plating also ties into to the trend, as show by Loree
Rodkin’s Armoury ring, a structured piece centres around
a crucifix motif studded with rubies.
The
baroque’n’roll trend is essentially about dark glamour
and bringing antiquity to a modern era using traditional techniques
and finishes. The variety of jewellery that falls under the
definition adds to its appeal, meaning consumers can buy into
the trend without having to don Versace’s nail earrings. |
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Names
for New Tourmalines
By Brook Showell |
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What’s
in a name? It’s a big question for the neon-hued African
tourmaline from Mozambique and Nigeria that has been on the
rise in popularity. This cuprian, or copper-bearing, tourmaline
is a close cousin of Paraiba, with a similar blue-green glow
that makes it one of the most valuable and sought-after gems
today. “I think what’s important about it is that
the colour is beyond any colour you can possibly find —
it’s captivating in the way it’s so unusual. There’s
something that really glows from the centre of the stone,”
says Los Angeles jewellery designer Erica Courtney.
The
original tourmaline, known as Paraiba tourmaline, was discovered
at the San Jose de Batalha Mine in the state of Paraiba, Brazil,
in the late 1980s by Heitor Dimas Barbosa, and is one of the
rarest and most expensive gemstones. “There’s
nothing like it in terms of gaining value consistently over
the years,” says dealer Robert Van Wagoner of Beija-Flor
Wholesale in Haiku, Hawaii. Some Paraiba tourmaline “is
currently available on the market, but I don’t feel
that it changes hands much, especially among dealers,”
says gemmologist L. Allen Brown, owner of All That Glitters
in Methuen, Massachusetts. “The cost is very high, leaving
a small profit for those who buy it now and then resell. There
is not much talk out there on new Paraiba. There may be some
small production, but it hasn’t been in the news for
some time.” |
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The
African neon tourmaline was first discovered in Nigeria in
the early 2000s and in Mozambique shortly after, around 2003.
It was gemstone dealer Moussa Konate who introduced the Mozambique
stones from the Shalawa Mine to the U.S. market. Today, the
debate is about whether the Paraiba descriptor should be used
for these new African stones or if they should be given an
industry-wide nomenclature of their own.
The Name Game
While
Brazilian Paraiba produces the more brilliant, saturated colours,
material from Mozambique and Nigeria is also becoming known
for its range of vivid hues. As for the compositional differences
between the Brazilian and African gems, “they are the
same chemically,” says graduate gemmologist Jason Stephenson
of Pala International in Fallbrook, California. Pala refers
to the African material simply as neon tourmaline.
Stones
from both countries are mined primarily by hand with manual
tools like wedges and sledgehammers, an arduous process that
contributes to the stone’s high price. To determine
origin, a lab test can establish variations in chemistry ratio
and diagnostic inclusions that clearly confirm whether the
stone is from Brazil, Mozambique or Nigeria. On the basis
of those tests, the gems can be certified according to their
origin by Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or American
Gemological Laboratories (AGL). Some people refer to the African
neon material as
Paraiba Mozambique or Paraiba Nigeria due to its striking
similarities with the original Paraiba from Brazil. |
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However,
purists refuse to accept that designation as they feel it
devalues Paraiba from Brazil and deceives the customer. Another
common designation is calling the African stones Paraiba-like
or Paraiba-type.
“The
reason dealers want to use the term Paraiba is the fact that
the original find in Brazil is very costly as well as beautiful,”
explains Brown. Van Wagoner suggests calling it cuprine tourmaline
from Mozambique, to denote that it is tourmaline containing
copper. “It should stand on its own merits; it’s
a beautiful stone, but it’s not Paraiba,” Van
Wagoner says, adding: “There is no reason anybody should
be able to hijack the name of a state and apply it to tourmaline
from a place halfway around the world.”
But
low supply and high prices for Brazilian Paraiba — from
$12,000 to $15,000 a carat to as much as $40,000 a carat for
the finest material — is making the more available,
more affordable African neon tourmaline increasingly desirable,
no matter what one calls it. Despite its comparably lower
prices, topquality African material also has appreciated significantly
in value, says dealer Adam Gil of Paraiba International in
New York City. What was selling for $5,000 a carat about four
years ago is now valued at closer to $15,000 per carat, he
notes.
“People
might be shocked at the pricing, but they still buy,”
Stephenson adds. According to Courtney, it’s exciting
to have a new stone with a new name, no matter what the origin.
“It’s not a secondclass citizen to Brazil; it’s
just different,” she says of African neon tourmaline. |
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The Neon Treatment
The
most common colours of neon tourmaline are blue, green and
purple. While blue is the most popular choice, the gemstone
does not come out of the ground with its Windex-hued glow.
The naturally occurring purple is heated to bring out its
blue brilliance. The heat treatment, done at low temperatures
of about 400 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, does not change any
of the stone’s internal inclusions or characteristics.
The electric blue-green stones have a variety of descriptors
— lagoon, Caribbean, sea, mint, ice.
“This
is one case where heating greatly improves value,” Stephenson
notes. Green and purple material may or may not be heated.
The stone’s signature fluorescence will subtly change
the stone’s hue, depending on whether it’s in
sunlight or indoor lighting. “If the light is a little
more incandescent, it will bring out the green; sunlight or
UV will have more blue,” Stephenson explains. Van Wagoner
suggests that a Mozambique stone has to be about 4 carats
to really exhibit its neon properties. “If you cut the
Mozambique into melee, it would be see-through,” he
notes. Allen agrees: “There are some killer neon blues
that have come out of Mozambique, but the very fine ones tend
to be larger, allowing the depth of color to be richer.” |
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Who’s Buying?
Neon
tourmaline is both a collector’s and a jeweller’s
stone, which has made it a hot gem. “If you start looking
closely at inventory, all the good stuff is gone,” Stephenson
says. The most intense, saturated blues sold the fastest,
so many of the stones available now are the lighter, included
gems. Nevertheless, tourmaline attracts collectors who already
own the standard diamond, sapphire and ruby.
Gil
has designed cocktail rings and engagement rings using the
stone, and says the general public now has much more awareness
of the stone compared to about five years ago. “People
come and say, ‘I want a Paraiba from Africa.’
They know exactly what it is,” he states. Courtney recently
designed a 3-stone, oval-cut 6.08-carat, green-hued neon tourmaline
ring. When the customer put it on her finger, “I told
her to walk 15 feet away from the mirror — that’s
how much it glows,” Courtney states.
It
is this radiance that makes neon tourmaline a star. “Most
people are attracted to gemstones that are neon and have an
inner glow and life to them. There is nothing like seeing
a gemstone glowing in a case from 30 feet away,” Brown
adds.
While
the debate continues over what to call it, experts agree that
neon tourmaline from African mines will continue to dazzle
collectors and jewellery aficionados alike. In fact, Courtney
calls it one of the most important finds of the last century,
“just because of the value that it started at versus
the value it’s worth now. It doesn’t look like
it’s going to get any cheaper any time soon.”
Stephenson concludes that “It’s one of the great
stones, especially because it’s new. It’s one
of the big boys now.” |
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