SAJN (SA Jewellery News) Oct 2015

R36,00 (incl VAT)

OCTOBER 2015

SOUTH AFRICAN JEWELLERY NEWS

The industry's only trade journal

Inside: Jewellex Africa 2015 Buyers’ Guide The world of pink diamonds and identifying them The oldest gemstone in the world

D I A M O N D S

SA Jewellery News is published by: Isikhova Publishing & Communications CC PO Box 651793, Benmore 2010 Johannesburg, South Africa 27 Panners Lane, Riverclub, Sandton, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 883-4527

c ntents

Fax: +27(0)11 783-2677 Website: www.isikhova.co.za

13. NEWS

Editor: Adri Viviers

• Metal Concentrators CEO wins Absa Business of the Year Award

E-mail: sajewellerynews@isikhova.co.za Watch Editor: Alice Weil E-mail: aweil@mweb.co.za Advertising Sales: Linda Stock E-mail: adsales@isikhova.co.za Designer: Joanne Brook E-mail: joanne.studio@isikhova.co.za Subscriptions & Accounts: Thuli Majola E-mail: subscriptions@isikhova.co.za Chief Executive Officer: Andrew Meyer

• Colombia to host International Emerald Symposium this month • Antwerp remains most important rough diamond trade hub • EcoMobility World Festival 2015 will not compromise Jewellex Africa • Diamond prices pressured by financial market slump

33. BRAND HISTORY Rolex: the pillar of a collection

Chief Financial Officer: Imraan Mahomed

34. JUDGING QUALITY

Printing: Colors

It’s all about quality Banking Details: Isikhova Publishing & Communications CC Bank: Standard Bank, Sandton, South Africa Branch Code: 01-92-05 Current Account Number: 4209 6822 9

36. BRAND MANAGEMENT • Rotary’s latest retro-chic Avenger collection • Tudor launched in South Africa • The Tissot Touch

23. BUYERS’ GUIDE 2015 28. JEWELLEX AFRICA 2015 Official Journal of the Diamond and Jewellery Federation of South Africa.

Website: www.jewellery.org.za The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the owners and the Diamond and Jewellery Federation of South Africa, its members, the publisher or its agents. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither the owners and the Diamond and Jewellery Federation of South Africa, the editor nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors; or for any misfortune, injury or damages which may arise therefrom. The same applies to all advertising. SA Jewellery News© 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publishers. ISSN 1817-5333.

On the cover R36,00 (incl VAT)

OCTOBER 2015

SOUTH AFRICAN JEWELLERY NEWS

The industry's only trade journal

Inside: Jewellex Africa 2015 Buyers’ Guide The world of pink diamonds and identifying them The oldest gemstone in the world

Luxco Jewellery offers a unique, high quality selection of 9ct and 18ct diamond jewellery, including tanzanite and precious colour. We offer our customers value through our strong marketing support

strategy and fast, efficient service. Please contact us for our 2015/16 Diamond Collection Catalogue at Luxco Importers: (011) 448-2210.

Building relationships and generating business

30. GEMMOLOGY The world of pink diamonds and identifying them

45. JEWELLERY DESIGN How a series of coincidences led Durban jeweller Dean Gorrie to Steven Spielberg’s LA doorstep

48. LITTLE GEMS The oldest gemstone in the world

ECOMOBILITY WORLD FESTIVAL 2015 WILL NOT COMPROMISE JEWELLEX AFRICA In order to address the decongestion in the Sandton CBD, the City of Johannesburg will be hosting the EcoMobility World Festival 2015.

Every working day, from 07h30-08h30, about 96 000 people move into Sandton. If this is not addressed, the area will come to a standstill and become a giant parking lot. This plan is designed to promote behavioural change from private cars to public transport use, as well as walking and cycling.

“The festival will in no way compromise access to Jewellex Africa 2015, which will be taking place from 27-29 October,” say the fair’s organisers. “However, there will be some road closures which will require people to access the convention centre from alternative routes

around the EcoMobility Festival.”

The following changes will be implemented: • Commuters will need to use Sandton Drive, Grayston Drive and Katherine St as alterna tive routes.

• West St will be completely closed off.

• Alice Lane and Maude St will be culs-de-sac and parking will be accessible in these roads.

• Entrance to Alice Lane and Maude St will be off Fifth St, as the West St entrance to these roads will be completely closed off.

• Visitors and exhibitors will have access to all parking areas as they had in the past, includ ing the Sandton Convention Centre, Sand ton City, the Michelangelo Hotel and Sun International.

FIERA DI VICENZA AND WORLD DIAMOND MARK SIGN AGREEMENT

of WDM. “The Fiera di Vicenza organises Europe’s most important trade shows and therefore serves as an important platform to raise awareness not only of the WDM itself, but of its goals: building greater consumer confidence in diamonds and those who sell them, increasing market share of diamonds and diamond jewellery, and improving the profitability of all players in the supply pipeline.”

“Our industry will need to take drastic and dramatic steps to bring diamonds and diamond jewellery back into the top-performing categories in the luxury product consumer market,” says Facco. “Furthermore, it’s necessary to pay more attention to transparency and ethical themes, promoting policies of corporate social responsibility, in order to enhance consumers; confidence in the jewellery and diamond sectors.”

Thanks to the agreement, Fiera di Vicenza becomes a WDM strategic partner, promoting the WDM Authorised Diamond Dealer (ADD) network, its activities and events during the trade show organised by the Italian company in Italy and abroad. Fiera di Vicenza will also participate in further WDM events, such as diamond exhibitions and WDM conferences. In addition, it will use its global influence to promote fund-raising for WDM promotional campaigns and events.

WDM will actively promote Fiera di Vicenza through its worldwide retailer network, as well as through all WFDB bourses and partner organisations. Recognising Fiera di Vicenza as the exhibition partner in Europe, WDM will endorse the presence of the most influential opinion leaders at the show and promote the opportunity to exhibit there to the most relevant diamond jewellery producers and diamond dealers.

Fiera di Vicenza, Europe’s leading jewellery trade fair organiser and the World Diamond Mark Foundation (WDM), a non-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), secured a collaboration in the realm of diamond and diamond jewellery promotion and marketing. The MoU was signed during the press conference of VicenzaOro, the international trade show organised by Fiera di Vicenza.

In terms of the MoU, Fiera di Vicenza and WDM will work to sustain and improve the image of, and consumer confidence in, diamond and diamond jewellery. The partnership aims particularly to enhance business opportunities of WDM Authorised Diamond Dealerships (ADDs) and to establish VicenzaOro as the major European platform for the promotion and trade of diamonds and precious stones.

“Our markets are in a continuous flux not only due to economic uncertainty, but – first and foremost – due to changing behavioural purchasing patterns among the new generation of consumers, Generation Z, or the Millennials,” says Corrado Facco, Managing Director of Fiera di Vicenza. “The Fiera, which provides thousands of diamond, gem and jewellery companies that exhibit at our shows, sees it as an important service to work with the WDM in helping retailers generate enthusiasm among consumers for diamonds and diamond jewellery.”

“Our co-operation with the Fiera is a dualpronged effort,” says Alex Popov, Chairman

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

NEWS

COLOMBIA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL EMERALD SYMPOSIUM THIS MONTH Colombia is hosting the first International Emerald Symposium from 13-15 October in Bogotá. The conference is organised by Fedesmeraldas, the Colombian Emerald Federation, and supported by all the country’s emerald-related bodies and the Ministry of Mines & Energy. The conference will address the challenges and opportunities faced by the emerald industry, including resource management, manufacturing, treatments, certification, nomenclature, technology, consumer education and branding.

It will be the first time that producer coun-

tries have come together at a high-level international gathering to address issues relating to the emerald business in the same way diamond industry representatives have done in the past for their trade.

The participation and support of multi-stakeholders of the international precious gemstone and jewellery industry include delegations from the governments and private sectors of Zambia, Afghanistan and Brazil, as well as major international trade organisation such as ICA, AGTA, CIBJO, GIA, IBGM and GAC, among others.

The symposium agenda includes presentations by world-class experts from all segments of the supply chain, such as jewellery designer Erica Courtney, as well as prominent speakers such as the Hon Christopher B Yaluma, Minister of Mines from Zambia, Gemfields Executive Director Sean Gilbertson and Muzo Emerald Mining CTT MTC representative Charles Burgess.

The conference will also include panels of discussions on subjects of crucial interest to the emerald and coloured gemstone sector.

DIAMOND INDUSTRY MOVERS AND SHAKERS MEET IN VLADIVOSTOK One day before the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) opened in Vladivostok, movers and shakers in the diamond industry met in the easternmost harbour city of the Russian Federation. For the entire day, they discussed diamond marketing and promotion, assessed the threat of the synthetic diamond industry and contemplated financing and investment opportunities in the diamond industry.

The forum was hosted by the Sakha and federal governments and was sponsored by

the world’s largest diamond miner, Alrosa.

Key speakers of the Diamond Forum were Alrosa President Andrey Zharkov, WFDB President Ernest Blom, GJEPC Chairman Vipul Shah, Chairman of the World Diamond Mark Foundation Alex Popov, CEO of Rosy Blue Dilip Mehta, Patrick Kwok of the world’s largest jewellery retailer, Chow Tai Fook and Kris Cuyvers, from CASE consultants. The guest of honour was HE Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of the DP World, one of the founders of

the DMCC. Ari Epstein, CEO of AWDC, moderated the session.

“We’re pleased to have hosted such an impressive roster of speakers and participants in this event,” said Zharkov. “Alrosa is currently the largest producer of rough diamonds and both the local and federal government, as well as the company, are eager to explore venues that will bring greater added value to the company, the country’s economy and the business partners we work with.”

CIBJO CONGRESS BECOMES JEWELLERY SECTOR’S FIRST CARBON-NEUTRAL EVENT With the submission of a report that carefully details the carbon footprint of this year’s CIBJO Congress, which took place in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, from 4-6 May and the purchase by CIBJO of offsetting carbon credits, the annual gathering of the World Jewellery Confederation is to officially become the first major event in the industry to qualify as carbon-neutral.

Carbon-Expert, an environmental consulting organisation which has worked with CIBJO for two years to ensure its daily operations are carbon-neutral, submitted the completed carbon footprint report earlier this month. This is the first time an industry event has been rendered carbon-neutral and the goal is that it will be used as a template for future events organised by CIBJO, becoming a model that can be applied elsewhere in the jewellery sector.

Complying with ISO 14064, which specifies how to quantify and report greenhouse gas emissions and removals, and applying ISO 20121, which offers guidance and best practices for controlling the environmental impact of events, Carbon-Expert carefully measured the carbon footprint of the 2015 CIBJO Congress, accounting for carbon gas emission generated at the congress venue itself, as well as by participants in their preparation and travelling to and from the event.

In total, about 600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions were associated with the congress and CIBJO will now purchase carbon credits in order to offset them, thus rendering the event carbon-neutral.

“By making this congress carbon-neutral, CIBJO is sending a clear message to the industry that, wherever possible, all other events should be carbon-neutral too, thus minimising their environmental impact, in order to drive the industry forward and secure the long-term future of everyone’s business,” wrote Moya McKeown, an environmental consultant at Carbon-Expert, in the report’s introduction.

“The activities of CIBJO’s Secretariat and administration were certified as carbon-neutral in both 2013 and 2014 and we’re now expanding the programme to include other activities,” says CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri. “Obviously, our carbon footprint represents just a small percentage of that of the entire jewellery sector, but we hope that we serve as a role model for others, who – like us – are committed to our industry operating in an environmentally responsible manner. The feedback so far has been most positive.”

“A number of trade organisations and companies are now working with CIBJO to achieve their own carbon-neutral status and we’ll continue to focus on developing this programme over the coming years,” says Jonathan Kendall, President of CIBJO’s Education & Marketing Commission, who has stood at the vanguard of the organisation’s environmental campaign. “It’s clear that the ‘millennial consumer’ is highly aware of the environment and as the jewellery industry’s so dependent on attracting new customers, it must meet this challenge head on.”

WORLD DIAMOND MARK AND IDEX SIGN MOU The World Diamond Mark Foundation (WDM) and the International Diamond Exchange (IDEX), which operates a leading, online diamond trading platform for professional diamond traders in main diamond cities such as Antwerp, Mumbai, Ramat Gan and New York, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing that they “share common goals in seeking to sustain and improve consumer desirability and confidence in diamonds and diamond jewellery”. The two organisations intend to “undertake joint projects to promote the WDM marketing campaign and IDEX products”.

After signing the MoU at the India International Jewellery Show in Mumbai, IDEX Chairman Ehud (Udi) Cohen said his organisation and the WDM share a significant number of

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

objectives and that he is confident about the benefits of the co-operation for both sides.

“Our co-operation with IDEX constitutes a win-win scenario. IDEX recognises and will make its best endeavour to support the ‘WDM Authorised Diamond Dealer’ programmes and their proliferation in the jewellery retail markets,” said WDM Chairman Alex Popov.

“WDM, for its part, will offer its full support to the global promotion of IDEX.” Popov said that while WDM has its own communications system in place, the co-operation with IDEX will provide yet another channel to the market and help enhance awareness of the WDM's work through IDEX's relationship with other stakeholders, industry organisations, jewellery trade organisations and retail associations.

METAL CONCENTRATORS CEO WINS ABSA AWARD Bernard Stern, founder of Metal Concentrators (Metcon), SA’s largest independent precious metals refiner, has been named the winner of the Absa Unlisted Company Award, part of the annual Jewish Achievers Awards.

Stern was acknowledged by Absa at a gala dinner in September. The awards identify members of the Jewish business community for their outstanding business achievements.

Stern’s firm has become one of the most influential companies in the South African precious metals market. This year it celebrates its 25th anniversary and will make about R3,5 billion in revenues, compared with the R2,5 million it made in its first year of operation.

“Bernard is a true gentleman who’s built an unbelievable business based on customer service and grand vision,” commented Howard Sackstein, Chairperson of the Jewish Achievers Awards. “It’s also a fitting tribute to Absa, which has been instrumental in the growth of his business. Bernard remains a great role model for many entrepreneurs in SA and around the African continent.”

Stern said he was honoured to receive this

accolade, but that it did not belong to him alone, as he could not have achieved anything without his wife, Hilary, who co-founded the company with him in 1990.

“Together we’ve struggled, sweated and worked very long hours. There were times when we weren’t sure if we’d make it or whether we’d have to close our doors, but we kept going and the company managed to survive,” he said. He added that anyone embarking on the entrepreneurial route needed sufficient grit and determination to continue, as there were many knocks one had to take along the way.

“Human capital is a company’s most important asset. No company ever operates without what makes it work, which are its staff. We’ve been blessed with an amazing team and we’re grateful to have people who are really respectful and enjoy what they’re doing. Most of them have been with us for more than 10 years, which says something about our company,” said Stern.

As to the key drivers of the company’s success and impressive growth, Stern said that integrity and honesty have always been essential for creating a sustainable business.

DIAMOND PRICES PRESSURISED BY FINANCIAL MARKET SLUMP According to the latest figures released by the Rapaport Group, diamond prices softened in August and sentiment weakened, as the slump in financial markets is expected to reduce discretionary spending. “Dealer trading was quiet, with Belgium closed for vacation and liquidity tight in India. Cash buyers in New York and Israel are looking for good deals, waiting for lower prices and filling specific orders. No-

one is buying for inventory,” the release stated.

The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) for 1ct laboratory-graded diamonds fell 0,9% during August. RAPI for 0,30ct diamonds declined 1,7%, while RAPI for 0,50ct diamonds dropped 1,9%. RAPI for 3ct diamonds slipped 1,5% during the month.

RAPI for 1ct diamonds fell 3,7% during the first eight months of the year and was down by 12,9% from one year ago on 1 September.

ANTWERP REMAINS MOST IMPORTANT ROUGH DIAMOND TRADE HUB Antwerp is still the most important rough diamond trade hub in the world, according to the 2014 annual figures from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which monitors and maps out diamond production and distribution worldwide.

The figures also reveal that the Antwerp rough diamond traders’ profit margins are under duress, with an average profit margin of 1%. The Antwerp World Diamond Centre also confirmed this in its own annual figures.

Antwerp is truly a global diamond hub. Looking only at the number of carats imported, India achieved higher figures, but this is a conse-

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

quence of that country being the global leader with regard to diamond manufacturing. In terms of the value of imported diamonds, Antwerp’s imported value of nearly US$16 billion is a close second to India, which imported US$17,2 billion.

Dubai and Israel, the most significant of Antwerp’s competitors, had much less favourable results than Antwerp, importing approximately one-third of the diamonds in terms of value that Antwerp imported in 2014. Concerning exports, it was noted that Antwerp exported twice the value of diamonds (US$15,7 billion) of Dubai (US$8,3 billion) and four times more than Israel (US$3,9 billion).

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FOURTH EDITION OF ISRAEL DIAMOND WEEK IN NEW YORK TO BE HELD THIS MONTH For the fourth time since the two bourses began co-operating, the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) and the Diamond Dealers Club of New York (DDC) will be holding an Israel Diamond Week in New York.

The upcoming edition of the event is scheduled for the week of 19-22 October 2015 and will be held on the trading floor of the Diamond Dealers Club of New York, at 580 Fifth Ave in midtown Manhattan.

IDE President Shmuel Schnitzer says that following the positive business results of the recently held International Diamond Week in Israel, he has high expectations of the event in October.

“About 100 of our bourse members will be making their way to Manhattan to take part in this diamond marketing event at the DDC and we’ll be working with our American colleagues, putting the right goods into their hands towards the upcoming holiday sales season in the USA. We have what the American market likes to buy and I’m sure that our mem-

bers will create win-win business scenarios with their American counterparts.”

DDC President Reuven Kaufman says that since the joint initiative was established four years ago, business ties between IDE and DDC members have improved tremendously. “While the synergy between Israel’s and New York’s diamond trade is a given, there’s always room for further business development and higher business volumes. Expectations are that the retail jewellers will see increased business in the upcoming holiday season. We need to be prepared to provide the merchandise and I’m sure our strength will be in the numbers.”

IDE President Schnitzer concurs: “I remain confident that the market will pick up. This position is strengthened by a recent survey that was conducted among middle-class women in the USA. They were asked what prestigious gift they’d most like to receive and an overwhelming number replied: ‘Diamonds’,” he says.

GIA LAUNCHES JAPANESE WEBSITE Japanese speakers now have access to GIA’s extensive and trusted online content about gems and jewellery at GIA.edu in their native language. The début of GIA’s website in Japanese is part of the institute’s continued efforts to educate consumers, gem enthusiasts, researchers, retailers, students and lab clients in Japan about the wondrous world of gems.

“The translation of our website is part of GIA’s commitment to delivering gemmological information and instruction in Japan in Japanese,” says Bev Hori, GIA’s Chief Learning Officer and Senior Vice-president of Education.

“Japan is one of the world’s largest markets for gems and jewellery, so it’s important for GIA to make our educational resources available in this important country. Our website features curated gemmological content you won’t find elsewhere on the Internet, so translating this information helps us serve the public’s interests.”

The site will automatically display a language based on the user’s browser preference. A user may select a different language from a dropdown menu which appears at the top of every site page. The translations include more than 1,8 million words in the Gem Encyclopaedia, Analysis and Grading, Professional Education, Research and News and About GIA sections.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

GIA launched a redesigned GIA.edu in 2013 as part of its mission to share knowledge and information widely. The institute fulfils its mission of protecting the public trust in gems and jewellery through professional education programmes and beneficiation efforts, gemmology research and laboratory services, supporting more than 100 000 active alumni and through GIA’s library and museum. GIA’s website supports all of these efforts and has the potential to reach millions more. The site was translated into Simplified Chinese and British English in April 2015.

Due to its very technical nature, some content – including Report Check, laboratory report information, Gems & Gemology articles and the Gübelin gem database – has not yet been translated.

BUYERS’ GUIDE 2015 LISTINGS Tel: (011) 334 6713 Email: kppule@nungu-trading.co.za

COLOURED GEMSTONES BLUE STAR GEMS HONG KONG Contact: Chetan Vijay Tel: + 66 819 30 27 01 Email: chetan@bluestarstones.com GEMFIELDS Contact: Maria Suarez Tel: (021) 794 2488 Cell: 083 603 1188 Email: maria.suarez@gemfields.co.uk Website: www.gemfields.co.uk R.T. GEMS CO LTD Contact: Chetan Seyth Tel: + 66 22 33 26 83 Email: rtgems@gmail.com COSTUME JEWELLERY MASELESELE JEWELLERS Contact: Isaac Nkwe Tel: (012) 734 0245 Fax: (012) 734 2846 Email: Cullinanjewelleryschool@gmail.com DIAMONDS 2B AFRASIAN DIAMONDS Contact: Mohammed TM Altamash Tel: 082 707 8676 Email: towban@afrasiandiamonds.co.za Website: www.afrasiandiamonds.co.za ABSTRAL DIAMONDS (PTY) LTD Contact: Michael Ellis Tel: (011) 334 4815/6 Email: Michael@abstral.co.za BOROBALO DIAMOND CUTTING & POLISHING Contact: Gosebelwang Marumoloa Tel: (018) 596 1362 Fax: (018) 596 1325 Email: gosebelwang@borobalodiamonds.co.za CARATCO Contact: Anna Russo Tel: (021) 424 5141 or 079 187 9863 Email: anna@caratco.co.za Website: www.forevermark.com

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OCEAN BLUE DIAMONDS Contact: Mark Tel: (021) 555 2443 Email: mark@oceanbluediamonds.co.uk PRODIAM TRADING Contact: Daniel Feigin Tel: 082 900 9766 Email: danielf@prodiam.co.za Website: www.prodiam.co.za PROTEA DIAMONDS Contact: Josh Segal Tel: 082 597 5927 Email: josh@proteadiamonds.co.za SANDHAVON DIAMOND CUTTING WORKS Contact: Khomotso Ramodipa Tel: 083 400 4177 Fax: (011) 334 3307 Email: khomotsoramodipa@gmail.com SIVANA DIAMONDS Contact: Limore Rubinek Tel: (011) 026 8885 Fax: (086) 611 5448 Email: sales@sivanadiamonds.co.za Website: www.sivanadiamonds.com STATE DIAMOND TRADER BENEFICIATORS Contact: Godfrey Mance Tel: (011) 334-2691 Fax: (011) 334-1540 Email: godfrey.mance@statediamond trader.gov.za Website: www.statediamondtrader.gov.za THOKO’S DIAMONDS Contact: Thoko Zwane Tel: (011) 051 5875 Fax: (086) 568 1620 Email: Thokoz30@yahoo.com or Thoko@thokosdiamonds.co.za Website: www.thokosdiamonds.co.za TRANS HEX DIAMOND CUTTING WORKS (PTY) LTD Contact: Rochell Naidoo

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Tel: (011) 334 2944 Email: rochellthdcw@telkomsa.net

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GEMINI GOLD DISTRIBUTORS (PTY) LTD Contact: Gary Kruger Tel: (011) 643 5311 Email: gary@geminigold.co.za

EDUCATION AND TRAINING DESIGN @ 50 Contact: Edna de Bruyn Tel: 087 350 9610 Email: edna@jewellery.org.za EKURHULENI JEWELLERY PROJECT Contact: Mercia Thomas Tel: (011) 825 5822 Email: ejpfinances@ejewellery.org.za ORBIT TVET COLLEGE Contact: Tebogo Molefe Tel: (014) 592 8462 Email: tmolefe@orbitcollege.co.za Website: www.orbitcollege.co.za TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Contact: Dave Newman Tel: (012) 382 6007 Fax: (012) 382 6007 Email: newmand@tut.ac.za

GOLD CATCH (PTY) LTD Contact: Leslie Kroll / Doreen Rothner Tel: (011) 645 9280 Email: goldcatch@oroafrica.co.za JENNI GAULT INTERNATIONAL Contact: Ashleigh Parkin Tel: 087 150 7877 Email: admin@jennigault.com Website: www.jennigault.com MORAGLIONE 1922 Contact: Laura Gentile Tel: (011) 462 6838 Email: laura@bassanogioielle.com Website: www.moraglione.com MURCIA & CO Contact: Jarrid Murcia Tel: (021) 418 7891 Email: jarrid@murciaco.com Website: www.murciaco.com ORO AFRICA (PTY) LTD Contact: Gary Nathan Tel: (021) 480 9860 Email: gnathan@oroafrica.com Website: www.oroafrica.com

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BUYERS’ GUIDE 2015

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Tel: (012) 365 2201 Fax: (012) 365 2203 Email: rene@romagold.co.za Website: www.romagold.co.za

SEDA PLATINUM INCUBATOR South Africa’s first and best Platinum Group metal beneficiation centre for sustainable jewellery SMMEs in the global village.

Contact: Tumisang Sepeng Tel: (014) 597 0736 Email: tumisang@spi.org.za Website: www.spi.org.za SA JEWELLERY Contact: Peter or Teresa Tel: (011) 025 3030 Email: info@sajewellery.co.za Website: www.sajewellery.co.za SIBAHLE JEWELLERY (PTY) LTD Contact: Nthabiseng Xaba Tel: (011) 049 3933 Email: nthabiseng@sibahlejewellery.co.za Website: www.sibahlejewellery.co.za SIMON EFUNE MANUFACTURING JEWELLERS Contact: Edith Efune Tel: (011) 334 4529 Email: simon.efune@mweb.co.za SHIROKO Contact: Itsik Turis Tel: (083) 777 7711 Email: itsik@shiroko.co.za Website: www.shiroko.co.za SOFFIA FINE JEWELLERY Contact: Ihsaan Sonny Mohideen Tel: (031) 303 2370 Email: sonny@soffia.co.za Website: www.soffia.co.za SOLITAIRE RINGS Contact: Brian Wexler Tel: 082 777 6777 Email: wexport@gmail.com SOMETHING SPECIAL IN JEWELLERY Contact: Mark Hammerschlag Tel: (011) 544 1500 Email: info@somethingspecial.co.za Website: www.somethingspecial.co.za SPECTRA WHOLESALERS Contact: Jimmy Taylor Tel: 083 283 0096 Email: jimmy@spectra.co.za

STUDIO C Contact: Chris van Rensburg or Evert van Engelenhoven Tel: (011) 642 7826 or (013) 712 5807 Email: chris@studioc.co.za or evert@umjindijewellery.co.za STUDIO F Contact: Eunice Digangoane Tel: 083 892 2495 Email: SFMjewellers@gmail.com SUNDELSON BROTHERS (PTY) LTD Contact: Dean Sundelson Tel: (011) 642 0093 Email: sunbros@mweb.co.za TAI FOOK (HONG KONG) HOLDINGS LTD Contact: Felix Tong Tel: +852 2376 3669 Email: sales@taifookgroup.com Website: www.taifookgroup.com THE HOUSE OF SID FORMAN Contact: David Forman Tel: (011) 334 6715 Fax: (011) 334 6930 Email: david@sidforman.co.za THE JEWELLERY WAREHOUSE (PTY) LTD Contact: Nico van der Merwe Tel: (086) 110 0111 Email: accounts@ralphjacob.com Website: www.jewellerywarehouse.co.za UNGAR BROTHERS CC Contact: Ronald Ungar or Lauren Ungar Tel: (011) 642 2018 Fax: (011) 642 2016 Email: ungar1@worldonline.co.za Website: www.ungarbros.co.za VERA B WHOLESALE JEWELLERS Contact: Vera Basson Tel: (023) 355 1652 Fax: (086) 574 7569 Email: verabasson@breede.co.za Website: www.verasbridalcollection.co.za

JEWEL TEC Contact: Iqbal or Farouk Tel: (031) 205 5111 / (021) 424 6257 Email: info@jeweltec.co.za LIPMAN & SON Contact: Ian Lipman Tel: (021) 424 3371 Fax: (021) 424 6829 Email: ianL@lipmanson.co.za Website: www.lipmanson.co.za RAPID3D Contact: David Bullock Tel: (086) 100 0185 Email: david@rapid3d.co.za Website: www.rapid3d.co.za UNITED SCIENTIFIC Contact: Jaco Le Roux Tel: (011) 795 1900 Email: jaco@united-scientific.co.za Website: www.unitedscientific.co.za MATERIAL SUPPLIERS CAPE PRECIOUS METALS Contact: Sharon Eades Tel: (021) 551 2066 Fax: (021) 552 7792 Email: sharon@capepreciousmetals.co.za Website: www.capepreciousmetals.co.za METAL CONCENTRATORS Contact: Hilary Stern Tel: Gauteng (012) 000 4440 Cape Town (021) 510 0770 Durban 086 600 2210 (Kyle) Email: info@metcon.co.za Website: www.metcon.co.za MINING MINTEK Contact: Margaret Segole Tel: (011) 709 4925 Email: margarets@mintek.co.za Website: www.mintek.co.za PEARLS

YATO DESIGN STUDIOS Contact: Nompanelo Chauke Tel: (071) 508 4141 Email: Nomfizy13@gmail.com Website: http://yatojewellery.wix.com

MACHINERY, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT CAPE WATCH TOOL & JEWELLERY SUPPLIES Contact: Tennille Hoge Tel: (021) 424 8261 Email: tkh@capewatch.co.za Website: www.capewatch.co.za

PEARL AVENUE Contact: Magda Kidson Tel: (011) 789 8220 Fax: (011) 789 9866 Email: magda@pearlavenue.co.za PIERCING AND ALLERGY-FREE EARRINGS STUDEX – AMERICAN PIERCING SYSTEMS Contact: Bronwyn Da Costa Tel: (011) 805 7574 Fax: (011) 805 7576 Email: Bronwyn@aps-studex.co.za Website: www.aps-studex.co.za

SERVICES TO THE INDUSTRY BRINKS SA (PTY) LTD Contact: Thuli Ndlovu Tel: (011) 334 1793 Fax: (011) 334 1794 Email: Thuli.Ndlovu@BrinksGlobal.com CAD CULTURE Contact: Chris Winspear Tel: 082 864 8589 Email: info@cadculture.com Website: www.cadculture.com CHEVRON JEWELLERS AND CHEVRON INSURANCE Contact: Lynette Schalkwyk Tel: (011) 917 3463 Email: office@chevron-jewellers.co.za Website: www.chevronjewellers.co.za E.G.L. Contact: Alan Lowe Tel: (011) 334 4527 Email: alan@egl.co.za Website: www.egl.co.za GGDA IDZ Contact: Ayub Mayet Tel: (010) 001 9124 Email: ayubm@ggda.co.za Website: www.ggda.co.za GIA EDUCATION AND LABORATORY Contact: Elizabeth Bokaba Tel: (011) 334 2744 Fax: (011) 334 0932 Email: ebokaba@gia.edu Website: www.gia.edu IDC Contact: Denise Reddy Tel: (011) 269 3363 Fax: (086) 210 3363 Email: DeniseR@IDC.co.za Website: www.idc.co.za JEWELLERS DISPUTE SOLUTIONS Contact: Mervyn Malamed Tel: 082 900 8000 Email: mervyn@jewellersdisputesolutions.co.za Website: www.jewellersdisputesolutions.co.za JEWELLERS NETWORK Contact: Sancia Mincher Tel: 082 498 6352 Email: sancia@jewellersnetwork.co.za Website: www.jewellersnetwork.co.za JEWELLERY COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA Contact: Elsa da Silva/Bavina Vassan Tel: (011) 484 5528 Fax: 086 504 9512 Email: admin@jewellery.org.za/ elsad@jewellery.org.za Website: www.jewellery.org.za

BUYERS’ GUIDE 2015

JEWELTECH SOFTWARE Contact: Quintin le Roux Tel: 082 229 2026 Fax: (086) 598 2986 Email: Quintin@jeweltech.co.za Website: www.jeweltech.co.za NKWE MARKETING Contact: Marileen van Wyk Tel: 083 530 2800 Email: glassforming@gmail.com Website: www.glassforming.co.za

ORBITWORLD Orbit World, together with Standard Bank, offers merchants preferential credit and debit card fees – no need to change bank account.

Contact: Craig Suchard Tel: (011) 883 1294 Email: craigs@orbitworld.co.za Website: www.orbitworld.co.za

SAHARA SYSTEMS (PTY) LTD Contact: Farrel Pillay Tel: (011) 542 2298 Email: farrelp@saharasystems.co.za Website: www.saharasystems.co.za

SAJN (SA JEWELLERY NEWS) Contact: Andrew Meyer Tel: (011) 883 4627 Email: andrewm@isikhova.co.za Website: www.isikhova.co.za SHOPKEEPER SOLUTIONS Contact: Odessa Perelson Tel: (041) 379 1059 Email: odessa@shoso.co.za Website: www.shopkeeper.co.za SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND AND PRECIOUS METALS REGULATOR Contact: Lwazi Nogxina Tel: (011) 223 7000 Email: lwazin@sadpmr.co.za SILVER JEWELLERY ANNA-B JEWELLERY Contact: Anna-B Zetler Tel: (021) 481 1023

Fax: (021) 481 1024 Email: info@annab.co.za Website: www.annab.co.za ENDLESS JEWELRY Contact: Tarryn Lichter Tel: 082 312 0266 Email: tarryn@tjbtrading.co.za ITALCHAIN Contact: Sofia Costaras Tel: (061) 719 1886 Email: italchain@gmail.com Website: www.mmjewellers.co.za VERSITRADE/THE SILVER PEACOCK Contact: Brian and Wenda Tel: 082 579 2058 Fax: (021) 715 5344 Email: versitrade@worldonline.co.za Website: www.thesilverpeacock.co.za WATCHES AND CLOCKS

BELL & ROSS Contact: Shahnaaz Denat Tel: (011) 783-8813 Email: info@montresdumonde.co.za Website: www.montresdumonde.co.za CJR GIFT SALES Contact: Rowan Jacobson Tel: (011) 257 6000 Fax: (011) 257 6001 Email: info@cjr.co.za FOSSIL GROUP Contact: Andrew Roberts Tel: (021) 418 0045 Email: andrew@keren.co.za HM WATCHES AND JEWELLERY Contact: Hilton Freinkel Tel: (011) 883 0008 Email: hmf@icon.co.za Website: www.hfwatches.com JP TIME Contact: Costa Saroglou Tel: (011) 883 8493 Email: costa@jpkruger.co.za Website: www.jptime.co.za LUKS GROUP (PTY) LTD Tel: (011) 262 0396 Email: sales@luksgroup.co.za Website: www.luksgroup.co.za

PLEASE NOTE: All information supplied was correct at the time of going to print. For queries, contact the JCSA on tel: (011) 484 5528.

BUYERS’ GUIDE 2015

LUXCO IMPORTERS Contact: Lynne Anderson Tel: (011) 448 2210 Email: la@luxco.co.za Website: www.luxco.co.za MONTRES DU MONDE Contact: Carla Naude Tel: (011) 783 8813 Email: carla@montresdumonde.co.za Website: www.montresdumonde.co.za MORELLATO Contact: Laura Gentile Tel: (011) 462 6838 Email: laura@bassanogioielli.com Website: www.bassanogioeielli.com S.BACHER & CO Contact: Claire Dickinson Tel: (011) 372 6000 Email: claired@sbacher.co.za Website: www.sbacher.co.za SHENZEN BEGIO WATCHES CO LTD Contact: Jenny Zhao Tel: (081) 368 8144 Email: jennyzhaocpt.gmail.com SM WATCH WHOLESALE Contact: Shabir Moosa Tel: (012) 326 8348/ 328 5996 Fax: (012) 325 7097 Email: smwatch@iafrica.com TREGER GROUP Contact: Sarah Mitchell Tel: (011) 089 6038 Email: sarahm@tregerbrands.co.za Website: www.tregerbrands.co.za

The final Jewellex Africa 2015 floor plan will be available in Jewellex Today!

Buyers’ Guide 2015 in partnership with :

Buyers’ Guide 2015 published by:

JEWELLEX AFRICA 2015

THIS YEAR’S EXCITING EVENT WILL BE FEAturing a number of firsts. For the first time ever, Jewellex Africa will be hosting a diamond pavilion, sponsored by De Beers. The aim of this pavilion is to promote polished diamond trading. De Beers will also be exhibiting its Shining Light Awards. Another first is the De Beers Red Carpet Event. More information on this will be revealed in the weeks leading up to Jewellex.

Competition pieces from the Jewellery Council Collection Awards Jewellery Design Competition will be displayed in the piazza/coffee shop, and exhibitors and visitors will be given an opportunity to vote for a winner – another first. The prizegiving ceremony will take place in the piazza/coffee shop on 29 October at 12 noon.

Cape Precious Metals will be sponsoring a 2 kg silver prize for the top three entries, while Metal Concentrators will be sponsoring a bursary for the winner to an institution of their choice. Sundelson Bros will hand over a cash prize of R5 000 for the winner and two runners-up, while Umjindi Jewellery will be sponsoring the trophy for the winner.

This year’s judges for the Best Stand Award will be Alice Weil of SAJN, Jennifer CrwysWilliams of Radio 702 and Debbie Mouton, Chairperson of the Chevron Group. The award will be announced at the MetCon Jewellex Gala Dinner and the winner will receive a 25% discount off their stand for 2016.

“We’d like to acknowledge Metal Concentrators, which is sponsoring the Metcon Jewellex Gala Dinner at the Hilton Hotel on the first evening of the event, 27 October,” says Lorna

Building relationships and generating business Jewellex Africa 2015 opens its doors for business for a midweek show at 09:00 on Tuesday, 27 October 2015.

Lloyd, CEO of the Jewellery Council of SA. “Jewellex isn’t all work and the gala dinner will be an ideal opportunity to network and socialise with industry colleagues and friends.”

Seminars will be presented on all three days, commencing at 11:00 in Committee Room 2, Level 4. These include a seminar on 27 October presented by Déonne le Roux of Déonne le Roux Jewellers on “Increasing Profitability for the Retailer”, on 28 October

by Renier Esterhuizen of Tag Africa on “Social Media in Your Business” and on 29 October by Ian Gair of Paramount Consulting on “The Psychology of Selling”.

Block bookings for accommodation have been secured at various hotels in close proximity to Johannes-

burg’s Sandton Convention Centre and a variety of shopping centres and restaurants. “We invite readers to visit the Jewellex website at: www. jewellex.co.za for all information relating to the exhibition,” says Lloyd.

She also expresses gratitude to other sponsors of the event: “De Beers for the De Beers Diamond Pavilion and carrier bags, Brinks for lanyards, Gemfields for branded water and IDC for the gala dinner wines.”

For the first time ever, Jewellex Africa will be hosting a diamond pavilion, sponsored

by De Beers. The aim of this pavilion is to promote polished diamond trading.

28

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

GEMMOLOGY

The world of pink diamo and identifying them LESS THAN 0,1% OF DIAMONDS PRODUCED exhibit some pink colouration, yet they represent 10% of the value of all Argyle diamonds. In today’s market, Argyle pink diamonds (with paperwork proving origin) command a premium of around 15-30% over non-Argyle pink diamonds.

One of the challenges in today’s gem industry is to quickly and accurately identify the origin of the colour of pink diamonds – natural, treated or synthetic. GRS laboratories joined forces with the CGL-GRS lab (a joint venture of GRS lab Hong Kong and CGL Vancouver) to establish research centres in Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand and Canada, with the aim of creating a taskforce for joint research into the discovery of new diamond treatments and synthetics in the world market. (The research was published in March 2014.)

Current research projects include new CVDgrown diamonds and the provenance of pink diamonds (in-house research). The purpose of this paper is to examine natural pink diamonds (from four continents) and synthetic pink diamonds which are currently found in the market and to offer some suggestions as to what dealers can do to spot them using standard, inexpensive instruments. The commercial significance of the various types will also be touched on.

Impact of auction sales In the late 1980s, the public perception of fancy-coloured diamonds began to change when the 0,95ct “Hancock Red” from Brazil was sold for almost US$1 million per carat at Christie’s auction. This stone was studied by one of the authors (Dr Adolf Peretti) at that time. Since then, Peretti has documented the extreme impact this one sale has had on subsequent prices and the corresponding recognition of fancy diamonds as a desirable asset class. The demand for rare colours increased and the media began playing a more active role in showcasing new and previously unknown stones.

Prized for their rarity and beauty, pinkcoloured diamonds are hot-ticket today, thanks in part to celebrities such as Jessica Biel, who received a pink diamond engagement ring from Justin Timberlake, and the 6,10ct pink sparkler Jennifer Lopez received from Ben Affleck.

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Only one in 10 000 natural diamonds has enough colour to be graded a fancy-coloured stone. Blue and pink diamonds, especially when they are saturated enough to be called fancy red, are considered the most expensive natural gems by weight in the world. Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine in Australia has produced large quantities of diamonds since 1985, the majority of which are brown stones marketed as “champagne” and “cognac”. Branko Deljanin, Dr Adolf Peretti and Matthias Alessandri look at pink diamonds in this two-part series.

The highest price ever paid for a gemstone was US$83,02 million for the “Pink Star” diamond offered at Sotheby’s in Geneva in November 2013. The GIA-graded fancy vivid pink diamond nearly doubled the 2010 record price of US$46 million, also for a pink diamond. The 59,6ct oval-cut pink diamond was acquired by the auction house after a New York buyer defaulted. The stone is recorded in Sotheby’s inventory at about US$72 million. (Source: Reuters) Geology at the Argyle mine Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine is located in the remote north-west region of Australia, south-west of Kununurra and 2 200 km north-east of Perth.

The Kimberley Craton consists of a central core of a thick series of nearly flat-lying sedimentary and volcanic rocks that were deposited 1,9-1,6 billion years ago, underlain by a base of crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks. Early in 1976, geologists from Ashton Joint Venture found certain indicator minerals (such as limonite, chromite, chrome diopside and pyrope garnet) in stream-gravel concen-

trates, which indicated the presence of diamond-bearing host rocks.

Lamproites are special ultrapotassic, magnesium-rich, mantle-derived volcanic rocks with low CaO, AI203, Na2O and high K2O. Leucite, glass K-richterite, K-feldspar and Cr-spinel are unique to lamproites and are not associated with kimberlites. The diamonds in lamproites are considered to be xenocrysts and derived from parts of the lithospheric mantle that lies above the regions of lamproite genesis. Kimberlites are also magmatic rocks, but have a different composition and could contain nonArgyle origin pink diamonds.

Impact of mining activities The Argyle mine first started producing diamonds 30 years ago and reached its peak output of 42 million carats from the lamproite pipe in 1994. Since then, the output has fallen to a recent low of 10 million carats, but with the underground operation now in place, the annual output is expected to increase beyond 20 million carats per year. In March 2014, two of the authors (Branko Deljanin and Peretti) made an expedition to the Argyle mine and studied its geology and mining operations. A unique information video was documented on this mine for possible movie release. They had a chance to visit the open-pit operation which closed in 2013, the new underground operation and the processing/recovery plant. To date, 90% of the world’s pink diamonds originate from the Argyle mine in Australia, which has produced more than 790 million carats of diamonds. The

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

GEMMOLOGY

onds

fact that the mine was commercially able to transition successfully from open-pit to underground operations is a good indication that the coloured diamond market continues to thrive.

Processing At the Argyle mine, the processing of lamproite rocks in order to find diamonds involves the following five basic operations: 1. Crushing the ore (in several steps).

2. Scrubbing the broken rock fragments with water to remove dust.

3. Screening the ore into specific-size fractions.

4. Starting from a particular size fraction of the ore, concentrating the diamonds from other heavy minerals (eg garnet) using a heavy medium.

5. Separating the diamonds from the other heavy minerals by means of x-ray screening.

The average size of the Argyle rough is usually less than 0,10ct (for crystals larger than 0,8 mm). The largest diamond crystal recovered to date (1991) was 42,60ct.

However, in general, pink to red diamond crystals do not exceed 4ct. Pink diamonds of 1ct sizes are therefore considered “single stones commanding special attention”.

More than 60% of the Argyle diamond crystals are irregular in shape. Macles (twins) comprise about 25%, while 10% are naated or polycrystalline aggregates (industrial quality).

Although operations at Argyle have successfully moved underground, the mine’s production life is only expected to run until approximately 2020. This limitation, combined with the rarity of pink diamonds, is a contributing factor to sky-rocketing prices in recent times.

Argyle pink diamonds: testing and value Pink diamonds appeared only sporadically in jewellery until the discovery of the Argyle mine. In the mid-1980s, it became the first mine ever to produce a steady supply of melee (up to 0,10ct carats) and smaller pink diamonds of less than 1ct, along with the more rare 1,00ct-plus pinks. The new mine supplied enough volume to make possible pavé-set jewellery with pink diamonds.

The entire annual production of Argyle pink diamonds greater than 0,50ct could fit into the palm of one hand.

The largest Argyle pink diamond is the “Pink Jubilee”, an 8,01ct, half-rough, half-polished diamond. Its original weight was 12,76ct, making it the largest pink rough stone ever produced by the western Australian mine.

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

Over the past five years, the demand for pink diamonds has increased, in part due to the following factors: • Exposure in mainstream media, most often in the form of celebrities buying them, as well as record-breaking prices at major auctions.

• Australia’s strict adherence to the Kimberley Process and the proven “conflict-free” Australian origin.

• The overall rarity of pink diamonds compared with other colours.

Yaniv Marcus, from the diamond investment division of Leibish & Co Israel, says: “In the past 20 years, the value of rare fancycolour diamonds such as 1,00ct Fancy Intense Pinks with VS clarity has increased 30-fold.

The increase is mainly caused by the desire of investors to find an alternative investment vehicle to secure wealth over a long period and to pass it on to the next generation.”

The rarest pink and blue diamonds are sold at annual tenders held in major cities around the world to a select group of diamond dealers.

Only a few kilos of pinks are produced every year. These are mostly small diamonds and, as mentioned, a small portion of approximately 50 stones of over 1,00ct are found each year.

These stones gain strong attraction when they are sold in specially organised Argyle tenders.

Leibish made the decision to buy a 1,71ct Fancy Intense stone and re-cut it into a 1,68ct Fancy Vivid Purplish-Pink, radiant-shaped diamond – one of the largest Argyle vivid pinks currently available. One of the luckiest combinations of numbers in the Chinese language is 168, as these figures (when spoken aloud) rhyme with words which mean “forever wealthy”.

Testing with standard gemmological instruments, it is helpful to screen for Argyle diamonds that usually have very specific inclusions and a pronounced blue fluorescence under UV light. Checking fluorescence reactions is a very useful screening test when Argyle pink diamonds are mounted in jewellery. When loose and examined under cross-polarised filters, Argyle pinks display stain typical for type Ia natural diamonds (that contain nitrogen as an impurity). In 2007, one of the authors (Deljanin) initiated a research project, in conjunction with an international team, on the characterisation of

pink diamonds of different origins.

It found that under a UV lamp, Argyle stones exhibit typical fluorescence that corresponds to typical visible spectra and a characteristic “fingerprint” in the infra-red part of the spectra. While rare Golcondas and Brazilian pink diamonds are typically type Ila (not containing nitrogen), Argyle pinks comprise nitrogen and are type la diamonds.

Argyle-type diamonds have specific characteristics that are quantifiable as the result of “Advanced Fingerprinting™”. The data for every individually analysed diamond is archived in the GRS research repository. To the best of our knowledge, Argyle diamonds are almost exclusively of a specific type (to be covered in the second part of this feature, next month) and to date, we have not discovered this type in any other mines in the world. There is no guarantee that this will be the case in the future, but as new mines with pink diamonds emerge on the market, such as the Lace mine in SA in the second quarter of 2015, their production will be tested and results compiled along with existing research.

Francis Errera, Director of Francis Errera Ltd Hong Kong, an expert in natural fancy-colour diamonds, declared: “I can’t remember any better investment than pink diamonds. Even smaller sizes like 0,30ct or 0,50ct pink diamonds are very rare, increasing by 15-25% per year since 1986. When I started marketing pink diamonds in 1977, a 1ct Intense Pink diamond and eye-clean clarity used to be sold for the same price as a 1ct colourless F colour Internally Flawless stone. Today, the value of a 1ct Fancy Intense pink diamond with eye-clean clarity is about 25-30 times the value of a 1ct diamond in F colour and lF clarity. I think the future of pink diamond prices will be brilliant and I advise all my friends and clients to continue buying the pinks as an alternative investment form.”

• The November 2015 issue of SAJN will look at the historical review and characteristics of non-Argyle pinks, the screening for natural and synthetic diamond types and the characteristics of CVD-grown diamonds.

– Reprinted with permission from InColor, Spring 2015, Issue 28

The highest price ever paid for a gemstone was US$83,02 million for the “Pink Star” diamond offered at Sotheby’s in Geneva in November 2013.

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BRAND HISTORY

The pillar of a collection Brand names are prominently displayed at a range of sporting activities and other prestigious events, which – by association – indicate the excellence and status of a watch’s performance. The pillar of the collection is a legendary timepiece which could be said to have brought about a revolution in the watch industry. The Oyster Perpetual is but one of Rolex’s historic innovations which helped further the dream of its creator, the visionary spirit Hans Wilsdorf, who pioneered “the Rolex Way” – only the best.

THE LEGEND OF ROLEX AND ITS UNRIVALLED reputation for innovation had its origin in the dreams of its founder. Born in Germany, as a youngster Hans Wilsdorf moved to La Chauxde-Fonds, an established watchmaking area, where initially he worked as a clerk. His fluency in German, English and French was a distinct advantage. The Swiss Jura was even then acknowledged as an important watchmaking centre and it was here that his exposure to the world of horology began, giving him the opportunity to study watchmaking.

In 1903 Wilsdorf moved to London, where he worked as a watchmaker. With the experience and confidence he gained, in 1905 he decided to set up his own business. This he did in partnership with his brother-in-law, specialising in the marketing of watches and watch parts. By 1908, they were also specialising in manufacturing watches. The partnership registered the name Rolex – the brand name Wilsdorf chose after much deliberation, by juggling letters of the alphabet. He wanted a name which was short, easy to pronounce in any language, easy to remember, and which would also look good on watch movements and dials.

This was an era when the pocket watch reigned supreme among gentlemen and wristwatches were worn by ladies. Wilsdorf & Davis was credited with bringing about new impetus to the industry through popularising the wristwatch for both genders, thus setting its products apart.

In 1920 the company moved to Geneva, a city renowned internationally for watchmaking, and the existing company name was changed to Montres Rolex SA. The brand rose to fame with the production of two new products. In 1926 the world’s first waterproof watch, the Rolex Oyster, was released, its case hermeti-

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

cally sealed. This name and that of the Mermaid were registered between 1926 and 1931 and these two products enhanced Rolex’s reputation. The charismatic Oyster would leave its mark on the history of the brand.

By 1945 a new version, the Oyster Perpetual, was produced – the first waterproof wristwatch which had a self-winding movement. Its distinguishing symbol was the waterproof Oyster case. This was equipped with an ingenious patented system consisting of a screw-down bezel, case-back and winding crown. Currently, a new generation of this model, the Oyster Perpetual Date-just – of which its predecessor was the first self-winding watch movement to include a date window – has become the pillar of the collection. This fulfilled Wilsdorf’s dream of a watch that could be elegant, yet also reliable.

This new version has been tested

by COSC, the Swiss chronometer testing institute and again by Rolex itself, after being cased, to ensure that in everyday use, it satisfies in every way the brand’s criteria for precision.

This particular test uses a methodology and high-technology equipment developed especially by Rolex. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual case is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 m. It is robust, well proportioned and elegant. (The winding crown, one of the two fundamental elements of the Rolex identity, had emerged in the 1930s.)

This new version has a mechanical movement and is fitted with the Twinlock double waterproofness system, which screws down

securely against the case crystal.

The date is read via a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock, made of virtually scratch-proof sapphire crystal.

In a 28 mm case of 18ct Everose gold with a polished finish, its mechanical movement has bi-directional winding via its perpetual rotor. It has a power reserve of approximately 55 hours and is mounted on a matching bracelet of three-piece links of solid gold, with polished edges and ceramic inserts.

The Date-just is just one version of the Oyster Perpetual models currently available, which are direct descendants of the one launched in 1926. This is the foundation on which Rolex has built its reputation as a paragon of robustness and reliability.

The brand’s reputation has been further enhanced by its association with remarkable accomplishments, such as that of explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, who wore a Rolex watch during his conquest of Mount Everest in 1953 and other high achievers, including sporting greats. Wilsdorf died in 1960, having left a legacy to the art of classic watchmaking in general and to Rolex in particular.

According to a telling description of the watch by its current producers, “it doesn’t just tell the time – it tells history”.

33

JUDGING QUALITY

It’s all about qua In all workshops, it is necessary to control the quality of the item at the end of each stage of production. Such assessments are made with the use of measuring equipment such as scales, calipers, rulers, size sticks, etc, while visual inspection of the work is done with a jeweller’s loupe and/or optivisor.

Poorly set stones are identified under a microscope or optivisor.

QUALITY CONTROL DURING PRODUCTION Quality control (QC) during is normally done at three stages of production.

1. Assessment of material received, ie whether proper instructions, specifications and a product code (if applicable) were is sued, whether metal and gems are of the correct quality and quantity, whether fit tings fit well, whether chains are without kinks and properly hallmarked, etc.

2.

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“In-process” inspection. At the end of each production process, such as waxing, casting, filing, setting and polishing, the item is inspected for flaws before it passes to the next stage.

Waxing: Identifying and rejecting flawed waxes is a crucial QC process. Each wax is inspected for correct design, finger size, wax weight, dents and pinholes, parting lines, cracks and surface smoothness.

Casting: The casted items are inspected for quality and colour of the metal, ie whether pin holes, cracks, porosity, incomplete casting, missing diamonds, broken or burned diamonds are present. If the items are repairable, they are returned to the re pair section. If they are not, they are scrapped.

thin and shanks uneven. Dimensions, pro portions and symmetry must be perfect before the item is handed to the setter.

Setting: The setter can do a good job only if the stones fit well. Ensure that all shellac is removed and the items are properly cleaned.

Once the stones are set, an extensive quality check is required, as described below in “Judging quality in the final product”.

Polishing/finishing: After polishing, surfaces should be uniformly bright with no dents or waves and the in- or under-sides equally well polished. There should be no drag lines, scratches, tool marks or cracks

Filing: The casted items are cleaned up by removal of all protrusions and rough surfaces. Over-filing may leave prongs too

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JUDGING QUALITY

visible. Over-polishing can destroy delicate filigree or a required sharp angle. Rhodium plating should be bright and not dull, grey or with dark spots, and it should not be spoiled outside the specified area.

3.

Final quality inspection. The quality of the finished item is normally assessed by someone outside the production line. If it is found not to comply with accepted standards, it is returned to the production line. If it is produced according to the client’s specifications, it is packed and despatched.

• Workmanship. You should know whether the item was hand-made, casted or machinemade. Hand-made items obviously cost more.

Edges must not be sharp and nothing should catch or bite. Metal, even in the most difficultto-reach places, must be polished perfectly.

No tool or polish marks should be visible on the metal. Mechanisms should work, snap or shut perfectly. Prong thickness should be even and sufficient to hold the stone safely. Shank thickness must be sufficient to ensure that the ring will not bend under normal wear. Most importantly, where symmetry and equal spacing are required, they should be perfect.

Judging quality in the final product Two jewellery items may look identical because they have been made in the same style and mounted with diamonds of similar size, but their quality and thus price could be far apart. Consumer confidence can be built only if clients feel that they received value for money. It is thus of crucial importance to ensure that the value (price) we put on a product reflects its quality. To assess the quality of jewellery, for valuation purposes at the end of the production line, the following aspects need to be judged:

ality

• The diamonds and/or precious gems. The four Cs (carat, colour, clarity and cut) determine the quality of the gems. Rare and better-quality stones should be set in higherquality precious metals, while synthetic gems often do not justify precious metals. In multiple stone items, the gems must be well sorted and of similar quality. No old cuts or single cuts are to be mixed with modern round brilliants, no matter what size the stones are.

• The metal. The item should carry a carat hallmark and a maker’s trademark and, if locally made after 2012, a ZA stamp. The polish should be perfect. Flat pieces should be as smooth as glass and free of polish marks. The gold should not have any pits, bumps, dents or black spots, which are signs of porosity in the metal.

You should not see any soldering marks where two pieces of metal were joined. It should look as if the pieces were joined “by magic”.

• Special surface finishes. Special finishes (plated, sand-blasted, matted or stained, etc)

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should be even in colour and texture, with no deviations or breaks in continuity. A pattern should match up at seams.

• The settings. It goes without saying that all stones should be set securely. The prongs of claw settings should be straight and appear to go right through the stone. A flared-out or curvedin set of claws indicates a poor fit between stone and collet.

The prong height should not exceed the table of the stone. A solitaire stone must be set perfectly horizontally and its culet should not touch the skin. In eternity rings, the tables of stones should be the same height, with the stones evenly spaced and well matched for clarity and colour.

With pavé or micro-pavé settings, the stones should be uniform in size and set as densely as possible, with girdles almost touching. Pavéd stones should not be “buried” in the metal. Cup burr marks should not be present.

Special settings such as the channel, bezel, etc, should have straight and even walls, without bumps or ditches. Bezel settings should have even and rounded bezels. Azures which are under-cut indicate extra care and craftsmanship.

• Design. When the piece is worn, it should come to life. The proportions and line must be pleasing to the eye and the motif interesting.

Unusual, well-executed designs speak of inspiration and craftsmanship and should carry a larger price ticket. Highly fashionable items are normally valued more highly than outdated styles of similar quality. Hand-crafted and labour-intensive designs should, understandably, be more expensive. Over-designed items are distracting and could be a waste of precious metal.

• Branded items. Jewellery from a company with a solid reputation (that can provide a professional after-sales service, etc) or branded items are normally more expensive than similar items from a less reputable dealer.

It is important to note that the mere branding of an item does not guarantee an item of quality.

An extract from Handbook for Goldsmiths by Dr Petre Prins, PhD (geochemistry) MBA. The material in Handbook for Goldsmiths focuses deliberately on the skills and knowledge needed for making one-off fine jewellery items, either as a team player in a factory or as an entrepreneur “doing his/her own thing”.

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BRAND MANAGEMENT

Rotary’s latest retro-chic Avenger collection Founded in 1895 in the Swiss town of LaChaux-de-Fonds, Rotary Watches Ltd is an award-winning, worldwide brand. In keeping with the latest trends, the designers of Rotary have sought inspiration from beautiful models of the past.

The Rotary Avenger collection offers a look into the past with its vintage-inspired design combined with 21st-century Swiss technology.

This contemporary range of watches has been reinvented from an archive Rotary model which dates back to 1970. Preserving the vintage look and feel, replicating the same bubble-shaped glass and slim profile, the talented Rotary design team has given life to a true vintage timepiece.

Watches in this collection feature Swiss movement, stainless steel PVD bracelets or genuine leather straps, dome shaped mineral glass, a textured dial and a unique 36 mm case size.

Rotary’s latest marketing campaign draws special attention to the Vintage theme. Social

Media trends such as Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday are used to highlight the rich heritage. While keeping up with modern movements, Rotary’s designs remain classic.

Rotary timepieces are sold in over 35 countries throughout the world and are locally distributed by Luxco Importers. Rotary specialises in designing affordably stylish timepieces, blending the “old with the new” and the “contemporary with the classic” to achieve a distinctive range of watches.

Royal KonTiki GMT A legendary watch and long-time star of the Eterna collections, the KonTiki returns with a brand-new heart. It is the first of 88 possible variations of the new Calibre 39 by Eterna, a

manufacture movement based on an ultrarational construction and capable of generating interpretations ranging from a two-hand manually-wound version to an automatic chronograph. And all of this in chronometerprecision quality.

Three screws are enough to secure any and all of the modules or sub-assemblies, themselves composed of a limited number of parts.

The first variation of this refined mechanism features a dual-time display elegantly staged on a dial by means of a red pointer sweeping around a light- and dark-shaded ring corresponding to night- and daytime hours. The ro-

bust and sporty new case of the Royal KonTiki borrows its sandblasted curved grooves from the 1970s models, while proudly sporting a distinctive, curvaceous case.

It features a mechanical automatic Eterna 3945 movement on a 39 base calibre with 28 jewels, a spherodrive ball bearing-mounted spring barrel and a 68-hour power reserve.

Functions include hours, minutes, seconds, date, dual time and day/night indication.

Its satin-finish and polished steel case is 42,30 mm in diameter, with black PVD-treated crown guard and screws. It is scratch-proof and water-resistant to 100 m.

Vacheron Constantin celebrates 260th anniversary Vacheron Constantin celebrated 260 years of uninterrupted history on 17 September 2015.

To mark this unique event, the maison unveiled a piece dedicated to the measurement of time, which took eight years to develop.

This unique custom-made creation, bearing the Hallmark of Geneva, is a double-dial horological masterwork of complication and technical innovation. It has been conceived by a team of three of the company’s master watchmakers.

The watch is an entirely original creation exhibiting a total of 57 complications, several of which are new and unique. The conception and

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realisation of the Reference 57260 watch has required not only a huge leap of imagination, but also an exceptional level of mathematical understanding and craftsmanship.

“The successful completion of this watch in the 260th anniversary year sets a benchmark in horology,” says the brand. “The Reference 57260 watch takes its place in a proud lineage of exceptional creations that punctuate history – in particular, the history of art – which often stems from the encounter between a major collector who commissions them and the expertise of the artist or a great maison.”

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BRAND MANAGEMENT

Tudor launched in South Africa The Tudor watch brand – part of the Rolex Group, with a heritage that stems from precision timekeeping, technical research and innovation, balancing elegance and performance – was recently officially launched in SA. It is the brainchild of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex and a key figure in the Swiss watchmaking industry, who aimed to position the brand as one which would offer the standard and dependability for which Rolex was renowned, but at a modest price-point.

The range spans seven different lines.

Midnight Feathers Automatic In 2012 Harry Winston brought together two age-old forms of expertise that, until then, nothing had destined to meet: watchmaking – the infinitely complex art of time measurement – and plumasserie, the rare and almost forgotten craft of creating art from feathers.

The new Midnight Feathers Automatic 42 mm now leads us on a fascinating journey into the deepest realms of the animal and plant kingdoms, for the colours of the feathers suggest the amber-tinted roots of vetiver, bulrushes and cedarwood. Each watch is a unique experience, as every hand-crafted dial naturally varies with the individual feathers and the master craftsman’s touch. With infinite patience, each remige, or flight feather, is selected, coaxed into shape and then laid in its exact position on the dial, using a loupe for the greatest possible precision. The visually striking marquetry plays on alternating colours, further accentuated by the perfect harmony between the pink gold of the case and the chocolate shades of the alligator strap.

The timepiece features a mechanical automatic movement (HW2008 calibre) with 28 jewels, a silicon flat balance spring and a skeletonised rotor in 18ct white gold. Functions include hours and minutes and its 42,5 mm 18ct polished pink gold case features an open back with

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

sapphire crystal. It is water-resistant to 30 m.

Few brands have a history as illustrious as that of Harry Winston. Founded in New York City in 1932, Harry Winston continues to set the standard for the ultimate in fine jewellery and high-end watchmaking. Known throughout his life as the “King of Diamonds” and

“Jeweller to the Stars”, Winston’s innovative philosophy – in which the gemstones, rather than metal, dictate the design – helped to revolutionise modern-day fine jewellery. It remains the cornerstone of a timeless aesthetic that inspires all Winston designs today.

From the acquisition of some of the world’s most famous gemstones, including the Jonker, Hope and Winston Legacy Diamonds, to

adorning generations of famous faces, from Hollywood screen legends to royal dignitaries, for over eight decades, the Harry Winston name has been synonymous with supreme quality. Building off its fine jewellery legacy, in 1989 Harry Winston ventured into the field of watchmaking. Combining expertise in high-quality craftsmanship with the timehonoured traditions of fine Swiss horology, Harry Winston timepieces achieve the perfect synergy between technology and design. From the iconic Premier Collection to the innovative Ocean Sport, the elegance of Midnight, the bold Project Z and the precision of Historie de Tourbillon, each collection complements the unsurpassable style of Winston’s legendary jewels with its own unique blend of innovation and imagination.

Continuing its commitment to preserving and perfecting the expertise of the timepiece trade, in 2007 Harry Winston opened a stateof-the-art watchmaking facility in Geneva, Switzerland. Today the House of Harry Winston continues its tradition of creativity, rarity and uncompromising quality, operating salons worldwide, including New York, London, Paris, Geneva, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The house also distributes its timepiece collections through select retailers and partners worldwide.

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Excellence regulator More faithful than ever to its philosophy of offering fine watchmaking at affordable prices, Louis Erard, the independent brand from Le Noirmont, is offering a new version of its regulator.

This emblematic model from its collection embodies a perfect blend of traditional and modern elements. The heritage of historical precision instruments appears on the hour sub-dial at 12 o’clock, bearing finely traced Roman numerals.

It is also manifested in the Côtes de Genève motif adorning the dial base, as well as the three blued hands.

Meanwhile, the contemporary touch is expressed through the highly graphic design of the seconds sub-dial. Like that of the hours, it is connected to the inner bezel ring by a transversal bar fitted with two secures.

The overall vertical and transversal architecture is perfectly symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing.

It features a mechanical automatic regulator-type Sellita SW 200 calibre movement with Dubois Dépraz calibre.

Functions include hours, minutes, seconds and date. It is available in a stainless steel case which is 42 mm in diameter.

The Tissot touch Tissot has long been known for its pioneering spirit, as evinced by its tactile watch of 1999.

The Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar is claimed to be the first touch-screen timepiece powered by solar energy and is the newest example of the brand’s expertise in this form of timekeeping.

Functions for everyday use are activated by rays of light on the translucent dial, which recharge the watch. These are presented in the stylish Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar, a big watch in a 45 mm diameter case, 13 mm thick and 55 mm long from lug to lug. Yet, despite its size, it is light on the wrist, as its case is constructed of constituted titanium.

The horned lugs contribute to its bold silhouette. It has Arabic numerals at the poles on the carbon-fibre patterned top half of the dial, which has a basic layout featuring labels for each of the watch’s functions and is a coated bezel. The pushers and T-Touch Activator are on the right side of the case. The watch is water-resistant to 100 m.

The digital display is visible on the bottom half and can be configured to impart information in addition to the time. The general layout is similar to that of a basic analogue-digital timepiece. On the top half of the dark carbon-fibre dial, Tissot has produced a high-contrast interface, with thick white, lu-

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

minous hands and a LCDE background.

At first, the watch appears very still, with no second hand. Just inside the bezel, adding depth to the dial from inside the chapter ring (which acts as a flange), the minute hand moves forward every 20 seconds. As every index appears, every other hour marker is a shield that not only aids legibility, but guides the user as to where they should touch the sapphire crystal to activate functions like the chronograph timer. With no physical mode button, this tactile approach is how one uses the watch’s extras. The T-Touch will flash in the LCD display and the user can touch the corresponding area on the crystal to initiate that particular mode.

Once the chronograph mode is entered, for example, the LCD display updates in the same way as any digital watch and the user can start the stopwatch, including the stop function. They have 20 seconds to activate another mode before automatic shut-off.

The available functions include barometer, pressure, altimeter, chronograph, compass, timer, two alarms and a countdown timer.

Given its size and weight, the watch is considered suitable for a smaller wrist. It is mounted on a strap which is a combination of leather and textile, with a signed Tissot deployment buckle.

DEAN GORRIE BELIEVES IN SERENDIPITY. THE Durban jeweller to the rich and famous was destined to meet Steven Spielberg at his house in Los Angeles. It was written in the stars that he would fashion a wedding band for the director’s movie star wife. All of this was preordained and Gorrie had no inkling of any of it.

Five unrelated events occurred in a bizarre sequence that the former Northlands schoolboy calmly attributes to providence.

First he met a Kiwi named Pete at a family wedding. Pete came to Durban, Gorrie showed him around and he ended up making Pete’s engagement ring. Pete is the personal chef to Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, who starred in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Gorrie was intrigued. By Pete’s account, the Hollywood power couple were down to earth and entirely unaffected by their wealth.

He said they were also fiercely private.

In any event, Pete flew off to LA with his ring and Gorrie got on with running Mark Gold, the eponymous boutique jewellery business started by his talented brother, which now employs youngest brother Graeme and others.

Months passed. Then Gorrie received a fabulous Christmas gift. He’d always been banging on to his wife, Michele, about the Las Vegas jewellery show, so she’d bought him a ticket to fly there.

Then he got a Facebook message from a school friend, Andrew Hockaday, who’d moved to California, saying: “If you’re ever in this part of the world, there’s always a khaya for you here.”

Next, Pete e-mailed Gorrie to say the Spielbergs really liked his engagement ring.

Pete had told the couple Gorrie was attending the Las Vegas show and they said that if he was in the neighbourhood, he should drop in.

Gorrie was flabbergasted, but had a sense that this might be his destiny at play. “The only South African I know in California lives in Laguna Beach, not far from Pacific Palisades, where the Spielbergs live. He invited me to stay at precisely the time I needed to go,” he recalls.

“I could have been completely harried and jetlagged, but Andrew took two days off to show me around and drive me to the Spielbergs.

“It started with a Christmas card in 2013 and it ended with me in the Spielbergs’ lounge on a Saturday afternoon. There’s a bigger picture in life. I believe in positive thinking, in serendipity – and the power of Facebook.”

His heart pounded at the thought of an audience with the Spielbergs. “I’d had a bad experience once. The sister of Paul Allen (the seventh-richest man in the world and cofounder of Microsoft) came into my store and spent an hour with me. I talked too much. I

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

Photography Christopher Laurenz

JEWELLERY DESIGN

Star quality Greg Ardé describes how a series of coincidences led Durban jeweller Dean Gorrie to Steven Spielberg’s LA doorstep – and a treasured commission. was nervous. I offered her too much, like a barrow boy showing off my wares. I quickly made it undesirable.” The memory increased his anxiety.

By the time Gorrie walked up the gravel path to the Spielberg residence, past the Tesla electric car and the 1967 Mercedes 250SL “pagoda”, he was so nervous that he didn’t care whether the Hollywood moguls liked his work or not. He’d asked for a picture of Capshaw’s other rings, to get a feel for her taste, but her aides refused, to protect her privacy.

The Spielberg pad, he says, is a great house, but no more ostentatious than “a nice big house in Kloof”. It felt rich, but homely. Pete tried to put him at ease with a tour of the kitchen and pressed a bottle of homemade honey into Gorrie’s clammy hands.

Gorrie had dressed smartly in a tailored jacket, expensive jeans, tie and polished shoes. He was ushered into a small, comfortable sitting-room and sat on a leather sofa waiting for Capshaw.

The walls were adorned with family snapshots, many of them depicting the Hollywood director in his signature baseball jacket and cap.

Capshaw walked in. She was personable, but reserved and Gorrie felt completely and utterly himself. “I realised I had nothing to fear. They’d invited me into their home on the recommendation of a trusted source. I calmed down when I started measuring her hands.

“I consciously told myself to talk less and listen more. I felt they were authentic enough to appreciate honesty and I let them come to me.”

Gorrie took seven pieces of jewellery with him. The Spielbergs weren’t going to be impressed by big diamonds; they wanted something special.

Capshaw loved his flower rings and called her daughter to try them on. Not long afterwards, she summoned Spielberg himself. He entered and sat down. “He was appreciative of my work, this genius at his craft. It was enormously gratifying.”

He left the room, only to return minutes later in a huff, telling his wife he wanted to withhold their daughter’s pocket money because she’d missed a music lesson. Gorrie smiled inside. “That incident showed they were a functional family. Their house was lived in and they were normal people.”

After Spielberg left, Capshaw asked him if he could make his puzzle ring in black. He had no idea if it was possible, but he said he could.

“I went back home and found out how to fuse the black colour onto the ring, rather than plate it. I had to get it done in Switzerland. It’s the same technology used to reduce friction on Formula One racing car pistons.”

When the ring was complete, Gorrie wondered how he would get it to the Spielbergs.

Then a friend arrived at the shop and said: “Guess what – I’m flying to LA on Monday...”

“Kate Capshaw wore the ring to dinner at the White House with the Obamas,” says Gorrie. “It was meant to be. It’s been an amazing personal journey.”

– Reprinted with permission from Sunday Times Spice magazine

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MARKETPLACE

SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015

47

LITTLE GEMS

The oldest gemstone in the world

LUSTROUS BLACK PEARLS were once so rare that they were considered the “Pearls of Queens”, sought-after because they are larger and have a more brilliant lustre. Royalty has always had a penchant for black pearls, which are regarded as the most valuable gem material. Catherine the Great of Russia owned a black pearl necklace and Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon II, created a fashion for black pearls when she wore a three-strand necklace of them for her wedding in 1853. Portraits of Queen Isabella of Spain, too, who reigned from 1880-1904, show her wearing a single-strand black pearl necklace.

The oyster that produces these mystical gems from the blue lagoons is the Pinctada margaritifera, also known as the black-lip oyster. The gem’s degree of darkness depends on the darkness of the oyster’s shell, as well as the black organic substance in the pearl and the mineral content of the surrounding seawater.

To call it black, though, is slightly misleading, for as it is produced by nature, it can vary, ranging from silver to dark grey or black in its body colour. Dark grey is the colour best known for emanating from Pinctada margaritifera, due to the same colour on the inside of its shell, which has an incandescent glow. Included in today’s colour range is a vibrant peacock green.

These pearls are cultivated today mostly around the islands of French Polynesia and have become their largest export. Known as Tahitian pearls, these are in tones of green, pink, blue, silver and yellow. A true black is rare, dark and exotic, and is considered to be one of the most desirable of all pearl varieties, growing close to the lip of the oyster. These particular oysters are rather large, ranging from approximately 8-18 mm. A Tahitian pearl grows larger than the average pearl. It also comes in a variety of shapes, from round or near-round to dropshaped, baroque, button and circled.

The culturing process involves inserting a bead (which is a piece of mantle culled from a

Pearls have been prized as jewels for longer than any cut stone. They are beautiful as they are – no need for any further embellishment – with their intense lustre and iridescence emanating from within. Pearls are the oldest gemstones in the world and have been cherished throughout history.

They were believed to be the tears of the gods. Alice Weil investigates how these natural wonders (especially the black variety) have been treasured for centuries in many cultures. mollusc shell) into the gonad, or reproductive organ of the mature oyster mollusc. It takes two years for an oyster to mature enough to begin producing a pearl. Inserted with the bead is a piece of mantle tissue from a donor mollusc, which influences the colour of the pearl produced, with the body colour usually enriched by at least one overtone. These pearl farming enterprises are no longer confined to small groups of atolls and are now commercialised.

Tahitian pearls are relative newcomers to the pearl world and were only popularised early in the mid-1900s. They have since become some of the most sought-after – and most expensive – pearls in the world. Because of their

vast colour range, it is an enormous task sorting through thousands of pearls to create a matching strand. The pearls are sorted according to size by being passed through a sieve. The darker the colour, the more valuable the pearl.

They are considered the second-most valuable commercially farmed pearls in the world, since they come by their dark colour naturally, unlike black freshwater and black akoya pearls, which have been irradiated or dyed. (The thinnest nacre allowed by French Polynesian law of exports is 0,8 mm.) Despite their commonly used name, they do not come from Tahiti island, which is the main trading post for the atolls that produce them.

Tahitian pearls have become some of the most soughtafter – and most expensive – pearls in the world.

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SA JEWELLERY NEWS – OCTOBER 2015