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May 2014

ÂŁ7.50

The Voice of The Industry

Incorporating

Gems&Jewellery

May 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 4

Zincite BaselWorld 2014 Misidentifi ed organic s

A breakthrough in jewellery photography

J&W London collections preview Jewellery inspired by organic gems The story of four diamonds

Jeweller

Contents & Contacts |

the

The Voice of The Industry

C O N T E N T S

www.thejewellermagazine.com

M A Y

1 4

Executive Development Forum

An introduction to the EDF and its benefits to members. By Michael Donaldson

Countdown to a capital show

Previewing collections to be unveiled at Jewellery & Watch London

(in praise of) The other gems

Belinda Morris extols the virtues of pearls, amber, jet and coral

Four diamonds

Rawlinson Speaks Out

Industry News

International News

N.A.G. News

Education & Training

IRV Review

Member of the Month

Opinion: Neil Oliver

Business Support: Insurance

Business Support: Security

Brand Profile: H.Stern

Business Support: Online

Antique Jewellery

Notebook

Display Cabinet

Last Word

Could you tell a synthetic diamond from a natural one at a glance? How about a treated stone? And what exactly is an ethical diamond? Harry Levy sheds some light

May 2014 / Volume

Gems&Jewellery

23 / No. 4

The Jeweller is published by the National Association of Goldsmiths for circulation to members. For more information about The Jeweller visit: www.thejewellermagazine.com

BaselWorld and JCK 2014 previews, United Nations meeting in New York, unusual zincite, filter fun, misidentified organic materials, plus much more…

Editor’s Letter

Zincite BaselWo rld 2014 Misiden tified org anics

The magazine is printed on paper and board that has met acceptable environmental accreditation standards. The National Association of Goldsmiths 78a Luke Street, London EC2A 4XG

Cover Image

Jeweller the

May 2014

£7.50

The Voice of The Industry

Incorporating

Gems&Jewellery

May 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 4

Zincite BaselWorld 2014 Misidentified organics

In conjunction with ORBITVU Sp. z o.o. www.orbitvu.com UK distributor Andrew Dibben +44 (0)1749 813044 uk@orbitvu.com

A breakthrough in jewellery photography

J&W London collections preview Jewellery inspired by organic gems The story of four diamonds

For more details see p22-23 of this issue

Tel: 020 7613 4445 www.jewellers-online.org CEO: Michael Rawlinson michaelr@jewellers-online.org Editor: Belinda Morris bmorris@colony.co.uk Art Director: Ben Page

Sales Director: Ian Francis Tel: 020 7749 1705 Fax: 020 7729 0143 ian@jewellers-online.org Publishing Enquiries/ Classified Advertising: Neil Oakford neil@jewellers-online.org Contributors: Michael Donaldson, Lee Henderson, Harry Levy, Amy Oliver, Neil Oliver

ben@jewellers-online.org The NAG is responsible for producing The Jeweller and, although every effort is made to ensure that the information supplied is accurate, the NAG does not accept liability for any loss, damage or claim whatsoever that may result from opinions expressed by contributors. Information and ideas are for guidance only and members should always consult their own professional advisers. The NAG accepts no responsibility for the content of Gems&Jewellery or any advertiser, advertisement or insert in The Jeweller. Anyone having dealings with any advertiser must rely on their own enquiries.

The Voice of the Industry 3

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Special Delivery

Comment |

Editor’s

Letter

This month: “As with any gemstones or precious metal, pearls, amber, jet and coral are subject to the whims of fashion…”

arly summer issues of magazines can, traditionally, be rather minimal affairs. Not so this

month’s issue of The Jeweller – if this is supposed to be a quiet time of year,

then nobody told us about it! The rather frenetic atmosphere in our office currently might have something to do with the fact that we’re not only reporting on industry news, we’re also making it! By now word will have reached all but those who live and work under a rock – but to get the low-down (so far) on the proposed merger of the N.A.G. and the BJA, turn to p16. We will of course be passing on news of further developments and views from the front line in future issues of the magazine. A healthy number of those views will certainly get an airing at our AGM which will take place during next month’s Jewellery & Watch London (J&WL), to be held at the rather splendid Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. To whet your appetite for the fair, our preview this month

Page 34

highlights a selection from collections that will be on offer – some from companies new to the UK market as well as to the show. As we go to press the list of exhibitors is still growing, with, interestingly, a substantial number of Italian brands. So, see you there! If you’re in the mood for considering a shopping list for J&WL, then maybe give some thought to organic gems. Pearls, amber, jet and (farmed, sustainable) coral are in their own little clique – as beautiful in their own way as the likes of ruby, emerald, tourmaline, etc. but set apart by not being minerals. As with any gemstone, they have their own stories to tell and provide inspiration for very individual (as well as classic) pieces, as our feature on p.34 shows. Back in the world of the major stones, Harry Levy gives us the benefit of his wisdom on the subject of diamonds on p.46. Armed with just a 10x loop and a pair of tweezers, could you tell the difference between natural, conflict, synthetic and HPHT-treated diamonds if you had one of each in your hand? Not easy, but Mr Levy sheds some light – and dispels the odd myth – in his ‘cautionary tale’.

“Though pre-18th century AD, most native American jewellery was made using organic materials and stone, after this period the art of silversmithing took off in a major way…”

No, I couldn’t do it, but I might be just a tad closer to giving it a go following my attendance recently of The Birmingham Assay’s Office’s excellent ‘Understanding Jewellery Valuations’ course. There’s nothing the (very patient) tutor David Byrne MIRV FGS DGA could do about my shaky hand, poor eyesight and sorry grasp of sums, but the insight he offered on the valuations process and the factors that influence the final outcome, was very useful. Thank you BAO!

If you would like to comment on any of the issues raised in this edition of The Jeweller or any other trade-related matters please email the editor at: bmorris@colony.co.uk

Page 50

The Voice of the Industry 5

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve een el ing you make you r a k si ce 1300 <PM /WTL[UQ\P[Âź +WUXIVa )[[Ia 7NĂ&#x2026;KM PI[ JMMV \M[\QVO IVL PITTUIZSQVO XZMKQW][ UM\IT[ [QVKM 7]Z KTQMV\[ LWVÂź\ R][\ KWUM \W ][ JMKI][M WN our unparalleled reputation for excellence in hallmarking and other expert services. They also recognise the crucial role The Goldsmithsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Company is XTIaQVO QV [PIXQVO I JZQOP\ N]\]ZM NWZ \PM \ZILM \PZW]OP \PM XZW^Q[QWV WN [\]LMV\ PITTUIZSQVO XIKSIOM[ XZMKQW][ UM\IT J]Z[IZQM[ IXXZMV\QKM[PQX[ technical support, sponsorships and the launch of The Goldsmithsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Centre.

Comment |

Rawlinson

speaks out hope by now that you will all have heard the significant news that the Association has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the British Jewellers’ Association, that sets out the proposed plan to unify the two organisations into one trade body representing the industry. This is an exciting prospect and from the initial feedback I have received, it’s a plan that many people feel is long overdue and very welcome. The driving reasons for taking this step are clear – to create a strong single voice for the industry, to come together and work together for the greater good of the industry, and to put in place a sound financial structure that will enable and underpin a planned growth and support programme for the new membership. We will also be undertaking a series of Town Hall meetings over the coming months to present the plans as they develop and to allow an opportunity for members to ask questions and express views. This year’s AGM takes place on 18th June at the Saatchi Gallery in London. We will circulate the formal notices and reports electronically in the name of efficiency and eco-friendliness. However, if you would prefer a physical copy of the 2013 Annual Report please contact the office and we will make sure one is posted to you. The key theme this year will naturally be the plans to unify the N.A.G. and the BJA. I hope you will find the time to attend – we want the final plan to be moulded and adjusted to ensure that it takes into account the majority views of the members. For many of us, being part of something bigger – rather than trying to achieve our goals alone – can be a great help and encouragement. That’s why I want to support the ‘Just Ask’ campaign launched by Willie Hamilton of CMJ. The idea behind the

initiative is to ascertain where the products you sell to your customers are made, and where the gems, diamonds or precious metals originate. The demand for traceable and ethically sourced jewellery may be limited currently, but that shouldn’t be a reason for not knowing. You are the trusted expert, and perhaps your customers assume you will know? Recognising that for some supply chains transparency and traceability is not available or desired, the Jewellery Ethics Committee is working to build on the Gold Paper. This time it will focus on the diamond sector. We hope that when this project is completed it will help suppliers and retailers gain a better understanding of the process, equipping them with the knowledge that will help them to make informed decisions when deciding what to buy and from where. It will be the pressure of the retailers which will create the momentum for change. We only need to look back at the giant changes that took place in the food industry to know that change can and will happen.

The driving reasons for taking this step are clear – to create a strong single voice for the industry… Another initiative that supports small businesses is Independents’ Day. Now in its fourth year and held annually on 4th July, it has quickly become the voice of independent retailers to reach their local communities. The campaign aims to: • Promote and celebrate independent businesses across the UK • Raise awareness of the vast amount of support available to independent

businesses to help them be the best they can be – which includes: Digital High Street Skills (a brand new training suite that was launched at the end of March; conceived to help independent businesses overcome lack of digital skills and get online • Raise importance of independent businesses among the consumer • Encourage people to support local, independent businesses, throughout the year and particularly on 4th July • Encourage stakeholders to demonstrate their support for the SMEs in their locations by committing to promoting the WorldHost Destination Scheme and Digital High Street Skills programme. Further information on the campaign can be found at www.indieday.co.uk Why not take a look and see how you can benefit from the campaign and work with other local independent businesses to boost your sales? Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Retail Jewellers of Ireland for inviting me to be part of their AGM last month. I received a very warm welcome and I was delighted to be able to address the very active members who attended the day’s events. Alison Browne was elected president for the next two years and I’m looking forward to working closely with her, to share ideas and information that we hope will make both of our organisations stronger and better able to serve the interests of our retail members. Cooperation and collaboration are definitely the watch words of the moment. Let’s all play our part in building a better future.

The Voice of the Industry 7

| Industry News

Bering sponsors the J&WL Power List anish watch brand Bering is the headline sponsor of Jewellery & Watch London’s (J&WL) inaugural Buyers Power List. The roll call aims to recognise, celebrate and reward the individuals and companies that suppliers and peers in the jewellery and watch industry have nominated and voted for as making an outstanding difference, and being highly influential in the jewellery and watch market. The voting for The Bering Buyers Power List closed on 9th May. “As jewellery designers’ imaginations run wild and a stockist’s choice becomes greater by the day, it is fantastic to be able to celebrate those who are going above and beyond to get their collection right time and time again,” said Richard Hill, UK managing

director of Bering. “Being main sponsor, for what is sure to become a key event in the Jewellery and Watch industry’s calendar, allows Bering to build on the success that our watches have seen in the UK over the last couple of years.” Bering, famed for its minimalistic Danishdesigned, quality, watches and jewellery for both men and women, will be using its sponsorship of the event to officially launch its Arctic Symphony range here in the UK. Designed to complement the brand’s range of watches, necklaces, earrings and bracelets, Arctic Symphony is a collection of rings, incorporating scratch-resistant HighTecCeramic, stainless steel, milanaise, Swarovski elements and zirconia, which can be

Fairtrade small jeweller scheme launches he Fairtrade Foundation has launched a unique new scheme for small jewellers, goldsmiths, silversmiths and artists to use ethically sourced Fairtrade gold and silver in their jewellery. The Goldsmiths Registration Scheme, says the Foundation, represents the single most significant development in ethical sourcing in the UK since the launch of Fairtrade gold in 2011, making the metals accessible to all. It promises to play a vital role in the ethical transformation of the jewellery sector. Reena Agarwal, commercial account manager for Fairtrade gold commented: “The Fairtrade Foundation recognises that the vast majority of the jewellery trade rests

8 The Jeweller May 2014

in the hands of the small jewellers and this scheme sends a clear signal to the entire market that small is beautiful. Collectively small jewellers have the power to transform the national market through this scheme, so we are encouraging goldsmiths from across the country to register and help Fairtrade to transform the lives of marginalised, artisanal and small scale miners through the power of their creativity.” Fairtrade’s on-line registration system www.fairgold.org/goldsmiths-registration/ will allow small jewellers to purchase certified Fairtrade gold and precious metals from a master licensee in a semi-finished form, such as sheet, wire, tube casting grain and use it in their work.

changed and altered by adding and changing different elements, allowing customers to create their own personalised rings. Arctic Symphony can also be bespoke made in precious metals with diamonds, available on a made-to-order basis. Among the 100 plus companies that have signed up to exhibit at the show (18th – 19th June, Saatchi Gallery, SW3) is a host of Italian fine jewellery brands – a number of whom do not exhibit at any other UK fair. The names include: Rosato, Chimento, Amore & Baci, Bizzotto Gioielli, The Fifth Season by Roberto Coin, Constantino Rota, Luca Carati, Picador S.r.l, Be Pride, Antonino De Simone, 10m2, Lancaster Italy and Strumento Marino. In addition to these, fashion brands Nomination and Casavola will also be showcasing their collections at the event. Eric Lenti, export manager for Costantino Rota added: “We have chosen Jewellery & Watch London 2014 to present our new collections as it takes place at a perfect time for the jewellery sector. “We are sure that the city of London and the prestigious venue of the Saatchi Gallery will raise the awareness around our company and help us to meet buyers from UK and other European countries. As London is the European shopping capital, the show will let us get in touch with the most important international buyers.” See page 26 for a preview of collections showcased at Jewellery & Watch London.

The benefits of the scheme for goldsmiths are that the annual registration is free; very little administration on their part is needed and a dedicated list of ‘master licensees’ who source from certified small-scale gold miners is available. Those who join the scheme agree to abide by certain terms and conditions that include: not being able to stamp their jewellery with the Fairtrade stamp; using certain pre-determined marketing materials only and agreeing to the annual limits of 500g of gold or platinum or 2kg’s of silver. “Naturally we want all small jewellers and goldsmiths to become full license holders, allowing them to stamp their jewellery pieces, but in the interim, this scheme is a great way to enjoy creating jewellery using Fairtrade certified metals,” added Agarwal.

Industry News |

CMJ CEO visits Fairtrade Gold mines ompany of Master Jewellers (CMJ) chief executive Willie Hamilton flew to Africa at the end of last month as part of a Fairtrade Gold Commercial Integration Trip to visit artisanal gold mines in Tanzania and Kenya. The week-long trip was hosted by Fairtrade International under the guidance of Fairtrade Gold and Precious Metals programme coordinator Greg Valerio. Hamilton was joined by Alan Frampton (Cred Jewellery), Reena Agarwal (Fairtrade Foundation) and American jeweller Marc Choyt of Reflective Images. The trip included visits to Nyarugusu in Tanzania and Migori County in Kenya to witness gold recovery activities of formalised and legalised artisanal mining organisations, including processes from pits where gold containing rocks are extracted through haulage, storage, drying, crushing, grinding and gold separation. Participants met the miners to hear about their experiences under the Fairtrade gold in East Africa programme funded by Comic Relief and were able to compare this with miners who are not formalised and not legal outside the Fairtrade project.

New designer show launches his summer sees the launch of the Hallmark Salon, which will bring together 86 designers of contemporary jewellery and precious objects in a selling showcase of ‘the very best’ of hallmarked craftsmanship. The director of the show, which will be held at Somerset House (24th – 28th June, 2014) is Paul Dyson who was previously director promotion at the Goldsmiths’ Company and responsible for such successful exhibitions as ‘Gold: Kevin Charles Power and Allure’ as well the Goldsmiths’ Fair and the complete review of the company’s brand identity. “I am delighted to announce the launch of the Hallmark Salon in support of the British jewellery and silversmithing industry,” he said. “We see it as our mission to nurture the development of contemporary talent and the Salon will provide the ideal selling platform for today’s most exciting artisans, for collectors and enthusiasts alike. “When I floated the idea I was flooded with support and ‘yes please, count me in’ emails! This show will have a young, fresh, fashionable look and feel. And the summer is perfect timing for season visitors; June is a buzzing time for London and the arts, so it is sure to work well,” Dyson added. Among the craftspeople who will be exhibiting are: Catherine Best, Sian Bostwick, Kevin Charles, Jacqueline Cullen, Jon Dibben, Ute Decker, Tomasz Donocik, Eileen Gatt, Polly Gaston, Phil Jordan, Daphne Krinos, Samantha Moore, Fred Rich, Paul Spurgeon and Yen.

S N I P P E T S New Board for WDC The membership of the World Diamond Council has elected a new Board of Directors, in the first such poll conducted under the organisation’s amended bylaws, which were approved in November 2013. The new WDC Board is comprised of 20 members, equally distributed among five diamond industry sectors, and reflects the geographical diversity of the supply chain. On 12th May, 2014, the new WDC Board of Directors held its first formal meeting, during which it elected the organisation’s officers, including president. Best-ever Basel for Condor One of the UK’s most successful watch manufacturers, Condor Group, enjoyed its best Basel show in 15 years at the 2014 event, picking up new accounts in many countries including, India, Qatar, Saudia Arabia and Israel. The Group, currently celebrating its 75th year in business, is also in the process of forming new alliances with distributors and retailers in Burma, Georgia, Mongolia, Japan, Belarus, Lithuania and Australia, expanding its reach across diverse international market territories. Cristiano Ronaldo announced as new face of Tag Heuer Swiss watch brand Tag Heuer has announced that the Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has become its latest brand ambassador. The Real Madrid forward joins Tag Heuer’s other sports stars and celebrities including Maria Sharapova, Leonardo di Caprio and Jenson Button.

Rock Vault returns to Couture

Jewellery School Graduate Show dates

he British Fashion Council has announced that Rock Vault return to showcase at Couture Las Vegas from 29th May – 2nd June 2014. British jewellers Fernando Jorge, Imogen Belfield, Jo Hayes Ward, Melanie Georgacopoulos, Tomasz Donocik and Yunus & Eliza will present their AW14 collections within the Stephen Webster ballroom. Rock Vault designers making their Couture debut are Jacqueline Cullen, who specialises in contemporary Whitby jet jewellery; Ornella Iannuzzi, whose work is characterised by harmonious composition of colours and textures, and Alice Cicolini who creates pieces inspired by sacred architecture and the patterns of the Silk Route. The successful first showing at Couture last year, saw a double win for designer Tomasz Donocik for “Best New Designer” and “Diamonds over $20,000”.

The Birmingham School of Jewellery’s Graduate Show will take place from the 9th – 14th June inclusive. Examples of work by graduates in Jewellery & Silversmithing, Horology and Gemmology will be on display. The industry evening takes place on Tuesday 10th June, during which the achievements of the students will be celebrated with an award and prize-giving ceremony.

The Voice of the Industry 9

| Industry News

Association members among Awards finalists he 2014 shortlist for the UK Watch & Jewellery Awards has revealed a number of members of the Association. Announced on 1st May, the rollcall of successful nominees across the 17-strong categories of the Awards (which will be held on 2nd July at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London) includes 14 members of the Association. These are: Justice (Boutique Retailer of the Year); Domino (Bridal Collection); Banks Lyon, Francis Wain, Nicholas Wylde, Tustains and Windsor Bishop (Independent Retailer); Clogau Gold (Jewellery Brand); Fred J Malcolm (Marketing Campaign – ‘Your Story, Our Diamonds’); Beaverbrooks and Chisholm Hunter (Multiple Retailer); Beaverbrooks (Retail Employer); Adelle Thomson, Beverbrooks and Richard Peasgood, Winsor Bishop (Retail Star); Rox (Store Design); Cookson, Weston Beamor and Domino (Supplier) and CW Sellors and Winsor Bishop (Watch Retailer). The Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award will be announced on the night. Fingers crossed for all our members!

S N I P P E T S HMS Beagle chronometer for sale at Bonhams

Triple whammy for Weston Beamor here was much celebration in Vyse Street offices of WB The Creative jewellery Group earlier this month, when it was discovered that its three brands – Gecko, Domino and Weston Beamor – had all been short-listed to win the title of UK Supplier of the Year in the UK Jewellery Awards 2014. Domino is also in the running for Bridal Collection of Year. “We would like to pay tribute to our customers whose kind endorsements about our services and products have helped us to make our case to the judges. Thanks go too to all our staff whose hard work, expertise and dedication have been recognised,” says Group chairman, Patrick Fuller (pictured). “There is,” he says, “tremendous internal and very friendly rivalry between the three companies and naturally each team is hoping they will be the one to win.”

Charity seeks beneficiaries he Benevolent Society, the long-established registered charity of the British Allied Trades Federation (the umbrella body of which the BJA is a part), is seeking people who once worked in the jewellery, giftware, leathergoods and surface finishing industries who have fallen on hard times and may need modest financial assistance. The Society is funded by donations from companies within the BATF and also receives money from the proceeds of the annual ‘Benevolent Society Ball’ which last year raised £23,000 to add to the Charity’s coffers. “We are currently in the fortunate position of having funds to allocate and are looking for new beneficiaries whom we can assist with the purchase of essential household items, as well as being able to provide grants for medical requirements such as mobility scooters and wheelchairs,” says the Society’s vice chairman, David Doyle. The Society can also offer suitable candidates, who can demonstrate their financial distress, the money to meet utility bills and bad debts. In some cases regular financial support, in the form of a grant, is provided. While it may have funds available at present, the Society is always looking for financial support from those in the industries where it operates and Doyle is keen to attract a wider audience to its annual Ball which this year takes place in Solihull on 4th December. Visit www.batf.uk.com/en/benevolent-society for more details.

10 The Jeweller May 2014

An important two-day marine chronometer from HMS Beagle, the legendary Admiralty survey ship that took Charles Darwin on an epic five-year voyage to South America and the Galapagos Islands, has surfaced at Bonhams. It will be offered in the 9th July Fine Clocks sale at New Bond Street, London with an estimate of £30,000-50,000. Holts launches higher education jewellery courses Holts Academy has worked with the trade to put together new Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma jewellery courses. They will operate as one- or two-year programmes, which are available for enrolment now on either a part-time or full-time basis. Applied learning in traditional manufacture and design, CAD, state-of-the-art production and illustration skills will all be included in the courses, which will be held in Holts’ Hatton Garden premises. Medieval silver ‘cotton bud’ discovered in Norfolk The Medieval equivalent of a cotton bud has been declared treasure after being discovered by a metal detector enthusiast in Norfolk. The 28mm silver ‘ear scoop’ and sheath handle, described as a ‘toilet implement’ was among a number of items that appeared at a treasure inquest in Kings Lynn last month. The hearing also featured an early Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet stud and a hoard of 17 pieces of late Bronze Age metalwork, found near Swaffam.

| Industry News

IJL unveils its KickStarter line-up en outstanding new jewellery designers have been unveiled as the IJL KickStarters for 2014 – and the contest now begins to highlight one lucky KickStarter in particular – the ‘People’s Choice’. This new move sees the industry invited to vote for the one ‘designer to watch’, the winner being awarded a free stand in the Design Gallery at IJL 2015. The voting closes on 6th June. Twitter users can vote via #KickStartVote, while Instagram users can post a picture of their favourite KickStarter or product with the same hashtag. Facebook users Ring by IJL KickStarter Luka Pasikowski can cast their votes via the IJL Facebook page and at: www. jewellerylondon.com/kickstartvote The line-up includes: Tom Blake (sterling silver rings combined with colourful model animals); Kristjian Eyjofsson (customised, Nordic-infused jewellery); Sophie Alice Hirsch (meticulously crafted, precious metal, conceptual jewellery); Rosie May Hofman (modern technologies with traditional crafts for intricate, conceptual jewellery); Iwona Majdan (boundary-pushing, bold designs); Jeanne Marell (minimalist jewellery with a twist); Agnieszka Maksymiuk (jewellery with hand-carved details); Cara Tonkin (bold, elegant jewellery inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Deco) and Luka Pasikowski (statement rings which interpret classic motifs. The KickStarters will exhibit on a group stand at the 2014 show and will also receive valuable marketing and industry support from IJL and the BJA. IJL’s Trend partner, the leading jewellery forecaster, Adorn Insight, will once again be giving an award to one outstanding KickStarter, which includes a year's subscription and valuable bespoke mentoring.

S N I P P E T S Dreyfuss wins Queen’s Award The Dreyfuss Group, whose globallyrecognised watch brands include Dreyfuss & Co, Rotary and J&T Windmills, has won the UK’s coveted commercial prize, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, which will be carried for the next five years. The business, which has its headquarters in central London, is managed by CEO Robert Dreyfuss, the fourth generation of the Dreyfuss dynasty. It distributes to 45 countries and is also Global Official Timekeeper for Chelsea FC. Record sale for Bonhams Bonhams Fine Jewellery sale on 30th April, 2014 realised a total of £4.2million, setting a new record for the Jewellery department this year, as the top three lots doubled and tripled their estimates. A Colombian emerald ring was the star of the sale – it was secured for £362,500. A telephone buyer saw off strong interest from absentee bidders as the 10.49 carat emerald, set between diamond shoulders, reached its estimate. Jewel thief ‘to be film subject’

New marketing manager for Bransom ransom Retail Systems, a leading provider of computer and software systems to the jewellery and pawnbroker industry, has appointed a new marketing manager. Michelle Jima brings a wealth of online and offline marketing knowledge and skills and will now be responsible for managing Bransom’s branding and marketing activities, in order to maintain the business image and aid sales growth. She will work alongside sales manager Daren Daniels. Chris Garland, MD of Bransom Retail Systems said: “It is fantastic to welcome Michelle on board; she is a very competent individual with a wide range of skills and experience which complements our existing team. Her appointment marks a real change in the way Bransom will communicate with the trade, its partners and more importantly our customer base going forward. She has some great ideas and she will be a real asset to the company.”

Treasures in Hortus show group of 20 professional gold and silversmiths from the city of Utrecht, Netherlands is staging an exhibition of works inspired by the botanical gardens in the city – the Oude Hortus Botanicus. The show will run from 16th May – 1st June, 2014, at the Hortus which is situated behind the University Museum in the city. The group of new and established craftsmen formed three years ago, meets regularly and comes together to show their work every two years. The ring shown here is by Sanne de Vries.

12 The Jeweller May 2014

There is speculation in California that legendary jewel thief Doris Payne, 83, is to be the subject of a biopic, with Oscar winner Halle Berry taking the starring role. Payne, who has worked cons in jewellery stores across the world for more than five decades, was sent back to prison for two years by a Los Angeles judge last month, after stealing a $22,500 diamond ring (which she sold to a pawn shop for $800). The non-violent thief who began with bargain jewellery jobs, and whose most renowned accomplishment was a Monaco heist, was the subject of a documentary. She was described by a judge as: “a thief… charming… Santa Claus’s wife”.

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International News |

Record price for rare natural pearls he auction house Doyle New York has set a world record of $3.3 million with the sale of a pair of natural pearls last month. The price has surpassed by $900,000 the prior record price for a pair of natural pearls achieved by the Collection of Gina Lollobrigida in 2013. The pearls descended in the families of two prominent industrialists of America's Gilded Age and were accompanied by a note describing them as having belonged to Empress Eugenie of France. The drop-shaped pearls measure approximately 23 mm in height and 13 mm wide, and are slightly brownish grey with subtle rose overtones. They are mounted in antique silver and diamond caps, which are set onto a circa 1920s platinum and diamond pendant. They were accompanied by a Swiss Gemmological Institute report stating that they are saltwater natural, with no indications of artificial colour modification.

CIBJO releases gem lab report ust ahead of its 2014 Congress in Moscow (19th-21st May), CIBJO has released the sixth of the Special Reports prepared by its Gemmological Commission. This latest paper considers how gem labs may act to promote the harmonisation of standards and nomenclature. “In view of concerns that have been raised about inconsistencies in results presented by laboratories, we have explored how laboratories worldwide could work together and harmonise with the trade, to improve consistency, reliability of information and consumer confidence,” writes the Commission’s head Hanco Zwaan. “Closer cooperation between the labs is needed to fight disharmony, because inconsistencies occur in both nomenclature and the reporting of results, for instance in the areas of origin and determination of treatments.” Earlier in the month CIBJO released a report on ethical advertising principles and standards for the gemstone and jewellery sectors and another on coloured stones, focussing on proper disclosure of treatments (in particular about how glass-filled rubies should be properly qualified). Reports can be downloaded from www.cibjo.org

New owner for Dreyfuss Group he Dreyfuss Group, the fourth generation, family run, international Swiss watch business, comprising the Rotary, Dreyfuss & Co. and J&T Windmills brands, has became part of China Haidian Holdings Limited, the Hong Kong-listed investment company, with a leading watch production and distribution business in Peoples Republic of China (PRC). The move follows the acquisition of 100 per cent of the share capital from the Dreyfuss family, which has owned the business since its formation in 1895. In addition to its strong position in the UK mid-price watch market, in recent years the Dreyfuss Group has successfully implemented a strategy of international growth as it has expanded its brand presence into over 45 countries. The company was listed in the 2013 Sunday Times International Fast Track awards of the UK’s 200 fastest growing privately owned companies. China Haidian already owns two of the top four watch brands in China and was seeking a profitable, Swiss-made, mid-market brand group to add to its existing portfolio and to leverage its distribution network in PRC.

S N I P P E T S RJC panel discussion at JCK The Responsible Jewellery Council will hold a discussion session at JCK Las Vegas (Friday 30th May, 11.30 – 12.45). A panel of industry experts will look at ‘How the new RJC Code of Practices and key industry initiatives support a responsible supply chain.’ The panel, including James Courage, chairman of RJC and CEO, Platinum Guild, and David Bouffard, VP, corporate affairs, Signet Group, will discuss responsible sourcing and learn about the latest activities in supply chain due diligence, provenance claims, and harmonisation across initiatives, as well as headline issues like conflict minerals and synthetic diamonds. IDS of Canada to become LBMA Associate International Depository Services of Canada has been approved, by the Membership Committee, as an Associate of the London Bullion Market Association having met the Association’s rigorous requirements. This acceptance reflects IDS of Canada’s presence, recognition and continued growth within the international precious metals market. The company provides services and support to market participants through exclusive offerings, which include comprehensive secure and segregated storage, distribution and inventory services from its facilities in Toronto, Canada. Emerald smartphone launched by Savelli and Gemfields Geneva-based luxury jewellery house Savelli has collaborated with ethicallysourced gemstone supplier Gemfields, to create two limited edition emerald smartphones, which were launched exclusively at Harrods last month. The £45,000, 18ct pink gold and black ceramic ‘Emerald Night’ is set with 400 brilliant cut emeralds (around 3ct) and is limited to 19 pieces, while the £145,000, 18ct white gold ‘Emerald Insane’ (eight pieces) is set with 75 baguette cut emeralds (about 4.5ct) and around 900 brilliant cut diamonds (around 12.5ct).

The Voice of the Industry 15

| N.A.G. News

The N.A.G. and the BJA poised to unite

and exchanged MOU sets out a programme of work to prepare for the formation of a new national jewellery trade association. Subject to the final approval, this will be formed in early 2015. “I can sense that the time is right for the unification of the two associations,” said Michael Rawlinson, the N.A.G.’s CEO. “There is a desire and will on both sides to make it work. I know that Simon Rainer and myself will be busy in the next few months, but this will be all worthwhile if we are able to create an organisation that is fit to serve the jewellery industry in the 21st century.” “While we have established the guiding principles, there is much exciting work ahead for both organisations to bring this initiative to fruition,” added Pravin Pattni, N.A.G. chairman. “I am so delighted that in my

two-year tenure as BJA chairman we are close to concluding this great venture which will be a significant benefit to the whole UK jewellery industry,” added Gary Williams. The MOU follows an announcement made to the press during IJL last September, which stated that a working group would be established to look at ways in which the two associations could “work closer together for the benefit of their memberships and the jewellery industry as a whole”. Since that time the joint working party has identified the following key benefits of coming together: • creation of a single unified voice to speak on behalf of the jewellery sector • removal of unnecessary competition in a changing and converging jewellery industry • strengthened financial position • formation of an organisation fit for purpose and growth The action agenda will see the new trade association (the name of which is yet to be announced) formed and ready to operate by the end of 2014, with all business, financial and legal structures in place. The legal entity will allow for the ongoing use of the N.A.G.’s Grant of Arms as well as for a two-year grace period within which the N.A.G. will be able to withdraw from the unification process. Both associations have undertaken to meet with their members regularly throughout 2014, in order to give them the opportunity to vote to ratify the unification process. A budget will be prepared for the new organisation, which will include the membership structure and fees, staffing requirements and operational locations. Following the announcement at the AGM, Andrew Hinds, N.A.G. vice-chairman and director of F Hinds said: “The organisations broadly do the same work, with the same types of members; we can do more together than separately. Added to that, fewer trade bodies will help us to work more closely with other bodies going forward.”

Manchester • Campbells of Banstead Ltd, Surrey • Owlets (Hythe) Ltd, Kent • Lila’s – Romero One Ltd, London

Jeanette Louise Christy, Surrey (Associate) Vanessa Helen Campbell, Norfolk (Associate) David Anthony Rowe, Torquay (Auxiliary)

Corporate Associate Applications Bandit Uk Ltd, Chepstow • C R Gems Ltd, Birmingham • The Company of Master Jewellers Ltd, Warwickshire • Pursuit Software Ltd, Norfolk

IRV applications

Gary Williams & Andrew Hinds

he National Association of Goldsmiths and the British Jewellers’ Association have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at bringing together the two industry organisations. The announcement of the landmark move was made at the BJA’s Annual General Meeting held on 24th April at the Museum of London. Opening the meeting by calling for greater industry collaboration, BJA CEO Simon Rainer stressed the benefits that would accrue through strategic unity. “Here is the vision – a united industry pulling in the same direction, speaking with the same voice and creating even greater consumer confidence in the purchase of jewellery,” he stated. For the last 15 months the BJA and N.A.G. have held discussions on how they can work together to realise such objectives. The signed

New member applications To ensure N.A.G. members are aware of new applications for N.A.G. membership within their locality, applicants’ names are published below. Members wishing to comment on any application can call Catherine Mone on 020 7613 4445 or email: catherine@jewellersonline.org within three weeks of receipt of this issue.

Ordinary Applications H & Y Jewellers, London • Dexter Rings, Kent Victoria Highfield Jewellers, Stockport • 77 Diamonds Ltd, London • Eastern Gold,

16 The Jeweller May 2014

Individual Associate Applications Timothy R Carroll, Leicester (Associate) Emma McMillan, Edinburgh (Associate) Janice Cullen, West Sussex (Associate)

New Member Applicants

(all qualified in the Institute’s

Certificate of Appraisal Theory examination)

Alison Fitzgerald GG Gem-A Diamond Diploma, Tiffany & Co, London • Allan R Horne PJDip FGA DGA, W E Clark & Son Ltd, Lewes • Sarah Wilkins PJDip PJGemDip HND Jwlry & Silversmithing, Lumbers Ltd, Leicester.

N.A.G. News: Education & Training |

The Bransom Award winners for March…

ulie Rowland of Wrights the Jewellers, St Albans, is the winner of our coveted Bransom Award for March. We caught up with her to ask her a few questions about her success and background. She began by telling us that she has been in the jewellery business five years now. “I started in a small shop in New Zealand working just four hours on a Monday afternoon. My hours quickly increased to full time within eight months when I became the shop manager. “I initially applied for the job having been a loyal customer there for a few years as they sold a lot of my style of jewellery,” she explained. “I enjoyed the fun environment and when I moved back to the UK in 2011 I applied for a position at my local jewellery store, Wrights the Jewellers, where I was trained in fine jewellery to add to my previous knowledge of fashion jewellery.” So, how does it feel to have been named the winner of the Bransom Award for March? “I was shocked when I learned that I’d won! After spending so much time and effort writing my assignments I was pleased to have completed the course with such excellent marks. I would never have imagined I could have won an award at my age! Now it has sunk in I am very proud of my achievement and excited at the prospect of completing JET2 and furthering my knowledge,” she said. And what were the best aspects of the course? “I enjoyed the challenge and this course has taught me a lot more about the specifics of jewellery, which boosts my confidence in sales and ensures the customer

trusts my advice. My favourite section of the course was ‘Assignment Five’, which was all about diamonds.” We asked Julia if she felt JET1 would help her progress in her career, and whether it could do the same for others. “I would definitely recommend anyone within the jewellery trade to complete the JET1 course as it has given me so much more knowledge and confidence in myself. I am now able to provide a much higher quality of customer service,” she confirmed. Don Taylor is Julie’s tutor and had this to say about her achievements: “[She is an] exemplary student scoring five top grade As. Her work is consistently very good, thorough, with very few omissions and no errors at all. I am certainly very proud of her and I am sure that her employer, Wrights, feels the same way.”

and April!

pril’s successful Bransom Award winner is Annie Robinson of Hettich Jewellers in St Helier, Jersey. We congratulated her and

asked what first made her want to work within this industry. She told us: “I have worked in the jewellery industry for just under a year and have loved every minute of it. I have always had an interest in jewellery, diamonds and gemstones in particular and wanted to learn more. When the position became available at Hettich Jewellers, I jumped at the opportunity and was over the moon that my application was successful. It’s definitely an industry I want to have a career in.” In common with all past winners of the Bransom Award, Annie was enthusiastic about the course, as well as thrilled to have been singled out as a star student. “I was excited when I found out I’d been nominated, so when I received the call saying I’d won, I was delighted. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and put a lot of work into each subject,” she said. “The JET1 course has given me the foundation knowledge and understanding to progress with confidence within the industry. I would definitely recommend it to others, as it’s a fantastic starting block from which to gain the knowledge needed to develop within the jewellery industry.” Her tutor Anne Kings who recommended Annie for the award said: “Hettich is a lovely jewellers and she has been employed with them for just under a year. Ever since she received her course timetable her work has been prompt, and from the beginning her assignments showed so much enthusiasm for all the different subjects. “However it was her last project work that prompted me to put her forward to receive the Bransom Award, and which I’m delighted she has won. Her final work was outstanding, filled with excellent product knowledge, and exuded enthusiasm and confidence. I think Annie will be a credit to Hettich Jewellers.” The N.A.G. wishes Julie and Annie all the best with their promising futures.

The Bransom Award In July 2010 the N.A.G. launched an award with the aim of recognising the very best JET1 projects. Course tutors put forward nominations before the winner is chosen by our chief moderator. The individual who is awarded the highest assignment mark is rewarded with a trip to the historic and prestigious Goldsmiths’ Hall in London for the presentation of their certificate at our annual award ceremony. The award, which is sponsored by Bransom Retail Systems, is made on a monthly basis.

The Voice of the Industry 17

| N.A.G. News: IRV Review

N.A.G. Institute of Registered Valuers R

IRV news roundup The IRV co-ordinator Sandra Page rounds up Institute news – including a taster of the what delegates can expect at Loughborough later this year.

The Loughborough Conference The Institute’s annual Loughborough Conference takes place over the weekend of Saturday 13th to Monday 15th September. This is our 26th Conference; our 24th at Loughborough. Developments are well under way for yet another jam-packed programme including the ever-popular workshops (there will be five 90-minute sessions spread over the weekend), main presentations and discussion sessions. All this will be punctuated by the (always lively) social events on the Saturday and Sunday evenings. We look forward to welcoming back regular lecturers such as David Callaghan FGA, Peter Buckie and the Gem-A, and welcome new lecturers including Joanna Whalley FGA DGA, the senior metals conservator of the V&A’s Conservation Department. This residential event (non-residents are also welcome) regularly attracts over 170 people from all sectors of the trade (not just valuers) and for many it is the highlight of their annual business calendar. A brochure and booking form will be available at the end of May and will be

sent automatically to all IRVs and non-IRVs who attended the 2013 and/ or 2012 Conferences. A copy may also be downloaded from the IRV website (www.jewelleryvaluers.org/LoughboroughConference) or is available from Sandra Page (irv@jewellers-online.org).

Meet the IRV Committee Last year the N.A.G. Valuations Committee and IRV Forum were merged to create the IRV Committee – a platform through which N.A.G. IRVs can discuss all valuation-related issues and put forward ideas, plans and concerns for the N.A.G. Board of Directors to consider. The current Committee is made up of the following individuals: • David Callaghan FGA Co-opted (IRV Monitoring/ Re-registration Panel and CAT examiner). • Rosamond S Clayton FIRV FGA DGA MAE Re-elected 2013 (NB: to serve three years). • Peter J Hering FIRV PJDip PJValDip FNAG FGA DGA Co-opted (IRV Monitoring/ Re-registration Panel). • Michael S Inkpen FIRV FGA Co-opted 2014: January (IRV Monitoring/ Re-registration Panel and CAT examiner) • Steven Jordan FIRV PJDip FNAG FGA DGA Elected 2013 (NB: to serve two years) • Heather McPherson FIRV FGA Co-opted (CAT development manager and CAT examiner). • Shirley D Mitchell FIRV PJValDip PJGemDip PJManDip FNAG FGA DGA

Elected* 2011. Elected to IRV Forum

18 The Jeweller May 2014

2011, term of serve continued on IRV Committee. • Avril F Plant FIRV PJDip FNAG FGA HRD(CDG) Appointed (board member). • Michael Rawlinson N.A.G. CEO. • Barry Sullivan FIRV MAE Elected 2013. • Jon Tabard PJDip Co-opted. Shirley Mitchell and Barry Sullivan will be standing down this year and have offered themselves for re-election. A notification has gone out to IRVs inviting them to put themselves forward for the two vacancies on the Committee. If more nominations are received than there are places available, a ballot will take place at the Loughborough Conference. NB: if an IRV would like to discuss a matter with a particular member of the Committee they can find contact details on the IRVs’ area of the IRV website.

The David Wilkins Award Nominations have been received for this year’s David Wilkins Award. Introduced in 1994 the trophy is awarded annually to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding skill, dedication or service in respect of jewellery appraisal and valuation. You can find out more about the award by visiting this page on the IRV website: www.jewelleryvaluers.org/David-WilkinsAward. The winner will be announced at this year’s Loughborough Conference.

CAT review Individuals wishing to become members of the N.A.G.’s Institute of Registered Valuers need to meet certain criteria, one being enrolment on and success in the CAT exam (the Certificate of Appraisal Theory selflearning valuation programme). The current edition of the CAT modules is under review and while this takes place no enrolments are being accepted. It is anticipated that the review will be completed by the summer, at which time enrolments will recommence. Details regarding CAT can be found on both the IRV website (www.jewelleryvaluers.org/what-is-an-irv) and on the N.A.G. education website (www.nageducation.org/courses/certificateof-appraisal-theory-cat/). For an enrolment form when the review is complete please contact either our Education Department (jet@jewellers-online.org) or Sandra Page (irv@jewellers-oneline.org).

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N.A.G. Member of the Month In 2010 Lizzie McAuley and Rebecca Church joined the family retail business Baker Brothers, in Bedford and Letchworth, following the sad passing of their father, Kevin Coleman. The sisters continue to uphold the strong ethos upon which the company was established and, equally importantly, continue to employ the store’s very particular sourcing methods. How has your business changed since you and Rebecca joined in 2010? The industry has changed dramatically in the last five years and as such we have had to make sure we stay ahead of the game as much as possible. We have really focussed on the core of the business – the diamonds – and created a whole new marketing campaign and designed some great new pieces of jewellery to promote. We rebranded the company and took a long hard look at what we do and how we do it, including re-evaluating the teams of staff, and created individual and company targets to ensure we were all up to speed and reinvigorated in the training and tasks we do. When did Baker Brothers begin sourcing diamonds from the diamond cutting bourses and why was the decision made to buy the stones in this way rather than through wholesalers/suppliers? We started to source the diamonds direct from the cutters about 18 years ago. We did it to create the unique selling proposition and ensure that we could deliver what we said – great quality at the best prices.

Cutting out the middlemen was the only way we could do it. It is hard work and can take a long time to source and negotiate, but at least we are guaranteed to get exactly what we want and maintain quality control on all our diamonds. We are able to select the best quality stones and our stringent grading standards on the last trip resulted in having examined 1,835 diamonds in one day… and we only purchased 18! We even buy tiny melee stones this way. How often do you source diamonds from diamond bourses? We make five big trips a year and then might do some extra visits to get a special order for a customer and to top up the stock. Your ethos is ‘to provide an experience’ for you customers. How do you ensure this happens? This is so important, and yet can be difficult to ensure that it is always consistent. To maintain the ethos and consistency, we talk about it within the teams on a weekly basis, encourage each other to discuss our sales and customers to see what else we can do

Lizzie McAuley and Rebecca Church

next time. We also do a ‘secret shop’ with other high end retailers (not just in the jewellery industry) and debate what we liked and didn’t like about the experience. We are proud that we regularly receive thank you cards, flowers and chocolates from happy customers. How have the N.A.G. JET and CAT courses benefitted your business? Customers come to Baker Brothers as they expect knowledgeable and experienced staff and that is what we deliver. Knowledge is so important and we believe that no matter how long you have been in the industry it is vital to keep learning and refresh even the basics. We spend a lot of money on training and courses and do so to keep the team motivated and up to date – essential if you want to keep your finger on the pulse of your industry. What other training does your team do? We find the teams are motivated and enthusiastic about training courses. They recently attended, among others, Gem-A’s fascinating ‘Treatments in Gemstones’ course and the very useful ‘Mechanical Watch’ course. Experienced team members have passed a diamond grading course in Antwerp. By understanding the intricacies of loose diamonds, it ensures they have utter confidence in the products that they are subsequently selling. What other jewellery does Baker Brothers carry? We also stock designer jewellery brands such as Georg Jensen, Hearts on Fire, Clogau Gold, and Marco Bicego. Watch ranges include Rolex, Tag Heuer, Longines, Gucci and Tissot, which feature alongside brands such as Mont Blanc and contemporary designers Rachel Galley and Ponte Vecchio.

20 The Jeweller May 2014

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 306522)

A breakthrough in

Jewellery Photography ORBITVU, the global leader in automated product photography, and technologies of online product experience, has created ALPHASHOT MICRO – the world’s first automatic 2D and 360˚ photo studio for professional jewellery photography.

Professional results without professional skill Jewellery photography is one of the most difficult and challenging tasks even for experienced photographers. This is why worldwide patent pending ALPHASHOT MICRO is a groundbreaking solution in the field of product photography. It is the only solution which allows people without any photographic background to obtain results that were beyond their reach thus far. You don’t need years of experience or cutting-edge studio equipment anymore. With ALPHASHOT MICRO absolutely everyone will be able to create the highest quality pack shots and 360° views of jewellery, comparable to those delivered by professional jewellery photographers. Previously, on the global market, comparable solutions simply didn’t exist – particularly when taking into account the high demands of shooting such small and difficult items (transparent, semi-transparent, glossy, highly-reflective) as in the case of jewellery, gemstones, watches or coins.

High power lighting system instead of photo studio equipment Professionals are very aware that, for photography, lighting is the most important aspect. MICRO is the world’s only solution that offers the perfect lighting conditions, which are so necessary for photographing such types of products. This automatic jewellery photo studio has a built-in LED Power Lighting System containing as many as 20,600 lumens; this is able to replace the traditional, well-equipped photographic studio. Six independent LED panels can be automatically controlled by advanced electronics or manually – by the user – to take both artistic and advertising pack shots. Cylindrical Lighting System is the first solution where the camera rotates with the lighting maintaining the same light environment.

Full control of reflections Thanks to the high contrast chamber and the wide range of accessories included in the set, full control of reflections may be guaranteed by ORBITVU. Three types of turntable (glossy back, opalescent white and transparent);

white and black velour magnetic wall coverings and white or black velour magnetic moving backgrounds, can create the best reflection conditions and catch the best possible view of jewellery – all helping to increase online sales.

Shooting diamonds Anyone shooting precious stones like diamonds will know that a source of precision light is vital. For this reason MICRO is provided with the special varifocal Spot Lamp which illuminates precisely selected areas of the jewellery or stone. This allows achieving any artistic or advertising effect needed for the support of jewellery sales.

AUTO-CROPPING and GHOST IMAGE technologies resolve the most common problem of repeatability of images in an online store. During the object positioning, in the MICRO device, algorithms automatically suggest the perspective according to that which was previously used, recognise the size of the jewellery, compare it to the previous image, trim it and then add the appropriate size margins. In this way, without human intervention, the painstaking work of jewellery positioning and long hours of work with a graphics programme, the highest quality, consistent jewellery photography is achieved, ready to embed on an online store. MICRO is also provided with a 0-100° protractor on the rotating chamber, which quarantees the precision re-setting an angle of the camera.

Integrated software ALPHASHOT MICRO offers an advanced – but in fact easy-to-use – integrated software for single and mass imaging and editing. Other photo editing programs (such as Photoshop) are no longer needed. Short training is quite adequate to use all included features and unique intelligent technologies. As mentioned above, MICRO is created for amateurs to allow them to achieve the best professional effects possible… without booking the services of a professional jewellery photographer.

Hi-end technologies inside ALPHASHOT MICRO is equipped with many innovative and intelligent technologies invented and offered only by ORBITVU. Most of them still can’t be copied by others. MULTI-CORE is the only technology and uses the full power of a computer processor to perform a particular task. For this reason, instead of only one task, it performs several simultaneously and its work rate is unmatched, even for very high resolution images. Other solutions on the market have been created based on obsolete technologies, which is why they don’t take advantage of the capabilities of a computer processor and as a result run several times slower. IQ MASK automatically removes the background from the jewellery and speeds up the work by at least 150 times, compare to the conventional work style of a photographer and photo editing programme. It allows the shooting of perfect pictures of jewellery and the use of any background which seems to be the best for selected types of objects. MICRO is also provided with a precision protractor on the rotating chamber.

Incomparable performance will save work time Anyone who is aware of the time necessary to create high quality jewellery photography is sure to be impressed by the performance of MICRO: professional pack shots in five seconds and 360° views in 2.5 minutes. All the technology (which is included) reduces the need for human involvement to the minimum when shooting jewellery. A little training of an inexperienced employee, who has not had any prior contact with photography, will be sufficient for them to take over total responsibility for creating highest quality jewellery images – packshots as well as 360 degree views.

Reduce the costs of jewellery photography Arguably the most important benefit for everyone is costs. The return on the investment in MICRO is apparent after just one photo session. Added to this, the small compact size and the nature of its all-in-one features, means you can position ALPHASHOT MICRO next to generally available printers, photocopiers and other simple-to-use office equipment.

ORBITVU has over 15 years experience in the sector. As a group, it has sold more than 100,000 different devices all over the world, recently opened a sales office in Berlin and is currently investing in the development of new products and technologies. ORBITVU received three awards for innovation and has a European grant for innovation. Its products are 100% designed and manufactured in the EU.

To learn more about Alphashot Micro: www.orbitvu.com/micro

More than just valuing

Presentations | Workshops | Discussion Sessions Information available from the IRV website www.jewelleryvaluers.org or Sandra Page on 029 2081 3615 / irv@jewellers-online.org

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOLDSMITHS

Regular |

The Executive Development Forum – an introduction Michael Donaldson explains how the N.A.G.’s EDF operates and has been actively delivering value to its members for almost a decade. n short, the Executive Development Forum provides a unique opportunity for independent jewellery retail owners and directors to meet with like-minded professionals. Within its confidential forum, that fosters supportive and trusting relationships, members are able to benchmark their business with other jewellery businesses; develop their strategic thinking; invest in their own professional development and ultimately grow their business. The EDF facilitates the sharing of members’ experience, knowledge and expertise for the benefit of those running retail jewellery businesses; and provides its members with access to: • A question and answer service, that finds answers from the membership to questions asked by members, on subjects as diverse as: “Which suppliers

•

Benchmarking against other retail jewellery businesses’ monthly performance data, which is supplied, collated and circulated in the strictest of confidence Educational store visits which are hosted by members for other members, which are a valuable opportunity to learn by seeing and hearing first hand what other business owners are doing in their stores Regional groups which meet three times a year. The meetings are facilitated and work to a formal agenda that helps to stimulate, challenge and motivate attendees; as well as providing the opportunity to share any immediate issues and informally network together The Annual Oxford Congress gives all the regional groups an opportunity to engage with each other, and to hear

“It’s all too easy to despair about one’s ability to solve problems. The EDF helps you put your problems in context and realise that others are tackling the same issues” EDF Member.

•

can you recommend for product X?” and “What types of staff commission schemes do you operate?” A new flash service, where relevant industry news stories and business articles are emailed to their inbox

from invited experts who contribute their unique perspective from their specialist fields At the first EDF meetings of this year, members reviewed 2013 in terms of hallmarking figures, the economy and

individual store performances; and discussed the latest forecasts for growth, inflation, and pay awards. While those affected by the floods shared the impact that the receding water levels would have on the local economy and the lives of their customers – many of whom, several months on, are still trying to recover. The members agreed to extend the parameters of the shared monthly performance data to facilitate greater debate on the detail behind the sales and margin headlines, making questions on what, how and why all easier to ask and answer. The members learnt a new interactive approach to answering the age old question of “What do you do?” and in small groups worked through a session on ‘Lessons from running a High Street brand’ where they were able to highlight the values of major retailers and their competitors, as well as propose some specific brand actions – a technique they are now confident in applying to their own businesses.

One of the services EDF members enjoy is the access to getting (almost immediate) answers to questions – in the past few weeks the following questions have been answered by members for members: What advice can you give me on stock management systems? How do you process your online payments? What policies do you have for your staff to sell their jewellery in your shop? How much should a staff member sell to cover their cost? Planning for the Annual Oxford Congress on Wednesday 9th July is in progress. A draft agenda is being discussed with identified speakers who will be invited to deliver their insight on topics requested by the members, on today’s issues that will affect the shape of their businesses in the future. New regional EDF groups are being formed across the country, so don’t be surprised when your invitation to join hits the door mat!

The Voice of the Industry 25

Molly B Couture

LucyQ

Born out of the original Molly Brown children’s brand, Molly B Couture offers romantic, timeless designs in sterling silver and 9ct gold. The brand logo – a bow – features on many of the pieces, while others include stones such as black and white diamonds and pink sapphires, or symbolic motifs, such as this love knot.

The Art Deco movement, with its strong geometric lines, provides the inspiration for Lucy Quartermaine’s latest collection. In silver or yellow/rose gold vermeil, the line includes earrings, bangles, bracelets and pendants set with Swarovski crystals.

Countdown ... to a capital show

Kirsten Goss

Next month sees the Jewellery & Watch London show debut at its new swanky venue – the Saatchi Gallery on London’s Kings Road. As the list of exhibitors grows daily, we offer a preview of just a few of the designers and brands that will be launching collections at the event.

The designer’s latest collection is an updated take on the 1960s ‘cool, hip, smart’ Mod era. Statement cuffs and necklaces play a larger role than in previous collections and earrings reflect strong geometric shapes with dark stone details.

26 The Jeweller May 2014

Show Preview |

The Fifth Season by Roberto Coin

Yellow gold and rhodium-plated silver spiral bangles set with lemon quartz, smoky quartz, amethyst and blue topaz. The Italian designer’s contemporary, dynamic, more urban line translates his ideas and creativity via the accessibility of silver – but still with the trademark hidden ruby.

Dubini

Fei Liu

Following the success of Maree’s silver ‘Stunning Stone’ collection, the line has been broadened to include yellow and rose gold plating. As well as black onyx set in yellow and green jade in rose, pearls have also been set in all three metals – perfect for the bridal market.

Inspired by characters from Roman and Greek history, the ‘Empires Collection’ incorporates their characteristics into modern pieces of jewellery. Using 18ct gold and a mix of gemstones, ancient coins form the basis of dramatic, one-off pieces created by Italian craftsmen.

Maree London

The Houlden Bridal designer of the Year 2014 will be introducing his new 18ct gold and sterling silver collections at the show. As well as the winning ‘Aurora’ engagement ring design with its swirl of diamonds around a central stone, a new collection of symbolic, gem-set silver pendants called ‘Constellation’ will be shown, as well as the delicate ‘Lily of the Valley’, ‘Allure’, ‘Cascade’ and ‘Peony’ lines.

Amrapali

The renowned Indian jeweller is launching its new capsule collection ‘Takara’, which means ‘treasure’ in Japanese. Inspired by the Orient it comprises delicate chain necklaces, earrings and bangles with coloured stones set in 18ct gold and oxidised sterling silver. These are surrounded by signature polki cut and pavé diamonds.

Oxygen

A model that was extremely well-received at BaselWorld is this vintage look watch from the Paris brand. As well as the nylon NATO straps, the stainless steel watches also feature plain colour leather versions. The straps can be switched very quickly, without the need for special tools.

The Voice of the Industry 27

| Show Preview

Deakin & Francis

To commemorate the 100 year anniversary of WW I, the Birmingham-based brand is launching a special collection of cufflinks and luxury accessories in sterling silver and 18ct gold. Among the pieces is an enamelled vintage steering wheel key ring; bi-plane and bowler hat cufflinks and a silver tie slide. Captain Francis, the last in the Francis line to have joint control of the business with the Deakins, died during WW I.

Chimento

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Italian fine jewellery brand Chimento will be introducing a number of collections at the show. Shown here is a piece from ‘Bamboo Over’ – the layered horizontal gold links embellished with a line of diamonds. Also being shown is the collection of reversible ‘Double Join’ jewellery, the flexible ‘Stretch’ and the feminine ‘Stardust’.

Lars Larsen

Chavin Jewellery

Created to make a difference to the lives of Peruvian families whose worlds have been ‘torn apart by poverty’, Chavin Jewellery is also inspired by the culture and colours of ancient Peru. The latest collection, which will be launched at the show, is called Forever Leaf and features oxidised sterling silver and rose gold vermeil.

Parisi

The Danish watch brand continues to gather interest for its uniquely designed models that incorporate clean lines and ‘simple useful features’ such as scratch-resistance. Quality and timelessness combined with affordability is part of the brand’s mantra.

Created by designer Jane Mooney in 2013, the debut ‘Elements Collection’ from Parisi showcases the beauty of raw untreated stones alongside white and yellow gold. All pieces are hand-forged to fit the chosen stones and are designed to be layered with one another for a personal touch.

28 The Jeweller May 2014

Ruifier

Offering a modern perspective on luxury jewellery, this London-based collection draws inspiration from classic designs and conventional finishing techniques… but refuses to be bound to these. Sleek, linear structural angles and geometric shapes come together for bold, timeless pieces.

120th Annual General Meeting & Luncheon

18th June 2014

Saatchi Gallery London

Key Highlights - Presentation and Q&A on N.A.G./BJA unification - Future objectives and goals - Update on member services and benefits - Afternoon forum: Diamond Supply Chain Transparency = Traceability - Networking

Contact Hannah Harvey for further information or to request a booking form for the luncheon on 020 7613 445 or events@jewellers-online.org

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOLDSMITHS

| Opinion: Neil Oliver

Terms of trade Neil Oliver FIPG laments the lack of terminology knowledge when it comes to employing the skills of an engraver. y career as a hand engraver has spanned many years and most of the engraving disciplines – from ornamental and inscription engraving, to gold and stone seal engraving, ring carving, die-sinking and enamel carving. I was also a senior lecturer in engraving at Birmingham School of Jewellery and I still have a business practising all of my engraving skills daily. However in recent times I have become aware of certain problems of communication with my customers – do others have similar difficulties I wonder? If sales staff had more idea of how a jeweller or engraver works I would not be writing this but I feel I must. I have found that there is a tendency to the use of text message style abbreviations and computer users’ language – increasingly irritating when deciphering customers’ instructions, whether direct from the public or from jewellers’ shops. With computer programme fonts, discussing lettering can be a little frustrating; there are dozens of typefaces with lots of fancy names, which have nothing to do with recognisable letterforms. For example I was recently asked to engrave an inscription on an antique silver dish and was told that the lettering style required was Copperplate Gothic

(as written here). I later discovered, not having heard the name before, that it is on a computer keyboard's menu of lettering styles. It’s visually exciting for printable documents and posters, but as an engraver means nothing to me.

30 The Jeweller May 2014

Is it to be ‘Copperplate’, a traditional flowing script letterform, or is to be ‘Gothic’, a highly decorative upright letterform often with patterns engraved on the thicker strokes and fancy serifs? As far as engraving is concerned that typeface should have been described as ‘Roman Capitals’ or ‘Roman Uppercase’. It should be quite simple to give clear instructions for engraved lettering as there really are only the following types of lettering, as seen on the N.A.G. engraving card: Block, Script, Roman, Old English and Gothic. I am sure that a little knowledge in the identification, variations and the limitations of, and best uses for, each letterform when used in engraving, would be helpful to the sales person when discussing inscriptions with a customer – unsuitable lettering styles would be avoided. The most obvious example is an inscription on a plate or watch back which needs to be around the curve on the edge. I have lost count of the times that I have been asked to use script letters, which slope to the right of course; the effect of this is that the letters seem to fall down as they go around from the centre point of the inscription and become difficult to read. A curved inscription needs an upright letterform to make it legible – essential in an inscription surely. 3

An even more complicated problem I’m spending increasing time dealing with regards heraldry. The main bulk of the work I do is seal engraving on gold and stone set signet rings, most of which require an heraldic device as the engraving design.

The images shown are all designs I have been asked to seal engrave. The instructions I received for the engraving all called the designs ‘a crest’. Only one of these images is what I would refer to as a crest, i.e. (1). The others are (2) a full arms and (3) a clan crest and motto belt respectively. My knowledge of heraldry is, I know, rather specialised, but a little awareness of heraldry and the terminology used will not only help the engraver, but also avoid embarrassment for the salesperson if questioned, as well as improve the customer’s confidence in the salesperson’s advice. If they knew a little about the processes involved in engraving a seal, the cases of customers wanting to see a wax impression of their design before they had the seal cut would not be an issue.

…a little knowledge of each letterform when used in engraving, would be helpful to the sales person when discussing inscriptions… There has also been some recent confusion between a seal (intaglio) engraving and a cameo carving: my customer wrote ‘seal engrave in relief’ on the order, so I engraved a seal, took a wax impression and sent the job off. It transpired that the instruction should have read ‘cameo carve’ – a cameo is the opposite of a seal and is something a retailer should know. If basic knowledge of how things are done existed, anyone encountering these problems would not spend valuable bench-time on the telephone clarifying instructions, or waiting for a shop to contact their customer before getting on with the work. The examples given only scratch the surface of the problems encountered; believe me I have hundreds! I am convinced that there should be a short training course for retailers, as was once run by the City and Guilds, covering some of the processes of jewellery making, silversmithing and engraving. I would be very happy to be involved in the development of such a course, drawing on my experience both in the jewellery trade and education. Short talks or seminars about my engraving work and methods to retail jewellers and staff are also possible if there is enough interest.

May 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 4

Zincite BaselWorld 2014 Misidentified organics

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BE INSPIRED by the finest in jewellery NEW LOCATION

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014 t

Editorial

Gems&Jewellery

May 14 Contents

4 Gem News

5 Gem-A Events

6 Shows and Exhibitions

Increasingly, as I do this job, I realize that it’s less about what you do than what you are perceived to be doing. Travelling the world from show to show or conference to conference, with a smattering of teaching centres thrown in can be exhausting. The perception can be: “What a glamorous life to have!” But it all depends on perspective. It’s a bit like that with ethics as well. What we believe is unethical in our country or sphere could be totally acceptable in other parts of the world. This was brought home to me by two things recently. The first was a meeting at the UN in New York (see page 11), where ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility were put into a global context. Secondly were complaints being made about the forthcoming CIBJO congress being in Moscow, given the current tensions and Russia’s record on human rights. I’ll report on the congress next month, but in a nutshell CIBJO is a member of the Economic and Social Council, part of the UN. Its congress will be held courtesy of the Russian Jewellers’ Guild, a non-political organization. Unless the UN imposes sanctions on Russia (which is unlikely), CIBJO has no option but to go ahead. It’s all about positioning. We have an opportunity as a trade to transcend politics and national differences and set our own agenda. This is what numerous organizations are trying to do, but the only one with real clout at the top level is CIBJO. This brings me to the Precious Stones Multi-Stakeholder Working Group (PSMSWG), a body of people headed up by Jewelers of America and Signet who are trying to present a paper on the gem trade to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, among others. I’m sure that the initial thought was to try to do good for the trade, but the prevailing perception is that this is a self-serving enterprise written by self-appointed individuals who could potentially inflict serious damage on our trade. Dana Schorr, a Gem-A member based in the US, has highlighted serious flaws in this project, such as lack of consultation and transparency. The project is, as far as I’m concerned, dead in the water. What these individuals fail to realize, just as the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has (with which many from PSMSWG are involved), is that to parade yourself as a paragon of virtue you have to constantly live up to the values you preach. PSMSWG has failed in this respect, just as RJC has laid itself open to criticism as a ‘big boys’ club’ in the past. This, in addition to its recent failure to adequately state its position with regard to the Kaloti gold scandal and Dubai Metals Commission, has left me wondering what exactly it’s all about, and feeling quite pleased that Gem-A never joined. Of course it’s easy to sling mud and be ‘holier than thou’, and I’m sure there will be a rush to tell me all the things we do wrong. I look forward to hearing from you. Only by knowing the problems can you address them, and in life you do have to make compromises. Speaking of compromise, congratulations to the leaders of the BJA and NAG for working together even more closely. The recent memorandum of understanding will ultimately lead to a transformation, one in which Gem-A has already been involved, and we look forward to continuing to share experiences and knowledge with the projected new association. As we know only too well, change can bring acrimony, but if it’s the right change it ultimately benefits everyone concerned. James Riley Chief Executive Officer

Ethics Gems and Minerals

Instruments

Cover Picture Two grasshopper brooches and hair ornaments, possibly created by René Lalique. Circa 1900. Courtesy of The Faerber Collection © Katharina Faerber. See Shows and Exhibitions, pages 8–10.

May 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 4

Organics

Book Shelf

Letters to the Editor

Any opinions expressed in Gems&Jewellery are understood to be the views of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers.

Published by The Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) 21 Ely Place, London EC1N 6TD t: +44 (0)20 7404 3334 f: +44 (0)20 7404 8843 e: editor@gem-a.com w: www.gem-a.com

Editor James Riley

Design and Production Zest Design +44 (0)20 7864 1504

Production Editor Georgina Brown Advisory Board Mary Burland, Harry Levy

Zincite BaselWorld 2014 Misidentified organics

Advertising For mediapack and advertising rates please contact Ian Francis at the National Association of Goldsmiths on tel: +44 (0)20 7749 1705 or email him at: ian@jewellers-online.org

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Gem News

Gem news

synthetic diamonds, is apparently “genuinely nonplussed as to how a natural diamond ended up in the supplied parcel” says Diamond Services’ owner Yossi Kuzi.

Honorary membership of LDB for Varda Shine

Marange mines failing on CSR says watchdog

Varda Shine, who recently stepped down as CEO of the De Beers Diamond Trading Company, has been made an Honorary Member of the London Diamond Bourse in recognition of her outstanding services to the diamond industry. A rare honour, the award has only been made a handful of times since the Bourse came to exist some 74 years ago. Shine, who joined De Beers in 1984 and was made CEO in 2006, is recognized as one of the major powerbrokers in the international jewellery trade. During her tenure as CEO she led the business to deliver record sales and profits whilst extending the company’s customer base in India and developing pioneering new approaches to working with De Beers’ government partners in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Canada. Shine was the first woman to be awarded honorary lifetime membership of the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) and in 2011 received the Women’s Jewellery Association (WJA) Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. She is also a governing Board member of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF), a non-profit international organization with the mission of raising money to support education initiatives that develop and empower economically disadvantaged people in diamond producing nations. On receiving the award, Shine commented: “I am both delighted and humbled to receive this honorary membership to the London Diamond Bourse. I am very proud to have been part of the long and rich history of the diamond industry in London and it will be a real pleasure to become a member of such a fine organization. The London Diamond Bourse has played a major role in the UK’s diamond industry for several decades and, with its excellent leadership and connections with the international diamond industry, I am confident that it will continue to do so long into the future.”

According to a report last month by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) in Zimbabwe, only one mining company in the Marange diamond fields has managed to fulfill parts of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations, while others are now reluctant to fulfill their promises because of dwindling alluvial diamonds. Companies involved in the extractive industry prioritize CSR as a method of continuing sustainability in operations and maintaining good relations with the government. Anjin Investments has managed to complete all 474 housing units it promised to build for displaced villagers. However Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Diamond Mining Corporations and Jinan Investments are yet to complete the first phase of the relocation process. The CNRG said failure to fulfill obligations such as relocation had led to further impoverishment of the communities in which they operate.

Diamond mine proposed for Finland A Finnish mining company is seeking government approval to open a diamond mine in the Kaavi district in southeastern Finland. Should it go ahead the open pit mine and processing facility would become the first diamond mine on the European continent. According to Yle, the Finnish national broadcasting network, Karhu Mining has received backing from the British firm British Firestone Diamonds and has filed for a mining patent survey from the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency. If approved, the next stage in the development would be an environmental impact statement. During the 1980s several companies were engaged in exploring for diamonds in

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Finland, and a number of locations were found to have deposits of kimberlites with clear and colourless diamonds present, many of good quality. The most abundant were found in this southeast region, according to the Geological Survey of Finland website.

‘Synthetic’ diamond turns out to be natural In a twist on the usual news stories involving diamonds and disclosure, a 0.138 ct diamond that was part of a parcel of synthetic diamonds, has been tested and confirmed as natural. Hong Kong-based Diamond Services Ltd released the results of the testing (executed by HRD Antwerp) of the type 1Aab stone last month. The supplier, a well-known producer of gem-quality

Apple creates supply chain for sapphire crystal Apple Inc. has entered into a partnership with a supplier of synthetic sapphire crystal, which will make it one of the world’s largest sapphire producers when it reaches full capacity. Precise details of what the company plans to use the scratch-resistant crystal for are unknown, but speculation in the industry moots that the material will be used for the iPhone, iPad and possibly an iWatch, in place of the glass currently used in touch displays. Synthetic sapphire is colourless, unless deliberately coloured. Sapphire furnace maker GT Advanced Technology — Apple’s new partner — uses a variation of the Czochralski process, combining the melting of aluminum oxide, a seed sapphire crystal, and heat extraction to crystalize the alumina melt. Like natural sapphire, the synthetic is incredibly hard and that hardness creates challenges for using it.

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Gem-A Events

Gem-A events Gem-A AGM Thursday 12 June — 17:30–20:00 Gem-A Headquarters, 21 Ely Place, London EC1N 6TD

All Gem Central evenings (except Specialist evenings, priced separately) are free for Gem-A members and Gem-A students; £5 for non-members.

Gem-A Conference 2014 Business Design Centre, Islington 1 and 2 November: Conference 3 November: Seminars 4 November: Natural History Museum visit Please see our ad on p23 for further details.

Other events

Gem Central evenings Gem Central evenings take place once a month, at the Gem-A Headquarters (address as above) from 18:00–19:30. Booking is essential. From Mandalay to Mogok (Specialist evening) with Peter Grumitt Monday 19 May Following his recent journey to Myanmar, Peter Grumitt from Apsara Gems will give a talk on rubies from this area. £5 for Gem-A members and Gem-A students; £10 for non-members Organic or imitation? Monday 16 June Join our gemstone challenge and test your skills.

Make your Mark Friday 16 May Goldsmiths’ Hall An open day of inspiring talks, activities and networking opportunities to help students make their mark on the future of the craft. Gem-A will be exhibiting to help students in their careers and to promote our courses.

Gem-A Workshops Our range of introductory ‘Understanding’ workshops are ideal for jewellers with no gemmological background, or for anyone who needs a refresher. The intermediate ‘Investigating’ workshops are for gemmologists and jewellers with gemmological knowledge. Understanding gemstones Thursday 28 August Gem-A Headquarters, London This one-day workshop will provide you with the perfect introduction to the fascinating world of gemstones, and is perfect for retail staff. Covering all aspects of the most

The Gem-A Photo Competition is now open! Submit your photographs for the 2014 Photo Competition and you could win a year’s FREE Gem-A membership. There are four categories under which an image may be submitted: Natural – Must be a digital Last year’s winner photograph (including by Michael Hügi FGA photomicrography) with minimal post-production work (may include basic cropping, contrast and minor hue/saturation adjustments). Treated – Digital photograph (including photomicrography) with significant post-production work (such as background manipulation, HDR and contrast masking). Synthetic – Computer-rendered 3D models of gemstones, crystals, crystal structures, images from microtomography, etc.

Melange – This category covers any gem-related image that doesn’t fit in the above and may include such things as photos of a spectrum, a scanning electron microscope image, mining, cutting, etc. The subjects may include any type of gem material (including organics), crystals or cut stones, and internal or other features of these. Jewellery settings may be included, even wearers, but the gem or gems must be the main subject. In the case of categories 1, 2 and 4, the original photo as taken, with no cropping or manipulation whatsoever, must also be submitted to us. Please submit all entries to editor@gem-a.com by Friday 19 September 2014, taking care to read the Rules of Entry first. For more information and for Rules of Entry, please visit www.gem-a.com/ membership/photographic-competition.aspx

Show Dates Gem-A will be exhibiting at the following shows: JCK Las Vegas Booth L116, Mandalay Bay 30 May – 2 June

International Jewellery London (IJL) Stand J31, Olympia London 31 August – 2 September

Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair Booth 3M046, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 15 – 21 September

popular gems (ruby, sapphire, emerald and others), you will learn about origin and lore, as well as the more practical aspects of their physical properties, including care and caution advice. Gem-A/NAG/BJA Members and Gem-A Students: £100, Non-members: £120 Understanding practical gemmology Friday 29 August Gem-A Headquarters, London This one-day workshop focuses on the practical aspects of gemmology, and covers the effective use of all the readily available instruments and testers that you are ever likely to need. The 10× lens, polariscope, spectroscope and refractometer are all looked at in detail, and, under the guidance of our expert tutors, you will quickly learn the basic principles and techniques needed to use them efficiently. Previous practical experience is not necessary, but by the end of this workshop you will be able to use the equipment correctly and have an appreciation for their value in testing. Gem-A/NAG/BJA Members and Gem-A Students: £100, Non-members: £120

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Shows and Exhibitions

JCK 2014 preview Olga Gonzalez FGA looks at some of the featured events at the upcoming JCK show in Las Vegas, USA. Friday 30 May • Join the JCK team in the Bayside Foyer at 09:00 for the opening ceremony, and enjoy a day full of complimentary education seminars and afternoon fashion catwalk shows. For the ladies, Saks Fifth Avenue is providing complimentary makeovers (by appointment only at the Saks counter in the Breakers Ballroom). Run — if you snooze you lose!

There’s a definite buzz in the air at JCK headquarters at the moment. The 2014 show’s lineup of events and seminars has exhibitors and attendees alike humming with anticipation of the summer show. Among the promised new and improved features are wider aisles and a new eating space called ‘Food Truck Alley’, which will provide a casual dining option outdoors near the Bayside entrance of the JCK show. There’s also the newly-implemented Exhibitor Recommendation program JCK ‘Match’, which matches retailers and exhibitors based on their products and price points (and, when paired with the geo-locator function on the JCK app, allows attendees to see what’s around them on the show floor). All-in-all, this year’s show is expected to run more smoothly and provide more amenities to both buyers and exhibitors. So if you need a breakdown of the best things to do (other than buy, that is) at the show by day here are some Gem-A recommended highlights: Thursday 29 May • Early birds and workout buffs unite! While time zone changes are working in your favour, gather at 05:30 in the Mandalay Bay Casino to register for an athletic morning charity event hosted by Jewelers for Children: Rings of Strength. Choose from a 50K Red Rock Canyon bike route, a moderate 15K ride, a 5K run or a 5K walk along the Vegas strip. • New to the show is Shark Tank at JCK, a reality-television-inspired competition between exhibitors which will see them compete for the coveted ‘final four’ spots, where they will host seven minutes of live product presentations to buyers from 13:00–14:00.

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Saturday 31 May • In true red carpet style, stop by the Bridal Salon and show off your look on the mani/pedi cam. JCK wants to know what you are wearing, and how you are ‘rocking it’. • A trip to Vegas wouldn’t be complete without a wedding chapel. From 14:00–15:30 five industry couples are renewing their vows in the Bridal Lounge. Come and feel (and support) the love. • In the evening the Plumb Club will host a Gala evening for members with comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, which is sure to be a fun night. Sunday 1 June • The morning begins with the engaging Rapaport breakfast, highly recommended for a current analysis on the diamond industry, followed by the Rapaport Fair Trade Jewelry Conference. • One of the hottest industry concert events of the social calendar, JCK Rocks the Beach will be bringing in Grammy Award-winning Rob Thomas for a first-come-first-served private concert at the beach in Mandalay Bay on Sunday evening. Be sure to queue in advance, since Rocks the Beach has become one of the more difficult events to get into due to overwhelmingly popular demand. So gather your inventory, and get ready to go! The countdown to JCK Las Vegas 2014 has begun…

Visit the Rising Stars Established in 1995, the Rising Star programme highlights first-time exhibitors that show promise as the ‘best of the best’ up-and-coming designers. A juried process, Rising Stars are chosen by a panel of editors, stylists and retailers who rate the exhibitors’ craftsmanship, originality and saleability. The Rising Star booths are a highlight of the show and are a must-see. This year’s winner’s are Kaura Jewels, Natalie Dissel Jewelry, Irthy Jewels, Blackbird and the Snow and Shrisha Jewels.

Get closer to the source and venture to

Idar-Oberstein

21 June – 28 June 2014 Visits include Edelsteinminen Steinkaulenberg, Kupferbergwerk in Fischbach, DGemG, Schneider gem tools, Deutsches Mineralienmuseum and Historische Weiherschleife, as well as the chance to sample the very best of German small-town culture. The price is inclusive of the coach to Germany, 7 nights accommodation (single or twin room), breakfast and dinner, and entry to museums, LQVWLWXWHV DQG ÀHOG WULSV For more information or to book contact events@gem-a.com.

Price

Single room

Twin room

(1 person)

(2 people)

Member

£1,455

£1,245

£1,745

£1,495

(Gem-A, NAG, BJA and GIA Alumni Association)

Non-member

All prices quoted are per person

™

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Shows and Exhibitions

BaselWorld 2014 Back to its normal dates and now taking place at the end of March, James Riley FGA DGA reports on the ins and outs of this year’s show. Basel in springtime — not as desirable as you might think. For a start, with the exception of the old town, Basel is not an attractive city, but it is arguably at its best at this time of year. Traditionally the sun shines, blossoms are out and the watch and jewellery show is in town. I put watches first because these days BaselWorld is predominantly a watch show. The general feeling is that jewellery is not wanted and certainly, as I have expressed in these pages before, the number of jewellery companies continues to dwindle. Basel is all about brands, and the big players all continue to be there. If you’re not at Basel are you really a global player? That may be a little extreme but I believe it to be true. Why else spend the exorbitant amounts of money to be there? Basel has a population of 150,000. With an estimated number of visitors at the same level, the population doubles for 10 days — hence the high hotel costs and restaurant prices. With a 40% stake in the show, the city of Basel does pretty well out of BaselWorld.

This year, however, there was a difference: BaselWorld has competition. The first is from our very good friend Martin Rapaport. As I have already mentioned, the show has made it very obvious that unless you are a brand it doesn’t want you, and this has been keenly felt by the diamond companies who have had to endure rising booth prices, poor stand locations and a relocation of Hall 3 from right opposite the entrances of Halls 1 and 2, to the far end of Hall 1 (previously Hall 5). Last year the groundswell of disharmony was enough to cause a new diamond show to be set up by Rapaport, across the river in the old town, close to the station, in the Market Hall. This is a result for all concerned you might think, with space being created at BaselWorld for more brands, and a dedicated diamond hall with many of the world’s leading diamond companies, a shuttle bus and great organization. However, it appears that BaselWorld have done everything they can to scupper the new show before it even began, with shuttle buses not being allowed to park

1: Pinella Autore’s ‘Nemo’ pearl. Image Gary Roskin.

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near the show entrances, legal threats and petty shenanigans. It’s a shame because the venue was good — there were some very good exhibitors and a nice atmosphere. Well done to the Rapaport team and every success in the future. Gem-A will be there next year, but of course it will probably be necessary to show at both venues. The second new player this year was the UBM Jewellery & Gem Fair (JGF) show at Messe Freiburg, Germany. UBM is the organizer of the September Hong Kong shows, and knows a thing or two about putting on jewellery exhibitions. The location in Freiburg, about an hour from Basel, is good for European customers and suppliers as there are no carnets or customs to worry about. The show has attracted the exhibitors that would have been at Basel 10 years ago it seems, and may now be seen at places such as Vicenza, Italy. In short, they are the international ‘bread and butter’ jewellery companies who are players on the international scene but who do not have a global brand as sought by BaselWorld. Sadly, visitors were few on the ground, although those that did visit are rumoured to have been major buyers and they did spend money. It seems that there is a fantastic opportunity here for these three exhibitions to work in harmony as they are not mutually exclusive. As an experiment, I posed the following question to many of the visitors to our stand: “If BaselWorld was exclusively a watch show, would you come?” The answer was a resounding “No” — even from those who came to visit the watch companies as well as the jewellery and stone suppliers. Come on BaselWorld, it’s time to get your act together! Since my return to the UK I have met numerous people who visited BaselWorld. When asked if they visited the stone hall, many told me that they ran out of time or

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Shows and Exhibitions

2: Two grasshopper brooches and hair ornaments with plique-à-jour enamel wings enhanced by rose-cut diamond line details, mounted in 18 ct yellow gold, circa 1900. Although these grasshoppers have no maker’s mark or signature it has been suggested that they were created by René Lalique. Courtesy of The Faerber Collection © Katharina Faerber.

didn’t know it was there. This is a shame as the quality of the goods on show was (as usual) breathtaking, and with a few exceptions, unrivalled in the main watch and jewellery halls. So what did they miss? Pearls were looking good, with many spectacular rows and individual pieces. Quite often the sheer volume of high quality pieces can make one blasé about what is seen. However, when you see a row of South Sea pearls all perfectly round and of the same colour, lustre and size (all over 20 mm), the jaw drops a little. Add to this the fact that they are all from the same farm (Atlas), and you begin to realize that they are special. Jorg Gellner has been putting this collection together for some years. The rarity is due to the mollusc ‘producing’ its third pearl in order to create something of this size. In other words, it has already been opened twice

before and delivered two pearls. This is amazing when one considers the death rate during the procedure, and that these molluscs are now six or seven years old. As can be imagined, the value of such a row is very high and, while not unique, it was certainly a treat to be able to view it. Something extra here — which pearl suppliers are starting to latch on to — is the provenance of the item and the clarity of the supply chain. It is possible to have a row from just one farm or locality. Gellner had ‘Tahitian’ (my term not theirs) pearls which were all from Fiji, as well as the traditional localities in Polynesia. As we talk more about supply issues, ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, this type of disclosure will become much more prevalent and sought after. Perhaps one had better not talk about the animal rights of the mollusc though…

Another interesting sight was that of pink freshwater pearls in what one might term ‘Kasumiga’ pinks, of which Yoko London had a selection. Kasumiga pearls were large nucleated freshwater pearls from a lake in Japan, which had a distinctive hue and lustre hitherto not reported in Chinese freshwater production. Prices used to be hundreds of thousands of pounds for a large perfect necklace. As with Lake Biwa, pollution severely damaged the farms, all but ending production. These ‘new’ pearls are Chinese but have the intensity of colour and look of Kasumiga. The prices are not cheap compared to your run of the mill pink freshwater necklace, but in this case quality and, of course, size matter. From the sublime to, if not the ridiculous, then certainly the cute. Australia Pearl Company had a pretty brooch in its display cabinet: a pink misshapen pearl which no one had any use for has been transformed by Pinella Autore and her team into the Disney character ‘Nemo’. Inspired by the animated film Finding Nemo, this was a pretty piece of fun and great use of materials to accentuate a natural product (1). Hall 3 is also the home of the antique jewellery sellers. Here you can gaze and gasp at pieces from the classic eras of Art Deco back to the Victorian age, the eighteenth century and even earlier. There were too many outstanding pieces to mention but one which stood out for me on the stand of the Faerber Collection was a pair of grasshopper brooches in glass, enamel and gold from the Art Nouveau period (2).

‘Maxima’ necklace, featuring 21 South Sea pearls. At the centre of the necklace is a cultured pearl measuring 20 mm. The necklace also features three diamond pavé spheres set with 630 brilliant cut diamonds. Image courtesy of Gellner.

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Shows and Exhibitions

BaselWorld 2014 (cont.) Sadly they are unsigned but one look tells you that they can only be by the French maestro René Lalique. Many people would, I’m sure, have liked to have taken them home — including me. It goes without saying that the gemstones on display were breathtaking. I’ve talked before about coloured diamonds — are they really all that rare? For those of you who think they are, there was the ostentatious Graff watch on display (3). Not to my taste, but with a reputed tag of $55 million I’m hardly in a position to judge. ‘His and hers’ anyone? I would venture to suggest coloured diamonds are not as rare as the unbelievable cobalt blue spinels from Vietnam (untreated) on Vladyslav Yavorskyy's stand. We purchased one for the Gem-A collection for a mere few hundred dollars. Look out for his magnificent books Terra Garnet and Terra Spinel (in short supply) at the Gem-A shop. If cobalt blue spinels don’t take your fancy then how about a 67 ct Paraíba tourmaline

’ 7th/8th June 5th/6th July 2nd/3rd August 9th/10th August 16th/17th August 20th/21st September

3: The Graff ‘Hallucination’ watch, featuring over 110 ct (total weight) of coloured diamonds. © Graff Diamonds 2013. from Paul Wild. We’re not talking the ‘wishy washy’ colour of African ‘Paraíba’ here; this is the real stuff from Brazil with a price tag in the millions. Truly a unique item. To return to my theme above about provenance; all of these stones had a story to tell, as to where they had been mined and by whom. Emeralds perhaps lead the way here. Gemfields have successfully marketed the stone with their interests in Zambia, but increasingly where the stone was mined, not just the country, is becoming important. Meeting our good friend Ron Ringsrud, who was working for Muzo — which now controls the entire Muzo mine

Rock Gem ’n’ Bead Rock Gem ’n’ Bead Rock Gem ’n’ Bead Rock ’n’ Gem Rock Gem ’n’ Bead Rock Gem ’n’ Bead

— and seeing some of its pieces, brought home to me how important it is to be able to tell a story. The product we deal in revolves around emotion. If we can add to that a story and at the same time demonstrate the core values, which all our customers would expect (yet unknowingly do not get) in terms of traceability, non-conflict and ethical sourcing, we have a very powerful tool to both increase sales and maximize the returns for everyone in the supply chain. The school playground tactics of the show organizers show us how not to do it, while the companies listed above show us how we can.

Kempton Park Racecourse, London Newcastle Racecourse, Newcastle Upon Tyne Kempton Park Racecourse, London August Royal Welsh Showground, Builth, Wells Pavilions of Harrogate, Harrogate Newark Showground, Newar

Have you subscribed to the Rock ‘n’ Gem Magazine? www.rockngem-magazine.co.uk

Page 10

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Ethics

A day out at the United Nations James Riley reports on the recent United Nations meeting held in New York. It’s not every day you get asked to visit the UN! When CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri invited me to a lunchtime seminar in New York, I thought it was a long way to go for lunch. Fate decreed I would be in the US anyway and so off I went, not knowing just how much I would learn. Do you know your MDGs? These are the eight UN Millennium Development Goals which encompass: eradicating poverty, universal education, gender equality, eliminating child mortality, improving maternal health, eradicating diseases such as HIV and malaria, ensuring environmental sustainability and global partnerships for development. As a business community we can now help and assist in all of these goals. There are already a number of jewellery companies who have community schemes aimed at these areas such as the Tanzanite Foundation, whose work was outlined at the meeting by Hayley Henning. The subject for this meeting was Goal 8: develop a global partnership for development, which is concerned with how government, civil society, academia and the private sector can work together to help bring about these goals. To date only two areas of the business community have recognition

Professor Donald Feaver of Branded Trust.

(From left-right) Dr Hanifa Mezoui, Chief of the NGO Section of ECOSOC, Gaetano Cavalieri, President of CIBJO, and Jean-Pierre Diserens, Secretary-General of CIFA, signing a memorandum of understanding.

at the UN and the Economic and Social Council, CIBJO and the Convention of Independent Financial Advisors (CIFA) — as Jean-Pierre Diserens puts it, an association for the well-being of bankers! These will soon be joined by the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA). Working together across industries is critical to the success of the UN’s mission: learning best practice and sharing ideas. Present at the seminar were many luminaries of the US and world jewellery trade, including Martin Rapaport, David Bonaparte of Jewelers of America, Cecilia Gardner of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and Tim Matthews of JTV. Add to these luminaries representatives from the UN’s Global Compact, the UN office for Humanitarian Affairs and Civil Society and the UN liaison with NGOs, and we had ourselves an interesting mix of attendees. At the seminar CIBJO and CIFA signed a cooperation agreement to enhance business practices and sustainability in their sectors. This was backed up by a

presentation from Branded Trust, a CSR management system promoted by CIBJO, with which delegates at last year’s Gem-A Conference will be familiar. Branded Trust has now been endorsed by the UN and its educational component will shortly be available through Gem-A. You might ask whether all this really matters, whether this is a bunch of diplomatic bigwigs spouting a lot of hot air. I believe that it is important to our industry to look at where our product comes from and ensure its long term viability and sustainability and the well-being of those involved with it. Surely these are inalienable

Ben Sheehy of Branded Trust.

truths for our business? Many of us have a lot of work to do, but if we do not do it now, before long our customers will be asking difficult questions about what we sell. By embracing and educating ourselves in these processes we will be able to give them confidence in what they buy and set ourselves apart from those who are just out to make a fast buck. For more information on the Millennium Development Goals visit www.undp.org/ content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview.html

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Gems and Minerals

Unusual zincite formations Andrew Fellows

FGA DGA

discusses interesting zincite crystal specimens.

Zincite, as most gemmologists know, is an unusual material ‘accidentally’ formed as a by-product of the zinc white production process (used in the plastics and paint industries, amongst others). Although natural zincite does exist (its main locality being in the Franklin area of New Jersey, USA), the majority of rough specimens and faceted stones seen on the market originate from sources such as the Olawa Foundry, in the Silesia area of Poland. Stories vary as to the exact origin of these crystals, and the growth conditions under which they form. One popular theory is that zinc vapours escape through a crack on the back of a furnace, and then recrystallize there and up in the chimney vents. An alternative, outlined in the The Journal of Gemmology by Nowak et al. (2007) suggests that zincite crystal formation occurs when crystals form within the furnace, and the production of zinc white is slowed. When the furnaces were subsequently serviced, the crystals were found on the screens that transferred heat between the actual furnace section, and the area arranged for the vaporization of powdered zinc. The zincite crystals were

subsequently harvested and eventually found their way onto the gem market as the collectors’ stones that we see today. Unfortunately, as production processes changed, the growth of these crystals reduced and ceased, so nowadays the majority of stones/specimens on the market are from old collections. As a small scale collector of rare and unusual stones, I have managed to amass a reasonable collection of both faceted and rough zincite in the full range of reds, greens and yellows that are available. Due to its low hardness (4 on the Mohs’ scale), faceted stones are not really suitable for jewellery use, but as they show high dispersion (0.127), sub-adamantine lustre and refractive index (2.01–2.03), they do look beautiful, and as such, the vast majority of sizeable crystals have been scooped up by faceters and cut into various shapes. More unusual and interesting are the crystals themselves (now increasing in rarity). Some of the larger crystals and faceted stones that can still be found are shown in 1, and are sought after by collectors.

1: Large zincite crystals and faceted stones. The main crystal is 70 mm long, while the round cut red stone is 6.5 mm long. All photos by Andrew Fellows.

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Gems and Minerals

2: This stone is only 50 mm in length at its maximum. Pictured on the left are two close-ups of features found on the stone’s left side.

3: The petal-like forms exhibited by some of the crystals.

Whilst these large crystals have appeal, they tend to form as regular shapes (hexagonal crystal form) with clearly-defined faces. Smaller crystals form as more unusual shapes, and can, as one viewer once put it, “resemble space-age cities with towers and domes”. It is these that appeal to me most, and that are more likely to stand the test of time, as only minute stones could ever be cut from them — with careful storage and care, these will last as reminders of the beauty and triumph of nature over industry. One such stone is shown in 2. The images shown are all from the Nowak collection (according to the sources they were purchased from), and the largest is only 80 mm in length. Nonetheless, these plates of tiny crystals offer numerous different formations, and offer a rare insight into the micro-world of crystal forms and the variety of intricate and beautiful shapes that can be formed. As can be seen in these images, the

majority of the tiny zincite crystals form as small, thin needles, which, under microscopic examination, show a hexagonal crosssection, smooth crystal faces and sharp, well-defined edges. The terminations are (for the most part) pyramidal in form, thus showing almost perfect crystal growth/shape. In contrast, a good proportion of these needles have a more exotic termination. For some reason, be it imperfections or inclusions encountered during their growth, or contact with some other (now non-existent) material, they terminate in flat plates, displaying an almost flowerlike formation… the overall effect being one of a country meadow with grass blades and wild flowers (3). Under microscopic examination, these forms can be seen to possess a regular repeating structure, suggesting that each ‘petal’ or ‘flake’ is an individual crystal in itself, radiating outwards from a central point on the crystal stem. The largest of these structures measures approximately 2 mm in width, with the single needle crystals reaching up to 12 mm in length. As the images below show, these flat endings to the needles have anywhere upwards of five distinct growth directions, and show microscopic growth features on each. Very high magnification is needed to resolve these patterns. One interesting and unusual feature seen only once in the 13 samples investigated is shown in 4. Here, a single hexagonal ‘plate’ can be seen, devoid of any noteworthy or important features, save for the existence of a curved teardrop-shaped indentation, the origin of which could not be determined. Of all the samples, this was the only form of this kind. One final feature of these zincite plates worth noting, although very difficult to photograph given the equipment available, is that they all fluoresce a uniform lime green when exposed to long-wave UV, with the exception of the bulbous crystals of yellowish body colour, seen on some of the specimens, which exhibited more of a yellow fluorescence. This was as expected and is in line with the 4: An unusual hexagonal feature seen on current literature and one of the specimens. Magnification research on the area. approximately 90×. Reference J.W. Nowak, R.S.W. Braithwaite, J. Nowak, K. Ostojski, M. Krystek and W. Buchowiecki, 2007. Formation of large synthetic zincite (ZnO) crystals during production of zinc white. The Journal of Gemmology, 30(5/6), 257–267.

Page 13

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Instruments

Experimenting with filters

Anthony de GoutiĂ¨re GG experiments with filters and shows some unusual and colourful results. 1

While searching for interesting inclusions in a 1.08 ct emerald-cut, colour-change Zultanite (diaspore), I routinely checked for any reaction using crossed polarizers. Nothing too exciting happened during that procedure, but just for fun I inserted a first 2

Page 14

order red-compensating filter between the specimen and the lower polarizer and was surprised at the spectacular display of colours (1 and 2). I have used this filter occasionally to enhance the colour in some thin-film inclusions in crystal specimens, but this was the first time I'd used it with a faceted gemstone. I then experimented with a colourless oval-cut topaz weighing 8.43 ct (3), an oval-cut diopside weighing 2.48 ct (4), then finally a cushion-cut grossular garnet weighing 0.32 ct (5). Each of these specimens reacted in a similar way. The colour play seemed most intense in the diaspore, with the topaz a close second. Now, if I could just find a way of locking these colours permanently into the gemstones, think of the marketing possibilitiesâ&#x20AC;Ś

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Organics

Misidentifications and trading loopholes Maggie Campbell Pedersen

FGA

discusses several misidentified organic materials.

2: Proximal ends of two hollow bovid horns (left and centre) and rhino horn (right).

1: Could these possibly be rhino horn beads?

A few months ago I was contacted by a gentleman who had been avidly collecting horn beads (1), believing them to be misidentified rhino horn. He wanted my confirmation that he was correct. Unfortunately I was not able to give this assurance. The beads were identical to some that I had in my collection, and were clearly good, old-fashioned, common-or-garden horn, carved from the solid tips of bovid* horn. The gentleman was very insistent and remained unconvinced, and so to be on the safe side I decided to check. I took my beads to Christopher Cavey who kindly examined them, and who agreed with me.

Bovid horn is formed in keratin lamellae, whereas rhino horn is formed of tubes of keratin, akin to hair. In the centre of a rhino horn the tubes are slightly mineralized to give the horn strength. The centre of bovid horn is hollow, as all bovid horns grow as horny sheaths covering bony protuberances on the animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; foreheads (2). The difference in structure results in a different reaction to light. Although bovid horn has a striated pattern, the lamella structure causes light that is shone on the material parallel to the axis of the horn (in this case the end of a bead) to illuminate the surface, and not penetrate very far into

the material. By contrast, when a light is shone onto rhino horn parallel to the axis of the horn, the tubes act in a manner similar to fibre optic light, and the illumination can be seen to shine into the material (3). Another way of differentiating between the two materials is by size. This would not have worked with the beads, as they were not very large and the tip of a bovid horn is solid enough to be made into beads. However, the size test would have worked with an item that came up for auction at the end of last year, and it should have been sufficient warning to the

3: Detail of rhino horn cup showing light penetrating tubular structure.

* Bovids are members of the family Bovidae, which are cloven-hooved, horn-bearing animals and include cows, sheep, goats, buffalo, antelopes and so forth.

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Organics

4: Rhino horn cup.

auctioneer (and the experts that he said he had consulted), that he was probably not selling a ‘horn’ cup (4). The cup in question measured 11 cm in diameter, was an even, round shape, and was carved from one piece of material — that is to say the base had not been carved 5: Proximal end of rhino horn (left) and cup (right).

separately and inserted. The inside had a gentle curve and the bottom of the cup was at least 2 cm thick (5). Buffalo horn is the usual choice for imitating rhino horn due to its colour and size, yet even a buffalo horn is only solid at the tip. Its diameter at the start of the hollow area is probably not more than about 4 cm, at which point the horn ceases to be round in cross section and becomes slightly triangular (6). In other words, for this cup to have been carved from buffalo horn, the animal must have stood over five metres tall at the shoulder! A few weeks later a couple of items made from ivory came up for sale at another reputable auctioneers. One was correctly labelled as ‘carved in elephant ivory’. The second was described as a nineteenthcentury ‘ivory elephant tusk’ cribbage board. The catalogue description further added that it was ‘carved with several animals, including hyenas, turtles, whales, walrus and lions, and two boats’. I was unable to get to the auction but I could see from the photograph what the item was, and I am happy to say that I am now the proud owner of a beautiful Inuit walrus ivory cribbage board (7), complete with carvings of whales, seals, arctic foxes, polar bears, birds and Inuit canoes (8). No lions or hyenas, nor any hint of elephant ivory. It is most probably Alaskan and made by the Inuit to sell to visiting whalers when their ships came into port in the late nineteenth century. The tusk is very solid and is gently curved, but there the similarity with elephant ivory stops. There is no visible structure of proboscidean ivory, i.e. no intersecting arc

6: Rhino horn (left) and water buffalo horn.

pattern (also known as Schreger lines) anywhere. Viewed from the proximal end, the tusk has a slightly hollow surround, but the centre contains a hard, knobbly substance (looking a bit like a walnut), and which is the secondary dentine of walrus ivory. Further, when viewed in cross section, the tusk is not round or nearly round as would be the case with elephant ivory, but is an irregular oval shape with indentations (9). The descriptions of the animals were clearly invented to fit in with what was assumed to be an African artefact. While I am delighted to have been able to obtain such an item at a low price, and of course there is no problem with the legality of the sale as it is antique, it seems extraordinary that auctioneers can take on such items and identify them so incorrectly. Even if the Inuit style is not known to the auctioneer, he should at least see that there is something odd about the object. Few people might recognize the dark mass at the end of the tusk as being secondary dentine, but it is clearly not typical of elephant ivory. The cross section of the tusk is not the elephant tusk shape either, and there is no structure of intersecting arcs. Warning bells should ring.

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Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Organics

Misidentifications and trading loopholes (cont.) In the case of the rhino horn cup, both the auctioneer and the vendor would have been liable to fines if the matter had been taken further. In some cases it is worth pursuing illegal sales, but in the case of the rhino horn cup it is not. Although of unknown provenance and age it might have proved to be old, but it was clearly a one-off, and part of a collection of various items that were sold and inadvertently misidentified. The rhino had been dead for a very long time and could not be brought back to life, and making an issue of the case would in all likelihood have gone unnoticed and done nothing to help save the rhinos today. It is a different matter altogether with online auction sites, which have a policy of no sales of ivory — even apparently pre-1947 and therefore legal ivory — because they cannot be certain of the age of items sold. Unfortunately they do not police their sites, but expect us, the public, to report dubious items. I have recently been in contact with a very well-known online auctioneer about a seller who specializes in ivory, all of which is sold with several photographs including detailed shots showing the intersecting arc pattern of elephant ivory. Suffice it to say that, although they express concern, they are not very helpful. Ivory is now sold online as ‘faux ivory’, with descriptions going so far as to say that the item is antique and with clear structure. In one case the words ‘Schreger lines’ were used. Many of the items are little trinkets, or old pieces of no particular value or consequence, sold by dealers who sell a variety of old items, which were probably bought at car boot sales. However there are other dealers selling lots of little carved figures, most of which could well be brand

7: Walrus tusk cribbage board, carved by the Inuit.

new. Some dealers sell artefacts with an asking price in the thousands of dollars or pounds, still using the term ‘faux ivory’, although that seems to me to be a higher price than anyone would wish to pay for an ivory simulant. We are still looking for an inexpensive and easy method of testing ivory to tell its age or the species from which it derives. In the United States a new law regarding ivory has been brought in with immediate effect, the gist of which is that no African elephant ivory of any age — including antiques — can be imported into the country, and only antique African ivory can be exported from the country. Further to this only antique ivory can be traded across state borders. ‘Antique’ is deemed to mean 100 years old or more. It would seem to apply only to African elephant ivory, which immediately presents a determined smuggler with loopholes. It is going to be very difficult to police without a simple and cheap method of testing. There is now a relatively new method of testing called Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), that has been developed at the University of York. The test is not destructive and can be done in situ. Furthermore it can be used on very small items — for example it could determine whether intricate inlay in a piece of furniture

8: Detail of walrus tusk cribbage board showing carved animals.

Page 18

in a museum is ivory or bone. The actual analysis is carried out in a laboratory afterwards and takes several days. ZooMS can certainly help, but it is not the ultimate answer for testing the legality of ivory items for sale, as it cannot tell the difference between elephant and mammoth ivory, nor the age of an item. It is most useful on archaeological items, where it is not possible to determine the species from which a material has originated using other tests. ZooMS looks at the proteins in a sample, and works on the principle that the proteins of every species have different and identifying ‘bar codes’. Collagen is extracted from a specimen, cut by an enzyme (usually trypsin) into peptide fragments, and the mass of each fragment is measured using mass spectrometry. Test results are compared against a database of masses from previously analyzed samples. Mapping protein sequences is more costly than DNA analysis, which can also differentiate between species, but once sequences are known, measuring the peptide mass fingerprint is cheap. Other advantages are that protein survives approximately ten times longer than DNA, so an item can be successfully tested for protein sequences after its DNA has decayed and fragmented and is no longer viable. Furthermore, the protein sequences can survive various forms of processing, so for example they can differentiate between various leathers after they have been tanned and the DNA destroyed. The reason ZooMS fails to differentiate between the ivory from mammoths and elephants, or between Asian and African elephants, is that the species must have an evolutionary divergence of at least five million years, which these species

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Organics

do not have. However the test should be very suitable to find out whether those horn beads mentioned earlier are bovid or rhino horn, and they are at present being tested against confirmed rhino horn at the University of York. Meanwhile they have been examined by more experts, and we are all in agreement that they are not rhino horn. Had they turned out to be rhino horn after all, I am unsure what the gentleman could do with them. He regards them as an investment, but in order to sell them for commercial gain he must be able to prove that they were made before 1947. Anything younger, or of unknown provenance, cannot be legally sold in this country, nor can it be legally exported for sale elsewhere. And no-one can know with certainty where anything bought at popular online auction sites has originated, nor when it was made. All photos Maggie Campbell Pedersen.

9: Proximal end of walrus tusk showing uneven oval shape in cross section, and knobbly secondary dentine inside.

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Page 19

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Book Shelf

Exotic Gems This is the latest volume in Renée Newman’s library of delightfully illustrated and useful books. This edition focuses on some of the less commonly seen stones, including matrix opal, fire agate and the various members of the tourmaline family, which, although not the rarest gemstones, are deserving of more recognition than they currently get. Renée begins by looking at the factors that affect the value of these stones, and goes on to systematically investigate the properties of each stone, showing why they deserve the label of ‘exotic gems’. One interesting inclusion in the volume is that of pink tourmaline. Although probably not considered exotic by many, pink tourmaline quite rightly deserves a place because of its historical importance, being highly sought after by the Chinese Empress Dowager Tzu-hsi, who was laid to rest with a pillow carved from this much-beloved material. Stories such as this, interspersed throughout the book, bring the human element of gemstones and gemmology into what other texts might treat as a simple discussion of properties and effects. Nonetheless, the various optical effects of each stone are still covered and, in this respect, tourmaline is probably the most amazing stone. Standard uni-colour tourmalines are mentioned, followed by a discussion on the many varied colour effects that tourmaline is capable of showing. Renée notes that striping across the crystal is common, with many colours seen in various combinations, but also discussed is the concentric banded form (watermelon), along with the rarer chatoyant, colour-change and Usambara effect forms. Fire agate also features, with details on which of its iridescent colours are the most desirable and/or valuable, and the known sources worldwide. As with the section on tourmalines, detailed images of professional cutters are included, along with commentary from master cutters specializing in each material. Matrix opal and blue chalcedony are the remaining two stones covered, and each is considered with the same level of care and attention to detail. When discussing blue chalcedony, Renée focuses on the different localities that this material can be sourced from — an important feature for collectors. The range and variety of colours and structures that this material takes are also covered, with various cutting styles designed to enhance these features. Matrix opal, which is often overlooked in textbooks in favour of the more ‘desired’ forms of precious opal, gets a well-deserved review, and the images included here show that this has a unique appeal all of its own. Different formations and localities are dealt with and even a form of synthetic matrix opal is included. Overall, this is another excellent addition to the famous and much-loved Renée Newman series. The information contained is wide-ranging, ensuring that there is something for everyone, whether amateur collector or serious gemmologist. Andrew S. Fellows FGA DGA

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Exotic Gems — Volume 3: How to Identify, Evaluate, Select and Care for Matrix Opal, Fire Agate, Blue Chalcedony, Rubellite, Indicolite, Paraíba and Other Tourmalines By Renée Newman GG Publisher: International Jewelry Publications, Alhambra, CA, USA, 2014. ISBN: 978-0929975481 RRP £16.99

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Book Shelf

Ivory Identification This publication follows on in quick succession from Ivory Identification — A Photographic Reference Guide (2012), a straightforward 20 page guide to ivory identification. This new text, Ivory Identification: A Photographic Companion, is a reference guide for different types of ivory and ivory substitutes. It describes a wide variety of ivories, from familiar ivories such as elephant, to the lesser known ivories, such as dugong and babirusa. The book is written in a consistent and logical way that allows the different chapters to be flicked through and referenced individually, without reading the whole book. Each chapter states a comprehensive list of different identification features you can expect to see for that particular ivory. The first chapter gives tips on how to test ivory and information on tools that may aid identification. The book then runs through the different types of ivory, starting with the most popular, before discussing natural and manmade ivory imitations. At the beginning of each section there is background information on each type of ivory, giving brief details about the animal from which it came, including current trading laws. It then focuses on identification features such as size, shape, colour, long wave ultraviolet light reactions, surface markings and internal features that you may see on whole tusks, cross-sections and carvings. The identification features listed are repeated for each type of ivory, which allows for comparison between the chapters. It is a photographic companion indeed, as there are plenty of images throughout the book. These are varied and are a fantastic visual aid to the descriptions of the different features to look for. It is hard to see some of the more subtle features, but overall the images were useful. The book is an excellent quick reference guide that is well illustrated and structured and it gives a comprehensive insight into all the ivories on the market. I would recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in or passion for ivory or organics. William R (Bobby) Mann has been a GG graduate since 1982 and specializing in ivory identification workshops since 1996. He is co-founder of the International Ivory Society (1996) and owns the largest collection of natural and imitation ivories that is available for hands-on teaching.

Ivory Identification: A Photographic Companion By William R. Mann and Charles M. Marts Published by Ivorymann Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1484846902 RRP: £23.00

Julia Griffith FGA DGA

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Visit www.gem-a.com/shop.aspx Page 21

Gems&Jewellery / May 2014

Letters to the Editor

The name game The naming of colour-change diaspore and turbidity in hessonites. Letter from Professor Henry A. Hänni FGA Following the article ‘Gem updates’ by Gary Roskin (Gems&Jewellery, April 2014, 10–14) I would like to express my opinion on the use of trade names. As a gemmologist and teacher of gemmology I have spent much time explaining such fancy trade names to consumers and students. Diaspore I do not favour the use of another unnecessary name like ‘Csarite’ — this name is linked to Russian rulers. The stone’s name is diaspore. Maybe it helps the consumer to understand that ‘Csarite™’ is just the same as ‘Zultanite’ and diaspore. In Gary Roskin's article it would have been more important to read about the colour change being related to the traces of chromium in the stone (Hänni [1983]), the same as in alexandrite (1).

1: A rough diaspore crystal (4.5 cm length) from Turkey, with a light colour change due to 0.1 wt.% Cr2O3.

Hessonite The “roiled appearance caused by mosaic structure...” is due to the polycrystalline structure of this orangey-brown grossular variety (2, 3). I think the term ‘polycrystalline’ is not too academic for the Gem and Minerals section of Gems&Jewellery. This structure

Page 22

is the true reason for the oily internal appearance. Inclusions of apatite, diopside or zircon (as shown in the photomicrographs) do not explain the effect. Other gemstones possess these inclusions, without having an oily appearance. Grossular single crystals (e.g. tsavorite) are fully transparent. Grossularite (from grossularia, Latin for ‘gooseberry’) is a good term to underline the polycrystalline character of some grossulars. They exist as hessonite when orangey-brown, but also in reddish and green colours. Response by Gary Roskin FGA I certainly appreciate another professional laboratory gemmologist’s point of view regarding the naming of colour change diaspore as ‘Csarite’ and ‘Zultanite’ as being a bit much. And what about misspellings? Shouldn’t it be Tsarite, or Czarite? Seriously though, I don’t think we’re stepping too far outside into the consumer realm if we talk about what consumers are seeing on television shopping channels. After all, more people know transparent green grossularite garnet from Kenya and Tanzania as ‘tsavorite’, and blue/violet zoisite from Tanzania as ‘tanzanite’, and even cubic zirconia as ‘Diamonique’. These are all marketing names created by jewellery firms to help sell the beautiful gem materials we have available. And whether we talk about diaspore, Zultanite or Csarite, at least we should all be on the same page. It never hurts to report on these things, not so much as to a gemstone’s gemmological properties, but as to what is more to a gem enthusiast’s reality. As for the turbulence in the hessonite caused by the polycrystalline structure, I thank you for that addition. I probably should have added that, but I just thought John Koivula and Dr Gübelin’s description of “Roiled appearance caused by mosaic structure…”

2: Photomicrograph of hessonite, showing the grainy boundaries responsible for the ‘roiled’ appearance.

3: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) picture of the broken surface of a piece of Sri Lankan hessonite, showing the grain boundaries and polycrystalline character of the material.

from the Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones was much more engaging to the reader (both gemmologist and jeweller). Yes, I agree, ‘polycrystalline’ is not too challenging for us. But I obviously saw no harm in choosing language that was a bit less ‘dry’ and gemmologically scientific, and a bit more — are you ready? — marketable. And if anyone thought that I was referring to the included crystals as having anything to do with the ‘scotch in water’ appearance of our mosaic polycrystalline structure, this was certainly unintentional. Frankly, the inclusions were not only cool, they were the only things I could get in focus! Reference Hänni, H.A., 1983. Weitere Untersuchungen an einigen farbwechselnden Edelsteinen. Z. Dt. Gemmol. Ges., 32, 99–106

All photos © H.A. Hänni, GemExpert.

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Business Support: Insurance | Travel insurance shouldn’t be treated as an ‘optional extra’ – avoid the common pitfalls says Neil McFarlane of TH March.

Don’t leave home without it! ven jewellers need a holiday… So, you’ve packed the factor 50, weighed the luggage, booked the dog into boarding kennels, secured the home and the business premises, you can now relax. Oh… have you arranged the travel insurance? Amazingly, a lot of people won’t have done so. Particularly with the quick ‘buy-online’ options available today, it is very tempting to leave it to the last minute, choose the cheapest deal, or both. Don’t be one of those people! Even if you stay within the EU armed with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), travel insurance is most definitely not an optional extra! Some EU travellers still naively believe that the EHIC is enough protection, but be warned; without a valid card, some insurers won’t pay for medical treatment. Check the small print on your policy. It is important to have both an EHIC (if travelling within the EU) and travel insurance; the use of an EHIC to reduce the cost of your treatment means that some insurers will waive your excess, but please be aware that EHICs have an expiry date, so be sure to check yours before you go away. Travel insurance is still one of the most underappreciated forms of insurance cover available. Yet it is very important because if you are injured or taken ill while overseas the

costs involved in medical care, air ambulance and repatriation, or overseas personal liability, can be substantial. Travel insurance will also give you some cover for your baggage and money, including cover for immediate necessary purchases if your baggage is delayed on your outward journey. The fact is, travel insurance is very easily misunderstood and this is partly down to the fact that policies can vary considerably when it comes to offering extra add-on benefits. Buying it online, often at the eleventh hour from websites offering seemingly cheap deals, can be a very expensive mistake. The bitter truth is that the cheapest deals often come with the tightest conditions, poorest cover and highest excesses.

Buying it… from websites offering seemingly cheap deals, can be a very expensive mistake. The conditions that insurers can place on medical cover and cancellation are often misunderstood. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, many covers will exclude medical or cancellation costs associated with

that condition and some insurers aren’t willing to provide any cover under a policy for any medical condition if you have a pre-existing condition that they don’t wish to cover. Quite honestly, most people are not medically knowledgeable enough to recognise that the stomach ache they previously consulted a doctor about – but which subsequently cleared up – might indicate a developing medical problem. Most perhaps wouldn’t be aware that the recurrent nagging leg pain they’d been experiencing was in fact a warning of the heart attack they later suffered while away on holiday. You should not rely upon a doctor’s opinion that you are ‘fit to travel’ as being the best guide when it comes to arranging your travel insurance. The doctor likely means that the process of travelling would not be expected to exacerbate your existing condition. Be clear on the fact that your doctor will not interpret your insurance cover for you; neither will he or she offer an informed opinion as to whether your insurance might fail to cover an illness that has arisen out of a pre-existing medical condition. Some insurers will not exclude pre-existing medical conditions in general. They rely instead on the insured not having suffered certain ‘events’ which will be defined from the outset. If you have suffered from any such ‘event’, most often there will be a telephone helpline available to guide you through the extent of cover that is available to you. Frankly, it is far better to lay your cards on the table and find out in advance what cover is actually available to you rather than finding out too late that your claim will be refused and your premium has been wasted. A word of warning too about exclusion of cover for injuries and treatment costs sustained as a consequence of alcohol, or injuries sustained in connection with using motorbikes or scooters. These are common exclusions and many are regularly caught out by them. It is also particularly worthwhile checking your policy carefully if you intend taking part in any kind of sporting activity during your trip. Take the time to think carefully about what you need your travel insurance to do for you and if you’re not sure about any aspect of cover, speak to an expert. You’re worth it! For further information regarding the EHIC visit: www.nhs.uk

The Voice of the Industry 31

| Business Support: Security

SaferGems – this year’s story so far It’s been a successful first quarter of 2014 for the anti-crime initiative, as Lee Henderson reports. ithin the first few months of this year SaferGems has assisted police with eight arrests and three convictions – which is a promising start. This success comes as a direct result of members’ vigilance and our continued close relationship with UK police forces – both of which cannot be overstated when assisting in the prevention and detection of crime. To date SaferGems has recorded 186 crimes and suspicious incidents, circulated 66 alerts and provided police with over 90 analytical reports. Added to this, 26 robberies have been recorded so far with over £3 million worth of goods stolen. During the same time period in 2013 we recorded 38 robberies with over £5 million worth of goods stolen. High end watches remain the most sought after items with approximately £2 million stolen to date 2014. The Metropolitan Police force area is again the hot spot, with the majority of offences occurring at high end luxury watch stores/ boutiques in central London, two of which involved firearms. These robberies continue to be linked to gangs from North London who use mopeds/scooters as means of transport. As a result of these recent robberies the Metropolitan Police is planning to host a ‘Smash & Grab’ discussion event, inviting members of the industry to attend and consider crime prevention measures.

So far this year we have not recorded any robberies that we can positively say have been committed by persons from Eastern Europe. However on Friday 11th April we received intelligence from the Metropolitan Police that two Estonian men were planning a jewellery store robbery somewhere in the UK. It is known that between 2005 and 2007 gangs from Estonia were using budget flights to enter the UK and commit armed robberies at jewellery stores across the UK and Europe. Also of note is a burglary at a store situated within Lakeside Shopping Centre, Thurrock, in the early hours of 12th April. Eight Romanian men stole £1.6 million worth of watches and diamond rings after forcing entry to the shopping centre and store. They also set fire to tyres and cars in an attempt to block surrounding roads and delay police response time. Setting fire to cars/tyres/ road blocks etc, was a method previously used by a team of Romanian men during a series of Asian jewellery store robberies across London between 2012 and 2013. In general the overall number of offences recorded by SaferGems across the board is down by about a fifth compared to the same time period last year. However the number of suspicious incidents remains the same. The number of members that are receiving SaferGems information continues to rise and work is ongoing in this area.

Security Conference – diary alert! On Tuesday 21st October we will once again host our Security Conference. To be held at the Building Research Establishment in Watford, the symposium will focus on the needs of the smaller independent jewellery retailer. The key message of the event will be that prevention is better than cure when it comes to security, with awareness among staff being of paramount importance when it comes to tackling criminal activity. The Conference will cover all aspects of crime against retailers – from smash and grab to fraud, with suppliers on hand to discuss and demonstrate the latest security products and services. Be safe rather than sorry… be there!

32 The Jeweller May 2014

Two female jewellery robbers use their bodies and a headscarf to mask the actions of their accomplice who helps herself to a tray of jewellery.

SaferGems is now also a contributing member of the Safer Jewellery Group (SJG) scheme, which assists in the prevention of jewellery crime in central London. In conjunction with the SJG scheme SaferGems is also a partner of Crime Prevention Alliance Europe. This is a group and network of security professionals for the jewellery and watch industry. The five partners have been working together successfully for many years and are located in Germany, UK, France and the Netherlands. Such crossborder cooperation is essential in the fight against crime against the industry across Europe, with offenders travelling across the world to commit all types of crime such as robbery, theft, burglary and fraud. The aim of this alliance is to share and learn about industry-related offences and movements of offenders across Europe and worldwide. This information will assist in the prevention and detection of crime and help investigating law enforcement agencies in the identification and arrest of perpetrators.

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The Voice of the Industry 33

All that sparkles is not necessarily a mineral gemstone. Let’s hear it, says Belinda Morris, for four beautiful organic gems and the jewellery inspired by them…

(in praise of)

Pearls & More

The other gems here’s been so much gathering interest in coloured stones of late – whether emanating from the fashion front or taken from the trickier perspective of treatments, ethics and rising prices – that you can be forgiven for forgetting that there’s an elite group of gems that are in a different category to ruby, sapphire and the like. Pearl, amber, jet and coral set themselves apart from the mineral stones thanks to their organic nature (biogenic in the case of pearl and amber, as well as the less commonly seen here, ammolite). They exist in their own little world that is – to many eyes and sensibilities – just as beautiful, precious and, occasionally, rarefied, as that of the tourmalines, emeralds and quartzes of this industry.

34 The Jeweller May 2014

Designers and jewellery manufacturers choose to work with them – sometimes to the exclusion of any other gem, but increasingly mixed with other stones – for reasons that go beyond colour and sparkle. Take for instance the fossil resin amber – the glowing honeyed tones aside, its qualities for some touch on its well-being properties.

Forever amber “Amber has a wonderful texture; it’s warm and pleasant to the touch,” says Bob Rontaler of Goldmajor, a leading UK amber specialist, which has been selling an extensive variety – from classic cognac yellow and orange to forest green and milky tones – for 30 years. Jet, coral and pearl also feature in the brand’s

collections, either in their own right, or in a variety of combinations. “Amber was often found in antique North African jewellery, which is close to our hearts,”

Amber Hall

Feature | says Amina Gali, head of design at Egyptian jewellery house Azza Fahmy. “The natural colour and beauty of amber is so rich and warm; you can feel by touching it how much energy it holds.” “What we like about amber is the fact that one day we might be selling small earrings and pendants and the next receive an order for some insect-set cufflinks,” says Sylvia Libicka of Amber Hall. Just to emphasise such diversity and flexibility, the company has supplied two Viking boats made of amber for the British Museum’s Vikings exhibition (until 22nd June, 2014) as well as a selection of jewellery. Like Goldmajor, CW Sellors, while renowned for British stones in particular, uses all four organic gems in its collections. “Amber is always unique and the variations

London Road

Amber Facts

A key to identifying amber

Formed over 40 million years ago, amber is a fossil resin produced by coniferous trees, which grew in northern Europe The richest deposits of amber are found on the beaches of the Gdansk Bay, Poland. Gdansk is the centre of the Polish amber trade Baltic amber is often referred to as the ‘gold of the north’ It is believed to have medicinal and therapeutic powers and gives off a light, pleasant smell when warmed It is electronegative, so when in contact with the body it ionises it in a beneficial way It’s light, so even large pieces of amber jewellery are comfortable to wear A piece of amber can contain organic inclusions such as insects, plant seeds, gas bubbles and pieces of bark – indications of its ancient origins The price of amber is rising rapidly, due to Chinese buyers stockpiling it and dwindling supplies In 2009 20-50g of raw amber was around £330 a kilo. Today the same piece is around £2,800 a kilo

Amber is notorious for being tricky to identify, especially with so many new fakes on the market. In connection with the exhibition held at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh last year, the curator, Dr Andrew Ross, produced a very useful website as an aid to this difficult task. It is in the form of a short explanatory text, followed by a simple dichotomous key with good photographs. Visit: www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/ national_museum/exhibitions/amazing_ amber/identifying_fake_amber.aspx

in colour give each piece its personality,” says Andrew Mills. A glance in the window of Zelley the Jewellers in Norwich, which houses Howard Zelley’s amazing Amber Room (a sweetie shop-like museum and emporium in one) can attest to this – everything from simple little beaded bracelets and drops, to huge chunks of raw amber on statement pieces is on display.

Jet set It is jet however – Whitby jet in particular – that CW Sellors has been gathering acclaim for over the past few years, thanks to its acquisition of the Whitby jet shop, W Hamond. “Whitby jet is lightweight and offers a range of uses, allowing our designers

Goldmajor

The Voice of the Industry 35

| Feature to create beautiful pieces that couldn’t be made or would be too heavy in other stones,” explains Mills. “It’s also a wonderful stone to simply polish and set individual pieces into bespoke designs, allowing the natural shapes and contours to feature within unique pieces.” As Mills points out, the Victorian mourning connotation gives jet its provenance and an interesting story, “but today’s wearers of jet are moving more towards a love of the designs and the fact that it’s lightweight, looks beautiful, and black is always fashionable”. Designer maker Maiko Nagayama, who is based in London’s Mayfair, agrees: “Today black is a fashion colour, which also represents luxury and is easy to wear. I love the look of jet – when it is polished it shines like black onyx, but more importantly I love that it is so light in weight – an ideal material for making large and bold design earrings or pendants.” Seeing Jacqueline Cullen’s very different and dramatic use of jet at last year’s Goldsmiths’ Fair, any associations with

CW Sellors

“I love the look of jet – when it is polished it shines like black onyx, but more importantly I love that it is so light in weight…”

Jacqueline Cullen

mourning were dispelled. The designer is committed to introducing this ancient material to a contemporary customer. “The black of jet is a very soft and sensual black and I have always loved the look of black and gold; it’s a classic and timeless combination of colours and will never go out of fashion,” she explains. “We use lapidary equipment to work with jet, which is a very direct and sculptural process transforming it into works of art. It’s a rare material, which is no longer mined, and is difficult to get a hold of; it no longer washes up on the beach as it used to. My jet comes from Whitby, where my supplier lives and abseils down the cliffs on a rope to get into the unused Victorian mine.”

Jet Facts (supplied by W.Hamond, the Original Jet Shop, Whitby)

Jet is fossilised wood, similar to our present day monkey puzzle tree, which has been compressed over millions of years It has been found in countries across the world (including China, Siberia and Russia as well as in Europe) but arguably the finest quality has always come from the north east coast of England, Whitby in particular It has never been permitted to mine jet, although in Victorian times it was an accepted practice to dig deep into the cliff faces to extract it Young men were lowered on ropes to carry out this dangerous task (the cliffs are mostly shale and therefore very unstable) W. Hamond’s supply of jet comes largely from beach combers and farmers Jet is lightweight and so is suitable for large accessories. It is a very intense black colour and can take on an extremely high, mirror-like polish Unpolished jet resembles uninteresting grey/brown pebbles or slivers of slate When her beloved Albert died in 1861, Queen Victoria took to wearing jet jewellery in remembrance of him. It soon became etiquette to accessorise mourning fashion with the gem and it was the only jewellery allowed to be worn in court during the period The largest piece of gem quality Whitby jet is 21ft in length

36 The Jeweller May 2014

Maiko Nagayama

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| Feature

Sarah Ho Couture

Victoria Barker of Jerboa Jewellery (who recently won a Gem-A prize at the Craftsmanship and Design Awards) includes jet in some designs and is equally effusive on the subject. “Its optical properties – from which we get the expression ‘as black as jet’ – continue to make it attractive and desirable,” she says. “It’s such an incredible material that I hope designers continue to find innovative ways to incorporate it into their pieces. My ‘Jet Cage’ statement cuff has been very popular; I like to say that it orbits the wrist like a succulent blackberry!”

Passion for pearls The throngs of visitors to the V&A’s recent ‘Pearls’ exhibition and the sale at auction of a pair of rare natural pearls for a record $3.3 million last month (Doyle New York), is a reasonable indication that the public appetite for the ‘gems of the sea’ shows no sign of waning. It may be a chicken and egg thing, but as more designers and manufacturers of pearl jewellery (or jewellery incorporating

Lilly Hasted

38 The Jeweller May 2014

Jerboa

“as more designers of pearl jewellery flex their creative muscles to produce unconventional pieces, so customers are looking beyond the traditional single row necklaces…” pearls) flex their creative muscles to produce unconventional pieces, so customers are looking beyond the traditional single row necklaces and simple studs. Ornella Iannuzzi has been working with pearls since launching her business in 2008. The ‘Abyss’ collection is dedicated to them and other sea-related materials, including coral. “I look for details that make a pearl special, such as unusual colours or pattern-like formations,” she explains. “I love baroque shapes but at the moment I have a crush on a gold South Sea pearl, mounted on white gold and yellow diamonds. I am

finding that the public is becoming more interested in ‘designed’ pieces. That said, there is still a call for simplicity. “With the resurgence of pearls on the catwalk and in film (Yves Saint Laurent and The Great Gatsby for instance) ropes of pearls are in fashion,” says Sasha Walls of Pearls of the Orient. “We are very excited to have found a beautiful collection of large cultured ‘fireball’ freshwater pearls. They are a more affordable version of large, bold pearls.” “There is always a demand for the classic, but there is also a growing desire for more designed, unusual pearl jewellery,” says

Feature | Pearl Facts

Yoko London by Euro Pearls

London Road’s Suzanne Adams. A perfect example is the brand’s ‘Willow’ collection that sees textured yellow gold ‘willow twigs’ embellished with a scattering of cultured freshwater pearls. In the ‘Burlington’ collection, cultured freshwater pearls are combined with rose gold and gemstones such as diamonds, labradorite and rose quartz. German designer maker Brigitte Adolph combines purple coloured cultured freshwater pearls with rose gold and cognac coloured diamonds: “The tone on tone is a gorgeous match, as are golden South Sea pearls with champagne coloured diamonds,” she says. At Lucie Campbell in London’s New Bond Street, pearls enhanced with diamonds are popular with customers – one necklace is

set with alternate natural seed pearls and polished rough diamonds. Also using seed pearls (Chinese freshwater AAA grade) is Allied Gold’s Argentium, adding accents of colour and a slight twist to its recently launched Argentium Silver collection. “Most pearl jewellery on the market uses larger pearls; we wanted to be a little different,” explains marketing director and designer Elizabeth Hunt. Cultured pearls (from baroque and Tahitian to freshwater) and mother of pearl feature heavily in the collections by designer Fei Liu; his “love and respect” for them sees him combining them with other precious stones to create the unique pieces that he is renowned for. “Over the past

Argentium

Pearls are divided into two categories: ‘natural’ (produced without interception by man) and ‘cultured’ (created via the introduction of an irritant by man, the process thereafter continued by the living mollusc) Natural pearls can be created by sea/ saltwater or freshwater molluscs – both types are now very scarce Cultured pearls are also made using saltwater (oysters) and freshwater host molluscs (mussels) Industrial production of cultured pearls was introduced by Kokichi Mikimoto In Japan at the beginning of the 20th century Any pearl that has been cultured in freshwater rivers, lakes and ponds should always be referred to as ‘freshwater cultured pearl’ To ‘ensure a fully informed purchase or sale’ of pearls (whether natural, cultured, composite or imitation) CIBJO’s official Pearl Book gives standards/rules on the ‘use of proper nomenclature’ Recent poor harvests have seen the price of freshwater pearls rise Criteria for choosing classic pearls are: lustre (lighting up the wearer’s face), thickness of nacre, colour, shape, surface perfection and size Baroque pearls are irregularly-shaped and can be natural or cultured Tahitian cultured pearls are naturally very dark (from black, to grey to peacock green and aubergine). They can also range from greyed-white to yellow and pink. Mainly 8-18mm in diameter, they can grow to 21mm Pearls are weighed by carat, with a carat equal to one fifth of a gram or four grains

Fei Liu

The Voice of the Industry 39

| Feature

Sakura Pearl

few years dark coloured pearls have seen a rise in popularity and while there’s still a big market for classic white designs, we’re seeing more customers being open minded about their choices,” says senior brand manager Jo Henderson. “Classics will always be a jewellery box essential, but today pearls have become more desirable to a younger market which is looking for more design-led and fashion-forward pieces. We definitely see that trend continuing to grow,” says Justin Simons of Euro Pearls, whose Yoko London collection sources the finest pearls in order to create increasingly elaborate pieces. This year’s ‘Vigneto’ and ‘Blossom’ collections combine

styles, consumers are very happy to look at very quirky, designed pieces”. While all types of pearls offered by the brand sell well, personally she is “tantalised by the diversity of colours of Tahitian pearls”. This year Raw Pearls has sourced “particularly beautiful” mixed colour Tahitian pearl rows. “We have also seen increased interest in graduated rows in the last year or so. Traditionally a graduated row might run from 3mm to 7 or 7.5m – we have a modern take on that, matching pearls from 5mm right up to 11 or even 12mm in the centre – it’s a real showstopper,” says Miranda Raw. New to the market (consumer as well as trade) is Pearls & More, a brand created by Bob Petcher of Rock-Store and which, as the name suggests, offers jewellery using (cultured freshwater) pearls as well gemstones.

…today pearls have become more desirable to a younger market which is looking for more design-led and fashionforward pieces. Disillusioned with the fashion jewellery market and “its obsession with brands” he wanted to create better quality collections, using “real” stones and at more competitive prices. It’s too early to tell which pearls in the line are best sellers, however Petcher says that Pearls & More has strings of baroque

Coleman Douglas Pearls

18ct white gold settings with rare, exceptionally large, gem quality freshwater pearls in shades of purple. “We had a fantastic response to them – we’ve never seen freshwater pearls in such vivid natural colours and exceptional sizes,” Simons adds. Interestingly Chrissie Douglas of Coleman Douglas Pearls feels that while “the trade seems to be more focussed on the classic

40 The Jeweller May 2014

Raw Pearls

Ornella Iannuzzi

pearls “in every colour imaginable” and there will always be customers for these and other classics. “However, we are also aiming at the fashion market with some very contemporary designs. Our ranges used with leather are very popular with retailers geared to the edgier end of the market,” he adds.

Coral grief (and glamour) Enthusiasm for pearls, amber, coral and jet doesn’t mean that these four organic gems don’t come with their own particular issues of course. It would be a highly uninformed jeweller who wasn’t aware that coral, for instance, is an endangered (and so protected) living creature and that harvesting certain types of coral is banned. Those jewellers who

The Voice of the Industry 41

| Feature

Jerboa

Coral Facts

Corals are marine living animals; the skeletons of the dead animals are used for jewellery making and are known as ‘coral’ Coral grows extremely slowly – in some cases as slow as one millimetre a year – and provides critical habitat to other marine life Corals typically used by the jewellery industry are known as ‘deep water’, ‘precious’ and ‘semi-precious’ corals Precious corals are: red (the most valuable) coming from Japan and the Mediterranean; pink (a member of red corals); gold (from Hawaii and Alaska) and black (from waters around the world) the export of which is banned in many countries Precious corals are more colourful, less porous, harder, more lustrous and harder to obtain Semi-precious corals need to be stabilised, filled, treated and usually dyed to make them usable and appealing Both types of coral are much in demand, command high prices and are vulnerable to over-exploitation The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) manages and enforces trade regulations concerning precious and semi-precious corals

42 The Jeweller May 2014

carry pieces made from or set with ‘precious’ coral, have almost certainly (as in the case of Holts in Hatton Garden) had them in stock for several decades! “Because it grows very slowly there is generally a lot less coral around than there used to be,” says Maggie Campbell Pedersen FGA, a specialist in organic gemstones. “This applies to the ‘precious’ coral from the Med where the situation is critical and is also becoming the case as far as coral from

For designer Kirsten Goss the look of coral is desirable – but not at any cost. “We insist on buying commercially cultivated materials that are all sustainable – we use a lot of sea bamboo as it dyes beautifully and the vibrant colours are very popular for bolder pieces,” she says. “The unique and natural shapes make it especially beautiful when offset with more glamorous, expensive and traditionally cut stones. The fluctuation in price is minimal and it is readily available, but the shapes and colours are variable and that keeps it fairly challenging but interesting (from a sourcing perspective).” “Sea bamboo is not coral but a material which is found in the sea, is dyed red and filled with hardened resin to give it rigidity,” explains Jason Holt of Holts, which specialises in coloured gemstones. “It is generally free form, often nugget type beads and very low cost as opposed to coral, which can be extremely rare and expensive.” Victoria Barker also incorporates sea bamboo into her work. “I fell in love with this gemstone so much that I based one of my signature designs on it – the Chilli Collar,” she says. “Opaque, glossy and sumptuous, I think coral lends itself to fashion very well. Unlike precious stones where one must design to allow as much light as possible to shine through the stone, the focus with these opaque materials is in the colour. It’s a real art finding winning colour combinations.”

If there is money to be made, the unscrupulous will be greedy, and the knee-jerk reaction will be to ban it all. the Philippines.” Blue and varieties of black corals are protected and true golden coral (as opposed to treated black coral) is now so rare (it grows very deep and is mostly fished by accident) that it is hardly ever seen, she explains. “Personally I think that coral could continue to be fished if it was managed in a good way – that is, whole areas left for many years to regrow – and from talking with the good dealers I know, they are keen to do that,” she adds. “But greed will probably take over and we will end with the same situation as we have with so many other animals. If there is money to be made, the unscrupulous will be greedy, and the knee-jerk reaction will be to ban it all.”

Kirsten Goss

Feature | Such forgery is nothing new though – faking amber has been going on since Victorian times, according to Zelley. “Amber sold in the Middle East and North Africa is invariably fake – the Turkish having been creating false amber for many decades,” he explains. Pressed amber is another problem, particularly as it’s hard to detect. Essentially made from scraps of amber that have been ground down, it’s reconstituted to form the desired shapes and sizes. “Identification of pressed amber is difficult, even with specialist equipment, because it’s still essentially amber,”

Zelley adds. As with all aspects of the trade in gems and other precious materials, it’s a matter of disclosure – buyer beware. While widely available, amber has been going up in price dramatically recently. “It’s more and more difficult to source – Chinese customers like it (the big pieces especially) which has made the price rise,” says Amber Hall’s Sylvia Libicka. “Smaller sized amber might be easier to locate, but the bigger pieces are not so easy to find as they have become more collectible,” agrees Azza Fahmy’s Arina Gali.

Lapponia

It’s not all plain sailing though. “I find it tricky to source the right shape and size of sea bamboo – prices vary widely and the drilling is often inconsistent, which means high wastage,” she adds. “It’s a learning curve to work with – it’s very brittle so must be handled carefully.” For an ethical jeweller like Vivien Johnston of Fifi Bijoux, the use of any coral is out of the question. “It’s something that I personally steer right away from, both ecologically and aesthetically. A bit like ivory, I’ve always been too grossed out!” she says. Meanwhile at CW Sellors they are finding that coral is decreasing in popularity among retail customers due to adverse publicity regarding the sources of coral in the market. “It is key that only farmed, sustainable coral should be used today,” says Andrew Mills, trade sales manager.

Amber alert The amber industry meanwhile, according to jeweller, collector and expert Howard Zelley, suffers greatly from being much-imitated, with fakes regularly appearing made of copal, glass, modern plastics, synthetic resins like Bakelite and celluloid. It is also possible for fake amber to show falsified inclusions (as this phenomenon is highly prized) for added authenticity. A floor-to-ceiling cabinet in his Amber Room is simply heaving with examples of faux amber jewellery and curios (most of them very beautiful and certainly impossible to discern as imposters by the naked, untrained eye).

Azza Fahmy

The Voice of the Industry 43

| Feature An ethical aversion to amber is possibly uncommon, but for Vivien Johnston, who prefers not to work with it, there’s an alternative (that doesn’t involve glass or plastic). “I use ethically-sourced, rutilated gold quartz instead – beautiful gold threads form inside and it looks like spun gold,” she explains.

Pearl problems Ask most pearl jewellery suppliers what the key concern is currently and inevitably price comes up. “The sourcing of pearls gets more and more difficult with prices going up and up,” says Veronika Kucher-Heyd of Sakura Pearl, who works with mainly Chinese cultured freshwater pearls. “Some sizes and qualities have actually doubled in price since last year! Chinese ladies love pearls and it’s easier for farmers to sell direct in China, where they can get any price they want. The other issue is that many of the Amber Hall

lakes that have been used for pearl farming are being reclaimed and the ground is being used for building houses – which brings more money than pearl farming,” she adds. “As in any market, prices move based on supply and demand,” says Miranda Raw of Raw Pearls. “We are seeing a rise in freshwater pearl prices in general – this is due to recent poor harvests, making our selection all the more difficult, but all the more important. However, we have wonderful, long-standing relationships, built over our 34 years in business, with farmers we deal with. As a result we can usually find what we need.” “The price of pearls has risen recently due to various factors including labour prices rising, stockpiling by certain companies in the Far East and the knock-on effects of many pearl farms being closed to combat pollution,” explains Sasha Walls of Pearls of the Orient. “This has meant that the price of some round pearls has shot up, but with the desire for quality comes an acceptance of price rises.” While prices are not generally an issue for Coleman Douglas Pearls (taking into account exchange rate fluctuations, they’re fairly stable says Chrissie Douglas), there are hiccups. “Some very large baroque Tahitian cultured pearls are a problem as one of the main producers has greatly reduced his pearl farms, with his prices varying according to his need for cash,” she explains. “In itself it does not create confidence, so I have moved away from these until I find a new source. I create

JET1&2

Brigitte Adolph

looks that require different types of pearl. Our in-house workshop can deal with any challenges these sensual, organic gems (amber and coral included) might produce, making working with them a pleasure.” As with any gemstones or precious metal, pearls, amber, jet and coral are subject to the whims of fashion; but whether ‘in’ or ‘out’, they remain jewellery box classics that will be given their moment to shine in the spotlight from time to time. For all four that moment is now and drawing on their organic nature simply adds to the allure – and gives sales staff a chance to sell a fascinating story.

PROFESSIONAL JEWELLERS’ DIPLOMA

INTRODUCING OUR NEW JET 2 PROGRAMME

The new JET 2 course format will be assignment based without an exam. The course will take the form of 7 written assignments followed by a more in depth research project. 7KH -(7 JUDGXDWH ZLOO JDLQ HVVHQWLDO LQGXVWU\ NQRZOHGJH WKDW FDQ EH DSSOLHG GLUHFWO\ WR WKH VKRS ÁRRU THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOLDSMITHS

44 The Jeweller May 2014

Please contact the N.A.G. Education Department to request your copy of the prospectus. Tel: 020 7613 4445 (ext.1) Email: jet@jewellers-online.org Course fees can be found on enrolment forms which can be downloaded at: www.nageducation.org

Feature |

Brand Profile H.Stern The peripatetic life of Christian Hallot, global ambassador for Brazilian fine jewellery house H.Stern, saw him touch down briefly in London last month. Belinda Morris took the chance to meet him in the London store and learn more about the brand. iven that it’s a family business – with a very discernible head in the form of Roberto Stern, son of founder Hans – it might seem strange that the role of H.Stern’s global ambassador falls on the shoulders of another figure in the company. However, besides the fact that the family prefers to maintain a low profile (“I want to walk through the streets without being recognised,” Mr Stern Snr once declared) there’s arguably no single person more qualified to carry the H.Stern message internationally than Christian Hallot. As his job entails speaking to around a thousand journalists worldwide, it’s helpful that he’s fluent in six languages. And having worked for the company ever since joining its public relations team in 1978, Hallot is intimately familiar with its every aspect – for 18 years he was responsible for, among many other things, H.Stern’s archive collections. When he’s not entertaining foreign press, politicians and film stars, he’s lecturing at universities on anything from the history of jewellery to the work of Brazil’s world-renowned son, architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907 – 2012). The significance of Niemeyer goes beyond mere patriotic pride, but is part of a longstanding series of collaborations with creative individuals and bodies. The stellar partnerships began with Catherine Deneuve in the 1980s, and went on to include Diane von Furstenberg, the Brazilian modern dance group Grupo Corpo and Niemeyer. The curves and sinuous lines that the architect so loved to incorporate in his monumental structures have inspired (in a subtly obtuse way) the jewellery he designed. The elongated flick of an 18ct yellow gold earring for instance, might be an echo of an arc in a roofline; the twisting gold ribbon of another pair, mimics the lines of a spiralling sculpture.

Another integral element of H.Stern is coloured stones. In 1945 the young German émigré Hans founded his business as a trading platform for gemstones and he opened a store at the Rio de Janeiro docks where international cruise ships delivered up a steady stream of wealthy potential clients. In time Stern invited European goldsmiths and lapidaries to help him set up his own workshops to expand production of finished pieces. And all the time his passion for stones – tourmalines in particular – was growing. “Today H.Stern owns the biggest private collection of tourmalines in the world – there are around 1,700 stones of all different shades,” explains Hallot. “In 1952 the company also set up its own lab for identifying and testing stones and because people who visit Brazil are looking for coloured gemstones – imperial topaz in particular, as it exists nowhere else – we

Diane Kruger wearing Monument earrings designed by Oscar Niemeyer

receive very many visitors to our head office in Rio de Janeiro,” he adds. In fact, H.Stern, with its shop and museum, is the fourth most popular tourist attraction in Brazil (after Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and the botanical gardens), he says. There are now 400 people working in production, creating the 800 plus pieces required for each of H.Stern’s stores around the world (there are 140 doors in 35 countries in total). In the last two years the company opened 19 new stores – many of them in Brazil. “Since the Internet the world has shrunk and the tastes are the same in every country – although the needs might not be,” he says and also points out that while in 1978 80 per cent of H.Stern customers were men, today 55 per cent of them are self-purchasing women; women who have money and want the “power of the decision”. Interestingly the company’s first foray into China happened just at the end of 2012, rather later than other luxury brands. “Around 15 years ago [consumers in that market] just wanted to belong to a club comprising the same styles and big brands,” says Hallot. “Only recently have they started to realise that there are labels out there other than Chanel and Cartier. They want something different.” However, H.Stern is always destined to maintain its exclusive air. “All our jewellery is handmade and we don’t want to outsource, so there is a limit to how far we can expand,” Hallot says. “But, having opened our own shop in Sloane Street and another within Harrods, we may open another London store in the next five years. And we’re also planning to wholesale the collection in the UK in the future.” Independent women with a love of the arts might like to queue up now.

The Voice of the Industry 45

| Feature

The Story of…

Four Diamonds (a cautionary tale or a fairy tale?) Shown below are four white diamonds. One is natural, one is a conflict diamond, one is HPHT-treated and one is synthetic. Can you tell which is which? Harry Levy reveals all.

dentification is difficult, I admit, simply by looking at the pictures; probably impossible. OK, I confess… I’ve cheated! They’re all the same diamond. More pertinently, could you tell the difference if you had the actual stones and the usual tools of the trade – a 10x loupe and tweezers? I have deliberately not chosen diamond simulants such as CZ and moissanite, or similar – they are not diamonds, so they will not have all the physical characteristics of a natural diamond. They will differ in specific gravity, hardness, lustre, dispersion of light, refractive powers and much more. With the given tools it would be impossible to differentiate between these four types because, simply, they are all diamonds.

Natural diamonds The first thing I must say is that many in the trade (gemmologists included) dislike the term ‘natural diamond’, claiming that by definition a diamond is a natural product, therefore it is redundant to add the term ‘natural’. Conversely, since synthetic diamonds are now on the market, the consumer wants a differentiation between the two types and many are unwilling to just have the term ‘diamond’ on their invoices; if it is natural they want this fact stated. There is a further complication in that many in the trade do

46 The Jeweller May 2014

not want the term ‘natural diamond’ if a stone has been treated in any way. However, consumers cannot understand that if a stone has been treated, say lasered or irradiated, it ceases to be natural. Many laboratories put ‘natural diamond’ on their reports now, and treated stones are referred to as ‘of natural origin’. The trade, by trying to impose an old understood concept, could be accused of trying to confuse the end user. It may take some time, but eventually the trade will catch up with the required lexicon; information about diamonds is easily found on the internet and, by restricting full available information, it will otherwise be accused of obfuscation and non-disclosure. I foresee in the near future most traders in diamonds advertising and selling their products as ‘natural diamonds’. A natural diamond is, simply, a diamond produced by nature, eons ago, deep in the earth’s core, which came to the surface through volcanic eruptions. Those found on or near the surface of the earth are called alluvial diamonds, the others are mined, but mining techniques go down to relatively shallow depths. A diamond is formed of pure crystallised carbon, but many contain other elements in their crystal structure, the main one being nitrogen. Diamonds are divided into several types, the principal ones being Type Ia,

Type Ib, Type IIa and Type IIb, and can be differentiated by advanced spectroscopes. ‘Origin’ is where the stone came to the surface, and in the case of alluvial ones, where the diamond is found. It has never been necessary to know the origin of a diamond until recently, when it was felt by some that we need origin to determine if a diamond is a conflict one. References to origin have been given: for example Golconda diamonds, found in Golconda, India, are exceptionally transparent, of greatest lustre and described as ‘whiter than white’. They were said to be as clear as pure water. I recall my father using the term “gems of fine water”, rarely used by merchants or gemmologists today. Many famous diamonds are of this origin, can fetch prices well above similar graded stones, and are highly sought after. They are of Type IIa, with very little nitrogen content. Today such stones may be graded as being of Golconda type rather than origin. Natural diamonds are the hardest substance known, cannot be scratched by other materials, have a high refractive index (they can be cut to reflect all the light going into the stone back to the viewer) and have sharp facets which do not wear down.

Conflict diamonds The emotive term ‘blood diamond’ is rejected by the trade as presenting a false picture. It was first adopted by the NGOs following their successful campaign against the fur trade – animal pelts used in the fashion trade were described as ‘blood furs’. Instead we use the word ‘conflict’. Conflict diamonds were brought to the attention of the world media and diamond trade by the NGOs at the end of the 1990s as being diamonds that had come from areas in Africa which were involved in conflict – mainly civil wars, the first countries being Angola and Sierra Leone. The claim was that rebels were using diamonds to purchase arms, which helped to prolong the wars and hence increase bloodshed. The campaign was illustrated with pictures of diamonds

Feature | followed by pictures of African amputees and vice versa. Psychologists call this the association of ideas. It was never too clear as to why rebels were amputating limbs. One assumed they did this in order to obtain diamonds, but then why would penniless Africans have stashes of hidden diamonds? The NGOs demanded a total ban of diamonds from these conflict areas, and asked the trade not to buy stones originating from these countries. It was soon realised that not all diamonds from war zones were conflict diamonds. So in the early 2000s, governments, industry and civil society initiated the Kimberley Process (KP) to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. The aim was for local governments to set controls to ensure that only conflict-free diamonds would be exported. They would be exported under the KP Certification Scheme (KPCS), and the importing country would ensure that all imports of rough diamonds would be accompanied with a KPCS Certificate in tamper-proof packaging. As wars developed in other countries in Africa, these countries had to use the KPCS to export their diamonds. It should be noted that the KP applies only to the movement of rough diamonds, it does not apply to cut and polished goods. The initial KP was set up somewhat hastily with the approval of governments in situ, who saw the process as giving them legitimacy. It meant that governments could not be blamed, a position that still needs to be rectified – witness Zimbabwe where the government is accused of human rights offences. There are efforts now to bring into the KP issues of human rights and this is proving to be difficult to this day. Most people see the KP as preventing diamonds coming out of certain areas. This is not true – it aims to prevent a proportion of diamonds coming out of these areas; so knowing the origin of a diamond is not going to determine if a stone is a conflict diamond. It is the provenance of the stone that must be known and this is a paper trail, not a gemmological problem.

HPHT-treated diamond An HPHT diamond is one that has had its colour modified using a press that can give very high pressures and temperatures. Usually one starts with diamonds with tinges

of brown and yellow colour, and after the process they come out as high white colours. They tend to be stones of good clarity, as marked stones can crack and break under HPHT. Such a process can greatly increase the value of a stone. As value is based on rarity, an artificially coloured diamond should be worth less than a similar coloured untreated stone, so HPHT has to be disclosed whenever such stones are offered for sale or sold. A loupe will not reveal the process. To date all HPHT stones fall into Type II diamonds, and sophisticated spectroscopy is needed to show the changes in the diamond structure. Also an initial test will determine that the diamond is of Type II.

Synthetic diamonds A synthetic diamond is one that has been produced in a laboratory or factory by man, either by HPHT or Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD). HPHT uses high pressure and temperature, the method we assume nature used deep inside the earth’s mantle. CVD is the method used by nature in space to explain diamonds produced with no pressure and no temperature. Such diamonds are found in meteorites. The HPHT process is used to produce industrial diamonds – where the appearance is not important but physical properties such as hardness are – as well as gemquality crystals. The CVD process was

The days when one could go out to buy diamonds, using experience, skill, instinct and a loupe are now in the past. used to produce flat diamonds suitable to make computer chips. The silicon chip melts as the speed of computers advances, so diamond is a better substance. The computer trade still has too much invested with the silicon chip, so there has been a slow movement to use such stones to produce gem-quality diamonds for use in the jewellery industry. To date all the synthetic diamonds produced by either process are of Type II. So an initial test will see what type of diamond one has. Special spectroscopy tests are then used to determine if a diamond is

man-made. Growth marks can be seen in some CVD-produced stones under strong magnification, but these become less visible if the stones are subjected to HPHT to turn them white. There has been much debate as to what to call these stones. The trade, for many years, permitted only the use of the term ‘synthetic’. The producers of synthetic stones objected, claiming that the term covered too wide a range of man-made diamond simulants, such as CZ and even glass. They wanted a term that would identify them as some sort of diamond. ‘Laboratory-grown’ and ‘laboratory-created’ were eventually permitted, but there is still a ban on ‘man-made’ and ‘cultured’.

Conclusion It is difficult to draw a conclusion on a changing situation. The days when one could go out to buy diamonds, using experience, skill, instinct and a loupe are now in the past. There is no difference between a natural diamond and a conflict one. There are gemmologically-identifiable differences between natural, HPHT-treated and synthetic diamonds, but one needs sophisticated machines, great skill and experience to be able to use them; and one cannot travel carrying such machines. One has to rely on the honesty of the supplier, but he too is dependent on someone else’s knowledge, which may prove to be incorrect, through ignorance rather than dishonesty. The machines now on the market to be used by lay dealers are scanners and not detectors. The latter will identify what type of diamond one has, a scanner will pick out Type II diamonds, the group that contains all the problematic stones. The Type I stones, the majority on the market, can safely be assumed to be natural diamonds. But this is the situation today. Things can change very rapidly. So buy your diamonds from reliable people where you have a comeback in cases of misselling.

The Voice of the Industry 47

| Business Support: Online

What’s in a n@me? Website addresses are being transformed. Are you taking advantage? asks Richard Stevenson, head of PR at 1&1 Internet. So what is changing? The release of 1,000 new generic TopLevel-Domains (gTLDs) in the coming years will offer a wide array of new addresses. For example, a jeweller can use a .diamonds, .watches, .dealer or .jewellery domain ending to specify their type of shop. Local or locationspecific websites and businesses can benefit from the geographical domains including .london, .wales, .nyc, .berlin to name a few. Currently, newly-created businesses sometimes find reduced options to register their desired name, as many have already been taken. The new gTLDs will create countless possibilities for unique and specific domain names for years to come. The first new gTLDs are now being delivered. As of February, new domain options have been delivered to customers every month; binding pre-registrations can be made for many more to be launched in the coming weeks and months.

What are the benefits to a small business? The launch will mean a less crowded internet, as there will be a far greater range of options for an internet address. For business owners the result will be great new potential for capturing traffic and developing digital branding. The new wider aspects of online identity that new gTLDs can deliver will be liberating – enhancements can be made to visibility, relevance to a subject, localisation, specialisation and aspiration etc. Furthermore, integrating such domain extensions into an online presence can improve business visibility on the web. In recent months, search engines have begun to detail how their algorithms will be adapted so that new gTLDs will index as highly as regular domain endings. The largest have indicated that if a new domain is reflective of a website’s content, it will indeed become a key ingredient in their delivering of the most relevant search results for consumers.

Get the right business web address A domain is not only a name for your website – nowadays it’s a key marketing element for success. However, domain names are often chosen in haste at the start of a business venture and are rarely revised. What should you consider now?

as well as their trade identity… such as .diamonds. A small portfolio of carefully chosen domains covering these bases will be the ideal solution for most.

New domains for your industry As more new gTLDs launch in the coming months, small companies will have time to explore the possibilities, and build up online identity in ways that a traditional .co.uk or .com just cannot do for them. SMEs should focus on the huge new opportunities they have to make enhancements, however modest, to their web identity.

Consider people and search engines Always aim for a catchy name – easy to remember and pass on verbally. For longer names, use hyphens to improve readability. Website visitors often misspell words, switch or miss letters. Check how your domain name could be misspelled and consider securing these as additional domains. The more keywords referenced in your domain name, the more search engines will rate your website and position it higher in results, meaning more visitors.

Reflect geographic location For many firms, geographical identity is a powerful boon on the Internet. 1&1 is seeing brisk demand for .LONDON, to be delivered this summer, as well as .SCOT and .WALES. In time, the majority of firms could benefit from reflecting both their local identity,

Protect your brand Domain names are now valuable online real estate. Always register your full company name, and also a clear abbreviation of it. It may also be wise to register names for your key products or services before your competitors do.

48 The Jeweller May 2014

Does this mean firms need to buy new domains to protect their online identity? As with any new domain launch, many UK businesses will be motivated to purchase in order to protect themselves from cyber-squatting or infringement. The emerging domains will mean that businesses should consider their domain options carefully but there is no need for panic or alarm. Think about which domains could have the most value in building upon your online identity and make sensible, sustainable selections. Focus on the huge new opportunities you have to make enhancements, however modest, to your web identity. For most firms, the chance to present their name, their industry topic or geographical location will be a powerful benefit – even for those focused solely on local search traffic. 1&1 Internet Ltd is Europe’s largest domain name registrar. For news and information about new gTLDs as well as suggestions of which options could be relevant to you visit www.1and1.co.uk/new-top-level-domains

Customer Testimonial David McCall was just one of many to recently register a new .diamond TLD with 1&1 – www.engaged.diamonds “As a one-stop wedding jewellery shop I wanted an online web identity where visitors could instantly identify the theme of our business. The inclusion of the term of our business within our URL not only allows visitors to identify our website type but also helps with our SEO. Business owners need to embrace the future. The new domains are a shorter and concise way of presenting our business.”

| Antique Jewellery

Antique JEWELLERY Native American jewellery From pieces made using animal bi-products to intricate silverwork, Amy Oliver explores the jewellery created by the tribal craftsman of North America. As regular readers of The Jeweller will know, this series of features on antique jewellery has concerned itself with the history and meaning of the jewellery of ancient or historical cultures; Greece, Rome, Egypt and China have all been exploredâ&#x20AC;Ś to name a few. In the June 2013 issue I wrote about the jewellery of ancient South America. This article, following on from that, explores the jewellery of North America. I have got to be very clear about this distinction; the jewellery Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m discussing is that of the native Americans, not the predominantly European settlers (though there will be reference to them) who brought over their own European jewellery styles and manufacturing techniques in the early modern era. Modern Native American beadwork

As with South America, this is a huge continent to cover, with many different peoples and tribes, but I hope that I can give a flavour of the artistic and cultural significance of the jewellery of the native American peoples.

of metalworking including that with copper, bronze, iron and brass). It should be pointed out that different tribes and areas had different techniques and developmental rates, as copper jewellery has been found in the more northerly US states and Canada dating to 3,000 BC. However predominantly, before the European colonists arrived, most native American jewellery was made of either organic materials such as shells or wood, and stone (turquoise was particularly important to native American peoples, as it was to certain tribes in South America). Archaeological finds have dated jewellery making in North America back to 8,800 BC, with finds including shells and colourful stones, drilled into in order to be strung. As has been noted in previous articles in this series, creating jewellery or bodily ornamentation with stones and shells appears to have been a species trait among humans, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been practised on every continent at some point in the past.

In the beginning there was no metal Although I mentioned that this feature would not concern itself with European-American jewellery, I do have to reference some of it at this point. It seems that before the migration of European settlers in North America, metalworking in jewellery making was either very basic or, as in the SouthWestern tribes, non-existent (not just silversmithing or goldsmithing, but all forms

1930s South West tribal bracelet with petrified wood, turquoise and silver

Material meaning One of the predominant jewellery making practices was beadwork, and it was present all over North America. Before the 16th century AD, glass beads were unheard of in native American jewellery making. However, natural materials such as wood, bone and antler (from deer, and in the north, moose) were in common use as they were plentiful and easily acquired all over the continent. Even today these materials are still used, and are made into collars, breastplates and earrings to name just a selection, and are worn by both men and women. Along the north west coast, pendants made to look like miniature baskets were made by women from cedar wood and spruce. In the south

50 The Jeweller May 2014

Antique Jewellery |

Ute Tribe couple, Colorado, 1860s

west regions, clay was used to fashion beads, though this practice seems to have been confined to that area. Claws and teeth have been used in native American jewellery for thousands of years, with spiritual connotations; it might have been to honour an animal killed, or perhaps to absorb the attributes and powers of the beast in question. In the north-east, bear teeth were particularly highly prized and were often incorporated into jewellery pieces combined or inlaid with pearls. On the north west coast of the continent, walrus ivory was used to make beads and carved plates which were suspended as pendants. Stones were also popular, particularly coral, amber and turquoise. Turquoise was most predominant in the south western area of North America, as it was traded between the native American tribes there and the Mesoamerican tribes in South America. Shells played a major role in jewellery making across North America. Along the west and east coasts, marine shells such as those of the sea snail, clams, conch and other molluscs, were shaped and drilled using tools made of bone and stone. They adorned all forms of jewellery, but especially necklaces and headdresses, either in their

whole state or carved into particular representative shapes (the Narragansett people, for instance, often carved tear-shaped pendants from these shells). Heishe necklaces have been made by tribes in the south west since ancient times, and consist of very thin pieces of shell that have been shaped into a bead. Freshwater shells were also used, especially by tribes residing further inland.

These shells were also used to adorn clothing, some for celebratory occasions and others for ceremonial purposes. As has been demonstrated, animal by-products were a predominant part of native American jewellery, but possibly the most unusual example comes from the northern inland area of the US. The tribes of this region, who were known collectively as ‘Plain Indians’, were using the long and sturdy quills of the porcupine as decoration as early as the 6th century BC, and this material is still used today. The unique art form that they employed – called quillwork – is intricate and very time consuming. To start the process, the quills are cut down to a length of maybe three inches, and then are dyed to a suitable colour, such as red or black (historically natural dyes were used, but by the 1800s commercial dyes were traded with European settlers and used instead). These quills could then be attached to clothing and textiles, but jewellery-wise they were suspended on necklaces or shaped into bracelets, collars, earrings, etc. One of things I found most interesting when researching the native American jewellery tradition was the variety of materials used to make the actual tool which fashioned the jewellery. In other cultures, metal tools were generally used – depending on how far back you look. But, perhaps due to the scarcity of metalworking, these materials

19th-century necklace with unknown animal claws and teeth, and mother of pearl beads

The Voice of the Industry 51

| Antique Jewellery Navajo women in traditional dress and jewellery

were replaced with a veritable plethora of other media. Again, as with the jewellery itself, antler and bone tools were used. Flint and other stone tools could also be used, though these would be better for working larger pieces such as copper plates hung on necklaces. More fascinating though is one of the methods the porcupine quillwork artists used to shape the quills themselves: other than using bone tools to cut open a quill to flatten it, some would soak the quills to make them softer, then run them between Modern Navajo turquoise and silver necklace

52 The Jeweller May 2014

their top and bottom front teeth to flatten them out – now that’s using your head!

Jewellery with bite Following on from the teeth-shaping revelation mentioned above, I should also include a brief description of a strange and beautiful native American craft. A possibly unique form of artistry in jewellery making is that of ‘birch bark biting’ or Mazinibaganjigan. It’s a rather unusual ancient practice used by the Algonquian peoples in Canada and upper

US states, in which the artist uses his or her canine teeth to bite patterns into a flattened piece of birch bark. The bark can be worn both thin or bitten through to create shaded images and symmetrical patterns. Though this doesn’t much sound like a jewellery making technique, native American jewellers use beads made by this process.

The silver revolution Though pre-18th century AD, most native American jewellery was made using organic materials and stone, after this period the art of silversmithing took off in a major way, and I feel it has to be mentioned as it marked a huge turning point in the history of the jewellery craft of the native Americans, which is dominant to this day. In the north, the art of silversmithing was introduced in the 17th century by European settlers. In the southwestern region, silversmithing wasn’t introduced until the mid-19th century. When the Spanish arrived in the area in the 16th century they traded silver jewellery with the native peoples but didn’t leave a craft legacy. However, though the craft is still fairly recent (by historical standards at least), the tribes in this area have mastered the art completely and made it their own. The Navajo tribespeople in the south west are particularly associated with crafting silver jewellery. From about the 1860s the first silversmiths began producing jewellery specifically for the tribe using any silver they

Antique Jewellery | could find. Rather than trading in ingots, the Navajo silversmiths would often use silver currency that they traded with the European settlers. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only silver coins, but also candlesticks, silver plate and old pieces of silver jewellery in European styles that were acquired and melted down, to be refashioned in the Navajo style. As might be imagined, the early years of the craft produced fairly primitive pieces as the techniques had not yet matured. In the first 20 years of production, it mostly comprised of hammered sheets of silver, which was fashioned into bracelets or buttons to be worn on clothing. But by the 1880s, the art had developed and jewellers particularly liked to combine silver with their most precious stone, turquoise. The complementary, yet striking, combination is still one of the most common forms of native American jewellery seen and worn today. In fact, go to any website or shop selling native American jewellery and I defy you not to find a substantial silver and turquoise selection! In the 19th century, the most popular form that silver jewellery took was rings, earrings and hairpieces for women.

Modern quillwork headdress

And soâ&#x20AC;Ś To sum up, organic materials dominated the jewellery scene across north America well into the 19th century, when silversmithing was truly introduced and perfected by tribal jewellers. The jewellery traditions

of these peoples have quite a number of unique and quirky attributes (the use of porcupine quills being just one of them!), but most definitely produces some of the most beautiful and interesting pieces seen in the world.

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The Voice of the Industry 53

| Regular

Notebook

Where to go, what to read, what to see…

Jewellery & Watch Trade Fairs May 27th – 2nd June: JCK, Luxury and Swiss Watch Las Vegas, USA North America’s leading jewellery event showcasing collections from domestic and international designers and suppliers. The three days preceding JCK sees the invite-only Luxury show, with names such as Danhov and Lili Diamonds, and Swiss Watch, including brands such as Tag Heuer, Hermes and Maurice Lacroix. lasvegas.jckonline.com June 7th-9th: Hyderabad Jewellery, Pearl and Gem Fair, HITEX, India Over 125 exhibitors from both local and international markets offering: fine finished jewellery, gemstones, pearls, diamonds, silver jewellery, equipment, software, display and services. www.ubmindia.in 18th-19th: Jewellery & Watch London, Saachi Gallery, London SW3 Over 134 jewellery and watch brands showing at the fair’s new venue on the King’s Road. Catwalk shows and seminars will enhance the visitor experience. Supported by the N.A.G. See p26 for a preview the show. www.jewelleryandwatchlondon.com

19th-22nd: HK Jewellery & Gem Fair Hong Kong’s showplace for loose gems, fine and finished jewellery, packaging, tools and equipment. Plus Fashion Jewellery & Accessories including stainless steel jewellery. www.jewellerynetasia.com 25th-28th: METS, Asia World-Expo, HK Machinery, Equipment, Technology and Supplies for the Jewellery and Watch Industry is a new exhibition, the only one of its kind in South East Asia. www.mets.hk or email exhibition@mets.hk

Sales & Exhibitions June 5th-15th: Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair, London Showcasing a range of antique, vintage and contemporary jewellery from leading international dealers, including Moira of New Bond Street and Anthea AG Antiques. The fair will also host a special Archibald Knox exhibition. www.olympia-art-antiques.com 18th-29th: Royal College of Art Graduate Show, Howie Street, London SW11 Showcasing the work from the School of Material: goldsmithing, silversmithing, metalwork and jewellery. The show offers an

N.A.G. Diary Dates May 15th: Essential Display, London Learn how to put together exciting displays with tutor Judy Head. N.A.G. members: £235 + VAT. 20th-21st: Diamonds & Diamond Grading Introduction, London A two-day seminar aimed at helping staff increase their knowledge and understanding of diamonds. N.A.G. members – £402 + VAT June 18th: N.A.G. AGM, Saatchi Gallery, London SW3 Primarily for members, but anyone in the industry is welcome to attend this AGM, which is being held to coincide with Jewellery & Watch London. For more details of all courses and events contact Amanda White on: 020 7613 4445 / amandaw@jewellers-online.org

opportunity to invest at the very beginning of a designer’s professional career. www.rca.ac.uk/show2014 26th-2nd July: Masterpiece London, The Royal Hospital, Chelsea, SW3 Jewellery, fine art, antiques and design from leading global names such as Verdura, Hammerle and Theo Fennell. Tickets are £25. www.masterpiecefair.com

Book Reviews Making Silver Jewellery, by Louise Mary Muttitt (£9.99 The Crowood Press) For those working in jewellery sales, some knowledge about the processes involved in creating the pieces on display is always useful. So, you don’t have to want to become a silversmith or designer-maker to gain something from this book. An accessible introduction to making silver jewellery, it takes the reader through the fundamentals (the basic as well as specialised tools of the trade)

54 The Jeweller May 2014

as well as the more technically advanced process involved – over 40 of them in fact. There are bench tips drawn from the author’s own experience, as well as advice on gathering inspiration. Silversmithing – A Contemporary Guide to Making, by Brian Hill and Andrew Putland (£25.00 The Crowood Press) A more in-depth guide to silversmithing, this book delivers on its promise – taking the reader on an educational and inspirational journey that covers ancient, as well as

the latest, techniques. The designer craftsmen authors put silversmithing into cultural and historical context; introduce specialist aspects; give practical hands-on advice and profile leading, respected craftsmen including Sam Marsden, Kevin Grey, Rod Kelly and Fred Rich. Clearly illustrated throughout, this is a book that all in the trade could learn from and one that might also inspire others to take up the craft.

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Last Word Ask a busy man… Jason Holt, CEO of the Hatton Garden-based Holts Group of Companies, succumbs to a Last Word grilling. Personal Profile In 1999 Jason Holt left his job as a solicitor in a City law firm to join the family business, which at that time specialised in bespoke jewellery manufacture. This was a springboard to what is now the Holts Group and includes the not-for-profit social enterprise Holts Academy – set up out of concern for the lack of new talent being brought into the industry. The Academy is now the sole provider of government-accredited apprenticeships in jewellery. Holts today comprises three enterprises spanning jewellery manufacture and retailing, education and technology (Holition). Jason is the author of the Government Review on ‘Making Apprenticeships More Accessible to SMEs’. Published in August 2012, ministers are in the process of implementing its agreed recommendations. In June 2013, he was appointed Apprenticeship Ambassador for SMEs by the National Apprenticeship Service. He is also holder of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion, a Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London and Goldsmiths Company. Who has been the biggest influence on your life? My dad. Even at the age of 91 he comes to work every day, often having walked the six miles from home! However, the way I feel today I doubt that I have inherited his energy!

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the jewellery industry, what would it be? To realise that our futures are glittering… if we work more collaboratively together towards a shared goal.

If you could go back in time, what era or moment would you choose? Why? Jurassic – to be the only human to walk among giant dinosaurs. While I would probably be crushed within hours, can you imagine the fossils I’d be able to collect!

If not the jewellery industry, what might your alternative career have been? A pianist. It’s not that I play well, but my mother once dreamt that one of her sons would be a famous concert pianist and it certainly ain’t going to be my brother!

What three words describe you best… in your view and according to others? Evangelical, maverick, loyal… evangelical, maverick, loyal! What aspect of your career would you do differently if you had your time over? Absolutely nothing. I’ve loved it all!

58 The Jeweller May 2014

What film did you last see at the cinema? Frozen with my kids – although I wish it had been Gravity. I missed it! What’s your guiltiest pleasure? Lying in my hammock while my wife puts the kids to bed – knowing full well I’m expected upstairs.

Photo by John Cairns

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Tell us something not many people know about you. I jump off mountains (but with a parachute on my back) for fun. In regard to your new government role, how do you see the future for apprentices in the next few years? What are your immediate plans as far as the scheme is concerned? I anticipate a significant rise in apprenticeships, with them being seen as a simple and natural part of any growing business. Launching the national network Apprenticemakers with the PM has been part of the plan. Which aspect of the Holt’s empire holds your interest the most and what does the future hold in store for the business? My heart is in gemstones and the family business even though it’s now just one part of the Holts Group. The future… I’m excited about our plans. For instance trying to crack the big issue of career advice: how do people find the best places to learn and work and how do employers know the best institutions to recruit from? Watch this space. What keeps you awake at night? Being out of control due to the gazillion and one spinning plates I often have flying above me. Quick Fire Cats or dogs? Dogs Bentley or Rolls-Royce? Neither. My friends would crucify me for it! Jewellery on men? Yes or No? Yes Delegator or control freak? Delegator (although my team might disagree!) Beatles or Rolling Stones? Beatles Paperback or e-reader? Both

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