SAJN (SA Jewellery News) • February 2017

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Expansion plans for Forevermark in Southern Africa Valentine’s Day: keeping tradition alive A history of English watchmaking

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c ntents 15. DIAMONDS WFDB and IDMA prepare for Presidents' Meeting and Finance Seminar

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17. VALENTINE’S DAY Keeping tradition alive

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6. NEWS • Sotheby’s combines luxury categories • Registration for Israel’s International Diamond Week outstrips expectations • GIA invites researchers to apply for post-doctoral fellowships • Alrosa auction to offer polished and rough 10+ct diamonds • India focuses on fighting fraud • Italian Exhibition Group accredited at the United Nations • Richline acquires The Aaron Group

20. BRAND MANAGEMENT

• Franck Muller inaugurates new setting for its WPHH show

• Luxury watchmaker signifies quality

• New tender centre to be launched during IDWI

• La Esmeralda Tourbillon

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• Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar for women

12. DIAMONDS Expansion plans for Forevermark in Southern Africa

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The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the owners and the Diamond and Jewellery Federation of South Africa, its members, the publisher or its agents. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither the owners and the Diamond and Jewellery Federation of South Africa, the editor nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors; or for any misfortune, injury or damages which may arise therefrom. The same applies to all advertising. SA Jewellery News© 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publishers. ISSN 1817-5333.

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Expansion plans for Forevermark in Southern Africa Valentine’s Day: keeping tradition alive

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NEWS

IEG LAUNCHES 2017 WITH TWO EXPOS 2017 is getting off to a great start for the Italian Exhibition Group SpA (IEG). The new player on the expo scene was officially founded on 1 November. IEG began the new year with two world-level expos – VicenzaOro and SIGEP – each in its respective market, but based on the same great value: things well done in Italy.

“Overall, the two expos featured over 4 000

exhibitors, with 260 000 trade visitors, of whom, with a wonderful international profile, over 70 000 came from abroad,” states IEG President Lorenzo Cagnoni.

On Friday, 20 January, Fiera di Vicenza hosted the inauguration of VicenzaOro January, the international jewellery boutique. Until 25 January, products, new collections and innovations from over 1 500 brands from 36 countries were showcased. Visitors, buyers, journalists, opinion leaders and trendsetters attended from over 120 nations.

The leitmotif of VicenzaOro January 2017 was Responsible Gold, a project that began at the previous editions, for the promotion of corporate social responsibility in the gold and jewellery world, which features important issues such as the value of traceability, ethical trading, environmental protection, the safeguard of workers’ rights and obligations, and health protection.

On Saturday, 21 January, Fiera di Rimini hosted the inauguration of SIGEP, the worldlevel expo dedicated to artisanal confectionery.

NEW TENDER CENTRE TO BE LAUNCHED DURING IDWI The Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) will officially open a new International Tender Centre on 14 February 2017 during the sixth International Diamond Week in Israel (IDWI). During that week, the IDE will host three important tenders of polished and rough diamonds – by Alrosa, I Hennig and Koin. The visit of Alrosa President Andrey Zharkov, who will be a guest of honour at the IDWI, is timed to coincide with the opening of the tender centre.

The centre is housed in a specially designed, state-of-the-art facility within the IDE complex, affording optimal convenience and security. Its

control system, one of the most advanced in the world, offers users an efficient, comfortable and safe process. The facility has private evaluation rooms built around a secure control room which has been fitted with one-way mirrors and closed-circuit cameras covering every evaluation room.

The International Tender Centre is being established by the IDE to consolidate as many polished and rough tenders as possible under one roof. It will offer a valuable service package, including marketing to buyers in Israel and abroad, attractive travel packages for buyers,

assistance in the visa application process, discounts at hotels in the Diamond Exchange area and deals with shipping companies.

“Israel has become a major hub for tenders of polished and rough diamonds. We’re opening the new centre to attract an even greater number of tenders. We’re confident that the benefits we offer will keep the centre busy throughout the year,” says IDE President Yoram Dvash.

IDWI 2017 will be held from 13-16 February 2017. During the event hundreds of Israeli and international companies will offer a large variety of goods on the IDE trading floor.

REGISTRATIONS FOR IDWI EXCEED EXPECTATIONS

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The sixth International Diamond Week in Israel (IDWI), to be held from 13-16 February 2017, is generating great interest among buyers internationally, with registration proceeding at a record pace. According to the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE), which is organising the event, the number of registered buyers is expected to exceed previous attendance records by several hundreds.

Haim Volner, Chairman of the IDWI Organising Committee, says buyers have registered from over 20 countries, including the USA, the UK, Germany, China and India. “Most of those registered have come through social media, where we’ve conducted a very active campaign. A high percentage are repeat attendees, but we’re seeing many new buyers, which is very encouraging,” he says.

“This year we’ve added some very significant new features – international rough and polished diamond tenders, a rich social programme and free sightseeing tours to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. This is in addition to three free hotel nights.”

The main drawcard, however, is the huge selection of polished and rough goods that will be offered by hundreds of Israeli and international companies exhibiting on the IDE trading floor. “Buyers know they can find special cuts, special sizes, fancy colours, layouts, series and more. That’s always been the major attraction and it’s driving attendance now,” says Volner.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

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NEWS

ITALIAN EXHIBITION GROUP ACCREDITED AT UN The Italian Exhibition Group Spa (IEG), the new trade show company created through the merger between Fiera di Rimini and Fiera di Vicenza, received prestigious international recognition in New York when it was awarded formal accreditation through CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, from the United Nations Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC), for promoting and implementing activities relating to corporate social responsibility (CSR) along the jewellery and precious metal and gemstone supply chain.

Representing the IEG at the meetings with senior UN officials at the organisation’s headquarters in New York, together with CIBJO

INDIA FOCUSES ON FIGHTING FRAUD India has beefed up its diamond disciplinary capabilities to prevent bankrupt traders from setting up new companies to escape debts and curb other fraudulent activities.

The new Trade Disciplinary Committee will have more power to target scams than India’s existing diamond trade organisations, according to Sanjay Kothari, the convenor of the new panel. It will also have increased ability to ban members from Mumbai’s Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB).

At present, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the BDB and the

President Gaetano Cavalieri, were IEG’s ViceExecutive President Matteo Marzotto and MD Corrado Facco.

IEG’s accreditation at ECOSOC is primarily expressed through activities conducted at VicenzaOro, one of the world’s leading gold and jewellery shows, which has been committed to disseminating the values and practices of CSR within the international jewellery industry for several years and has also become an authoritative and recognised interlocutor on a global scale.

“We feel highly honoured by this recognition, which represents further confirmation of the status that our group and VicenzaOro

has achieved – thanks largely to the fruitful collaboration with CIBJO in spreading the culture of CSR, with its social and economic implications, along the entire supply chain,” says Marzotto. “As a contemporary provider of exhibition services and content, we’re constantly engaged in creating value for our stakeholders, a task that nowadays must pay considerable attention to sustainability and responsibility. CSR is a fundamental asset for the jewellery sector too, not only in representing the ethical direction that should be followed by companies, but also as a conscious and strategic strategy for generating consumer loyalty.”

Mumbai Diamond Merchants’ Association (MDMA) have their own, separate arbitration processes. This means each organisation can only bring its own members to task. In addition, the Indian legal system struggles to deal appropriately with ethical breaches in the trade, says Kothari.

These realities mean a trader can often go bankrupt or mislead a bank and then open a new, outwardly clean business without punishment.

The 21-person Trade Disciplinary Committee will govern all members of the GJEPC, the BDB and the MDMA. It will comprise representatives from the three groups, with three or five impartial members chosen to hear each case. Once they have given a consensus, the

verdict will be taken to the rest of the panel for review.

Besides bankruptcy and fraud matters, the committee will consider cases of non-disclosure of synthetics, false inscriptions and other ethical breaches.

“The old system was loose – you couldn’t force people to come,” says Kothari, a former Chairman of the GJEPC. “Now we’ll be able to compel them to attend. We can end their membership at the BDB, banning them from the bourse. Before, we couldn’t do that.”

The GJEPC approved the new system at its annual general meeting in December last year, with the other trade groups involved set to give it the go-ahead. – Rapaport

SOTHEBY’S COMBINES LUXURY CATEGORIES Sotheby’s has launched a luxury and lifestyle division tapping seasoned auctioneer Marteen ten Holder as Managing Director of the business.

The restructuring unites jewellery, watches, wine, cars and “experiences” under one senior executive, with Ten Holder bringing experience in each of these categories to the role.

He began his career at Sotheby’s in Amsterdam, playing a role in large country-

house sales across Europe, eventually overseeing the sales of Edvard Munch’s The Scream and the personal collection of David Bowie. Ten Holder was involved in numerous jewellery sales, including a record-breaking auction in Geneva in May 2016 that fetched US$175 million.

He has also been involved with car auctions since 2005. In November, he was an auctioneer

for the RM Sotheby’s Duemila Ruote car sale in Milan, Europe’s “largest” automobilecollection sale. The auction attracted more than 3 000 bidders and doubled pre-sale expectations with combined sales of US$54,9 million.

To fill the position, Ten Holder will move to New York from London, where he was most recently MD of Sotheby’s operations in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa. – Rapaport

WORLD FEDERATION OF DIAMOND BOURSES CONGRATULATES GJEPC The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has congratulated India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) on becoming a full member of the global diamond organisation. The GJEPC’s annual general meeting in Mumbai approved changes in its code of ethics necessary to complete the process of joining the GJEPC. “I’m delighted that the GJEPC has become our first non-bourse member,” says WFDB Presi-

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dent Ernie Blom. “India is a very important part of the global diamond industry and the GJEPC is a major force in promoting the country’s trade.

“We also look forward to welcoming other industry players into the WFDB. Such bodies will provide us with important input regarding the diamond and jewellery trade from their perspective and they’ll be able to observe our operations from within at our meetings. Our industry is undergoing continuous change,

which makes it vital for bodies from across the diamond pipeline to join the WFDB, as it leads our trade forward.

“I’d like to wish all members of the diamond and jewellery business around the world a happy, successful and prosperous 2017. I also look forward to greeting colleagues and friends soon at the 2017 Presidents Meeting in Mumbai, which takes place from 5-8 February,” says Blom.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

NEWS

GIA INVITES RESEARCHERS TO APPLY FOR POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS Qualified candidates are invited to apply for Richard T Liddicoat Post-doctoral Research Fellowships at the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) Carlsbad, California and New York campuses. The one- to two-year fellowships encourage early-career scientists to pursue full-time academic research in mineralogy, geology, physics, materials science and other fields related to gemmology, the study of diamonds, coloured gemstones, pearls and their treatment.

“Our post-doctoral fellows have the opportunity to conduct research that focuses on fundamental scientific problems in diamond geology, defect physics and synthesis,” says Dr

Wuyi Wang, Director of Research & Development at the GIA. “Our fellowship programme provides unique access to some of the most specialised resources and researchers related to diamonds and other gems.”

Liddicoat Post-doctoral Research Fellows conduct creative, independent, publishable research and are strongly encouraged to collaborate with GIA scientists, as well as outside research institutions and universities. The starting date of each fellowship is flexible, but accepted candidates should begin by 31 January 2018. Applicants must have received their PhD in a relevant field by the starting date and preferably within the past three years.

The fellowship includes a competitive annual stipend, research funding and travel subsidies for approved off-site research work.

Benefits include full health, dental and vision insurance, as well as the potential reimbursement of relocation expenses.

Appointments are for one year and may be extended for a second year, based on mutual agreement.

Applications are due by 30 April 2017.

More information about the application process, the Liddicoat Post-doctoral Research Fellowships, the GIA’s facilities and current and past research areas are available at e-mail: researchcareers@gia.edu.

RICHLINE ACQUIRES THE AARON GROUP Richline Group has bought jewellery manufacturer The Aaron Group, as the Warren Buffettowned business continues to drive growth through mergers and acquisitions.

The companies did not disclose the terms of the deal, which was the fifth acquisition Richline has made in the past 12 months.

“This acquisition will allow The Aaron Group to continue as the leader of bridal, three-stone

and fashion diamond and gemstone fine jewellery, while leveraging Richline’s advanced capabilities across our entire jewellery value chain,” says Dennis Ulrich, CEO of Richline.

Apart from introducing new designs and collections more rapidly, the takeover will also promote growth, adds Robert Kempler, President of The Aaron Group. Founded as Samuel Aaron Jewellery in 1950, The Aaron Group has

WWW.SHIROKO.CO.ZA

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

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INFO@SHIROKO.CO.ZA

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grown from its New York roots to a manufacturer with global operations spread across New York, London, Mumbai and China.

Jewellery-maker Richline, a subsidiary of Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, bought four companies between April and October, with the most recent one being Silpada Designs, a silver jewellery seller founded by stay-at-home mothers. – Rapaport

011 4407959

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NEWS

ALROSA AUCTION TO OFFER POLISHED AND ROUGH 10+CT DIAMONDS

NEW SETTING FOR FRANCK MULLER’S WPHH SHOW To mark its 25th anniversary, Franck Muller treated its WPHH show – held from 15-20 January 2017 – to a brand-new setting in one of the annexes of the chateau of the Grand Malagny estate owned by the group.

Besides the creations that were presented, visitors had the opportunity to view a model commemorating the iconic Cintrée Curvex™ watch which was specially created to mark this jubilee.

Alrosa will hold a tender of both polished and rough diamonds during Israel’s sixth International Diamond Week (IDWI), 13-16 February 2017, at the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE.) The auction will offer 108 boxes of rough diamonds of 11-199ct and several unique white and fancy colour polished diamonds weighing 10-80ct, including five which were cut from one huge rough stone.

The centre-piece of the Alrosa auction is the 80,59ct round “Star of Viluysk”, which will be exhibited during the IDWI along with the company’s other special stones on the IDE trading floor.

Alrosa President Andrey Zharkov will be guest of honour at the IDWI. His visit is

timed to coincide with the opening of the IDE International Tender Centre, which will house tenders of rough and polished diamonds by major rough producers and diamond traders.

Alrosa, the world’s largest producer of rough diamonds in terms of carats, has held regular tenders of polished and rough diamonds at the Israeli bourse for several years. Recently Alrosa and IDE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at increasing co-operation between the two organisations in a variety of areas. During Zharkov’s stay, he and his team will meet leaders of the IDE to discuss specific terms of the MoU, including increased rough supply.

This year’s International Diamond Week will feature several tenders of rough and polished diamonds by major producers and independent suppliers. This is in addition to the large variety of goods on offer by hundreds of Israeli and international exhibitors.

Alrosa is engaged in the exploration, production and sale of rough diamonds.

Its operations are located in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Arkhangelsk region.

In 2015 the company produced 38,3 million carats of rough diamonds, with the proceeds of that year amounting to RUB224,5 billion.

DIAMONDS

Expansion plans for Forevermark in Southern Africa SAJN talks to Anna Russo, Brand Manager for De Beers’ Forevermark brand, about the brand’s focus and intention to grow within the local bridal market.

When and where was the Forevermark brand launched?

In 2008 in Asia. China was the first market to come on board. In SA, Caratco obtained the licence and started distributing the brand at the end of 2011, so it’s still rather young and we’re in the process of growing it.

De Beers and Forevermark look for businesses that can take charge of distributing the brand. Caratco was already an established diamond business in SA and De Beers entered a licence agreement with this group.

When you started distributing Forevermark in SA, were there policies that had to be in place for a store to carry the brand?

There are no signature Forevermark stores anywhere in the world. The model is that For-

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evermark enters jewellery stores owned by independents or retail chains. It’s a collaboration between a jeweller or a retail chain and Forevermark – especially when one takes into account that it’s a diamond brand, not a jewellery brand. It's therefore a collaborative effort growing Forevermark in jewellers’ collections featuring Forevermark diamonds.

How many stores within stores do you currently have in Southern Africa?

We currently have 16 in Southern Africa – 14 between Cape Town and Johannesburg and one showroom in Namibia, as well as a little outlet at the Maun International Airport in Botswana. We’re intending to expand in Botswana and are already considering an opportunity to open a second outlet there.

How does a retail outlet acquire a Forevermark section in its store?

Forevermark is seeking new retailers in Southern Africa. The main element that needs to be in place for a retailer to host the brand is that the outlet must perform well with jewellery and diamond sales in a brand-friendly environment.

If an outlet already hosts international jewellery or watch brands, that would be the type of outlet we'd like to partner with. The retailer must have potential, specifically when it comes to diamond sales.

We currently only have one store in Durban. We’d like to expand our footprint in that area and across SA in general.

We also have no objection to more than one retailer carrying the brand in a specific shopping centre, as they won’t compete with one another. Greater awareness of the brand would

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

DIAMONDS

be beneficial for everyone. Since it’s a diamond brand, we encourage collaboration between the jeweller and De Beers’ Forevermark diamonds, as the jewellers can create their own collections featuring Forevermark. So if two retailers sell Forevermark, but not the same product, there’s no conflict.

One of the new stores that came on board recently was Prins & Prins Diamonds in Cape Town. When they approached us, we asked why they wanted to host Forevermark and the General Manager said that diamonds are the biggest contributor to her profit and she wanted something new and different to sell in the store – a global brand. Forevermark was ideal. She also said that customers had started asking for it.

How is SA faring compared with the rest of the world, as far as Forevermark’s concerned?

The global expansion of Forevermark is going very well. Our big markets – in the USA, China and India – continue to grow. We’re also grow-

Are retailers expected to do their own marketing for Forevermark?

We market for everybody to generate awareness, but we also encourage collaborative advertising from retailers.

Do you see synthetic diamonds as a threat to natural diamonds?

No. If someone’s unaware that they're buying a synthetic diamond, that’s another story. I don’t think people regard synthetic diamonds as an option to natural ones. Our market is looking for something genuine. A synthetic product can't compete with a real diamond: it's all about the dream, the meaning and the emotions of the real natural diamond. People want diamonds because they resonate with the true moments in their lives. And if we trust that the Millennial is receptive to real and rare, then we're safe and the diamond dream is very much alive.

What commitment does a store make financially when it carries the Forevermark brand?

There are fees involved which were initially quite substantial, but the brand’s headquarters have changed that. It’s now much keener, so there’s no longer a big financial obstacle in gaining access to the brand.

Why should customers choose Forevermark, rather than any other diamond brand?

Forevermark diamonds come from only a few mines which belong to De Beers and produce high-quality gems, are very carefully selected and cut and polished by the best "diamantaires" who are selected by and work in partnership with De Beers. Forevermark diamonds are also responsibly sourced by benefiting the communities and the environment of the countries where they come from, such as Botswana.

I believe it’s the perfect diamond, especially for the local bridal environment. In addition, it’s ideal for the tourism market, as people from around the world love the De Beers story and the fact that it originated in SA, so they’re very keen to buy one of its branded diamonds.

How are diamond sales – and Forevermark sales, in particular – doing at the moment in SA? At the moment, the brand’s doing better in the tourist environment than in the local one, so it’s performing better in Cape Town than in Johannesburg. The local market’s been very tough. However, we’re hoping that the local market picks up, as this is the ideal diamond for any occasion. We’re not only selling a diamond: we’re selling a dream and a love story. It’s especially suitable for engagements. Men should propose with a Forevermark diamond – as a surprise element – and the couple can then go together to design the ring, ensuring that the bride-to-be likes the design.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

ing in smaller markets: in fact, we’re the fastest-growing diamond brand in the world. To be honest, we’re doing better internationally than locally, as the South African market’s been very challenging for the past 18 months.

Once Forevermark is incorporated into a piece of jewellery, does it become part of that new piece of jewellery, rather than a branded diamond?

We see it as a collaboration. Lorraine Efune – who’s a renowned local designer – is a good example. She makes her own pieces featuring a Forevermark diamond, and it’s then marketed as such. Our diamonds don’t compete with jewellers’ collections – they contribute to them.

Our big markets – in the USA, China and India – continue to grow. We’re also growing in smaller markets: in fact, we’re the fastest-growing diamond brand in the world.

Can customers request loose Forevermark diamonds?

Absolutely. We sell a lot of loose diamonds, especially to tourists, who buy them as souvenirs or for investment value. Customers also buy loose diamonds if they already have a specific design in mind.

Do all Forevermark diamonds come with certification?

Yes. There are two laboratories at the moment.

We started with one in Antwerp, Belgium and opened a second laboratory in Surat, India, because the demand grew so quickly that the first laboratory couldn’t cope. Each diamond is also inscribed using nanotechnology, which means it can’t be polished off the stone or removed and represents the Forevermark icon – the star – and a number which is uniquely yours, and can be registered against your name on a global database.

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DIAMONDS

WFDB and IDMA prepare for seminar The official website of the 2017 Presidents’ Meeting and Finance Seminar has gone live, allowing participants to register for the 5-8 February biennial gathering of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA).

THE FOUR-DAY GATHERING OF THE WFDB and IDMA, organised by the Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Bharat Diamond Bourse, will take place at the Taj Land's End Hotel in Mumbai, starting with committee meetings of the WFDB and IDMA on 5 February. There will then be a major industry Finance Seminar before the Presidents’ Meeting continues with further gatherings of WFDB and IDMA Presidents. The Presidents’ Meeting will also serve as the starting point for the WFDB’s year of celebrations for its 70th anniversary.

WFDB President Ernie Blom says the Finance Seminar will be the widest-ranging one the diamond industry has ever held on the topic, which is critical for the health of the trade. “We’ve invited experts from the banking and finance community, as well as industry stakeholders, to participate and provide crucial input,” he adds.

“The aim isn’t to provide another talkingshop event, but to take an in-depth look at the financing problems the industry faces and propose real financing solutions. This is a particularly acute problem for the small and mediumsized diamond companies which constitute the vast majority of our membership. Diamantaires now have to deal with a wide range of financing obstacles, as the banks incorrectly regard the diamond trade as high-risk.

“There are many issues to be tackled and I look forward to extremely interesting and challenging discussions. We aim to establish a regular dialogue between banks and other providers to develop solutions for the diamond

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

industry and create a financing taskforce to drive forward solutions. We also seek to create online education courses for all members of WFDB-affiliated diamond bourses and roundtable discussions to be held in all the leading diamond centres. This summit will play a critical role, so we ask members of all trade organisations to attend.”

The WFDB has 30 affiliated bourse members and exists to protect the interests of affiliated bourses and their individual members, as well as to further the amicable settlement or arbitration of disputes between them. The federation

participates in the promotion of world trade and encourages the establishment of new diamond bourses. In 2012, it established the World Diamond Mark, a not-for-profit organisation, to promote consumer desirability and confidence in diamonds.

Members of affiliated bourses pledge to uphold the traditions and principles of mutual trust, consideration and friendship which prevail among the members of the bourses worldwide. They also commit to hand down these principles, ensuring that they permanently form the basis of business relations between members of affiliated bourses.

The IDMA was founded and convened for the first time in 1946 in Antwerp. It is committed to fostering and promoting the highest ideals of honesty and best-practice principles throughout the diamond industry worldwide, as well as full compliance with all relevant national and international laws.

To this end, the organisation has developed and adopted a Code of Conduct which is binding on all members. The IDMA also encourages fair and honourable practices and decent working conditions for those employed in the diamond industry and aims to preserve and promote the trust and confidence of consumers in diamonds and diamond products. It encourages and supports social responsibility on the part of the industry in respect to all citizens of the world.

The IDMA seeks to take a unified leadership role on all issues affecting the industry. It always convenes biennially at the same time as the WFDB World Diamond Congress.

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VALENTINE’S DAY

DURING THE REIGN OF ROMAN EMPEROR Claudius II, who engaged in endless wars, he found that young men were reluctant to join his army because it meant leaving their families for protracted periods. Accordingly, he passed a law forbidding young, able-bodied men to marry. The priest Valentine, a romantic at heart, secretly married young couples but when the Emperor discovered this, he had Valentine executed on 14 February. He was later declared a saint.

The first mention of the word “Valentine” in the English language is in a letter from a young woman called Margery to a knight she loved called John, back in the 15th century.

The letter is on show in the British Library.

Today Valentine’s Day customs vary widely among different cultures and countries, but the sentiment behind the occasion is universal.

St Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to express one’s feelings for one’s existing or desired romantic partner by giving them a card or a gift, be it a bouquet of red roses, chocolates or a piece of jewellery. The occasion is celebrated worldwide and is symbolised by red hearts (associated with love for at least 700 years), as well as doves – which mate for life and have been associated with Valentine’s Day since 18th-century English writer John Abbott wrote a poem to his beloved referring to her as his “sweet turtle dove”.

Cupid, the Roman boy god of love, is also frequently depicted on Valentine’s Day cards.

He is usually pictured with wings and a quiver of arrows, one of which he is about to shoot into someone’s heart to ignite passion. Romans believed him to be the son of Venus, the goddess of love and Mars, the god of war. In Greek mythology – which was subsequently adopted by the Romans and its characters renamed accordingly – Cupid was known as Eros.

Since the reign of Queen Victoria, whose devotion to her German-born husband Albert is legendary, clasped hands have also come to

Keeping tradition alive

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

The giving of a gift is a token of appreciation or is done to mark a unique occasion. St Valentine’s Day, which falls annually on 14 February, involves this tradition – a practice dating back to the third century. be associated with romance. During her lifetime, they symbolised not only marital love, but also the friendship her marriage represented between England and her husband’s country.

Moreover, clasped hands echo the tradition of a man proposing to a woman by asking for her “hand”.

Other symbols of love include apples – prominently associated with courtship in early Greek history, when a married couple hoped for a fruitful union – and the harp, the Biblical instrument played by King David to praise the Lord and believed to be the celestial instrument used by angels, who bless and encourage love on earth.

Roses have long been used as a symbol of romance, due to their beauty and fragrance.

In floriography (the language of flowers), one red rose can signify either love at first sight or that the recipient’s passion for his or her

beloved has never waned, despite the passage of time. Two roses indicate fidelity, nine roses mean “I want to be with you forever”, 12 roses mean “be mine” and 24 roses mean “I am entirely yours”.

Ribbons, laces and frills have also been associated with romance since the early days of knighthood and frequently adorn Valentine’s Day cards and chocolate boxes.

Jewellery, however, is the most desirable gift of all and is becoming increasingly popular. Its purchase and presentation on Valentine’s Day must surely be an expression of a lasting relationship. More jewellery is purchased for this occasion than for Christmas or birthdays and jewellery retailers promote 14 February as their primary sales season.

Jewellery is an unmistakable gift of love – and the tradition lives on.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Interesting facts 1

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A hunter-case pocket watch has a cover that closes over the watch-dial for protection. The name originated from fox hunters, who found it convenient to be able to open their watch and read the time with one hand, while holding the reins of their horse in the other hand.

Three masked men entered France's Carlton Hotel's jewellery shop and began shooting.

They made their escape with a jewellery haul valued at roughly $60 million. As police investigated, they realised there were no bullet holes in the walls or ceilings.

The robbers had been firing blanks.

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4

Sunstone occurs in a range of colours that begins with colourless and ranges through yellow, orange and red.

The colour is determined, in part, by the abundance and size of the copper platelets within the stone.

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Fair-haired girls in Germany and Scandinavia were encouraged to wear opal pins in their hair, as these were thought to add magical lustre to their golden locks and protect them from freezing rain, wind and other vicissitudes of the Nordic climate.

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The largest gem-quality raw aquamarine stone was found in Brazil in 1910 in the village of Minas Gerais. This 243-pound raw aquamarine was cut into more than 100 000ct of finished gemstones.

Golden topaz was once said to change colour when in the presence of poisoned food or drink, making it the stone of choice for royalty, and thereby bringing us the name "imperial topaz".

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Fee mining sites are places where you can pay a fee to dig, pan or search for rocks, minerals or gemstones and keep whatever you find.

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The gemstones worn by Cleopatra were not emeralds, as is popularly believed, but actually peridots. Travellers at the time were not yet familiar with the rare stones and mistook them for the darker green gemstones they already knew.

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A choker known as Disco Di was an artdeco choker which the Queen gave to Diana, the Princess of Wales, as a wedding gift. The Princess had the 14” choker mounted on a band of dark green Velcro so that she could wear it as a hairband at a private party.

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SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

BRAND HISTORY

A history of English watchmaking At the beginning of the century, England's watches produced worldwide numbered some 20 000 pieces a year. This output represented the work of many famous English watchmakers who contributed numerous innovations to the art. We trace their influence on the history of the watchmaking industry.

IT ALL BEGAN IN THE 1700S WITH A MAJOR technical improvement to accuracy by one man, namely John Harrison, who – after 31 years of experimentation – finally gained mastery of this factor in his marine chronometer. It allowed ships of the British navy to ensure reliable navigation and it was Harrison who conquered the precision problems by using a fast-beating balance wheel which he had designed. So important was this invention that his original chronometer – which is still functioning – has pride of place in the Greenwich Maritime Museum.

Harrison rose to the challenge of accurately establishing the East-West position – longitude – of a ship and was awarded a prize of £20 000 which Parliament had offered to the first person to solve the problem, which improved navigation for long-range explorers by plotting courses across oceans.

However, Harrison was not the only Briton pursuing the art and engineering of timekeeping. Nor was his the only answer. Some of the most skilled watchmakers were employed in England, many of them foreigners, including Germans and Frenchmen. The principal “makers of time” congregated in London, mainly in the West End, as well as in Soho.

Great strides in accuracy are also attributed to Thomas Earnshaw and John Arnold, among others, who patented the detached “spinning element” escapement to improve the performance of the balance spring. The problem had simultaneously been tackled by watchmakers in Europe too. Nevertheless, Harrison might be consid-

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

ered the more famous clockmaker of the period because he was the first to crack the problem.

Before his achievement, the most reliable timekeepers were pendulum clocks.

Leading figures who also innovated watchmaking in England included Joseph Windmill, who created the earliest-known watch in the late 17th century and plied his trade in the City of London. Simultaneously, Daniel Quare invented a repeating watch movement. These men, who were contemporaries and rivals of Harrison, helped drive the industry forward and see in the birth of “Brand British”.

A guild known as the “Clockmakers’ Company”, established to oversee quality control, was created at this time and endured through the next two centuries. Its aim was to uphold standards in London and to regulate and encourage watchmakers’ skills, which included engraving and instrument-making.

The period from the mid-1750s to the end of that century was the most prolific for London’s watchmakers: according to the records, in 1789 there were 191 678 gold and silver watches hallmarked by Goldsmiths Hall in London. The technical advancements achieved from 1600-1750 – and perhaps for another 100 years beyond that – saw London generally acclaimed as the greatest source of innovation

for watchmaking in the world. Technological improvements eventually gave way to more artistic endeavours. However, by 1842, the total output of English watches had declined to 99 000, as Swiss watches became more popular – notably among the English aristocracy.

This floundering of British brands lasted until the late 20th century. During the 1970s, when the Swiss industry also began to collapse due to the rising popularity of digital watches, British brands such as Smiths, Cabot and Precista either went defunct or were mere shadows of their former selves.

Happily, there has been a renaissance of the industry in recent years, led by watchmakers such as the late George Daniels and his protégé, Roger Smith, who has taken over the helm as the UK’s foremost watchmaker since Daniels’ death in 2011. He has a small workshop on the Isle of Man, where he and his team of six men produce hand-made pieces in the traditional English style.

Today, three British brands are in the vanguard of the British renaissance: all have different approaches to design and are at different price points. These three are Bremont, Christopher Ward and Schofield. They represent distinctive style and high quality and are quintessentially British, but each has its own aesthetic ethos.

Bremont is a luxury brand, run by brothers Nick and Giles English, with its collection based on the heritage of British engineering, aviation and adventure.

It is currently the largest watch company in the UK. Premium watch brand Christopher Ward has announced a partnership with the Morgan Motor Company, confirming its status, while Schofield – an independent brand based in Sussex – recently released a collection of bespoke watches producing less than 500 per year.

All three brands are proudly leading the revival of the great British watchmaking tradition.

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BRAND MANAGEMENT

Luxury watchmaker signifies quality

In the world of haute horlogerie, Swiss brand Vacheron Constantin is one of the great traditional brands. The Geneva-based company has been in existence since 1755 as a traditional movement manufacturer. Many of its in-house calibres carry the prestigious Geneva Seal, the ultimate sign of watchmaking quality.

Past collectors of the brand include Napoleon Bonaparte, Pope Pius XI, King Edward VIII and American President Harry Truman. Today the company produces some 200 000 pieces per year. It has changed hands many times since its inauguration by predecessors whose names are reflected in the brand name, has won many prizes and medals and today is owned by the Richemont Group.

Among its achievements during the 21st century is a watch collection named the Masters of Art, based on reproductions in miniature of 12 primitive art masks from a private museum collection.

In 2013 the brand introduced a new sports line called Overseas and a collection called

Egerie, the first to include watches for women.

The following year saw the opening of its new headquarters and manufacture in Plan-lesOustes, Geneva. To mark the anniversary of 250 years, it created a new wristwatch called “Tour de I’lle” which had 834 parts and 16 horological complications. These watches will only be available in the Vacheron Constantin shop in Geneva and cost more than US$1 million.

Among other exceptional creations was the Métiers d’Art “Les Univers” collection, featuring tessellation, a design of interlocking identical shapes inspired by the work of Dutch artist Maris Cornelis Escher. For its 260th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin produced the world’s most complicated mechanical watch. It took three watchmakers eight years to build the 57 complications at the request of a private collector, but in a TV interview, the brand refused to disclose the exact price. It did admit, however, that this was between US$8 million and US$20 million, as had been estimated on various Internet sites.

Merry Go Round

posed of a central circle with an original guilloché motif, itself surrounded by a skeletonised structure which echoes the graceful elegance of giraffes in the African savannah.

The tourbillon, which takes pride of place at 6 o’clock, completes the picture. Sharing the dial is a power-reserve indicator at 9 o’clock and, at 11 o’clock, an opening that reveals the differential. Two other lines make up the collection, with an automatic chronograph and a three-hand automatic variation.

It has a mechanical hand-wound movement with a one-minute flying tourbillon, 27 jewels and vibrates at 21 600 VPH. It has a power reserve of up to 100 hours.

Functions include hours, minutes and a power reserve indicator. Its 316L stainless steel 48 mm case features sapphire crystals, front and back, and is water-resistant to 30 m.

2016 marked the worldwide launch of the Okletey brand.

A new name in watchmaking, Okletey makes an impressive début with Merry Go Round, an aesthetically pleasing flying tourbillon that takes nature’s beauty as a source of inspiration and uses forms, materials and nuances to great effect. The rectangular steel case with black PVD treatment frames a silver dial, com-

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Patek Philippe’s annual calendar for women One of Patek Philippe’s most iconic complications lends itself to a precious and refined version for women. The generously sized pink gold case has been redesigned with more pronounced curves to accentuate its feminine nature.

The annual calendar was invented by Patek Philippe and displays the day, date and month all year long, requiring just one manual correction on 1 March. This Annual Calendar Ref 4948 also features a moon phase display.

All these indications are set against a dial in white Balinese mother-of-pearl, surrounded by applied Arabic numerals in gold.

The timeless elegance of its design, the 374 pure diamonds adorning the bezel, case, lugs, crown and buckle, and the enduring value of a Patek Philippe complicated watch transform this triumph of watchmaking aesthetics and technique into a precious object whose charm will delight generations to come.

For 175 uninterrupted years, Patek Philippe has been perpetuating the tradition of Genevan watchmaking. As the last family-owned independent watch manufacturer in that city, it enjoys total creative freedom to entirely design, produce and assemble what experts agree are the finest timepieces in the world – following the vision of its founders, Antoine Norbert de Patek (1839) and Adrien Philippe (1845). Thanks to its exceptional know-how, Patek Philippe maintains a tradition of innovation hailed by an impressive repertoire of more than 100 patents.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

TO ADVERTISE: contact Linda Stock on tel: (011) 883-4627 or email: adsales@isikhova.co.za or

BRAND MANAGEMENT

MB&F’s HMX Black Badger shaped driver’s watch of the 1970s into a supercar version.

The entire movement, designed like an engine, can be seen through the wide sapphire crystal pane in the watch’s “hood”. For this version, the engine’s rocket covers are cut from blocks of lume, Black Badger’s signature material, to illuminate this HMX Black Badger in green, blue or purple.

The timepiece has a mechanical automatic movement with a 22ct gold rotor and 29 jewels. It vibrates at 28 800 vib/h and has a 42-hour power reserve. Its 46,8 x 44,3 mm case is of Grade 5 titanium and steel and it has double sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides.

A cross between watchmaking traditions and an innovative concept, the HMX from MB&F takes on a new guise, created in partnership with designer James Thompson (Black Badger), who specialises in luminescent composites.

This limited series of 3 x 18 pieces reprises the HMX’s unique display.

Jumping hours and trailing minutes are carried by discs that are positioned flat on top of the movement. They are angled at 90° and enlarged by a double prism and a magnifier.

Indications are read from a vertical window, cut in the steel and titanium case. MB&F has souped up the popular casket-

La Esmeralda Tourbillon As a tribute to one of its finest historic creations, and to celebrate the 225th anniversary of its founding, Girard-Perregaux presents La Esmeralda Tourbillon. Distinguished by a Gold Medal at the Paris World Fair in 1889, the La Esmeralda pocket chronometer secured a place in watchmaking history for the refinement of its architecture, its precision and the incomparable quality of its finishing.

The La Esmeralda Tourbillon transposes these qualities to the wrist with Three Gold Bridges, which has come to represent the extraordinary expertise cultivated by the Girard-Perregaux manufacture. It has no dial, revealing instead its three large, arrow-shaped bridges, with their jewel settings, in solid gold.

They are rounded off, chamfered and polished entirely by hand.

These three bridges carry the wheels, the

barrel and the tourbillon inside their lyre-shaped cage. They are set against the backdrop of a silvered and engraved plate which brings a striking sense of depth to this exceptional timepiece.

The watch has a mechanical automatic movement with a micro-rotor. Its 18ct pink gold, 44 mm sapphire crystal case with anti-reflective coating on both sides is water-resistant to 30 m.

Girard-Perregaux is a Swiss high-end watch manufacturer tracing its origins back to 1791.

The history of the brand is marked by legendary watches that combine sharp design with innovative technology.

Devoted to the creation of state-of-the-art haute horlogerie, Girard-Perregaux is one of the very few watchmakers to unite all the skills of design and manufacture under the same roof, including the forging of the “heart” of the

watch, the movement. With over 80 registered patents, Girard-Perregaux is fully committed to research and development to constantly fuse its unique heritage into modern watchmaking.

The brand is majority-owned by Kering.

Auction results exceed expectations The prices achieved at auction for antique watches and clocks by English masters of the art were an indication of the value placed on their provenance.

According to auctioneer Sotheby’s, the London event was a celebration of the genius of Tompion, who is regarded as the father of English watch- and clockmaking and the greatest influence of Britain’s horological supremacy in that era. The group of watches traces the evolution of the art from the early 17th century and includes a gold “Morgan

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caliper” timepiece watch by Charles Frodsham for £296 750, well in excess of the estimated £150 000-200 000. A very rare gold, enamel, split pearl and diamond watch fetched £212 500, which set an auction record. Three pieces by Tompion himself totalled a combined £251 250.

The sale was the third instalment of a landmark “Celebration of the English Watch” series, which featured the most important collection of English watches in private hands. The fourth and final part in this

sale series is scheduled for July this year. In December last year, Sotheby’s fine jewellery sales exceeded expectations and achieved £5 435 875, with over 70% of the lots soaring above their high estimates. The auction engendered fierce competition from a broad spectrum of international buyers, charting all the key periods in jewellery design by worldrenowned houses. This series brought to a close a highly successful series of jewellery auctions across Sotheby’s last year, with sales exceeding $500 million.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

LITTLE GEMS

The darker side of gemstones Jewellery is not always bright: there are occasions when a more subdued hue is desirable, especially if one wants to stand out from the crowd. At such times, black gemstones offer a surprisingly wide range, from inexpensive jet to rare black pearls and black diamonds. Alice Weil explores the options.

BLACK HAS BEEN A STAPLE fashion colour for many years. Personally, I tend to agree with England’s Queen Elizabeth II that jewel colours make one more visible and are more flattering. However, in small doses or for accessories, black is an ideal shade – and in jewellery, it can provide an effective contrast.

Jet is not a true gemstone, as it is not a mineral; it is of such an intense black that it gave rise to the expression “as black as jet”. It is actually fossilised wood and was traditionally used in mourning jewellery, particularly during the reign of Queen Victoria. So distraught was the monarch after the death of her beloved husband Prince Albert that she instructed her entire court to wear mourning attire for the next three years, with only jet jewellery being permitted for the first 12 months of that period. She herself, however, wore mourning clothes for the remaining 40 years of her life.

Jet is a hard, coal-like variety of ignite with a velvety intensity. It is transformed into this fossilised material by chemical reaction. It is warm

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and smooth to the touch and although found in many countries worldwide, the finest quality has always come from the north-east coast of Yorkshire in England. It is known as Whitby jet, named for the town of Whitby, which was a favourite seaside holiday destination among early Victorians. Jet is found in seams, usually above sea level, and its light weight made it popular for large, eye-catching pieces of jewellery. It became coveted by numerous high-profile personalities, but its most important patron was the widowed Queen Victoria, who – apart from jet – also wore colourless diamonds and black pearls.

Another monarch who favoured black pearls was Mary Queen of Scots, who had six strands of them (known as the “Hanoverian pearls”) presented to her by her husband. They had previously belonged to Catherine di Medici and Mary is seen wearing a single strand of them in the famous portrait of her by an unknown artist, which also hangs in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Black cultured pearls are somewhat rare and emanate from the black-lipped oyster, Pinctada margaritifera. They are rarely as black as jet, but show iridescent colours which originate from the nacre layers that overlap and break up light falling on the surface. They are shades of green, purple, aubergine, blue, grey, silver and peacock, or a mixture of shades, rather like a peacock’s feathers.

Tahitian pearls are often referred to as black pearls. These are farmed in the warm waters of French Polynesia around Tahiti. It was a Frenchman responsible for the marine resources in the area who undertook in-depth research of pearl cultivation in the mid-1960s and is considered the father of black pearl farming in the area’s warm lagoons. The darker variety of pearls is the most desirable and, according to legend, symbolises love.

Onyx is a rock, a marble-like material used

in modern jewellery which was nonetheless used since the time of the Second Dynasty in Egypt. It is a form of chalcedony, a banded material used to make bowls and other pottery items. It was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Although it does come in other colours, its best-known variety is the black version used in jewellery, which is usually cut as a cabochon or into beads. However, it also has a long history of use for hardstone carvings and sculptures in the Art Deco period and is used in slabs as plinths – in fact, that was exactly what Cartier used as a platform for his Mystery Clocks of the mid-1920s.

Effective when used in combination with diamonds for rings, earrings and brooches, onyx is found in various regions around the world. It is particularly suitable for creating cameo-engraved gems, where the bands make the image contrast with the background.

Black diamonds recently enjoyed a surge in popularity and are reportedly among the most sought-after coloured diamonds for non-conventional engagement rings. There are several types of these, some natural and others treated. The latter are known as carbonados and the treatments usually include radiation and heat.

Natural black diamonds are an impure form of crystalline diamond, consisting of diamond, graphite and amorphous carbon. Natural coloured diamonds get their colour from the impurities attached to them during their formation process and are similar to white stones, which have an extremely high amount of inclusions. Black diamonds contain so many clusters of graphite that they appear to be dark.

Although black diamonds have an inability to disperse light the way white diamonds do, they have a beautiful lustre and shimmering scintillation.

Most people think of a sapphire as being the deepest blue, but this gem actually comes in other colours, including black. The colour change is due to trace elements within the mineral. Black sapphire is extremely dark and appears to absorb most of the light that enters it. It is cheaper than most other black gemstones, making it an affordable alternative to onyx and diamonds.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – FEBRUARY 2017

JEWELLEX AFRICA

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