Chopard

Updated : Chopard "Gemstones Around The World" Workshop

 

On 8 September 2007, I arrived  at 09:45am to attend the Chopard's workshop on Gemstones.

When reached the designated room - "The Enterprise", I opened the door and saw armed
security-guards, standing watch over who's entering and the priceless pieces on display.

I was relieved to see the familiar faces - Mr. Maxime Labey (Managing Director of Chopard Asia),
Ms. Julien Wong (Marketing Manager)  and  Mr. Mathias Hugg, the High Jewellery Director and a trained gemologist.
Mathias was also the trainer for this workshop.

After a couple of minutes, the attendees started streaming in. While they were having their coffee, I took the
opportunity to take photos of those beautiful priceless pieces on display.

Pictures of famous celebrities wearing Chopard Jewellery

246 Diamonds =6.17 CT Full Cut (Brown)
151 Pearls Chocolate 9.0 – 15.0

Two powerful microscopes set up for the practical session

Unique Piece

66 Emeralds & Diamonds =73.24 CT (G-J if-vs2)

23 carat pear-shaped diamond solitaire ring  
1 Diamond =23.02 CT Pear Shape (D- if) GIA 10835459
300 Diamonds  =   0.95 CT Full Cut

Unique Piece

20 Diamonds=20.40 CT Ashoka (D-F if-si) 20 x GIA  

 

 

Unique Piece

70 Diamonds =44.41 CT Heart Shape (D-F v vs – vs) No Certif   

1 Diamonds =22.04 CT Fancy Yellow (vsl) GIA

Pair of earclips - Copacabana

108 Diamonds     =0.36 CT Full Cut
4 Diamonds     =2.66 CT Double Drill Bead
148 Sapphire       =70.00 CT Briolettes. Yellow/ Red

Unique Piece

7 Diamonds =8.92 CT Radiant Cut FY (if-si2) 7 x GIA

63 Diamonds =33.95 CT Fancy shape (D-F if – vs1) No certif.

At 10:00am, Maxime started the session with an Introduction of Chopard and followed by a brief background about Mathias.

Mathias explained the structure of the seminar, starting with the introduction of coloured stones ( namely Ruby & Sapphire).
After that followed by a practical session, so that attendees could touch and see various stones for themselves.

 

Mathias shared with us:

1) the physics of light source and how it affects the colours coming back to our eyes from reflection and refraction

2) the factors ( shape of rough, colour zoning, star/cat eye effects & inclusions)  which the cutters need to consider when cutting the rough. 
However the main objective is to maximise beauty and size.

3) The atomic content of Ruby & Sapphire.

4) Sources & values of stone from various countries.

5) Tricks used to raise the values of the stones like heat-treatment and laser removal of inclusions.

6) Prefer certification reference to use for coloured stones - Gubelin.

7) Interpretation of inclusions.





Tools of the trade

Practical session started.

To begin, we need to get accustomed with the tweezer, to pick and hold the gemstone.

As a standard practise, we hold the 10X loupe with the hand we write and the other hand holds the tweezer.

While holding the stone with the tweezer, we inspect with the loupe, and then make note onto the whote A3 notepad.

For a more detailed inspection of the inclusions, we use the microscope.  For the trained eyes,
the inclusions tell  which countries the stone come from, right down to the origin of the mine.

The Exceptional Sapphire and Diamond Necklace

Unique Piece    

Necklace
12 Diamonds                         =10.29 CT Marquise
12 Diamonds                         =58.06 CT Round

Pendant

1 Sapphire                              =89.67 CT Burma

Non heated                           
18 Diamonds                          =14.89 CT Marquise
26 Diamonds                          =   8.94 CT Round

Please click onto the thumbnail above to view the Grubelin certificate.

Ring
1 Diamond =15.17 CT Full Cut (D-v vsl) GIA 14851302
150 Brill. =   1.16 CT Full Cut

Unique Piece
38 Emeralds =62.87 CT Oval Shape

110 Diamonds =33.33 CT Rose Cut

 39 Diamonds=11.35 CT Oval

447 Diamonds=27.68 CT Round

254 Diamonds =   0.77 CT

Mathias explained to attendees how to focus the high power scope to see more and clearer details of the gemstones.

The above are the sample gemstones used for the class.

After everyone has the chance to use the microscope and see a few gemstones, our session was about to end.
Mathias brought out some magnificient pieces so that we could feel and see them.  Thank you! 
Well, of course I've forgotten about taking the pictures except for the two below.

Oh... Russell...taking the opportunity to hold and see a diamond necklace which is worth
more than a million USD.

This bracelet consists of many pieces of the rare pink diamonds and it poses a tremendous
challenge, to get even a pair of  MATCHING RARE Pink diamonds, not to mention to have at least
8 pieces for this piece!


After this workshop, I've a change of perspective about jewellery and jewellery watches. 

The processes to make exquisite jewellery watches ( not using synthetic materials)  could be as challenging as or
sometimes even more than mechanical pieces, as the raw materials are subject to the mercy of mother nature.

Will find out more and write about it at a later date.

Kong

This message has been edited by Kong on 2007-09-10 10:04:51  This message has been edited by Kong on 2007-09-11 01:29:43

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