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Entrer dans une mythique maison de la place Vendôme, s’installer en tant que créateur indépendant, ou intégrer le département joaillerie d’une prestigieuse maison de ventes aux enchères… Pour tous les étudiants qui entament aujourd’hui un cycle de formation dans l’univers de la joaillerie, les possibilités de carrière sont multiples.

Se former aux métiers de la joaillerie

Négociateur de pierres, sertisseur, designer, directeur artistique, responsable de la stratégie digitale… Faisant appel à une multitude de savoir-faire et de compétences, l’univers de la joaillerie et de la haute joaillerie rassemble des professionnels aux profils variés.

Que l’on soit attiré par l’aspect création, commercialisation ou valorisation du bijou, plusieurs cursus permettent de découvrir, de tester et de se confronter au milieu professionnel.

Pour s’initier aux techniques joaillières et acquérir un socle de connaissances, un apprentissage de 3 ou 4 ans, équivalent à un Certificat Fédéral de Capacité (CFC) ou à un brevet professionnel, suffit. Alternant enseignement académique et période d’immersion en entreprise, ce premier cycle permet de s’essayer rapidement aux techniques joaillières, et d’expérimenter par exemple l’art du sertissage ou le travail des métaux précieux.

Parmi les écoles les plus réputées, l’ASMEBI (Association des Métiers de la Bijouterie de la Romandie) est une institution incontournable. Comptant 3 écoles spécialisées à Genève, dans La Vallée de Joux et à La Chaux-de-Fonds, l’ASMEBI propose une formation axée sur la technique tout en donnant une ouverture sur les métiers de la création.

À l’issue de ce premier cycle d’apprentissage, le niveau de compétence acquis permet d’être directement employable par une manufacture, un atelier ou une marque. 

En fonction de son projet, de ses envies et de ses aptitudes, il est aussi possible de se spécialiser et de s’engager dans un cycle de formation plus long. Plusieurs écoles supérieures accueillent les étudiants qui ont déjà acquis de solides bases et veulent s’orienter davantage vers le design ou la création artistique. L’enseignement, assuré par des professionnels renommés et dispensé sous forme d’ateliers, permet de développer son propre langage créatif, d’apprendre à travailler à partir d’un brief, ou encore de conceptualiser un bijou en adéquation avec l’ADN d’une marque.

Et puisque créer implique forcément de savoir valoriser ses créations via une stratégie de communication, de marketing ou de merchandising, apprendre à s’entourer de talents complémentaires et à constituer son équipe de création est l’un des axes majeurs de l’enseignement.

De nombreuses formations sont accessibles en Suisse et à l’étranger. Parmi les plus prestigieuses, la Haute École d’Art et de Design de Genève (HEAD), Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design située à Londres et L’École du Louvre à Paris sont particulièrement réputées pour la qualité de leur enseignement.

De nouveaux enjeux pour le secteur de la joaillerie

Si de grands changements ont marqué le secteur de la joaillerie ces dernières années, l’un des plus marquants est certainement la montée en puissance des grandes marques de luxe. Les créateurs indépendants sont désormais minoritaires sur le marché.

Une nouvelle conscience éthique, encourageant les pratiques plus respectueuses de l’homme et de l’environnement, a également fait son apparition. De nouvelles initiatives, comme le programme « Mine to Market » qui vise à privilégier les circuits courts, se multiplient et l’exploitation des mines, les conditions de travail du personnel ou les techniques d’extraction font aujourd’hui l’objet d’une surveillance particulière.

Le récent conflit entre la Russie et l’Ukraine a également démontré que les questions de géopolitique peuvent provoquer la rupture de certaines chaines d’approvisionnement. Ainsi, plusieurs grandes marques de luxe ont annoncé en 2022 cesser les importions de diamants et d’or en provenance de Russie (plus gros producteur mondial).

Pour accompagner ce mouvement, de plus en plus d’organisations à but non lucratif, comme le Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), s’engagent dans l’industrie de la joaillerie.

Digital et nouvelles technologies

Depuis la pandémie de Covid-19, le digital et les nouvelles technologies se sont affirmés comme l’une des clefs de croissance du marché de la joaillerie. Outils essentiels de référencement, ils font évoluer certains métiers et en émerger de nouveaux. .

Permettant aux designers de gagner en efficacité, la 3D est un outil de conception révolutionnaire pour tout créateur. Facilitant la conceptualisation, grâce à la modélisation des volumes, la 3D permet aussi d’estimer le coût de production d’un bijou avec une précision jusqu’alors inégalée. Optimisant la rentabilité des produits, la maîtrise de cette technologie de pointe sera probablement exigée à l’avenir.

Les environnements virtuels, et leur fort potentiel créatif, sont également une nouvelle composante du marché. Permettant aux marques de séduire une nouvelle clientèle connectée, joaillerie et nouvelles technologies sont désormais indissociables.

Les talents de demain

Parce que l’une des grandes tendances actuelles est la création de pièces uniques ou de collections « exclusives », les profils « experts », bénéficiant d’une solide formation en joaillerie et d’une expertise pointue sont privilégiés. Se spécialiser ou s’engager dans une formation complémentaire peut donc être un réel atout.

Parmi les grands noms de la joaillerie, si certaines marques historiques revendiquent une place de premier choix sur le marché et bénéficient d’un savoir-faire reconnu, il n’est pas rare de voir des marques de mode, de maroquinerie ou de haute couture s’introduire dans le secteur et lancer leur propre collection de joaillerie. 

Cette mixité se retrouve également dans les équipes créatives. Composées de talents venant de différents horizons, elles collaborent désormais directement avec les équipes de production, du marketing ou des ventes. Cette approche transversale oblige aujourd’hui tous les professionnels du luxe à savoir être à l’écoute pour dialoguer entre eux.

Enfin, parce que toute spécialité artistique exige un solide bagage culturel, connaître l’histoire de la joaillerie, les différents styles, mais aussi les références, les joailliers et les modèles incontournables est indispensable. 

Face à un niveau d’exigence nettement plus élevé, un diplôme de gemmologie devient également de plus en plus utile, voire indispensable.

Pour conclure

Chaque parcours de formation est avant tout un cheminement personnel qui doit permettre de découvrir un ou plusieurs métiers, de l’expérimenter, mais aussi de s’interroger « ce métier est-il fait pour moi ? »

L’Agilité semble être aujourd’hui le nouveau pré-requis pour entamer une carrière dans les métiers de la joaillerie. L’écoute et la capacité à collaborer avec des cultures, des personnalités et des caractères différents semble être un impératif en devenir.

Enfin, allier techniques traditionnelles et nouvelles technologies, de manière à conjuguer ce qui se faisait de mieux dans le passé avec ce qui se fera de nouveau dans le futur, semble être l’un des plus beaux défis que devront relever demain tous les métiers de la joaillerie.

 

Avec :

Donatella Zappieri (Consultant Industrie du Luxe et de la Joaillerie)

Elizabeth Fischer (Professeure HES associée, Design bijou et accessoires, Design mode)

Emmanuelle Garcia-Gavillet (Vice-Présidente ASMEBI)

Catherine de Vincenti (Journaliste et consultant)

Allen Adler (CEO Adler Joaillerie)

 

 

   

Blog

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert collection is one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of micro-mosaics. Arthur Gilbert coined the term ‘micro-mosaic’ himself and supported the pioneering publications and exhibitions on the subject. During this lecture, Alice Minter, Curator of the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert, will present renowned highlights from the collection and the latest information uncovered for these finest pieces.

 

Speakers: Alice Minter, Senior Curator, The Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert Collection

 

Without the Gilbert collection, there will be no micro-mosaic. The Gilbert collection is one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of micromosaics in the world, and indeed Arthur Gilbert coined the term ‘micro-mosaic’ himself. Mosaic in miniature existed since ancient times, but the Roman technique that flourished in the 18th century used to be called “mosaici minuti”. Arthur Gilbert knew something was different; it was not simply about small miniatures. This is why he coined the word ‘micro-mosaic’ – this word describes real art and a revival of the art market, which has been happening over the last few decades from the 20th century.

 

Arthur Gilbert & the making of a collection

 

In London, Rosalind and Arthur Gilbert were both born in 1913 to Jewish families. Just before WWII, they started with a successful business of ready-to-wear, which continued until 1948.

In their early 30s, in 1948, they decided they had made enough money and moved and settled in Los Angeles. In the post-war era, everything was there to be created, and the Gilberts had plenty of possibilities, thanks to their fortune, to live the American dream to the fullest.

Arthur Gilbert started to invest in real estate, partnering with Hollywood actors, and in the early 1960s, he commissioned a villa on top of the hills of Beverly Hills. He wanted to furbish this new villa, so they started looking through auction houses and art dealers for pieces of furniture. This is when he found two crack paintings.

He bought these two cracked paintings, but after close analysis, he understood there was more to them – they were not cracked oils on canvas.

Instead, they were made of tiny, minute pieces of coloured glass of different shapes, rendering colours and shades in such a fascinating way that Arthur Gilbert started asking art dealers and auction houses, and everybody was saying that it was another form of Roman mosaic.

But Arthur was not satisfied, and he also discovered that so many similar objects existed: large panels, tables, and jewellery – Arthur Gilbert started browsing and purchasing everything he could find on the art market.

By the mid-1970s, Arthur Gilbert came to be known as “the maniac that collects micromosaic” – his way of collecting was also maniacal because he wanted to build a comprehensive collection for everyone to enjoy.

People started to acknowledge him and his collection. Christie’s, Sotheby’s and other art dealers were coming to see his collection. However, he remained convinced that his collection had to be dedicated to the public.

 

In 1975 the Victoria & Albert Museum hosted the first exhibition featuring highlights from the Gilbert collection. A pioneering publication on the subject accompanied the show. Once finished, the exhibition moved to Los Angeles, and from there, it then built a partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum so that almost the entirety of the Gilbert collection (which also includes gold and silver boxes and portrait enamels) stayed for 20 years at the Los Angeles County Museum.

In 1995 Arthur Gilbert decided to withdraw the entire collection and give it back to the UK because this is where he was from.

The collection found a new home at Somerset House for eight years, with seventeen galleries. Since 2008 it has been on permanent loan at the Victorian & Albert Museum, with four galleries dedicated to presenting most objects.

 

Therefore, Arthur Gilbert and his collection are of enormous importance because, without his insisting on having a name attached to that precise technique, without him buying absolutely everything that he could find on the art market, and without him supporting a pioneering exhibition and publication, the knowledge about micro-mosaic would have gone.

 

The Micro-mosaics

 

Objects in the micro-mosaic technique can range from a panel two meters wide to fabulous tables, gold boxes and jewellery; from gold boxes to every single form of the micro-mosaic one could find: he bought them all. Arthur Gilbert also enjoyed buying the same subject in different formats.

The Colosseum is one of them, and in the collection, there is the same scene in different formats: from a 5-centimetre brooch to a 120-centimetre panel. This allows comparing various artists to know more but also compare the quality, understanding the evolution of the craft and the technique of the micro-mosaic.

 

The tesserae forming micro-mosaics at the beginning came square. The micro-mosaic ‘sfilati’ technique consists of melting the coloured glass elements to create, at first, a huge block which is just then pulled into a cane the diameter of a hair. The result depends on the work of the wrist and its speed.

 

This also influences the colours, which are never the same because one extra second of work will create a different shade. The tesserae resulting from this manual work measure half a millimetre and are one to two millimetre high.

 

Despite witnessing the technique, so many questions remain unanswered as they are artisanal secrets: about polishing, about the type of mastic used. The micro-mosaic is art; nothing is written on the subject, and the only way to understand this art is by going through the masterpieces themselves. Some creations have more than 5,000 tesserae per square inch (5 centimetres by five centimetres). While collecting, Gilbert carefully and purposefully chose every item that would reflect that technique’s history and the art’s evolution.

 

Micro-mosaics: a chronological history

 

Initially, it was not about micro-mosaic but mosaic in miniature. One object dating 1566 clearly shows this aspect.

The tesserae are still square but tiny, and there is already a mastery in colour shades. For the time, it was a remarkable object, which won the first prize at a competition organized in Venice.

 

The mosaic technique started in Rome and, from the 7th century, very quickly moved to Venice, where there are beautiful examples in Byzantine churches, like Ravenna. Finally, after two centuries of stopping, the mosaic returned with the works at the San Marc’s Basilica in Venice. In 1566 a competition was organized to declare the best mosaicist in Venice. The task was to render a painting (probably by Titian himself) with all its details into a refined mosaic.

The Duke of Savoy, fascinated by the result, asked Venice to send him some mosaicists to create their workshop. The Venice Authority refused, but they sent him the mosaic that won the competition. So that mosaic went into the collection of the Duke of Savoy, and somehow it was inherited by the Cardinal de Richelieu and stayed until the French Revolution in the collection of the Richelieu family. Unfortunately, the mosaic went lost after the French Revolution until one day, Arthur Gilbert acquired it in 1976.

 

When discussing the technique, it is essential to remember that it all started in the 13th-14th century in Venice, where there was a workshop to build all the mosaic decorations of Saint Marc’s Basilica. Then, in the 16th century, the Pope decided they would do the same with Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, so he invited some Venetian artists to set up their mosaics workshop. This is how it started: first to decorate San Peter’s Basilica with some mosaics, and then to begin replacing the paintings which were fading with mosaics. This continued from the late 16th century to the mid-18th century. In the meantime, they constantly tried to improve their art and technique, so the late 1770s was an important date for micro-mosaic because the method was fully developed.

 

One prominent name in the history of the micro-mosaic is the name of Giacomo Raffaelli. Giacomo Raffaelli is considered the inventor of the micro-mosaic technique. He was also the first to organize private sales of micro-mosaics to a private clientele of non-religious subjects. His key themes were birds and little butterflies in small pieces – some measuring six centimetres, which is quite remarkable.

Raffaelli’s name became a sort of ‘brand’ for micro-mosaic in Rome and beyond because his reputation reached even the Russian court. So, not only clients belonging to the aristocratic and bourgeois classes, but even Napoleon and the Russian Tzars knew about him. Raffaelli started a fashion that would last for a hundred years and fade immediately after.

He not only used square tesserae, but also tesserae of different forms, and in addition, he started working with hard stones, such as agate, jade, amethyst and some marbles.

He was so advanced in the technique that he created vases which, still today, do not reveal how Raffaelli managed to have the mosaic tesserae curve follow the structure of the vase itself – knowing that the mosaic is on a flat surface, this technical achievement remains a mystery.

These vases might have been a creation for Napoleon – a gift of the Pope to the newly crowned Emperor.

Another essential creation by Raffaelli today in the Gilbert collection is a clock – one of four, dating 1804, clock movement by Abraham-Louis Breguet – thought to be a gift from Eugene de Beauharnais to his mother, Josephine. The clock follows the neoclassic style; it looks like a Greek temple, with front amethyst columns and micro-mosaic panels between the columns. This clock disappeared. Vincenzo, Giacomo Raffaelli’s nephew, went to Saint Petersburg in the early 1850s but could not find it. Eventually, despite the blank on the clock’s whereabouts – which might have ended up at the Swedish Court – Gilbert managed to acquire it in 1979.

 

Following Raffaelli’s commercial success, more micro-mosaicists followed his example and started producing luxury souvenirs.

At that time, journeys around Europe would take a long time to complete; in the 19th century, the Grand Tour was fashionable among young aristocrats to polish their education, and these travellers wanted tokens to bring back home, to show the places they had visited – especially in Italy and Rome. The so-called “souvenir jewels” became fashionable: in gold and micro-mosaics, there were portable views of the places these ladies and gentlemen had visited in the fashion that was in style at the time.

Another luxury souvenir was the snuffbox. The Gilbert Collection has a few snuffboxes, which were used from the 18th century onwards and would be carried around – just like the fans for ladies. So, the practice would be to purchase a micro-mosaic panel with a specific scene and mount it once back home in gold or silver boxes.

 

These luxury souvenirs, produced in large quantities, are handy to keep deepening the knowledge of micro-mosaic art. As stated earlier, it was an art not only for affluent travellers but also for Kings and Emperors, who commissioned large panels and tables for their residences.

 

Another prominent micro-mosaic artist Michelangelo Barberi developed his art in the second half of the 19th century.

Giacomo Raffaelli started in 1775, followed by his son and his nephew, so the business continued up to the 1830s. He also trained a new generation of mosaicists in the second half of the 18th century. The first portrait we know by Michelangelo Barberi was from the late 1820s because it was for the future Tzar Nicolas I.

Barbieri also produced tables that can be dated to the late 1860s: one was called “The Beautiful Sky of Italy”; the original one was commissioned by Tsar Nicholas I to Michelangelo Barberi directly, and it is at the Hermitage Museum. The second table was for an English aristocrat and was presented at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Arthur Gilbert acquired this second table. Another table was called “Flora of Two Sicilies”, belonged to and was commissioned directly by Tzar Nicolas I after 1844 – he did a tour of Italy. In the table, he chose to illustrate the different sites he had visited with their names and little personal details, like the profile of one of his daughters. While Barberi was working for the Russian Court, Russian artists were going to Italy to be trained, and the Tsar managed to have Italian artists come and open their workshop in Saint Petersburg – one of these being Domenico Moglia. Moglia discovered a local talent who, at the time, was painting Easter eggs. His name was George Ferdinand Wekler. Wekler, trained by Moglia, started producing his micromosaics and soon became a Tsar’s favourite, who was very proud of having a Russian artist mastering the art of micro-mosaics.

 

These objects are precious because they also amplify the span of the collection: the focus is not only or simply on the Roman mosaic art but on all the subsequent developments through time and space.

 

By the 1880s, the market started to flatten and lose interest. There were different reasons, one probably being a lack of creativity, which didn’t evolve with time. As a result, subjects that were once very popular at the beginning of the 20th century (dominated by the Art Nouveau and the Art Deco movements) went entirely out of fashion.

Another possible reason for the falling out of the grace of micro-mosaics could be the enormous amount of time needed to create a panel. With the beginning of the 20th century, fashion, art, and the very same notions of time and space changed. Times were perceived differently, and an idea developed to be quicker, to go faster. And micro-mosaics were not in the scope.

Last but not least, photography developed supplanting luxury souvenirs with ultra-realistic vistas in the micro-mosaic that were so fashionable to bring back home from long European tours. In addition, photography became more portable and cheaper, which might have been another cause of the death of the art of micro-mosaic.

 

Micromosaic: art or craft?

 

Ten years after Giacomo Raffaelli started his activity, Goethe went to Italy from 1786 to 1788 and published his work, Italian Journey, in 1816-17. While walking through, he wrote: “our times are worse than we think the art of Mosaic which once gave the ancient their paved flaws and the Christian the vaulted Heaven of their churches has now been degraded to Snuff boxes and bracelets”.

Indeed, the objects produced in the 1810s-1820s do not have the same quality. A lot of these objects are mere copies. There is nothing as for the art of reinterpreting a painting, for example, that there used to be. The effort of making the art perfect has disappeared, as well as the study of the tesserae, in different shapes and forms, to render shades and volumes to perfection, to the point that they resemble a brush stroke.

In its glory days, the micro-mosaic had become an entire philosophical art. Michelangelo Barberi said: “This art form at first appears so easy if undertaken commercially but it proves to be difficult, indeed extremely so, if one aims to practice it as an artist and a philosopher. I want to urge you, to not limit yourself to the purely mechanical aspect of mosaic-making, but to also learn about drawing, the brush and the humanities. If you do so, it will be a great service indeed to yourself and to Rome with its already significant trade in mosaics.”

Objects in micro-mosaics became a testament to the highest in execution and carried deep meanings. By looking at them, one could ask oneself: do I see a mosaic or a painting? Do I see art or a craft? Does this object have a philosophical meaning, or is it simply decorative? All these readings are possible, and thanks to the richness and variety of the Arthur Gilbert collection, today we can try and find all the answers to questions about a savoir-faire that is coming back and being appreciated by the public worldwide.

 

 

   

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Speakers: Jewellery historian Vivienne Becker and Helen Molesworth, Dr Geneviève Davies, Senior Curator of Jewellery, Victoria & Albert Museum, London

 

Together, Vivienne Becker and Helen Molesworth discuss the role of the Victoria & Albert Museum Collection, as both education and inspiration, in our jewellery world today. They will talk about the relevance of jewellery history to contemporary design, the importance of looking back to look forward, of understanding what has gone before to be genuinely innovative. Finally, they will discuss today’s fast-growing appreciation of antique and 20th-century jewellery.

 

Helen Molesworth has an exciting profile. She started as a classicist student at Oxford, and while studying ancient art and archaeology, she realised she loved jewellery. This was the beginning of a fascinating journey that took Helen to Sotheby’s and Christie’s in London, knowing and dealing with antique pieces. Ten years of experience led her to set up an international academy to form students in Switzerland and Asia and to the sale, in 2006, of Princess Margaret’s jewels in London. Through this sale, Helen met the Victoria & Albert Museum curator, with whom she stayed in touch all these years. Today, Helen has the job of a lifetime: senior curator of jewellery at the V&A Museum in London.

 

The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery at the V&A Museum is one of the world’s finest and most spectacular jewellery collections. Over 3,000 jewels tell the story of European jewellery from ancient times to today: an authentic treasure trove for jewellery lovers. In addition, this gallery is a significant example of discussing museum collections and their impact on the public and collectors.

 

Historically, museum collections were just sort of places to put objects and things, a way to go and look at historically and culturally significant items. Today, a museum collection can be seen, following Roy Strong, as “an extremely capacious handbag”. This comparison offers a fascinating way of looking at museum collections: a place one can delve into to discover something meaningful.

 

Walking through a collection in a museum offers endless surprises, with superb objects popping up from behind the corner. So today, a museum collection is no longer a repository for things. It is not about a place to be formally educated. Instead, it is a place of joy. There are, of course, both educational and intellectual elements. Also, there is the cultural element: we learn about history. We can understand where we are today by looking at museum collections because we investigate the past of jewellery design and creativity. Andrew Prince, who made all the jewellery for Downton Abbey, said that people no longer go to museums to be educated. Instead, they go to be entertained. This is a fascinating mix: the educational element becomes more holistic. This is how a museum should be today.

 

Knowing the past to understand the present and future of jewellery is equally important. If you know what has happened before, you can make sense of where you are today and have a chance to understand what is coming next.

And that is also important for museum collections because we look at cultural and historical collections. So, if one understands where we come from through an ensemble of objects, we know ourselves and understand the world better.

 

Amazing collections have been donated to the V&A Museum through time, including pieces from Castellani, and the fantastic Campana collection, created by the Marquess of Campana in Italy. But why do people collect?

 

One remarkable example of a gems collection is the impressive “gem wheel” that visitors encounter when entering the jewellery gallery at the V&A. This collection was amassed by Reverend Chancy Hair Townsend, a cleric and a poet who created this fantastic collection in the 1800s, including pink diamonds, huge aquamarine, spinels and engraved emeralds.

 

There are 154 stones that Townsend donated to the museum. And some of them came out of the Henry Philip Hope collection (Philip Hope is the gentleman who gave his name to the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC). A significant provenance that elevates this collection even more.

 

Collections are a way of continuing jewellery. Jewellery collections can be built very quickly, not financially, but physically. And something remarkable is when you have a collector that adds to the collection’s value, which can then have an added history that adds to their interest.

 

The 1800s was a time when there was massive interest in the natural world. People began understanding how our planet was formed and the gemstone’s role in it.

Therefore, history and mineralogy are an excellent combination. So, for example, the Victoria & Albert and the Natural Science Museums (one in front of the other) were building their collections hand in hand as part of the 19th-century collecting movement. Therefore, in this period, naturalism is a combination of interest in the gemstones as a scientific, chemical, and physical interest and in jewellery as a design. Therefore, naturalism fits in very much with the revival of antiquity as a style. So, they developed simultaneously.

Consequently, a massive wave of naturalism in the 19th century moved away from 18thcentury floral ornaments towards absolute realism.

 

The 19th century was also a period when families with “new money” started collecting, which is interesting from the perspective of collecting antique jewellery and the view of the collection.

When we think, for example, of the collection of Lady Cory, we know it is about new money. But other collections at the V&A are significant historic aristocratic collections. So we then have a combination of the 19th-century tradition of noble collection and the new cash from industrialization.

 

Another excellent example of a jewellery collection at the V&A is thanks to Lord Londonderry and the trustees of the Londonderry Estate. Frances Anne Vane Tempest was a very wealthy woman in her own right but married the third Marquess of Londonderry. She was so rich, and he respected her so much that he changed his name to take hers. She not only brought in her jewellery, but she also bought and inherited it, too. With the Marchioness, we see all aspects of collecting gifts, purchases, and inheritance. She also received unique pieces from Tsar Alexander I, who fell in love with her through a portrait and sent her jewels – among which, a superb Siberian amethyst that we can admire in the Marchioness of Londonderry 1831 portrait. This portrait was painted to commemorate the coronation of King William IV. It welcomes the visitors at the entrance of the Jewellery Gallery at the V&A. This painting is an example of how aristocrats enjoyed their jewellery collections – by wearing more (or all) pieces together, by sewing them to their robes and by re-wearing again and again.

This attitude is quite different from those collectors who build sorts of “cabinets de curiosités” containing pieces that are not meant to be worn.

Several jewellery collections came to the V&A museum through donations or loans – Lady Cory’s, for example, or the Londonderry jewels and the same William and Judith Bollinger donations. These are attractive opportunities to show treasures to the world instead of keeping them locked away in a safe.

 

Today there is a surge in interest in collecting antique and vintage jewels – books and exhibitions testify of this revival, and people are starting to recognise how fabulous antique treasures are.

For example, there is a point to mention about engraved gemstones. These were all the rage in the 18th and 19th centuries. At that time, the Grand Tour was fashionable among the young aristocrats, who would tour Europe and Italy to learn – it was part of their formation as cultured gentlemen.

So, when these mosaics were discovered in the 1800s, especially 1860s and up to the 1890s, it created a massive fascination, a bit like the Egyptian revival of the 1920s following the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The classical revival of the 19th century made, at the time, a lot of sense. But what about today?

 

There seem to be three main theories about the revival of antique jewels, the first one linked to escapism and nostalgia as the main factors directing collectors and connoisseurs to antique treasures.

We are going through challenging times, surrounded by pandemics and wars. This generates uncertainty about our future and our planet. It is equally hard to look ahead and be optimistic. It comes then quite naturally to look backwards to what was in our eyes “golden ages”, in which you felt safe and secure, living a happy and perfect life. Antique jewels then testify of these golden ages, reassure us, and take us back to a peaceful, solid and safe past – that is known, in opposition to the future, that is unknown and can be unforeseeable. Therefore, today revivalism could mean bringing back a lost golden age.

A second reason for the coming back of antique jewels could lie in the globalisation of social media information. The Internet has made getting information more accessible, so antique jewels can instantly be recognised and appreciated, with information about periods and styles at your fingertips.

 

The third theory is the search for a unique object on the part of collectors and connoisseurs. Nothing is more special than a piece of ancient jewellery – it came from somewhere and has not been made twice. Buying antique jewels shows people’s ability to understand style, craftsmanship and uniqueness, which matters more and more, especially with specific groups of clients, such as the Chinese ones.

The Chinese public is very akin to appreciating the value of antique craftsmanship. But unfortunately, this art is slowly disappearing, and Asian clients are showing a deep interest and education in valuing the antique savoir-faire – this is why they are so much into purchasing antiques in general.

 

Antique jewels have powerful storytelling. By looking at them, we discover so many stories, ancient myths, and legends recreated in the designs and carving of gems, which are truly enchanting, and people feel this fascination.

An interesting example is the Devonshire Parure which includes a tiara, a massive stomacher, and a necklace, created in the 19th century for the Duchess of Devonshire by using ancient gems – some of these dating back to the 16th century. The concept of using ancient gemstones for jewels is a statement of power and status, something that is no longer valid today but still reflects an intellectual direction to understand life in a specific epoch. The same goes for Napoleon Bonaparte, whose crown was created and modelled following the Ancient Roman designs. This crown screams, “I am your new Emperor”, and legitimates his role as ruler by recalling a glorious past of power and domination to our memory.

 

Knowing and studying antique jewels is a never-ending affair with beauty and pleasure: the more you look at them, the more you want to know about them, and the more you are amazed by all the cultural layers and references (historical, cultural) they offer, and the relationship between the ancient and the contemporary worlds.

 

Understanding antique jewels is like understanding a poetic language, and collecting them is like composing your personal poem to Beauty and Grace.

 

 

   

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Speaker: Gislain Aucremanne

 

Introduction

 

This article is about Tutankhamun and the legacy he had in the history of jewellery. Howard Carter discovered the tomb in 1922. Since that moment, this discovery started a revolution in Egyptology, and in the interest called Egyptomania, the passion for Egypt. The notion of Egyptomania leads to understanding and deciphering the hieroglyphic language of Tutankhamun’s jewels and how these treasures influenced the creation of the 20th and even the early 21st century.

 

Why did this historic discovery have such a significant impact on the world of jewellery? The answer can be given through four main chapters.

 

The first chapter will give a general context of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, of who he was in history and how a great moment it was for Howard Carter, the archaeologist who made the discovery.

The second chapter will review key pieces from the tomb’s treasure. The third chapter will be about the symbols and the meanings linked to the jewels inside the tomb, and, finally, the fourth chapter will conclude with how the Egyptian revival through the ages proves vital and meaningful today.

 

1 – Who was King Tutankhamun?

 

One century ago, the discovery of King Tut’s tomb quickly became known as the “discovery of the century”. It was the discovery of the only one intact tomb of a pharaoh who went down in history as completely forgotten.

The erasing of the figure of Tutankhamun from history appears to be intentional.

Egyptologists have evidence of this through the statues found in the tomb.

The Egyptian religious system included several gods. Among these gods there was Rah, the God of the Sun. Amun is the god of air. They became crucial God protectors of the Pharaoh in the second millennium BC. Amun is related to air and the sky. There was a statue in the tomb, but its arms and hands had been destroyed. The head of the Pharaoh was chopped out of the figure itself; the arms, and part of the names, had been destroyed to make sure all the body parts that could help the Pharaoh to survive in the afterlife, and his name, would never last forever.

 

This cancellation process is called “damnatio memoriae”. This process condemns the memory of the person forever, and it makes sure this person will be forgotten entirely. That was the idea, and this is what happened to King Tut. But why?

Tutankhamun was the son of Akhenaten, one of the most famous and controversial pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He refused the traditional polytheistic religion, in particular the cult of Amun-Ra, preferring the Sun as a disc to be worshipped on its own and directly revered by the Pharaoh without using the clergy. Akhenaten transformed the religious system, alienating his priests.

When Akhenaten died, his son, the young Tutankhaten (as he was called after the new religion), nine years old, following the advice of his counsellors, reinstated the ancient polytheistic religion.

 

Aton then became Tutankh-Amon, related to Amon, the ancient God. But despite this, his officials decided to make sure that, as the son of the heretic king, he was cancelled from history, and everything related to the boy-king disappeared.

Following traces, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon decided together to make researchers. It took Howard Carter 15 years to understand the name of Tutankhamun properly, to understand the exact location in the Kings’ Valley and try to find him. When he found the tomb in November 1922, it was such a glorious time for him because he would revolutionise the world of Egyptology.

 

However, King Tut’s tomb was quite small, with a chaotic pile of splendid objects. Why was that?

Let us imagine finding the treasure of Ramses II (or Ramses the Great); his tomb would have been ten times longer and probably the treasure ten times bigger compared to Tutankhamun. Howard Carter, instead of a magnificent royal shrine, found the little tomb of a little Pharaoh who ruled very shortly, with everyone around him trying to make sure no one would remember him. This is a crucial aspect of the discovery, because the treasure we have in mind is little compared to what existed. As all the royal treasures have been stolen by thieves, Tutankhamun’s treasure is a good indication of the magnificence and importance of royal funerary treasures.

 

All the objects found in the tomb have one element in common: gold. Howard Carter, answering Lord Carnarvon, who was asking him what he could see, famously replied while peeking at the inside of the tomb: “Gold, gold everywhere!”.

Gold was an important metal, not only because it was precious but also because it was considered a divine material. At the tomb’s entrance, Howard Carter found two blackskinned guardians with eyes painted in gold. These two guards represented the Pharaoh, they had his features, they wore his jewels and amulets. In this instance, the gold on statues resembling the Pharaoh was used to link the man to the divinity.

 

Gold is diffusely used in the funerary chamber and for the coffin containing the mummy of the Pharaoh. Tutankhamun’s golden mask is today a true icon of Egyptian funerary art, and the mummy itself was covered in jewels. In addition, they found layers of necklaces made of stones or glass beads. These objects were highly fascinating for Carter, who took them off and documented them, one by one.

The presence of the jewels was significant because they were a protection for the Pharaoh. Because of their importance and value, today these jewels are all displayed at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

 

2 – Tutankhamun’s Treasure

 

The giant golden shrine was covered with engraved scenes of the young Tutankhamun and his queen, protecting him, or giving him some presents, some objects.

 

Among these objects, Tutankhamun’s wife, Ankhesenamun, is depicted giving the boy-king a necklace with the attribute of Hathor, the goddess who would eventually protect the young Pharaoh in the afterlife. So, every single jewel in the tomb’s decorations or on the body of the Pharaoh was chosen not by chance, but for specific meanings.

 

The first piece worth examining is King Tut’s golden mask, one of the most acclaimed and famous Egyptian artefacts. The mask weighs an impressive 11 kilos and is in 24k gold. This is an object of extraordinary intensity because one can appreciate the use of various tones of the metal, and the piercing power of the eyes of the Pharaoh – one feels like he is still looking at you, that in those eyes there is life.

Fascinating details in the mask offer a glimpse of how the Pharaoh was in real life. For example, one can notice that its ears are pierced, the same as in the mummy. So, the makers paid great attention to mirroring the natural aspect of Tutankhamun while working on the mask. Besides, there is a humanity in this detail: only women and children had their ears pierced in Ancient Egypt. This testifies of the Pharaoh’s young age when he died.

 

Another study involves the reconstruction of the body from when it was first discovered. Howard Carter and his team found about two hundred amulets in gold or other metals, and precious stones, covering the body among layers and layers of linen drenched in oils and resins.

The items are golden because gold would give the pharaoh divine protection. These objects are also inscribed with the hieroglyphic language, reporting quotations from the Book of the Dead. These inscriptions would protect the Pharaoh in the afterlife. All these golden amulets would function as a “shield” for the king, protecting him from all the dangers he would have to face during his journey to eternal life. This is why they were positioned on the body among the bandages.

Howard Carter, who started drawing to document his excavations and adventures in Egypt, was a good illustrator. He went on to locate every single amulet found on the body. His precious work allows today to match amulets to their protective function and role and to state that each amulet was chosen for a specific reason.

 

As we know, Tutankhamun was buried quickly, with objects that, in some instance, were not his own. In Ancient Egypt it would take a few months to make sure all that is necessary to go with the Pharaoh is there for his journey, because what was considered “necessary” was an impressive number of items.

So, in the case of Tutankhamun, and having no time for preparation, priests took objects for the burial to compose the Pharaoh’s funerary equipment from someone else’s funerary set. Evidence of this process can be seen in a pectoral necklace found on the mummy. A pectoral is a rectangular ornament, laced like a necklace, covering the chest. It is a crucial piece of jewellery worn by the Egyptians in everyday life and a burial treasure, too. The pectoral found on the King’s mummy shows Neftis, one of the goddesses protecting the body.

The jewel displays a sharp contrast between the depiction of Neftis and her hieroglyphs, and another cartouche, very poorly executed – the colours are not bright, and the engraving is not refined. Egyptologists then think that this pectoral was not destined for Tutankhamun. Perhaps it was for someone else; it was grabbed and quickly modified by inscribing the name of Tutankhamun on it. Because they were working with haste, the engraving was badly executed. And the same happened with other objects discovered in the tomb – belonging to someone else and “recycled” for King Tut’s hastened burial.

 

The King’s coffin is another fantastic object. It is made up of more sarcophagi: the mummy had its golden mask, then it was put in a pure gold coffin encrusted with precious stones, then in a golden wood one, with more precious stones, and a final bigger golden wooden sarcophagus, again with precious stones on it. Finally, this ensemble was put in a large stone shrine.

So, there are layers and layers of protection for the Pharaoh, all made of gold. The first golden sarcophagus, where the mummy rests, has the same design as the mask. The artisans replicated and referred to the same symbols multiple times to make sure the Pharaoh was protected.

 

3 – The meanings and symbols of jewels

 

Jewels in the Egyptian culture have meanings. Let us go back to the pectoral mentioned earlier. Its design recalls the facade of a temple: wearing a pectoral, is wearing something divine. A divine presence that is always associated with the cartouche containing the name of the Pharaoh – thus stressing the link between the terrestrial and the sacred dimensions.

 

Another interesting object is the throne. It offers lovely depictions of family scenes between Tutankhamun and his wife, Queen Ankhesenamun. In these scenes, they wear fabulous jewels, represented in every detail. Their skin is in red carnelian, an important ornament stone at the time. Their hair is of lapis-lazuli, the back in gold. It could be that the white textile of the young queen was made from silver, gold, silver lapis and cornelian. King Tut and his wife wear the same necklaces: their design is not differentiated by their gender, and both are decorated with turquoise.

 

All these materials are the most sacred at the time. Gold was the skin of the gods. Silver was the bones of the gods. Lapis-lazuli was the hair of the gods; even if we all know the pharaohs and the aristocracy had wigs at the time, they considered this blue colour, the intense colour of the sky, related to the divine.

The carnelian is often compared to the burning fire of the sun. When you have so much desert, burning fire is a crucial word to understand both the power and the danger of the sun.

Colour was essential in the Egyptian culture, and it is all that matters – what was important in an object was to render its colour, either with precious stones or with humble materials such as glass beads. No matter what, the power of the item, of the amulet, would remain the same – conveyed by its colours, not by the materials they are made with.

Therefore, knowing the Egyptian culture, symbols, and meanings are essential in analysing the jewels and understanding their messages.

Incredibly, no one found this tomb before 1922, with all its jewels and riches. Archaeologists like Howard Carter have been dreaming of such a discovery for many years, and this dream came true in 1922 when the tomb was discovered and unsealed.

 

Since the 1920s, lots of Egyptologists decided to publish documents about Egyptian ornaments, and of course, jewellers took these documents and chose to make their design reinterpretations.

Egypt inspired the contemporary world, and the Egyptomania started.

The jewellery production of the 1920s is very rich in examples of ‘Egyptian revival’ jewels. The Neiger Brothers’ Gablonz is today famous for representing the Egyptomaniac inspiration. In one of their famous brooches, one can see the pyramid, the sphynx, you have the obelisk – it is considered a cliché today, but it became a hit at the time. And it is precisely what people wanted to have, with “fake” hieroglyphs on it, because every Egyptologist would testify of the original provenance of them.

 

4 – Egyptomania and the Egyptian-revival Jewels

 

The Egyptian revival jewels of the 1920s were reinterpretations to show interest in Ancient Egypt. But this interest had started quite long before, with Napoleon. His Egyptian campaigns started the scientific study of Egypt. Many scholars came with him taking notes, illustrating what they found, understanding archaeology at the time as a science, and taking some objects away with them.

 

When Napoleon returned to France, despite losing the war, decided to launch an Egyptianinspired sort of culture which spread across Europe. Many example testify of this cultural spread.

The first one is the entrance of what is today the German embassy in Paris – the front part of the facade looks like an Egyptian temple.

Another example of Egyptomania can be found in Percier, Jacob-Desmalter and Biennais. They were designers and architects who worked together to produce Egypt-inspired objects. A famous one is a metal cabinet which looks like a temple.

The British went on with Wedgewood, a manufacturer of porcelain that created an incredible tea service with the Egyptian crocodile and hieroglyphic motives with scarabs and open wings. As for jewels, there is a souvenir from the Dresden battle, during which Napoleon was shot but survived. He took the cannonball that hit him to make a little scarab out of it. He gave it to his lover, Marie Walewska, as a talismanic Egyptomaniac object. The little scarab comes as a ring, which is still in the Walewska family today, thus proving the sentimental connection to this piece.

 

Then in the second half of the 19th-century archaeological revival, the excavations continued, and jewellers kept producing their jewellery reinterpretations.

An interesting comparison could be between Gustave Baugrand, the prominent jeweller during Napoleon III (the 1860s) and Georges Clairin.

Baugrand made a profile illustration of a queen of Egypt. At the time, the most famous figure in Egypt was Cleopatra. Baugrand created the profile of an Egyptian queen with precious stones according to the French design of the 1860s. A couple of decades later, Georges Clairin portrayed the French actress Sarah Bernhardt impersonating Cleopatra showing her best profile – according to the “Egyptian way”. Egypt became a way of thinking, a real obsession.

 

So much so that after Tutankhamun’s tomb’s discovery, people started talking of “Tut Mania” – Tutankhamun became “Tut”, easier to remember. And instead of Egyptomania, people started talking of “Tut Mania”.

This Tut mania was a passion in all creations, and in the 1920s, these had tremendous success. During the Art Deco period, jewellers used platinum as a metal, diamonds for white, onyx for black, emeralds for green, and rubies for red. On jewels there are Egyptian scenes taken from the discovered tombs (Chaumet), with figurines moving and walking, hunting birds, or hieroglyphic elements like in some Van Cleef pieces – a sautoir following this style was recently sold at Christie’s in Geneva.

The Tut Mania reached Great Britain, too. They wanted to feel this passion for Egypt, and textiles to be placed in living rooms or bedrooms were printed with hieroglyphs. These textiles were a tangible sign of the passion for Egypt that developed in the U.K. and overseas in that period.

 

In France, one man in Paris crossed the street and went to an ancient artefact dealer trying to buy Egyptian objects. His name was Louis Cartier, and he developed a crucial creative relationship with Ancient Egypt. Cartier differed in comparison to Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels: while these Maisons perfectly mimicked hieroglyphs, Cartier went a step further by including proper archaeological pieces into his creations. These pieces came from other excavations that dealers of antiquity would have available.

Louis Cartier would buy them and would include them in his jewels. A perfect Art Deco piece, and typical of Cartier, one of the most iconic pieces, is a scarab brooch designed in 1924, in platinum and diamonds. Cartier also took some parts of the blue faience to make the wings. The faience is ancient, from a foregone era, and they just introduced it to make the scarab fly as they saw in the hieroglyphic illustrations.

 

One could imagine that after the twenties and thirties, the passion for Tutankhamun and Egypt could have gone down. However, that was not the case, thanks to the cinema, which constantly inspired by presenting the stories, splendour, and legends of Ancient Egypt.

 

For example, in New York in the sixties, David Webb designed the “Eye of Horus” brooch, which has an Egyptian twist and inspiration thanks to the use of lapis lazuli in the Egyptian style. Cartier also returned to Egypt in the 1980s with a golden collar necklace featuring a massive scarab at the front – now in Cartier’s Heritage Collection.

Today, we have contemporary designers like Lydia Courteille, who, in the early 2000s, created a stunning piece called “Gala Ma Muse”, designed inside an Egyptian eye – Gala was Salvador Dali’s muse, and this jewel is a fusion of Egyptomania and Surrealism.

Hemmerle, in 2018, designed a collection called “Revived Treasures”. The solid Egyptian inspiration comes from family ties because the heir to the Hemmerle family is married to Yasmin Hamal, who was born in Egypt. So, they designed art objects meant to be worn, such as Egyptian scarabs and old amulets that can transform into earrings.

Finally, a few months ago, in 2022, Messika decided to design the “Akh-Ba-Ko” asymmetrical earrings that would have the shape of long wings, with the power of the scarab that could fly away.

 

Egyptomania is not dead, and our passion and fascination for Egypt will continue in the years to come.

 

 

   

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Panel discussion moderated by Katerina Perez (influencer), with David Roux-Fouillet (Head of the Department of Product Design, Jewellery and Accessories, HEAD Geneva), Olivier Bachet (expert), Vivienne Becker (jewellery historian, author) and Alix Dumas (Designer)

 

Sometimes we look at a piece of jewellery and we fall in love with it instantly and sometimes, you have to heavily market a design or a collection in order for it to sell. What is that “magic formula” that makes the jewellery design exceptional?

 

Jewellery that makes your heart beating faster

 

It is a jewel that really captures its moment in time, which reflects what is going on in the world around it. A jewel that combines the design expression with superb craftsmanship and wonderful materials. And a jewel able to combine a certain “newness” to echoes of the past – which make it even more fascinating.

 

For example, Modernism in jewellery reflected the world as it was evolving. Today, Fabio Salini stands for the Modernist style. He is considered a modern head of “new Modernism” thanks to his very graphic simple compositions of colours, lines and forms. Another example is Alexandra Jefford: her jewels have something original to say. So, it is not so much about some kind of surface stylism, but more about a meaningful message.

 

Another trait of Modernism is the ability of reinterpreting old motifs, like Philippe Loras and his ribbon bows, or again Elena Okutova, who has been able to revive Russian jewellery art to tell stories that combine history and modernity.

 

Modernism today is not only about themes, but also about techniques, as with Boghossian. They indeed took very traditional skills and techniques and modernized them to propose beautifully crafted pieces.

 

Jewels can make our hearts beating faster when the convey an emotion, a poetic vision, as in the example of JAR, who derives his inspiration from nature and translates it into an emotional, poetic vision of jewellery.

 

One this is for sure: exceptional design does not always have to be overly complex; it doesn’t have to be a huge flower with tons of pave and a big gemstone in the centre. It can be something simple but at the same time when unusual techniques are used, these make it truly exceptional.

 

What does us make falling in love with a jewel?

 

When we see a piece of jewellery, do we fall in love with it because of emotions or because of other factors, like an important gem or the investment side of it?

 

For many, the first factor at work to fall in love with a jewel is the emotion.

 

Jewellery is not something we need; it is something we want. In that sense designing a piece of jewellery is like drafting a poem. The jeweller has all sorts of different tools that he can use: the choice of materials, of curves, shapes, details, colours, and stones. All these are like words that a writer uses to create a sentence that hopefully will touch not just for its technicality and the beauty of its structure, but for the emotions it evokes.

 

There is an element of magic in jewellery which relates to its origins as a magical, amuletic object. We fall in love with a jewel because we respond to jewellery on a very atavistic level, responding to the storytelling and the emotion that jewel generates in us.

 

One thing to notice is that we could fall in love with a jewel, but not wanting to wear it. We could, for example, admire Lalique and his Art Nouveau marvellous jewels, but we could never see ourselves as wearing any of these. Also, there might be a jewel we loved in the past, and that do not like so much at present – our taste keeps evolving in time, and our love with jewels goes with it.

 

Taste is something personal, and in front of two jewels interpreting the same motif, the reactions, the preferences could be each time different. There is no right or wrong when it comes to liking a jewel according to one’s personal preference.

 

What contributes to the beauty of a jewel?

 

There are several aspects to consider.

 

Oscar Wilde famously said that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. The beauty of a jewel is made up of many elements, such as the pure emotion it elicits, its craftmanship, the proportions, colours, the volume and all the details of the design.

 

Colour is the emotional trigger; everyone responds to distinct colours in diverse ways. Everyone also respond to a gem’s inner light – this is something that has captivated humankind for thousands of years, so colours and light are an emotional key to the beauty of a piece of jewellery.

 

When we speak about proportions, if a jewel is designed and worked as a piece of art, as a sculpture, the jeweller becomes an artist who, through his/her sensitive eye will re-adjust volumes and proportions. It is an artistic instinct that helps the jeweller-artist to reach a golden ration that makes the jewel perfect.

 

We all are still sensitive to the way jewels are made. Artisanship makes the difference: even if colours and proportions are nice, at the end it is the way the piece is made that counts, and this is also why some brands are known for the quality of their craftsmanship. It is part of jewellery emotion: a beautiful piece of jewellery must also be well made.

 

The excellence can then be reached when craftsmanship disappears, so that you don’t notice it at all. This happens when craftsmanship is at the service of the design, the concept, the little details, and the comfort in wearing the jewel. All these qualities are there, but you do not see the craftsmanship and the savoir-faire beneath it.

 

Jewels we love & storytelling

 

Does storytelling contribute to making us fall in love with a jewel? Is it important, when we buy a piece of jewellery, to know about the inspiration behind it, how the designer produced that idea?

 

The story behind a jewel helps to connect with the jewel itself. In many instances people would buy a piece of jewellery because the story speaks to them – for example, it might happen that they buy a ring which is inspired by the sea and they love surfing; or maybe they have travelled to a destination which is in their memory and the piece of jewellery is inspired by such location.

 

Storytelling, to connect to the jewel, should be authentic. The story, the theme or the inspiration should be authentic to the designer. This will create that sense of harmony that will make this connection between the person and the jewel click – because we instinctively know when a story is authentic, and when it is not.

 

Jewels contribute to self-expression, today as in the past – this has not changed. Some of us will choose classic or antique pieces, while other will go for avant-garde and contemporary designs.

 

The expressive power of a jewel goes through the body of the wearer. There is a tactile element attached to the jewel, a jewel should be felt. This is as important as the storytelling and the technical elements behind the creation.

 

Designer DNA or brand to define an exceptional design?

 

One big question when it comes to jewellery design is the following: is it important to be different and show your own personality in what you create, or is it better to think of what the client wants and create something that will fit his/her taste?

 

There is not only one answer. If you choose to be an artist, you have a view for each single creation, you communicate through pieces which may be very organic, others that may be very geometrical. It is not about being included in a closed cycle, sticking to “style guidelines”. It is more about the ability of expressing a message. The DNA of the artist can of course be present through a sort of “red line” that defines the artist’s personality, its evolution in time.

 

One specific DNA imprint can reveal the jewellery designer to the eyes of customers. It is not only about techniques and languages, but it is also about a way of thinking about the world. It is a journey for the jeweller to find him/herself, his/her true voice and to express a vision of the world, a message, through jewels – this is an aspect that keeps evolving together with the evolution of the designer’s inner world. An aspect that is not easy to define and streamline.

 

For example, a designer might fall in love with the theme of the wave. Being an artist means to interpret the theme in different ways, producing pieces that refer to the theme having a uniquely different look and personality. An artist rarely works on collections – they are repetitive and work in series, something a jewellery artist could never do.

 

Another crucial difference is on budget. A jewellery artist would start with the design and then would assess the budget to produce it. A brand would go the other way round: they would often start from a given budget and would try and produce the collection.

 

The goal is, of course, sales. Whether a jewellery designer is guided by a strong inspiration, or by brand collections, the final objective is to sell amazing jewels through the right channels to the final consumers.

 

Where does exceptional design start from?

 

It is not only a strong idea to guide the creative process. In many cases, the intricate beauty of a stone commands the entire design of a jewel. It can take sometimes months, or even years, before that gem finds its place in a jewel, but it is for sure worth the wait – a gem has its story to tell, and it cannot be dispersed in an undistinguished design.

 

An exceptional design can also start from the material – metals, or a piece of wood have their own story. In this case it is about experimenting, working around them to understand their language and translate it into the body of the jewel. From here a new storytelling starts.

 

Therefore, no matter where you start from, linking the creation to a meaningful idea, to an exceptional stone, to unusual materials (or all of these at the same time) will let the world admire an exceptional jewellery design.

 

 

   

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La classification des gemmes est l’une des problématiques les plus sensibles qui anime actuellement le marché des pierres précieuses. Étrangement, dans un marché parfaitement globalisé et international, aucune standardisation n’existe encore.

 

Chaque laboratoire obéit à ses propres règles et chaque pays possède sa législation sur le sujet. Négociants, experts, et acheteurs finals se repèrent donc difficilement dans un marché où coexiste une pluralité de systèmes de classification. Ce manque de clarté engendre également un flou juridique qui en cas de litige peut s’avérer extrêmement préjudiciable.

 

Établir une nomenclature universelle des pierres de couleurs semble plus que jamais nécessaire, mais comment y parvenir ?

 

Comment classifier les gemmes ?

 

Tout l’enjeu que porte le projet d’une nomenclature internationale, c’est avant tout celle de sa méthode. Quelle approche privilégier pour établir cette classification ?

Pour Emmanuel Fritsch, chercheur en minéralogie au CNRS et membre de l’International Mineralogical Association, élaborer une norme de standardisation est toujours un processus long et complexe. L’origine géographique, la couleur, le poids ou encore la minéralogie sont autant de critères pertinents qui peuvent constituer une base de réflexion solide.

 

Faut-il alors s’appuyer sur le nom commercial ou la composition minérale d’une gemme pour la classifier ?

Pour Enzo Liverino, Président de la commission Corail à la CIBJO, le débat n’est pas celui-là. Que l’approche soit commerciale ou scientifique, l’essentiel est que le nom attribué à une gemme ne puisse prêter à aucune confusion possible pour l’acheteur final.

L’enjeu d’un système de classification doit avoir pour seul but la protection de l’acheteur final afin de maintenir un indice de confiance élevé sur le marché des pierres précieuses, et de manière générale sur le marché de la joaillerie.

 

Une standardisation impossible ?

 

La question ne semble plus être « comment établir un système de classification international ? » , mais bien « est-il encore réellement possible de standardiser le marché des gemmes en 2022 ? »

 

Pour Emmanuel Piat, vice-président de la Commission Pierres de couleurs CIBJO, la volonté et les recherches menées par le CIBJO (Confédération Internationale de Bijouterie, Joaillerie, Orfèvrerie des diamants, perles et pierres) ont incontestablement permis d’aboutir à une base de nomenclature efficace mais malheureusement encore insuffisante.

Les trop grandes divergences d’interprétation qui existent entre les laboratoires permettent d’en témoigner. Aujourd’hui, la même pierre peut être qualifiée d’émeraude par un laboratoire et de béryl vert par un autre. Face à ce non-sens devenu trop courant sur le marché, la solution viendrait-elle alors de l’ISO (International Organization for Standardization), cet organe indépendant qui travaille à l’élaboration de normes universelles ?

 

Si l’ISO a contribué à des progrès de standardisation particulièrement efficaces dans le secteur du diamant, pour Aurélien Delaunay, directeur du Laboratoire Français de Gemmologie et représentant de la France à l’ISO, l’univers des pierres de couleurs est beaucoup plus complexe et ce qui a été fait dans le domaine du diamant n’est pas transposable dans l’univers des pierres de couleurs.

Cet avis est également partagé par Thomas Hainschwang, dont les publications sur le diamant font autorité auprès des organes de nomenclature. Pour lui, la standardisation est tout simplement impossible notamment en raison des couleurs infinies qui existent et des trop grandes variétés de tailles recensées.

 

De la classification à la régulation ?

 

Alors, comment amener plus de cohérence et de cohésion dans un marché qui échappe à toute règle de classification et de standardisation ?

 

Pour l’experte Drew Battaglia, les seuls organes qui font autorité aujourd’hui sont les laboratoires, or les résultats de leurs analyses peuvent être contradictoires et la valeur de leur expertise diverge parfois selon les marchés. La nécessité d’une « entité supérieure » faisant autorité sur le marché des gemmes est donc indispensable.

 

Thomas Hainschwang, qui déplore également les trop nombreux désaccords qui existent entre laboratoires, alerte sur le fait qu’ils deviennent de plus en plus nombreux. Utilisant leur propre nomenclature et procédures internes, les nouveaux laboratoires qui apparaissent ajoutent encore plus de confusion sur un marché qui souffre déjà de tant d’incohérence.

 

Ainsi, le véritable enjeu ne serait-il pas de réguler les laboratoires avant de vouloir réguler les gemmes ? C’est l’axe de réflexion que l’expert ouvre.

Entre des standards qui changent en permanence et des résultats d’analyse soumis à aucune durée de validité légale, la question de la responsabilité des laboratoires interroge.

Encadrer l’activité et les méthodes des laboratoires permettrait-il de combler le vide juridique qui existe aujourd’hui et pénalise in fine les acheteurs finals ?

Pour Aurélien Delaunay, soumettre les laboratoires à davantage d’obligations, comme par exemple l’indication des traitements, ne pourrait aboutir qu’à plus de transparence.

 

Pour conclure

 

Aborder la question de la classification des gemmes se fait nécessairement par le biais d’une approche à la fois scientifique, commerciale et juridique.

 

Comment créer une nomenclature qui intègre les besoins et attentes de tous les acteurs du marché ? Et surtout, comment aboutir à un système transparent et sécurisant qui préserverait les enjeux financiers de chacun de ses acteurs ?

 

Cette conversation, riche de cas pratiques tirés de l’expérience de chaque expert, permet de tracer des pistes de réflexion visionnaires et de mettre en lumière l’un des enjeux majeurs que le marché des gemmes devra impérativement résoudre dans les prochaines années.

 

Remerciements

 

GemGenève remercie chaleureusement Marie Chabrol, consultante joaillerie, et Boris Chauviré, chercheur en minéralogie et gemmologie, qui ont animé avec talent ce passionnant échange.

 

Ainsi que l’ensemble des experts qui ont participé à cette réflexion :

 

Drew Battaglia

Experte agréée

Sancy Expertise Paris

 

Aurélien Delaunay

Directeur du Laboratoire Français de Gemmologie

Commission Diamant et Commission Gemmologie CIBJO

Représentant à l’ISO pour la France

 

Emmanuel Fritsch

Chercheur en minéralogie au CNRS

Membre de l’International Mineralogical Association

 

Thomas Hainschwang

Directeur et cofondateur de GGTL Laboratories

Expert en recherche gemmologique

 

Enzo Liverino

Négociant

Président de la commission Corail CIBJO

 

Emmanuel Piat

Négociant, expert judiciaire

Vice-Président de la Commission Pierres de couleurs CIBJO

 

 

   

Blog

« Rien ne se perd, tout se transforme ».

C’est avec cette formule, empruntée au chimiste français Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier (1743-1794), que GemGenève invite cette année une nouvelle génération de talents à exprimer sa créativité.

En résonance avec l’urgence climatique et les enjeux environnementaux de notre époque, le thème choisi pour le concours de gouaché 2023 invite à une réflexion sur l’usage des ressources.

« Parce qu’il n’y a pas d’autre planète pour nous recevoir », l’art de la joaillerie et l’univers de la bijouterie n’échappent pas à l’impératif de répondre au besoin du présent, tout en anticipant la viabilité du futur.

Plus que jamais, la nécessité de développer de nouvelles manières de créer s’avère essentielle, et le recours à des pratiques d’upcycling, de recyclage ou de revalorisation des matières semble incontournable.

Faisant écho aux notions de développement durable, d’économie circulaire, de non-gaspillage et de transmission, « rien ne se perd, tout se transforme » ouvre la voie à une multitude de possibilités créatives.

Le défi qui se pose pour chaque designer devient alors d'imaginer un design puissant, une forme singulière et un bijou de caractère incarnant cette notion de développement durable.

Mais comment et par quel processus créatif y parvenir ?

Pour Elizabeth Fischer, tout est question de méthodologie, et repose sur des principes de création incontournables.

 

EXPLORER LE BRIEF

À l’origine de chaque design, il y a un brief. Se résumant souvent à une phrase ou à un unique mot, c’est à partir de ce bref énoncé que le designer va élaborer son projet et faire émerger une forme, un objet ou un bijou.

« Rien ne se perd, tout se transforme » peut être une invitation à s’interroger : « Aujourd’hui, qu’est-ce qu’un bijou durable ? ». L’enjeu consiste à questionner cette notion et à en proposer une interprétation personnelle, originale et inédite.

Parce qu’il est le point de départ de tout projet, le brief doit être analysé en profondeur. La première étape est donc celle du brainstorming. Il convient de « faire parler le brief », de l’interroger. L’objectif est d’en extraire les idées et les notions clefs afin de trouver l’angle le plus original pour aborder le thème donné.

Cette phase de brainstorming peut faire l’objet d’une réflexion individuelle, mais peut aussi être l’occasion d’un travail collectif entre designers.

Souvent, les interprétations les moins conventionnelles donnent naissance aux designs les plus audacieux et extraordinaires. Même le brief le plus banal peut être prétexte à une interprétation décalée et insolite. C’est ainsi que pour répondre à une commande de haute joaillerie, la créatrice britannique Solange Azagury-Partridge imagine un pendentif « cœur » conformément au brief. Mais au lieu de se diriger vers le cœur comme forme géométrique, elle choisit de revisiter l’organe vital, et donc d’aborder le thème du cœur d’un point de vue anatomique. De cette manière, elle produit un bijou peu conventionnel tout en restant fidèle au brief.

La spécificité d’un brief est qu’il peut toujours être compris, interprété ou exploré d’après une multitude de points de vue. Ainsi, il est possible d’aborder la notion du développement durable sous différents angles : environnemental, économique, éthique, sociétal… Il revient au designer de choisir l’approche qui peut lui permettre de réaliser le travail le plus original.

Parce que tout processus créatif est toujours un processus exploratoire, cette première étape doit être répétitive. Explorer le brief ne se fait pas de manière linéaire, il s’agit de s’interroger plusieurs fois, de différentes manières, selon plusieurs points de vue. C’est une phase de travail importante du processus de création.

Pour faciliter cette étape, il est possible de la structurer à l’aide de questions. L’idée est de s’appuyer sur une liste d’interrogations qui vont servir de support au designer : Quelle serait la fonction de cet objet ? Quelle est sa forme ? Est-ce un objet éphémère ? Par qui, où et comment est-il fabriqué ? Avec quelle matière est-il réalisé ? 

Le doute et l’erreur font également partie du processus de conceptualisation. Pour reprendre les mots de Samuel Beckett : « Essayer encore, rater encore, rater mieux » doit être le mantra de tout designer. Pour trouver un angle original, il faut sans cesse oser, prendre des risques, essayer, se tromper. D’ailleurs, la solution se trouve parfois dans l’erreur, et une découverte hasardeuse peut faire émerger une piste de création intéressante.

La véritable erreur consiste à rester sur sa première idée, car "elle n’est jamais la bonne" ! Pour Elizabeth Fischer, c’est toujours dans un second temps que les idées intéressantes apparaissent, d’où la nécessité de se vider la tête, de jeter rapidement ses premières intuitions sur le papier sous forme de croquis ou de mots-clefs.

 

CHOISIR UN AXE DE CRÉATION

Choisir un axe de création est indiscutablement la deuxième étape clef de tout processus de conceptualisation. 

Selon l’angle retenu, il convient de choisir un axe de création qui fait sens. Il peut s’agir de la matière, de la technique, des procédés de production ou de commercialisation, ou bien encore de la symbolique du bijou. Encore une fois, les possibilités sont multiples.

L’axe de création est le fil conducteur qui permet au designer de ne pas s’éparpiller et de construire un projet cohérent. Et puisque choisir, c’est toujours renoncer, il doit être capable de légitimer son choix et d’argumenter sur sa logique de création.

Tout au long du processus créatif, il est important de confronter son design au regard extérieur, de le faire évoluer en fonction des avis, des remarques, mais aussi des critiques qu’il peut provoquer. Ces retours sont nécessaires et enrichissants, et font partie du processus de conceptualisation. Il faut oser interroger son entourage, ses collaborateurs, prendre l’avis des autres designers, ne pas avoir peur de se confronter à la critique, car elle est constructive.

Évidemment, la conceptualisation d’un design implique un travail de recherche soutenu. Tout au long du processus créatif, le designer doit chercher l’inspiration, laisser libre cours à son imagination, de manière à produire quelque chose de différent et d’original. L’astuce est de ne jamais se laisser influencer par ce qui existe déjà. Ainsi, avant de rechercher des références chez d’autres joailliers, le designer doit chercher à éveiller sa curiosité et sa créativité par ce qui l’entoure : une matière, un motif, une couleur… Tout peut être source d’inspiration. Collecter le maximum d’influences permettra d’enrichir la qualité de sa proposition. Pour parvenir à créer de la cohérence, il est toujours judicieux de classifier les informations et influences collectées selon la fonction à laquelle l’objet est rattaché : sociétale, commerciale, symbolique, technologique, esthétique ou identitaire. 

 

JOAILLERIE ET DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE

L’art de la joaillerie offre aux designers la possibilité d’exprimer leur créativité d’une manière infinie. La notion de développement durable a déjà largement inspiré les grands joailliers de la place Vendôme ou les créateurs indépendants. Chacun à leur manière, ils ont interprété ce concept et imaginé des pièces incarnant cette vérité du « rien ne se perd, tout se transforme ».

Créant à partir de leur sensibilité, de leur ADN, de leurs valeurs, mais aussi de leurs engagements, ils ont développé une approche personnelle et élaboré une variété de démarches créatives.

 

L’écologie des matières de Boucheron

En 2019, la maison Boucheron matérialise pour la première fois son engagement en faveur de l’environnement et révèle son désir de contribuer à l’élaboration d’une joaillerie écoresponsable. En dévoilant sa collection Jack, elle introduit pour la première fois le cofalit, un nouveau matériau produit à partir du recyclage de ses propres déchets industriels. Cette démarche, insoupçonnable en regardant le bijou, doit être rendue accessible par un discours. Ainsi, pour valoriser cette collection, qui ouvre la voie à de nouvelles manières de produire et de créer de la valeur, Boucheron construit un storytelling fort et impactant qui ancre sa démarche dans une nouvelle modernité. 

 

Sublimer la matière comme Jean Vendôme

Dès les années 1950, le créateur Jean Vendôme explore des matériaux dits « alternatifs » pour créer ses bijoux. Assemblant des matières insolites à des matériaux précieux ou semi-précieux, il développe un style très personnel et réalise des pièces de caractère. Son audace ? Introduire dans ses créations des éléments naturels comme des pinces de crabe, qui, sublimées par le bleu du lapis-lazuli ou le rouge du grenat, donnent vie à un collier extravagant.

Sa démarche créative amène inévitablement à une réflexion sur la préciosité. Qu’est-ce qui rend un bijou précieux : les matériaux qui le constituent ou la manière dont ils sont assemblés ? Pour le créateur Jean Vendôme, précurseur et visionnaire, le plus important en joaillerie ce n’est pas la matière, mais bien la manière avec laquelle on la magnifie. En osant sortir des sentiers battus, Jean Vendôme ouvre de nouvelles voies de création et fait entrer la joaillerie moderne dans une nouvelle ère.

 

Hemmerle et la notion de durabilité

Le créateur allemand Hemmerle imagine dans les années 1990 un bijou minimaliste, Harmony Bangle, une manchette à la forme extrêmement simple. Ce design épuré permet de décliner facilement le bijou dans divers matériaux : or, cuivre, bronze, ou bois. Sertie de diamants, pierres semi-précieuses ou de galets, cette forme dépouillée rend possible la fusion de matériaux précieux et naturels. La possibilité d’avoir recours à des matières variées, précieuses ou non, inverse la manière de créer et c’est désormais le bijou qui s’adapte aux ressources disponibles ou accessibles.

Hermmerle va encore plus loin dans sa démarche et aborde la notion de développement durable d’un point de vue technique inédit. Le joaillier n’utilise que des techniques et des savoir-faire perdus. Pour Hermmerle, redonner vie à des techniques ancestrales est une manière de préserver un savoir-faire d’excellence, et ainsi de produire un bijou qui porte en lui cette notion de durabilité.  

 

Le bijou comme symbole

Au-delà du design ou de la matière, la portée symbolique du bijou peut aussi être un axe de création fort. Les bijoux portés par l’ancienne secrétaire d’État américaine Madeleine Albright en sont une très belle illustration. Passionnée de broches, Madeleine Albright a fait de ce bijou sa plus belle arme de communication et l’a brillamment utilisé pour faire passer ses idées de manière subtile et poétique. Le bijou devient un symbole dont la fonction première revient à sensibiliser, alerter ou faire passer un message fort.

En 1999, lors d’un meeting au Moyen-Orient, Madeleine Albright arbore une broche « Colombe » de la créatrice française Jeanne&Cécile, une intelligente façon de rappeler son engagement en faveur de la paix. De la même manière, lors de la cérémonie du Prix The Lantos Human Rights en 2013, Madeleine Albright porte un bijou de la créatrice Vivian Shimoyama nommé The Glass Celling. Signifiant « le plafond de verre », cette broche matérialise son engagement en faveur de l’avancement des femmes et des minorités dans la société.

 

POUR CONCLURE

In fine, c’est d’après la manière dont il analyse le brief qu’un designer parvient à déceler et à choisir l’axe de création le plus original. La conceptualisation d’un design est toujours le résultat d’un processus exploratoire personnel.

S’il n’y a pas de règle pour parvenir à élaborer un design puissant, chaque créateur peut toutefois concevoir son propre processus de création en respectant certaines étapes et principes.

Permettant de prendre la mesure de l’immense liberté et des infinies possibilités qu’offre tout brief à un designer, ce workshop propose une véritable « méthodologie de la création » en soulignant que tout concept peut toujours être abordé et interprété de multiples manières. 

 

POUR ALLER PLUS LOIN :

Claude Courtecuisse, Dis-moi le design, Édition Isthme, Paris, 2004

Ce livre, considéré comme un outil pédagogique de référence, aborde le design via un de ses éléments emblématiques : la chaise. Une méthode claire et simple qui donne les bases de la compréhension du design selon cinq approches complémentaires (collecter, classer, questionner, développer et créer). Des clés à mettre entre toutes les mains de ceux qui veulent transmettre.

 

 

   

Blog

Speaker: Olivier Bachet

 

Introduction

Olivier Bachet has deep knowledge of Cartier. During a fascinating talk held during the November edition of GemGenève, he spoke about the influence that Fabergé had on various jewellery designers – most notably, Cartier.

 

Various elements link Fabergé and Cartier between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Apart from the fact that, just before WWI, Cartier was already an internationally established jewellery Maison, Cartier et Fabergé shared the same clientele – the grand aristocratic families of the European courts and the ultra-wealthy American families such as the JP Morgans, the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts. Moreover, Cartier and Fabergé offered these clients similar objects: enamelled creations inspired by the French 18th century. These “objects de vertu” were delicately made, and Cartier and Fabergé would compete in this same domain for a few years.

 

Fabergé and Cartier: the birth of two Maisons

 

Fabergé, as a Maison, was born in 1842 in Saint Petersburg, when Gustave Fabergé, the founder, opened the first boutique. Gustave Fabergé came from a family of Huguenots expelled from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. His son, Carl, continued the family activity from 1870, and he affirmed himself as a goldsmith without parallel.

In 1882, Carl received a golden medal during the Exhibition in Moscow, and Tzar Alexander III, noticing his exquisite work, granted him the royal warrant to serve the Imperial family. From this moment onwards, Fabergé became a leading name in Russia and worldwide.

Today, we remember Fabergé, especially for their Imperial Eggs and their refined enamelled objects inspired by the French 18th-century taste – so much so that the name of Fabergé and the art of enamelling became the same.

 

Cartier was born around the same years, in 1847, when Louis-François Cartier opened a boutique in Rue Montorgueil in Paris. After some time, Cartier moved closer to the Palais Royal – a clever move given that Paris organises the ateliers and workshops per neighbourhood according to their specialities: the area around the Palais Royal is dedicated to jewellers. Alfred Cartier and his son Louis decided on their last move in 1900 when Cartier relocated to 13 Rue de la Paix – today, the Maison’s iconic Parisian address.

 

1900 was a pivotal year for Cartier because this was the year of the Exposition Universelle. This event gathered many people to admire the latest and most significant advancements in various fields. It is in this energetic environment that Cartier and Fabergé “met” for the first time, as both were exhibitors at the event.

Fabergé displayed their notorious eggs, and Cartier at once recognised these precious objects’ superior craft and exquisite execution, deciding to take inspiration from them.

This should not be a surprise as, at the time, there was a mutual love between France and Russia, to the point that the Exposition Universelle in 1900 could be considered a French-Russian event. So, the French loved the Russian style, and the Russian aristocrats loved the 18th-century French style – for example, the palaces built in this period in Saint Petersburg mirrored the French architecture of Versailles and the Trianon.

 

Cartier was now willing and ready to win Fabergé’s clients, so they understood that they would have had to offer them creations close to those provided by Fabergé – this is a hypothesis. Still, it is proven by what Cartier would produce in the following years.

 

Being in Paris was, for Cartier, a great advantage. Paris is the centre of culture and fashion, and Cartier decided to show objects in its windows that looked like those proposed by the Russian Maison. At this time, Cartier was not the Maison we know today. Its style was not defined yet. Cartier was still a jewels reseller, and in 1904-1905 Pierre Cartier travelled to Russia to contact and meet with Fabergé’s leading suppliers (i.e., lapidaries, enamellers, and goldsmiths).

Following these meetings, Cartier began to commission typically Russian-style objects such as miniature lenses, matchboxes, and frames – all in coloured enamel with typically Russian colours, such as light green.

 

In 1909 Louis Cartier returned to Russia to negotiate the purchasing of stones. Still, there were problems: the journey from Paris to Moscow was a long one, the objects arrived damaged, the war between Russia and Japan called many goldsmiths to the front, thus lowering the work’s quality and, last but not least, there were also custom problems related to the payment of duties (so the objects were confiscated).

Following these problems and the granting of the royal warrant from the Russian Imperial court, Cartier understood that it was time for a change. Therefore, Cartier decided to “produce Cartier”: to define its style and produce in France to be recognised among all the others.

 

A typical example of this evolution was the clock.

Cartier streamlined shapes and colours. Four forms (round, square, cubic, and arch) and four primary colours (pink, blue, violet, and green). A significant difference with Fabergé, which counted more than 140 email colours!

Moreover, following their change in strategy, Cartier decided to produce in France – a clever idea since, in Paris, there were, at the time, circa 3.000 workshops. Finding suitable workshops to work the guilloche enamel was paramount, being translucent enamel exceedingly tricky to have.

Cartier also limited the “decorative vocabulary”, restricting the motifs to less than ten, while Fabergé listed them in the order of the hundreds.

A rationalisation of shapes, colours, and decorations (geometric, neoclassic, floral ones) helped to define a precise style and execution.

These elements were mixed in the table clocks, and these were recognised as specifically Cartier.

 

This was the moment when Cartier detached itself from the Fabergé’s inspiration – and there is another reason for this distancing: Cartier’s love for the Orient and its modernity.

Louis Cartier especially loved the Japanese Ikebana – a composition in which the flower and the whole setting are of primary importance.

It was around 1907 that Cartier stopped drawing inspiration from Fabergé (considered too much into the past) and started looking forward to what will become, during the Art Deco period, the so-called “Japonisme”.

 

The ultimate act of separation happened when, instead of opening a boutique in Saint Petersburg or Moscow, Cartier decided to move to New York.

This move propelled the French Maison to the highest levels, and it was a fortunate one if we consider what would have happened in Russia in 1917 with the Bolshevik Revolution.

 

Today, recognising the immense value of both Fabergé and Cartier’s creations, the biggest problem is counterfeiting. There are quite a few pieces out in the market that are thought to have a dubious provenance simply because, in the past, being so similar in style, artisans rebranded Fabergé pieces as Cartier, and vice versa.

 

For this reason, Olivier Bachet and fellow experts created the IAJA (International Antique Jewelers Association) Expertise Group: a team of six leading experts who can assess antique jewels’ authenticity based on scrupulous examination and research in support of buyers and collectors worldwide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog

Speakers: Fondation Fabergé – Dr. Bernard Ivaldi, Alexandra Blin Kourbatoff

 

The art of enamel in Russia is intricately tied to the ancient cultural traditions of the Byzantine Empire, which spread to the territory of Egypt, France, and Italy, becoming the foundation of the technical traditions of enamel art in these countries.

 

Already in the 4^th century BC, the Tauric Peninsula was known for golden jewelry produced by artful Greek masters, using filigree and cloisonné techniques. The techniques of the Greeks were inherited and applied at the end of the 19^th century by the master artisans of Fabergé, earning golden medals for their brand at the 1882 All-Russia Exhibition in Moscow and the Nuremberg Exposition of 1885.

 

In contemporary times, many things have been written on enamelling. People today understand the techniques, where to find supplies, and there’s been a huge progress in the chemistry and physics. A great source for information on the techniques of enamelling is Frants Birbaum’s diary. Frants Birbaum was the chief master of the Fabergé factory after the death of Carl’s brother Agathon in 1895. And Frants started giving conferences on how to produce and make enamels. Most of his diary was recovered and is actually published in a book called “Fabergé”, a comprehensive reference book, which the Fondation Fabergé published several years ago.

 

Enamel is nothing but a mass of transparent matter, glass. Various metal oxides, added to this mass, give it different colours and, where necessary, land it opacity. Enamels can be transparent or opaque (non- transparent).

 

For the processes of their use on metal, enamels can be divided into the following five categories: the cloisonné, the champlevé (on a hollowed-out surface), the plique-à-jour (perforated stained glass), the bas-relief and the painted on iron and other metals.

 

A difference between cloisonné and champlevé enamel lies in the fact that in the first case use is made of partitions of short rows of soft metal (gold or silver) fixed to the smooth surface or the sides of the article by means of soldering.

 

In the second case, the surfaces to be filled with enamel are hollowed into the plaquette itself or into the object by means of instruments.Perforated enamel (plique-à-jour) differs from the first two types in that there is no metal base, and the enamel plays the part of stained glass. When it is in bas-relief metal ornaments or very low relief figures appear under the enamel. The difference lies in the layers of enamel, which make some parts of the bas-relief deeper than others, making them stand out.

 

 

One example is a 1902 clover egg, which was presented by Tzar Nicholas II to his wife Alexandra Feodorovna. And on the invoice which was retrieved from the archives of the Soviet Union, it says rubies and rose-cut diamonds with a large four-leaf Clover, twenty-three diamonds, rose-cut diamonds and four miniatures. This Clover Egg is now in the Kremlin Armoury Museum, in Moscow. This egg was invoiced for less than 6000 rubles at the time. And was recently estimated at about $50 million!

 

In ancient times, Egyptians, Persians and Etruscans already knew enamel. Unlike the technique applied later, the Egyptians used enamel in the same way as mosaic – they cut out small pieces of a given shape, dimensioned and fixed them in already prepared partitions, in a cloisonné style. Enamel just played a part similar to that of precious stones.

 

From the 6^th century A.D., enamel may be found in Byzantine gold objects, using the cloisonné method exclusively. The best-preserved examples of this enamel appear in Russia in the Zvenigorod and Botkin collections, and consist of representations of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Evangelists, and various Saints. The technique used in these works is so advanced that it astonishes the best of contemporary enamellers.

 

From Byzantium, cloisonné enamel spread westward to France, Germany and Italy, where it was used from the 9^th to the 12^th century A.D.. Owing to its high cost, it was used only in small gold objects. During that period, a number of churches increased greatly in the West and the demand for liturgical objects necessitated seeking cheaper materials.

 

The cloisonné process, suitable for gold and silver, became very difficult to use on copper, owing to the hardness of that metal: the partitions were difficult to solder and to fashion into curves. For this reason, champlevé enamel came to replace cloisonné and transparent enamel to lose its preponderance over the opaque. The largest producers of champlevé enamels worked in the town of Limoges, in France.

 

The champlevé enamelling process yields a wide variety of results, according to the way in which the design is enamelled. The advantage of this process over cloisonné lies in having a contour which can be enlarged or reduced according to the design, thus making the method more expensive.

 

France provided the largest contingent of talented enamellers: the names of Grandhomme, Thesmar, Tourette, Hirtz, Lalique, Feuillâtre and Houillon are world-wide famous. In England, Fischer is known for his painted enamels, and in Switzerland Itten is renowned for his decorative work. At the time there were many exchanges between the workshops of Fabergé, for example, and those of Lalique and Cartier. For example, some of the masters were sent to France to work with Lalique. On the other hand, Cartier would order pieces to Fabergé which would be sent to France and branded Cartier.

 

Enamelled jewellery has a long and illustrious history. The richness and precision of the multicoloured enamels, the delicacy of the gem enhancement with the realistic beauty of the portrait make this an outstanding enamelled jewel. Enamels and micro mosaics were often the chosen mediums for Egyptian Revival Style jewels in the 19^th century.

 

Several events fostered the fascination of the French people for the Egyptian Revival Style in the 19^th century. The French had been interested in Egypt since Napoleon’s conquest. Archaeological discoveries by Auguste Marriotte in the 1860s with crates of artifacts shipped back to the Louvre further piqued interest. The Suez Canal was finally completed with much fanfare in 1867. Jewels in the Egyptian Revival Style featuring lotus flower and pharaonic motifs in red, green and blue opaque enamels aroused enthusiastic interest in the theatrically spectacular displays in the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1867.

 

Franz Peter Birbaum (his Swiss German name at birth) started working for the House of Fabergé as a draughtsman and designer in 1893. He was rapidly promoted chief draughtsman, designer and miniature painter on enamel after the death of Carl Fabergé’s brother Agathon in 1895. He was responsible for more than half of the 54 Imperial Easter eggs.

 

He came back to Switzerland right after the Bolshevik revolution, with the help of the Swiss Red Cross. Once back home, he started writing on his diary of how to proceed in order to mix colours, to do the painting on enamels and obtain the desired colours.

 

His diary is extremely precise and that is the title of this talk, “Enamelling – Fabergé best kept secret”. In other words, generations of enamellers later, and with painters starting using Birbaum’s memoirs that have been published, these secrets are known today. However, at the time, the process was well guarded.

 

So, this Birbaum’s diary is really a wealth of knowledge which was transferred from the year 1920 until he died. Unfortunately, he never went back to Russia, and he could never start the new manufacture that he was dreaming of. But his legacy remains to this days in the masterpieces he designed and produced for the House of Fabergé.

 

 

Blog

Speaker: Amanda Triossi

 

This talk will introduce the readers to the stylistic development of the necklace – from its origins to recent times.

Through this overview the readers will not only appreciate the extraordinary stylistic development of the necklace, which is linked largely to the changes of fashion, but also will appreciate all aspects that determine the value of a particular jewelled ornament.

 

Introduction

Necklaces are like rings, items that have always been worn. The very early necklaces date back to 70.000 B.C., and women have always worn them.

 

In ancient Egypt there were spectacular pieces with broad colours rendered with polychrome beads. In Greek times (circa 330 B.C.), there were fringe necklaces. We have creations in the Roman world, in the Middle Ages, in the Renaissance down to the 17^th and the 18^th century. It is a jewel which popularity never fades in time despite the changes in styles, shapes and materials.

 

The 18^th century

In the 18^th century, necklaces tend to be worn close around the neck as chokers, not to interfere with the elaborate decoration on the bodice. They tend to be entirely paved with gemstones. The more lavish examples are set with diamonds, which is a great novelty at that time, following the discovery of diamond mines in Brazil. Unfortunately, very few of them survive, and the examples that have come to our days are in the same shape and form, but are set with less precious gems – such as garnets. Same as diamonds, garnets paved the entire surface of the jewel, very tightly set – a typical feature of the 18^th century.

 

Another characteristic of necklaces in the 18^th century is that they have no clasp. Instead, necklaces are secured to the back of the neck by a big ribbon bow. Late 18^th century necklaces look more geometric. Clear stones are set in close setting (i.e., in a gold foil so that no part of the stone below the girdle is exposed to light, n.d.r.), and they are usually backed in silver, while coloured stones are backed in gold. Gold and silver are the typical metals of and way of mounting a necklace in the 18^th century.

 

The beginning of the 19^th century

In the 19^th century, in the period post the French Revolution, around 1800, women’s fashion requires to look as classical as possible. Women are wearing white muslin clothes to try and emulate ancient statues as closely as possible. With such a classical look, necklaces are worn on the base of the neck. A typical design presents rigorous oval elements that are very flat, linear and connected by chains, quite often evoking classical themes.

 

One example is shell cameo necklaces, the cameos decorated with classical themes taken from ancient mythology, to complement this “neo-classical” look. Another decorative art applied to necklaces in this period is the micro mosaic, typical of the souvenir jewels. These necklaces present micro mosaic ovals depicting, for example, views of Rome – quite common at the time. However, in the highest echelons of society, at court, and in particular in the circle of the Napoleonic Court, there is a great abundance of precious gemstones, arranged in the same way as the humbler cameos necklaces – same design, same oval elements and same chains connecting these ovals. The same style is applied to different levels of preciousness.

 

The Restoration

During the Restoration period, everything classical, related to the Napoleonic era, is scrapped, going back to more nostalgic pre-Napoleonic look. It is fashionable, in the 1820s into 1830s, to wear dresses with very exaggerated sleeves, counterbalanced by long earrings and important necklaces. It is no longer the plain, simple, classical look, but quite an elaborate one.

 

What is typical of these pieces of the 1820s and 30s is the gold work, which in jewellery is known as “cannetille”. “Cannetille” is a term which defines a type of embroidery – a kind of filigree that looks like embroidery. The jewels of this period are light, lacy and delicate, although showy and very ornate. Definitely that simplicity of the early 19^th century is completely “passée”.

 

The 1840s – 1850s

In the 1840s and 50s the big word is naturalism. And with naturalism, you have one of the most typical examples of necklaces, in the shape of serpents biting their tails.

 

Precursor of the Bulgari ones by far, one of the most typical examples is the serpent necklace paved with turquoise. In the 19^th century, turquoise stands for “forget me not”, and the colour of the Forget Me Not flower is, precisely, turquoise. Therefore, the stone itself means “don’t forget me”. With the snake biting its tail being the symbol of eternity, this necklace is actually a love jewel. The message of these serpents is not at all about evil, but it is a love message: “Don’t forget me. Love me forever”. As the symbolism of forms and stones is deeper, wearers in the 19^th century are much more aware of this particular message.

 

The 1860s and the 1870s

The necklace remains at the base of the neck, but what changes are the motifs and the materials. In the 1860s and 70s there comes to be a craze for archaeological revival jewellery and women go to wear ancient-looking jewellery. Archaeological revival necklaces were copies of genuine ancient pieces. Jewellers like Castellani try to reproduce not only the design but also the materials, and the techniques. Sometimes, these necklaces are close replicas. Some other times they are pastiches: they look like antique in style but are an invention of the late 19^th century jewellers, as no such necklace would ever have been created in ancient times.

Materials become unusual: from little shells to tiger claws, for example: this was a consequence of improved travel, of tourism, and people going travelling and acquiring souvenir jewellery in exotic locations and bringing them back to Europe.

 

The 1880s

Jewellery reverts to more traditional materials, and mainly to diamonds, as a direct consequence of new mine discoveries in South Africa, in 1867-68. Necklaces are worn in great profusion, and there is the comeback of the choker. However, this time the choker is never worn alone, but always together with another necklace underneath.

 

Quite often the necklaces are convertible, and can be worn either at the base of the neck, under the choker, or as tiara through their frames. The story goes that this trend started with Alexandra, The Princess of Wales, who set this fashion to conceal a scar that she had on her neck.

 

Between the 19^th and the early 20^th century

Chokers, mainly set with diamonds, continue to be worn also in the early 20^th century, together with an abundance of other necklaces. The difference of a 19^th century choker compared to a 20^th century one is that, in the 1880s, they would have been with diamonds mounted in silver and gold. Instead, in the 20^th century, diamonds are mounted in platinum, which makes them light and lacy.

 

Furthermore, chokers present one of the typical motifs that make them so recognisable: the Garland motif, which defines the period known in jewellery history books today as the Garland Style – one of the elements inspiring the Garland style being the decorations in ormolu that can be found in furniture typical of the Louis XVI style and which presents garland-style ormolu decorations – thus leading the way to the international spread of this style in jewellery.

 

The 1920s

In the 1920s chokers are replaced by long necklaces, which become the must-have jewel because they enhance the vertical line of the 1920s dress, which calls for long necklaces.  Sometimes some rare examples also have exotic motifs. This is the period of the Egyptian revival jewels and Egyptian motifs feature very prominently, specially following the sensational discovery, in November 1922 of the tomb of Tutankhamun. These Egyptian-styled sautoirs would feature for example faux hieroglyphs, and the Egyptian inspiration is very visible, making them another IT-jewel.

 

The 1930s

Into the 1930s the necklace becomes short again and is worn at the base of the neck. The necklaces of this period are characterised by geometric motifs and are very precious, with great abundance of diamonds. A typical feature of necklaces of the 1930s is that they are convertible, with detachable parts that can be worn as clips, as ear clips and even as a tiara.

 

The 1940s

In 1940s, the changes in the manufacture of the necklaces are linked to the material used: yellow gold. The 1940s is the decade of the Second World War, and materials are scarce. Platinum is requisitioned for the armament industry, and the supply of gemstones is interrupted. These “war jewels” are still fantastic pieces, but compared to the ones of the 1930s, they are intrinsically less valuable.

 

The 1950s

With the 1950s, after the Second World War, there is the comeback of opulence and of important diamond necklaces of high intrinsic value. The necklaces of the 1950s are fluid in design, they are characterized by asymmetrical motifs and, often, by diamond baguettes mounted in channel settings which would end with a cascade of fancy-cut diamonds.

 

For less formal looks, in the 1950s gold is still a fashionable option. In the 1950s jewellers start competing with the haute couture world, trying to create jewels that seem to be made of precious fabric. Wearing these gold jewels is like having lace, or a scarf in gold mesh, around the neck. An iconic jewel of this period is the Zip Necklace, by Van Cleeef & Arpels, created for the Duchess of Windsor – with a functioning zip, the jewel transforms into a bracelet, and it is recognised as one of the maison’s signature pieces since then.

 

The 1960s

The 1960s is the period of the miniskirts. It is a period of transgression, where everyone in every field was trying to break the rules of the past and being innovative. In fine jewellery, we still have traditional materials, but the design is unconventional.

 

The gold texture becomes rough, gemstones are set uncut. This gives the jewels a very organic look. Even those designers that are choosing more traditional materials are conveying this abstract design in their creations, a roughness that is typical of the 1960s, and in break with jewellery tradition.

 

The 1970s

In the 1970s a change in fashion brings in a maxi and deconstructed look, with strong references to ethnicity. All this is reflected in the jewellery of the period, with the necklaces that turn, once again, to the sautoir, presenting ethnic elements like the tassel, which refers to the Indian culture, or the Buddha, which goes back to Asia, together with vividly coloured gemstones. The sautoir necklace is then a common reference in both the 1920s and the 1970s, with the difference that, in the 1970s, diamonds and/or coloured stones would be mounted in yellow gold instead of in white gold or platinum.

 

The 1980s

This decade is characterised by another tremendous change in fashion: from the maxi, ethnic deconstructed look of the 1970s, to more rigid and very tailored dresses.

These call for equally tight necklaces, very structured and colourful collars – Bulgari and Marina B leading the way.

 

The whole idea, in this period, is to be bold, and one perfect example in this sense is by Marina B, who set one of her collars with the famous Jonker diamond – at the time the 4^th largest diamond found, a D Flawless of over 13 carats. Bold but casual, too, as it is not uncommon to accessorize casual looks with very important jewels.

 

From the 1990s into the Future

Each and every period in history is a reaction to what comes before. The 1990s react to the boldness of the 1980s with a defined sense of understatement and minimalism. Minimalism becomes the keyword of the period. Jewels become almost invisible, hardly to be seen – one example being necklaces with one single little diamond on a nylon string.

 

Looking forward to the future: it is fascinating to see how the necklace has changed in terms of shape, largely a result of change in fashion. What the future has in stall has yet to be established, but clearly the development for necklaces, and jewels in general, will be as exciting and as interesting as it has been for the last 72,000 years.

 

 

 

Blog

Speakers: Richa Goyal Sikri, Dharmendra Tank, David Nassi, David Bennett, Tony Brooke

Long read

 

When it comes to diamonds, unless you are tracking a diamond from mine to market, it’s impossible to tell where it’s from. Thanks to geological events that occurred millions of years ago, the characteristics of the stones make them unique. Which is why we, in addition to colour, clarity and all the other aspects that add to the value of precious stones, also look at origin.

 

And as the flow of gemstones from historic sources like Burma, Kashmir, Ceylon and Colombia has been reducing over the past decades, a new source has become quite prominent as far as mined gemstones are concerned, and that is the African continent. One of the challenges is that, even though the vast majority of mined gemstones come from Africa, when we look at auctions or at public pricing that is available to consumers, we still see African gemstones with the price tag lower than those from historic origins.

 

The discussion is then about the various sides related to the origin-based values and origin-based value perceptions, to historic discoveries and the impact that they have had on the marketplace.

 

Emeralds

Today it is estimated that in terms of quantity, approximately 40 to 50% of mined emeralds are coming from Zambia and that all the Zambian emeralds formed 500 million years ago. They were discovered in the late 70s, and the first official auction by the Zambian government happened in 1982.

 

At that time emerald grading was not as it is today. Lower grades were not that much in demand and were not getting that much of value. Today, we are seeing that groups like Gemfields and Grizzly, with their new technology, are able to create their goods in a better way. Therefore, thanks to time and technology, they have been processing, chipping, washing the goods and grading in a much better way, and we are getting a better selection and a bigger variety across the board.

 

Rubies & Provenance

Africa today is the primary source for mined rubies. It is estimated that 80% of mined rubies come from Mozambique, primarily from the Gemfields mine. More actors are joining in, such as Fura Gems, who have started auctioning goods in the last year, together with a third contender, Gem Rock, who is going to enter the ruby auction market soon.

 

Africa, as a source, has been traditionally looked down on by the industry, particularly for rubies, as these have to be Burmese. Now that this supply is down, African rubies – Mozambique, Madagascar and Tanzanian rubies – are in the ascendancy. Therefore, it could be advisable to try to cut back on this desire for pure provenance. The focus should be the value of the stone itself, how beautiful that particular stone is, and that should be the basis of the pricing structure.

 

Gems & origin-based premiums

Auction houses play a vital role in shaping value perceptions because it’s probably the only place where a consumer can see pricing and sales data published. Price levels are also confirmed by the gemmological certificates, which specify the gem’s origin.

 

However, with coloured stones it is not so easy. The first issue is that origin is still sometimes subject to conjecture: a gem can sometimes offer to clients two certificates stating two different origins, and this generates mistrust.

 

Historically, in the early ‘70s, gemmological certificates were unknown in the auction world.

Precious gems prices would be set by looking at previous sales, which would create a precedent. It was not until mid to late ’90s that gemmological certificates at auction came in.

 

Rubies & Spinels

Spinel in industry circles was once known as “the dealer stone” because it was primarily appreciated by people who were in the industry, and this was despite the fact that spinel has a history as rich as that of a ruby. Some may even say that spinels have been responsible for the lore and the brand that ruby has today, because many historic stones that were mistaken for rubies were actually spinels (the most famous, the “Black Prince Ruby”, is a 170-carat spinel set in the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom, n.d.r.).

 

Since the discovery of spinels in 2007, there has been a consistent supply of top quality, very bright, vivid spinels. Now that consumers can see that there is value in this stone, that there is history, and there is supply, they can start to acquire it and the collection becomes more important. And with the dwindling supply and quality to that supply, prices have gone remarkably up – from $5,000 a carat to $50,000 a carat today. At the same time, size is decreasing, so while it was easy to find a 100-carat stone back in 2007/8, today to find a very clean 20-carat stone is quite difficult.

 

Emeralds & pricing

The largest emerald mine in the world is in Zambia today. Being a publicly listed company, Gemfields publish all their auction sales revenue data in detail on their website. By looking at data that has been published since they started the auction, in 13 years, the price for the high-quality rough emeralds coming from their mine has increased in 13 years, going from $5 per carat to $150 per carat.

 

For the African material, we have seen a potential growth over a period of time and a ratio of increase of 300% for the rough. On the cut goods, the ratio is even higher, especially when it comes to finer stones. This happens partly because some stones are coming to auction and now clients are more aware of them, they have started appreciating them. Potentially, there is no limit to the price level cut emeralds can reach.

Gems certificates: yay or nay?

Clients are gravitating towards origin labels when it comes to coloured stones. The reason might be that there is some customer confusion and those who may not necessarily have the in-depth knowledge related to cut, clarity, character, treatments, would hang on to something that they recognise. Words like Burma, Ceylon, Kashmir evoke something in their imagination. But by doing this, clients could risk buying certificates, more than stones.

 

This is particularly true with coloured stones, for which the colour becomes a much more subtle matter. The differences between two vivid blue diamonds, or orangy pinks, or vivid pinks, are subtleties that can generate massive differences in price.

 

Market demand

From a dealer’s perspective, considering the auction houses as a price indicator could be unfair because, historically, they were only offering Kashmir, Sri Lankan, Burmese stones. These stones were attractive, while African stones are not perceived at the same level as those from Kashmir, Sri Lanka or Burma, and they do not have price precedents.

 

One element that is probably going to reverse this will be the jewellery maisons using African gems for their jewels – such as Cartier, who is starting using Mozambique rubies.

 

The demand for rubies on the market is huge, and unfortunately the Burmese stones are becoming unavailable. So mining companies like Gembridge are now actively promoting Mozambique’s rubies on their platforms, and over the coming years, Mozambique rubies will finally be seen being used by the major jewellery houses and in 10, 15, 20 years from now, the secondary market will start to appreciate a 5-carat, loop-clean, Mozambique ruby whereas at the moment it does not.

 

The cross-pollination of gems

Gems cross-pollination happens when gems go from a lesser known, or new, deposit, to a better-established market. This phenomenon has been going on for centuries. In the 1700s diamonds were discovered in Brazil. And at that time, the primary source of diamonds was India. So the main market being Europe, all the European diamond merchants were sitting on stocks of Golconda diamonds and when this deposit was found in Brazil, they were nervous that this new discovery was going to bring down the value of the Indian Golconda diamonds that they were sitting on. So they started a campaign, saying that all these diamonds from Brazil were of an inferior quality, that they were not as good as the ones coming from India.

 

On the other hand, the Portuguese, who were colonial masters in Brazil, and also in Goa, which was the main trading hub for diamonds at that time, exported the diamonds from Brazil to Goa, and sold those Brazilian diamonds to those same European merchants as Golconda diamonds. This is something that we have seen happening with many discoveries from the African continent, for example with Nigerian and Mozambique tourmalines taken to Brazil and sold as Paraiba tourmalines, or Mozambique rubies cut in the Burmese style and sold in Burma as Burmese or (the most famous one in the industry) beautiful velvety blue sapphires from Madagascar sold with certificates as Ceylon and some maybe even as Kashmir sapphires.

 

The question of what type of gemstones tend to carry this region-based price premiums in the market is quite relevant because, first of all, it does not qualify for every type of category and value to carry that premium, and secondly because there are only certain types of labs that even have the equipment to certify origin. There are some spectacular stones that don’t sell, or that haven’t sold because they have a Gübelin certificate and an SSEF certificate both saying it is a no-heat sapphire, but one certificate says it is Kashmir and the other one that it is Madagascar and the stone remains unsold, which can appear quite absurd. This shows that it all comes down to the opinion of the gemmologist – which is not science, but it is the interpretation of an individual.

 

Buying gemstones: practical advice

The main advice then, when buying a gem, is to choose quality above anything else – and to choose a gem we love.

 

Most people, when they buy a gem, do it by using their eyes. Therefore, one ends up buying a stone he/she is perfectly happy with, because it looks exactly what he/she wanted it to look like. Even considering potential treatments. This aspect goes back to consumer/client education. There should be no problem for anybody to buy a lovely three-carat heat-treated Sri Lankan sapphire, or a treated three-carat Madagascan sapphire as long as they know what it is.

 

And if the seller explained to the clients that a three-carat Madagascan sapphire can be purchased for $2000 a carat and that it can be compared to a three-carat, non-heat treated stone, also from Madagascar, that is going to cost three times as much – if all this could be explained clearly, correctly, coherently across the market, then understanding would be there. Trade and consumer education on gem origin, colour treatments and the associated value will be of great benefit for the whole industry.

 

Blog

Lecture by Vivienne Becker, jewellery historian and author – Long Read

 

Modernism is a hundred years old, but it is still very much alive and is driving jewellery into a whole new mood of avant-garde conceptual, abstract sophistication. There are distinct parallels between the 1920s and the 2020s, between the original modernist movement and our 2020s vision of modernity.

 

Vivienne Becker’s lecture explores these parallels through the major artistic and cultural influences that shaped a whole century that illustrate how Modernism evolved through time.

 

Modernism – the beginning

 

Modernism officially started in the 1920s. The emphasis on jewellery design was on abstract forms, on geometry, on simple compositions of shape, form, colour and texture – in stark contrast to the Belle Epoque garland style and to the naturalistic shapes and forms of Art Nouveau jewellery.

 

The beginning of the XXth century was characterised by huge technological innovations and increased trade relations that opened the doors to a wealth of cultural exchanges across countries and continents. Therefore, one of the most important influences on jewels of the 1920s is Orientalism.

 

Fashion was changing dramatically after 1910. The couturiers of the time changed the female silhouette. They freed women from their corsets, and they were obsessed, like everyone involved in design and fashion at the time, with Orientalism.  Part of Orientalism was the interest in exotic, foreign cultures, and this ushered in the concept of the famous Panther by Cartier. The panther motif is an abstract interpretation of the Panther’s skin, and the way it was designed also paved the way to the craze for black and white jewels deriving from the suppression of colour and the use of white diamonds and black onyx.  Another relevant influence came from the Islamic art. Many of the building blocks of Art Deco came from Islamic art and design, so that the geometry of Islamic decorative design of architecture could be represented, for example, into a vanity case.

 

Colours were particularly important, too. The first performance of the Ballet Russe in Paris was in 1910, with the Scheherazade, and that performance evoked the idea of colour that was introduced into jewellery.

 

The early phase of Art Deco.

Art Deco can be divided into two main styles. The first one was Art Deco and its interpretations of the classical motifs that came from the Belle Epoque: the neoclassical motives, the motives from French 18th century revivalist style, like the vase or the urn. During the Art Deco, these motives became stylised, flattened, and the naturalism of Art Nouveau tended to geometry.  Another important influence came from African art. This came from the colonies, from travelling, from the fascination and understanding of foreign lands and distant cultures. Artists and designers including Picasso were particularly fascinated by African masks, by tribal art and jewellery. The mask played an important part in ceremonial ritual and the attraction for this object is at the origin of mask jewels, which were so popular at the time. From Africa to Asia, as the Asian one is another strong influence on jewellery design.

 

Jean Fouquet designed a Chinese mask jewel, a famous jewel of the period with turquoise beads. And what is interesting about this jewel is the change of shape and form: the focus of the shape changes from the horizontal to the vertical in line with the fashion of the time^[1].

 

Another strong influence on Art Deco came from the Egyptian art, which was so popular in these years, particularly because Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in 1922 (exactly a hundred years ago). Jewellers like Cartier used antiquities in their Egyptian revival jewels which became highly sought after by collectors (as they are today, partly because they used authentic Egyptian antiquities around which the jewels were designed). Furthermore, Cubism and Futurism played an enormous role in the development of Modernism, thanks to their focus on geometry. Futurist art encapsulated the high energy and speed of modern life and modern world of science, technology, and industry, of travel, particularly of cars, planes and trains, and an urban idea of living. So, Futurist Art stood for the new urban living.

 

Thinking of which, one could find parallels to today. Artists and designers were turning their backs on the past, on nostalgia. And women, too, were enjoying a whole new way of living. There is a whole new world order at that time after World War One. The social order had changed: women had taken on men’s jobs during the Great War; they were driving, they were dancing, they played sports, they drank cocktails, they smoked, and clothes had to suit their new lives and lifestyles. Here came the flapper dresses, with long, lean silhouettes with bear arms, which cried out for bracelets. Women wore their hair short requesting long earrings. The result was the elongation of the silhouette, echoed in jewellery.

 

And jewels had to evolve because they had to reflect the new ideals of femininity. The geometry of modernism was also captured in the new diamond cuts. Progress had been made in diamond cutting and the favourite cut of the day was the baguette, a little geometric bar of light, together with the emerald cut, which was used to construct those angular, geometric outlines that were part of Modernism by using the kind of rigorous geometry that Mrs Becker calls “gem architecture”.

 

From Art Deco to Modernist Jewels

In the 1920s, a group of talented artists introduced what Vivienne Becker defines as the “true modernism” to jewellery. These jewels are opposed to, or from, Art Deco jewellery. It is a quite different aesthetic; the jewels were made in a different spirit. The jewellers, many of whom came from long established families of jewellers, took a very radical approach to the art of the jewel. And these include artists like Jean Fouquet, the son of George Fouquet, Raymond Templier, Gerard Sandoz… And Raymond Templier was perhaps the most radical of them all, as he created startlingly modernist jewels for Hollywood – as pictures of the diva Brigitte Helm, famous for her role in Metropolis, show – the beginning of the relationship between jewellery and Hollywood, which was to have a really important influence on jewellery design.

 

1925

After 1925, after that burst of exuberant bright colour and arresting colour combinations (such as the “Tutti Frutti” jewels by Cartier), colour was suppressed. After 1925, jewels became monochrome, in black and white, or all white. Jewellers loved the use of reflective metallic surfaces. They played with light and light became a primary part of the jewel, along with gemstones. The design was a pure composition of light in form and shape. Nothing figurative, everything was abstracted. However, the most important influence, particularly for this group of artists-jewellers, came from the machine and, as Templier said “as I walk in the streets, I see ideas for jewellery everywhere, the wheels, the cars, the machinery of today”. This gave him and his colleagues a whole new visual language and an aesthetic where strong, powerful forms replaced any intricacy or representational motifs and compositions. And in fact, in 1925 the modernist artists (not only jewellers, but decorative designers and artists alike), set up their own “Union des Artistes Modernes” – with the jewellers joining in, this union became a real driving force.

 

In all this, technology was central. It was technology that created the modern world as it is today. The advance of technology today is fast and is radically affecting our lives. Therefore, we could say that there is a new modernist movement today. And back in the 1925 the machine represented liberation and this new world represented travel, work was easier as it was mechanised. The assembly line industry was thriving. Artist-jewellers saw the real beauty in the machine as they did in other mechanical shapes like metal tubing, crankshafts, all sorts of elements of machinery. This reinforced the monochrome trend, and it is interesting to observe how Cartier was able to anticipate it back in 1914 with its Panther skin motif – quite avant-garde at that time.

 

Geometric jewels flourished, with artists like Gerard Sandoz mixing different metals with unusual or less precious materials in the same creation. Lacquer was also frequently used. This was probably because these artists wanted to launch a message about perceived preciousness. They wanted to elevate the jewel to a true work of art, so they downplayed the intrinsic value as they wanted to change the emphasis in the jewel – from a status symbol to work of art. These were artists playing with the preciousness of materials, introducing non-traditional, humble materials like lacquer, using metal tubing as a decorative feature with very sharp, very graphic motifs. Of course, the mainstream jewellers also took onboard modern life and the new modernism infiltrated the big Maisons, with Cartier leading the way.

 

 

From 1925 to the end of 1930s

There was a marked change towards the end of the 1930s. And one can pin this change down to the year 1937, when there was another Paris exhibition, the “Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne”, which shows how the expression “modern life” was a key expression of the period.

 

Women became increasingly active, taking on men’s jobs, and they started influencing jewellery design. One of the greatest examples in this sense was Suzanne Belperron. She designed very modernist, very mechanistic jewels. However, midway through the 1930s the jewels, while still being abstract, and still very modernist, started to become more rounded, a little bit more feminine.

 

The Retro Style

The year 1937 marked a milestone: it was the start of the so-called “cocktail era”, also known as “retro modern”, or the 1940s style. Jewels designed in the late 1930s are still mechanistic, strong, abstract, still based on geometry, but they are more plumped up, more voluptuous, showing a sort of “frozen movement”, as Vivienne Becker said.

 

From a social point of view, one has to consider that in this period the economy was not at its highest, and with the Second World War the most noble and precious metals and gems were no longer available. Therefore, these circumstances led to bold, curvy jewels that used volumes to appear precious. That was a “big look for less money”. And again in 1939, the world’s fair in New York captured the “tomorrow” as well – the theme was “tomorrow’s world”. Some of the jewels exhibited in those jewellery pavilions illustrated the cocktail style of the late 30s going into the 1940s, which again is another interpretation of modernism.

 

The 1960s and 1970s

This was another great time of social, cultural and artistic change, of social revolution. It was a time that looked to the future, which was obsessed with perhaps not so much modernism, but with futurism – a time of space and scientific exploration. And that, combined with the social revolution, with the New World order, generated a new mood of modernism in jewellery design which was to prove enormously influential once again.

 

History repeats itself, and the inspirations came once again from the machine, from technology, and jewellers like Jean Dinh Van, a French Vietnamese designer who had studied in Paris, wanted to bring a new expression to the art of the jewel, drawing on everyday industrial objects. Dihn Van’s favourite motifs were locks and razor blades and handcuffs. His creations show the enduring influence of the 1920s machine age and the original modernists, and the connexion of jewellery to the radical art of the 60s and 70s.

 

One of the most representative designers of this time was Aldo Cipullo. He was famous for saying “I designed for today thinking of tomorrow. I believe in tomorrow” and his whole focus was on modernity, bringing jewellery into modern day life, making it relevant.  He had a love for the hardware store, he moved to New York from Rome and, in 1969, he offered Cartier his design for the love bangle, for which he had been inspired by the hardware store as well as – as the story goes – by a broken love affair. His hardware components, the nuts and bolts and screws, they all seemed tough and industrial. But to Cipullo they owned a particular warmth: the warmth of brass in the hardware shop. They also represented connectivity, the strength of bonds, that interconnectedness of relationships that he craved. But, he said, people forget each other. So one can look at the bracelet and think of the person who gave it to you, obviously because it came with a little screwdriver, and the screw heads were screwed into place so you couldn’t take it off without the screwdriver, which was intended to be held by your loved one or by your partner.

 

Therefore, Cipullo, while wanting something strong and geometric, was also looking for an expression that was warmer, embracing and he focused on the circle, which is the purest of geometric forms. According to Cipullo, this was not in response to a need or desire that he felt, he picked up on instinctively for more gentleness in life. He wasn’t influenced by fashion, but by picking up so beautifully on the mood of the moment, his jewels definitely became part of fashion.

 

Fashion, in the 1960s, subtly changed from modernism to futurism. It was all about space age. Jewels had to reflect modern life. The woman in the 1960s was even more liberated (think of the mini skirt). And, if Suzanne Belperron was the buzz word between the 1930s and the 1940s, Elsa Peretti became the epitome of the modern woman in the 1960s and 1970s. Although her jewels were not strictly modernist, as we think of modernism today, they were incredibly modern at that time, and they changed the course of jewellery history.

 

In the 1960s and 70s designers did not feel they had to come from a traditional background. They did not have to be traditionally trained. And this of course brought new, dynamic, and creative energy into the industry. Once again, the modern movement came from a small group of artist-jewellers which began and found its home in London, led by Andrew Grima. He was not traditionally trained at the bench, but he had the opportunity and the talent and the vision and imagination to bring a whole fresh look to high jewellery. His style was very much in response to new wealth, to a new generation of young, wealthy potential jewellery lovers who had a different lifestyle, and wanted their jewels to reflect that. Such a lifestyle was freer, less formal, had to be more casually opulent and not ruled by outdated traditions. Grima is famous today for his textured gold work. He cast a lot from nature as well, but he used those ridged lines of gold soldered together to bring a new, organic feeling to jewellery. Grima was also famous for introducing coloured stones, those semi-precious stones that had been looked down on, and he also was not afraid to use uncut stones, geodes, crystals. In Grima’s jewels one can feel the movement, the energy, dynamism of this new generation of jewellers.

 

Contemporary Modernist Jewellers

Looking at some of today’s jewellers who work in the Modernist style Hemmerle, in Munich, comes to mind. This is a story of a family jeweller with a new generation taking over and wanting to change things, to move in time, in the spirit of the moment. When he took over the traditional family business, Stephan Hemmerle introduced a whole new look that really harked back to the geometry and stylization of the 1920s and was particularly connected to contemporary art, focussing on compositions of shape and colour. Everything was reduced in line and form, through new explorations of unusual materials, such as iron and bronze, together with many different coloured stones.

 

Everyone is moving in tune with today’s modernism. Even the grandest Maisons are applying innovative technologies to create volumes and stylised, geometric forms to reinterpret designs from their past – once again, Cartier’s Panther is the perfect example.

 

An example are the jewels by Fabio Salini, jeweller in Rome, who had experimented for some 20 years to find a whole new expression for the art of the jewel that he felt was relevant to today. He works in pure geometric forms, striking compositions of colour and shape, and he uses reflective surfaces as the artist-jewellers did in the 1920s to create an illusion. Fabio Salini’s jewels show the juxtaposition of classic precious materials with more unconventional ones, such as the carbon fibre. His designs show tribal contaminations, and combine sophistication with the ethnic element of art.

 

Today is not only characterised by the influence of new techniques, but also by new materials, particularly titanium, which is the space age material, very strong and light. Huge progress has been made in the last decade in working in titanium, which can now be shaped, moulded, and sculpted. More experimentation involves materials such as concrete, siberium; designs are influenced by contemporary art designers and by the use of layered perspectives to reach a three-dimensional appeareance.

 

Jewellery design is cyclical. It is time for a change and, according to Vivienne Becker, we are moving into a new, more graphic, more geometric look. This could be a new interpretation of the organic look, perhaps of that representational view of nature that we have become so used to over the past few decades, that is possible today by new technology, by new materials and of course by highly skilled craftsmanship.

^[1] In the Belle Epoque, women had a S-shape silhouette with their busts pushed forward, their hips put back but pushed back. They were tightly corseted, so it is a very curvaceous style, and the emphasis was on the corsage and jewels were vertical and huge in shape.

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A panel led by Vivienne Becker, in which Amanda Triossi, Vanessa Cron, and Juliet de la Rochefoucauld discuss jewellery and its value through time.

 

Writing about jewellery and doing it by looking back in time is quite a recent activity. Antique jewellery did not use to be part of the fashion world, and it was something only discerned collectors could appreciate. In the present day, a new trend for antique and vintage jewels began when Miuccia Prada started wearing antique brooches on her clothes in the 1990s. Another robust input to jewellery, which brought back a solid reference to the history and techniques of jewellery design, is JAR (Joel Arthur Rosenthal): he proved that a way to look to the future of jewellery is often through its past.

 

Little by little, the most prominent jewellery Maisons, together with the auction houses, started writing monographic works on their heritage. The production of jewellery books brought back and enhanced an appreciation for the historic value of their creation, combining the brands’ continuity in the present and their allure.

 

So, what is the value of legacy or heritage to a brand? Amanda Triossi stated that one of the critical aspects to consider is that a brand with a strong heritage has gravity; it proves its longevity and financial success. Cartier was the first Maison to build on this, and it started a process which shows how rich and inspiring the Maisons are.

 

Brand heritage indeed confirms a brand’s status not only for what it created in the past but also and foremost for what it will create in the future. As a result, a brand’s heritage is an endless source of inspiration for jewellery designers, and it allows the brand to be consistent with its core DNA. This is also why big names such as Cartier, Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels all have a Heritage Department, hosting their heritage collections – collections that are constantly enriched not only by antique and vintage but also by contemporary pieces.

 

Therefore, it is a pity that there is not a higher focus on the history of jewellery in the courses of History of Art – knowing this would allow a full appreciation of stylistic influences and designs because the link between the past and jewellery is not so obvious. Vanessa Cron highlighted how there are still a limited number of schools where one can learn about the history of jewellery and that the history of a brand in jewellery is critical. Because if a brand wants to be part of history, it should tell its history. First, the brand needs to know it – and many houses did not have such a historical awareness. They knew they had a past, but they did not learn about their history, which is quite different.

 

So, once a brand starts looking into its past, it starts looking into its history and can share it with the world. Consequently, the brand’s history becomes part of the newest creations as these will be inspired by the brand’s history and legacy. Therefore, according to Vanessa Cron, the history of a jewellery brand is so vital for its future development.

 

 

One additional point for consideration is now about contemporary jewellery brands – how can they build their heritage and legacy, considering that they need to establish their name first? Because when you are making your jewellery brand, sourcing the gems, designing the pieces, finding workshops willing to produce for you and managing all the costs, you might forget simply to take pictures of your creations. Amanda Triossi said this is a pity because it prevents future generations from appreciating a new brand’s talent and innovative design approach. Jewellery creations show the brand’s vision. It would be imperative to document that for the future – not only because it is about jewellery, but also about art.

 

If a jewel is a piece of art, it is also true that one of the most critical parts of a jewellery brand’s legacy lies in storytelling. Storytelling enhances the value of the brand’s legacy and its authenticity. History is so rich in events, so meaningful, and it has been around for such a short time that the public keeps coming back to it, willing to know more and more. Brand storytelling is not only about an object (however beautiful it might be), but it is also about the people behind it – from the brand’s owners to the designers and the gem experts and the workshops that realised these masterpieces. Storytelling reveals all this to a public who was unaware and creates the jewel’s magic, fascination, and human side.

 

Through storytelling, a jewel becomes the history of someone; it is passing through the hands of people, which is extraordinary because jewellery is also the only form of wearable art. So that means that one could wear a jewel worn by someone else 300 years before.

 

A jewel communicates and transmits history and provenance. So storytelling is a fundamental way to define a context around and a better understanding of these jewels, which will mean a higher value – the more you understand the creation, the more value you will recognise in it.

 

       

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Image caption: White gold earrings by VAK Fine Jewels featuring vivid green Colombian emeralds certified insignificant oil, with rose-cut diamonds.

Since time immemorial, emeralds have captured our imagination like no other gemstone. Whether their historical association to the exotic Cleopatra, the belief of native Colombians in their divinity or the Mughals who carved emeralds with prayers hoping for heavenly protection, each generation has discovered a facet of this verdant gem that transcends the tangible.

It is this heady combination of history, mysticism and beauty that has and continues to draw us towards emeralds, making them, one of the most popular of all coloured gems. Whether Colombian, Zambian, Panjshir or Brazilian, we can’t get enough of this hypnotic mineral. However, in our quest for acquisition, lets pause and reflect on four essential factors that determine the trajectory of value appreciation for this elixir of life!

BEAUTY: The first to drive demand will always be beauty. For emeralds, it is their colour, crystal quality, clarity and cut. The closer your emerald is to the primary green hue, the higher the value. While a pale green gem may beautifully compliment a light peach attire, from an investment point of view, perfectly saturated emeralds displaying a well-balanced, rich green hue will better appreciate. Alongside colour, the crystal quality or lustre of the gem is equally important. In India, the trade refers to emeralds with excellent crystal quality/lustre as “Paanidar” or reflecting light in a manner where the gem appears laden with water. Additionally, the style of cutting is also an indication of perceived value. Top quality is typically facetted or cut into a square, rectangle (emerald cut), or round shape. Cabochons, either as classic domes or unique shapes like a lozenge, sugarloaf, usually come from the second tier of material, while the lowest quality is crafted as beads or carved. However, the intimate nature of gem acquisition can change our perception of value. I love cabochon and sugarloaf emeralds as I feel they have more character, which also allows me to acquire top-grade within this segment, without burning too big a hole in my pocket. Finally, while the market places a higher value on cleaner emeralds, for me one of the most beautiful features of these minerals is their eye-visible inclusions. Representing a frozen moment of creativity, the compositions inside these precious gems impeccably denote their distinctive personality.

RARITY: While beauty may spur demand, it’s the rarity factor that determines the price and drives value appreciation. The scarcity in emeralds comes from natural beauty devoid of artificial enhancement. Emeralds typically undergo two manners of treatments, “oiling” and “resin filling”, with the former further sub-categorised as insignificant, minor, moderate etc. The most valuable emeralds are devoid of any treatment, as the degree of enhancement increases, value proportionately adjusts. In Colombian emeralds, only 0.0195% are “no oil”, with the figure approximately 5% in Zambian material. While its perfectly acceptable to buy emeralds with insignificant, minor or moderate oil, its essential to understand how treatments impact the trajectory of value appreciation. The rarity factor also stems from the unique set of circumstances surrounding emerald creation. For example, Zambian emeralds form only when the 1.7 billion-year-old TMS rock (Talc magnetite schist), interacts with a 500 million-year-old pegmatite rock. Where these two rocks intersect, if a miner is lucky, he/she may find a ‘reaction zone’, inside which they may find emeralds of varying quality. To put things in perspective, at the world’s largest emerald mine in Zambia (KAGEM by Gemfields), they move 1 million tonnes of rock every month to reach emerald bearing ‘reaction zones’. Important to note, 70% of their revenue comes from only 7% of their top-quality production.

CERTIFICATION: The third element in value appreciation is provenance. Ten years from now, you are ready to sell your beautiful top-grade emerald, where do you go? You could return to your jeweller, he may buy-back at the same price or may offer to sell it further, which depending on the market forces at play, may result in profit. The second option is to trade internationally with a jeweller or a vintage jewellery merchant. In both scenarios, beyond the gem’s physical qualities, having a certificate from an internationally recognised gem lab like the European SSEF, Gubelin or the American AGL, will further enhance value. Some other reputable labs used by the trade for emeralds and other coloured gems are the GJEPC in Jaipur, GGTL in Switzerland, CDTEC in Bogota, AIGS, ICA, GIA and Bellerophon in Bangkok.

RESPONSIBLY SOURCED: One of the most important topics discussed at industry forums, is responsible sourcing of gemstones and precious metals. Discerning customers prefer buying gems and jewellery that can be certified as acquired from a trustworthy source. For some, it may stem from superstition or a cultural preference to avoid negative energies; others understand the financial value in obtaining ‘clean goods.’ Given this, industry stakeholders are collaborating to create transparent mine-to-market traceability of gemstones. One example is Swiss laboratory Gubelin’s ‘emerald paternity test’, which employs DNA-based nanoparticles to track the journey of emeralds from their source to the customer. Emeralds containing this technology are certified with “Provenance Proof” branding, providing a tangible testament of their origin. Should a customer, want to verify the claim, the nanoparticles can be retrieved and decoded at any stage along the supply chain. Similarly, SSEF has recently concluded a pilot to provide customers with detailed certificates documenting the production process for Rubies from mine to market.

To quote Plato, “Human behaviour comes from three main sources: desire, emotion and knowledge.” Just like everything in your wardrobe is not couture, every single emerald you own doesn’t need to be top-grade. However, as you navigate this confusing marketplace and build your collection, a clear understanding of what truly drives long-term value appreciation, will hold you in good stead for the foreseeable future and generations to come.

 

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Image: Shirley Temple Blue Bird diamond, Windsor Jewelers

Provenance can enhance the value of extraordinary jewels enabling the owner to possess a unique piece of history or to prize an exceptionally rare origin.

At the coming edition of GemGenève (May 9-12, 2019) some pieces of jewellery and gemstones have an unusual story of ownership or origin which will make them even more desirable.

“Historical provenance (an emerald brooch belonging to Liz Taylor, for example) and geological origin (a Burmese ruby from the legendary mines of Mogok) can rocket standard quality criteria through the roof and create world record results for already gorgeous gems,” said Helen Molesworth, managing director of Gübelin Academy.

At GemGeneve, a superb blue diamond that will be showcased by Windsor Jewelers, will be the Shirley Temple Blue Bird, a more-than-9-carat fancy deep blue, internally flawless diamond.

It has superb provenance as it once belonged to the Hollywood child star, increasing its appeal.

Exhibitor Pat Saling will present some exceptional pieces with a unique history.

She is showcasing a necklace designed by Juliette Moutard of the house of Rene Boivin for Madame Louise de Vilmorin.

Louise de Vilmorin was a famous French novelist, poet and journalist. She was born in the family chateau outside of Paris. She wrote several novels and received the Renee Vivien prize for women’s poets in 1949.

She was also known as a woman of great taste and sophistication. In the Boivin book, Jeanne Boivin described her as one of their favourite clients who wore jewellery with great elegance.  

She had two husbands, the first an American real estate heir, the second a Count described as a Hungarian playboy, and was the mistress of a British Ambassador to France and the companion of the French Cultural Affairs Minister.

The necklace itself was designed from an older platinum and pearl sautoir that Moutard then updated with coloured stones set in gold and accented with diamonds to be a more exciting piece of jewellery and be more in keeping with the style of the times.

“Most of the time we do not have the provenance of a piece of jewellery for a variety of reasons,” Pat said.

“But when we can trace a piece of jewellery back to an owner it is always an important piece of information and does add to the allure of a piece of jewellery.

“As with this necklace, the fact that we know it belonged to a woman who was considered a woman of great taste, who had a large jewellery collection and was recognized by her generation and subsequent generations, is icing on the cake.

“People like to own a little piece of history and when you know that a piece of jewellery was part of an important collection it adds to the value of that piece.”

Pat Saling is also presenting an important cabochon sapphire and diamond ring in platinum created by celebrated designer Suzanne Belperrron and dating to about 1940.

Belperron had an amazing and recognizable style which was sought after by the wealthy and elegant women of her generation.

Her clients included the Duchess of Windsor, Chanel, Diana Vreeland, Daisy Fellowes, and Elsa Schiaparelli to name a few.

Her jewels were often featured in French and American Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and used by the great fashion houses of the day to accessorize their collections.

“The important provenance of this ring is that it was in the personal collection of Suzanne Belperron and that adds to its mystique and its value,” Pat said.

“Here is a designer who can have anything she wants since she is designing the jewellery and this ring is one of the pieces that she chooses to be her personal ring. That kind of validation is rare because usually the creator of a piece of art or jewellery is making it for someone else.

“But this ring is a piece that she chose to own herself. It was exciting for me to know this when I bought it.  It will always make this particular ring be more desirable to have been part of a great designer’s personal collection.”

In terms of gemstones, Richard Haruni of Haruni Fine Gems says provenance is a major factor for him when buying and selling gems.

“Origin above all else will be the factor that will set two seemingly identical stones apart,” he says.
 
“You see this in pretty much every variety of gemstone whether it’s ruby for Burma and Mozambique, sapphires for Kashmir/Burma/Sri Lanka/Madagascar (in that order), emeralds with Colombia and Zambia and now Ethiopia, or specialist stones like Paraiba tourmalines from Brazil, pink or red spinels from Burma or Australian Opals.

“Let’s not forget the premium fetched by Argyle pink diamonds and type II Golconda.  Origin sets them apart.”

Anne Wild of Paul Wild speaks of the importance of Brazilian origin in setting the highest premiums for Paraiba tourmalines.

“The provenance of a gemstone is getting more and more important. This means for high quality/value of rare gemstones like ruby, sapphire, emerald — and not to forget Paraiba tourmaline.

“Paraiba tourmaline has been our bestselling stone for years and here the origin of Brazil has become more crucial.”

Bruno Scarselli of Scarselli Diamonds said that as a diamond manufacturer he would interpret “provenance” as “origin.”

“In the diamond industry awareness of ‘origin’ would permit someone like me to recognize certain manufacturing aspects which would allow for better colour outcome when cutting a rough stone,” he says.

Ingo Henn of Henn of London says it is vital to authenticate the provenance of a piece to add value.

“It is important to be able to verify the item — otherwise people can claim any provenance,” he says.

“It will certainly add to the desirability and value. Even more so if there’s connection with a very famous person.

“Gemstones can have their own history and personality, both of which can be enhanced with their provenance. “

The top lot in the Sotheby’s “magnificent jewellery” sale last November, a pearl and diamond pendant that belonged to Marie Antoinette, achieved a world record price for a pearl of $36 million — some 20 times its pre-sale estimate.

The extraordinary provenance of this pearl – its ties to the ill-fated last Queen of France before the French Revolution, an Austrian Archduchess who married the future King Louis XVI and was executed by guillotine – was a key driver of the sale price.

An anonymous private buyer bought the jewel for a startling world record price of $36 million for a pearl, a huge premium over its pre-sale estimate of $1-2 million.

The extraordinary price garnered for the pendant was very much due to its exceptional royal provenance – the fact that the Queen of France had held this piece in her own collection shortly before her execution centuries ago.

“Because of its size, rarity and quality, the commercial value of such a pearl can be estimated to be between three to five million Swiss francs,” said Thomas Faerber, a co-founder of GemGeneve.

“The rest is historical value. In my opinion, the final price is also a world record for historical jewellery at auction.”

People who handled the pendant in the days before the Sotheby’s sale felt a little bit as though they possessed a moment of that history – a strange feeling, like being pushed back hundreds of years. A sense of grandeur – with a feeling of unique emotions.

“It is extremely difficult to calculate how much the provenance will add to the value of a piece of jewellery, and in this case much of the price achieved for the pearl pendant was due to its story relating to Marie Antoinette,” said Daniela Mascetti, Chairman Jewellery Europe of Sotheby’s.