APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2021 F is for... Turn to page 5 T H E I N D ©U SLTI NRKYE'DS BOYN JLEYW SE LULSETR AS ’I NN AE TBWLOER KJ O U R N A L
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In-house training and development is a top Owners Sharon and Olga are deeply proud of 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Western Cape & Namibia +27 (0) 21 551 2066 EWccEKWGKcEGKEKGcWGaaaaaaaaaaaaZZZZeeeppppssssuuuuNNNNssstttteeeettttttteeee,,,,ppppeeeeeeerrrrNNNNrrrnnnnrrrrnnnnnnneeeeooooggggccccCCCCrrrr,,,,CCCiiiittttNNNNaaaaoooohhhhaaappppoooouuuueeeepppeeeerrrrrrrrsssseeettttmmmmnnnnhhhh&&&CCCCeeeeeeeeNNNttttrrrraaaaaaaannnnppppaaallllssssmmmeeeePPPP....rrrrcccc&&&&iiioooooooobbbvvvvFFFF....iiizzzzaaaiiiirrrrnnnnaaaaeeeecccceeee||||eeeeooooSSSSssssrrrrtttt&&&&aaaaddddtttteeeeeeeeBBBBrrrroooossss@@@@ttttssssccccwwwwaaaaaaaappppnnnneeeeaaaapppprrrreeee+++++++++++++++cccc222222222222222iiii777777777777777oooouuuu(((((((((((((((000000000000000ssss)))))))))))))))mmmm333322211114444eeee111111111111111tttt333333335553333aaaa333300005556666llllssss444411133335555....cccc222666655551111oooo000222288884444....666999966660000zzzz666222200003333aaaa © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
3 11 Publisher: MOON INVESTMENTS by CPM Linking the industry Manufacturing, Mining and Refining Edition (+27) 10 030 0888 www.jewellersnetwork .co.za CONTENTS [email protected] PO Box 525, Fourways North, 2086 Member of Audited by Jewellers’ Network Publications 5 DIAMONDS 19 (Also available online) 31 by Metcon CULTURED The Jewellers’ Network Directory Diary PEARLS Southern Africa’s biggest, most comprehensive 7COLLABOR ATION business category directory in the Jewellery, by Craig Arthur Thomas Watch and Diamond industry. It is an invaluable BETWEEN & Arthur Ernest Thomas tool for both national and international professionals within the sector. 27 LINKED by Jewellers’ Network Linking the industry GAETANO COSTA Jewellers’ Network publishes a quarterly print Interview by Nezisa Mfenyana magazine, LINKED, which is brimming with information, product launches and in-depth No editorial matter or information published in LINKED by Jewellers’ Network may be reproduced in any form without the prior consent articles about the sector. of the publisher. The publisher accepts no responsibility, liability or obligation of any statement, photograph or illustration appearing in the advertisements. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information published in this publication, however, the publisher cannot LINKED Online accept responsibility for any omissions or errors, or for any consequences arising there from. Sent out digitally on a monthly basis and available on our website, LINKED Online is a content-rich digital magazine offering businesses yet another way to reach audiences locally and internationally more regularly. Design and layout by Yuppiestudios MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
4 IMPORTERS AND MANUFACTURERS Website: www.ungarbros.co.za OF FINE JEWELLERY ROOM 401, 4TH FLOOR , EAST WING 27 RIDGE RD, PARKTOWN JOHANNESBURG Email: [email protected] Tel: 011 642 2018/9 Contact: Ronald or Miriam Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
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7 Advetorial PROTEA DIAMONS RICHLINE PIYUVE COLL ABOR ATION BETWEEN Linking the industry Jewellers’ Network is proud In the last 15 years Hanli Smit, This service will include collection and to announce a wonderful an accomplished fine art photographer, delivery of all goods photographed in a collaboration between ourselves has carved a professional niche for professional studio and a high res advert and Hanli Smit photography. herself in the field of jewellery that will be utilised for all Jewellers’ photography. Jewellers’ Network has Network publications, print and digital, Jewellers’ Network has come to realise equivalently carved a professional in conjunction with all social media. there’s a huge gap in the market for niche for themselves in the field of Special packages will be arranged in proper product photography and eye trade magazines. accordance to your needs. catching adverts, we are therefore bringing you this fantastic initiative in With this endeavour, we are creating Call Sancia order to assist and grow your business. a seamless turn key advertising portal 010 030 0888 We have realised the difficulties and whereby product photography and your challenges advertisers have in creating advertising becomes more effective and Hanli Smit Photography their own advert. less time consuming. 083 253 1034 Hanli Smit photography has By choosing Jewellers’ Network and to arrange a consultation. already won numerous awards, Hanli Smit photography , you can be her highest accolade was winning rest assured of world class service and photo Africa awards photographer eye catching adverts that not only of the year 2020. generate solid business but also leave a lasting impression. MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
8 WE’RE NOT JUST MEETING RESHAPING VALUE, FOR A CENTURY AND BEYOND. GLOBAL STANDARDS; WE’RE RESHAPING THEM. There was a time when value in the industry was measured only in purity, and weight, but today provenance and ethical background play an important part in value. Which is why we are always evolving how we source our metal. Our commitment to responsible business practices and sourcing, allow us to not only preserve our business, but our people, product and planet. www.randrefinery.com © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
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10 Join the Hong Kong and South African Chamber of Commerce The HKSACCs mission is to expand strategic relationships and bilateral trade between South Africa and Hong Kong to take advantage of opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, using Hong Kong as the platform to drive this objective We strive to facilitate a network for entrepreneurs to develop business relationships though our initiatives, networking events, business matching meetings and Hong Kong trade fairs and conferences. Please contact: Sancia Mincher Conrad Hendry 0824986352 0833016013 [email protected] [email protected] © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
11 FE ATURED ARTICLE Featured article Investments that don’t The intelligent way to cost the Earth invest in bullion Moon Investments sources all metals Smaller items are much more used in the manufacture of its bullion liquid than the large bars, allowing from CPM, an established refinery that investors to sell percentages of their is certified by the Responsible Jewellery physical bullion. Council: an organisation that advances ethical, social and environmental Moon medallions are attractive practices. 100% of this purest quality for their verifiably high precious precious metal is derived from scrap metal content and do not carry products – not a single gram comes the premium markup that make directly from the mines. When you collectable coins an inefficient way buy a Moon in-house product, you to invest. Additionally, buyers need are supporting the preservation of not worry about diminishing or our natural resources, landscapes and subjective value when cashing in, waterways by keeping raw minerals as Gold dealers base their buy-back in the ground. price on the melt value of the item rather than prevailing tastes or Moon’s affordable range of smaller bars collector opinion. and medallions makes investing more accessible to those with limited budgets Contact Moon Investments or who want to spread their investment to discuss the options best over a selection of items. They also offer suited to your organisation: larger 1kg and 500g cast Silver bars. Moon medallions and bars are all minted [email protected] with the 99.9 purity stamp for Silver www.mooninvest.co.za or 999.9 purity for Gold and come with a certificate of authenticity. They also supply 1oz Silver Krugerrands: aimed squarely at silver investors rather than collectors. MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
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13 Manufacturing Welding Engraving & Cutting CAD Design MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
14 Printing BIG ON DETAIL Casting RANSOM & RANDOLPH Finishing Investment Powder Murua Finishing Systems Shop online or speak to our technicians for any enquiries. www.capetools.co.za Sales Team 0861 11 51 37 [email protected] 063 105 2045 021 424 8261 Castle Mews, 39© SL I iNrK LE DowB YryJ E WcE/oL L ERR uS ’sNsEeTlWl OSRtKreet, Cape Town
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18 Seamless Wedding and Stress bands Available in 9ct, 18ct, 22ct gold, white gold and Argentium 960 No minimum orders, quick turnaround Contact: Aroon Bhoora Tel: +27 31 301 3963 • Fax: +27 86 528 6516 • Cell: +27 83 777 6657 [email protected] • www.piyuvejewellers.co.za © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
19 FE ATURED ARTICLE Featured article DIAMONDS by Craig Arthur Thomas & Arthur Ernest Thomas Historically, diamonds were Diamond was termed “adamas” or OGi Video known as the Indian Stone, since “unconquerable” because of its hardness. India was believed to be the only A rough octahedral point diamond OGI Unit true source of diamond. When mounted in the handle of a sword Portuguese explorers discovered was believed to transfer this power to Imaging technology has had a profound diamonds in Brazil they found its owner. effect on the assessing of rough and the that they could not market them recoveries achieved. A stone is centred because they did not originate Rough diamonds received by a diamond on a cylindrical rod and filmed as the from India. cutting works are checked, weighed, and rod rotates. Once the video has been entered in the diamond register. They captured the marker can view the stone They overcame this by shipping the must then go to the marking room for from any angle while the program stones to Goa, a Portuguese enclave in analysis and marking. outlines potential within the image India. From Goa they were shipped to on screen. The marker can rotate the Amsterdam, the major diamond cutting Depending on its crystal shape and combined images and check the fit centre at that time, where cutting works nature a stone may be made as a single from every angle. now accepted them as originating stone, sawn or lasered to produce two from India. stones or sectioned by cleaving. Diamond rough Diamond Marker MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
20 Diamonds have a grain and this means POLISHING The Octahedral Plane. The octahedral that it is only possible to work them in plane is triangular in shape and it has specific directions. They can only be A special heavy cast iron disc termed a three point grain. It can usually be sawn in the cube plane and will only a scaife is employed to grind and identified in irregular rough by the cleave parallel to an octahedral face. polish the facets on a diamond. The presence of recessed trigons in the surface of the scaife is scored with octahedral face. Makeables. Should the marker determine coarse silicon carbide grit to create that a crystal should be cut as a single the grooves that will help to retain Trigons stone, termed a Makeable, she will mark the paste of diamond powder and the position of the table with a dot of olive oil used to polish the stones. Trigons are equilateral triangular, growth Indian ink. A vertical spindle is housed in features that are reversed in respect of the bearings above and below the scaife octahedral face. An important aide to the Sawables these are either simple or to ensure that it runs smoothly, free cross worker when he is orienting a stone slightly modified octahedra that will be of any vibration when it reaches an is that the side of a trigon will always face sawn in the cube plane. They are usually operating speed of 2,500rpm. The a point. Once he has oriented himself sawn off-centre to produce the largest craftsman uses a hand tool known as within the stone he may lightly block out possible stone and minimise the time and a tang to position and rotate the dop the corners to create windows that will let the material lost in sawing. that is used to hold the diamond. in more light. This will make it easier for him to detect any fine inclusions under Cleavables. The disadvantage of cleaving THE CROSS WORKER the table. is that it yields poor shapes and with the advent of the laser it is not widely used. Cross working facets He will now place the corner, bezel facets and table on the crown, the corner and BRUTING The polishing process begins with the bezel facets on the pavilion and a culet cross worker (blocker). He must open if required. The cutter or bruter is the workman windows in the frosted stone so that he responsible for rounding up the can examine it closely, visualize how the rough. He must secure the stone stone is oriented in relation to its grain on a metal rod termed a dop then and detect any inclusions. key it into the chuck of a lathe. He uses a second diamond mounted The Table Plane. The grain involved on a rod as a lathe tool to shape the when polishing is complex. In the case stone rotating on the lathe. of the table facet the grain is diagonal and it is referred to as having a four point Once the corners of this second grain, corner to corner and from the diamond are sufficiently rounded left or right. it will in turn take its place in the lathe. © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
21 THE BRILLIANTEER DODEC AHEDR AL THE DEVELOPMENT PLANE OF THE MODERN BRILLIANT CUT Brillianteer facets Mazarin Dodecahedral growth-lines The dodecahedral plane has growth-lines Peruzzi that run from natural point to natural point. The dodecahedral grain runs perpendicular to these growth-lines. Brillianteer MACLES Old European In a classic round brilliant the brillianteer places and polishes a further forty facets A macle is formed by twinned Tolkowsky / American on the stone. These are the eight star diamond crystals. Macles generally facets around the table, sixteen crown exhibit a triangular tabular form. The Modern Ideal Brilliant halves and sixteen pavilion halves. twinning is on the octahedral plane Master craftsman Bazil Watermeyer’s with one crystal rotated through innovative design, that he named the Trigons 1800. A herringbone seam running Barion cut, brought the fire and life of around the stone and base to base brilliant cutting to squares, rectangles trigons are features that are typically and cushion cuts, shapes that were found in macles. traditionally step cut. But this huge subject must await another article. It is essential to devote careful study to a rough macle before undertaking to block it, both because of its complex grain structure, and because of the numerous inclusions normally associated with this form of rough. Co-authored by Arthur Thomas FGA(GB), GG(USA), CE(RSA) and Craig Thomas FGA(GB), GG(USA), B.Comm(RSA). MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
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23 JET Gold and Carat Balances Smart Features Accurate and Reliable For Trusted Jewellery Weighing JET jewellery balances deliver the high accuracy you need for weighing gold, precious metals, diamonds and gemstones whilst smart features simplify your daily jewellery weighing tasks. Request More Info Johannesburg: Tel: (011) 553-2300 • Cape Town: Tel: (021) 914-0393 Durban: Tel: (031) 701-4705/6 • Port Elizabeth: Tel: (041) 365-5168 e-mail: [email protected] www.microsep.co.za IT’S ABOUT THE SPARKLE Suite 313 – Third Floor, 5 Sturdee Avenue, Johannesburg, South Africa Office: +27 11 268 6980 • Cell: +27 64 954 1204 / +27 82 707 8676 [email protected] • www.afrasiandiamonds.co.za MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
24 010 013 1116 14 Hawley Road, Adri bruting pots, bruting wheels, 076 372 8877 Bedfordview maxi cut pots, belts. [email protected] Germiston, 2008 Dopes (bottom, top, girdle & fancy). WWW.ADRITOOLSSA.CO.ZA Pots (bottom, top & fancy). Claws, Clawholders, Scaives, Parts for tangs, adjustable chair. Oils, coolants, smoothing liquids, salts, glues & cutting cement, Borax Scales, Testers, Lamps, Tweezers, Sorting pads, Parcel papers, Crucibles, Ring Boxes, Refractometer, gold pans, Gold detectors. ...AND SO MUCH MORE! A well-established jeweller that was in business for more than 66 years. Business goodwill is attached to the premises. This premise is available to be rented. Some fixtures and fittings are available. There are exciting goldsmiths’ employed. All jewellery related services that can be performed are included: trophies, watchmaker services etc. Contact AH Grobbelaar - 082 455 3636 © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
25 theJewelleryHub Design, Print and Casting hub DESIGN • PRINT • CAST GOLD • SILVER • PLATINUM • PALLADIUM All printing is done in Extreme High Definition on the latest Projet Multi- Jet Wax Printer, ensuring crisp and fine feature detail on all your castings. CONTACT DETAILS Tel: 083 326 5746 | Email: [email protected] | Website: www.worldofdiamonds.co.za MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
26 Extensive range THEWORLD’S FI of watch batteries ERGIZERR FIRST FROM EN BRINGING SIMPLICITY TO A COMPLEX WORLD RST ANOTHE AA WATCH WHOLESALERS CC • Tel: (012) 342 8978/9 | Fax: (012) 430 7002 | Email: [email protected] | 877 Church Street East, Arcadia, 0083, South Africa PORT ELIZABETH • Warren Davidson Agencies | Name: Warren Davidson | Tel: (041) 373 6981 | Email: [email protected] | 9 Bibury Ave, Linkside, Port Elizabeth, 6001 CAPE TOWN • Southern Watch Jewellery | Name: Eileen | Tel: (021) 426 1933 | Email: [email protected] | 40-44 Hout Street, Cape Town, 8001 DURBAN • Jay Hanoomaun & Associates CC | Name: Paula Hanoomaun | Tel: (031) 305 4326 | Email: [email protected] | 379 Smith Street, 5th Floor, Doone House, Durban, 4001 © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
27 FE ATURED ARTICLE We all know that an engagement GAETANO ring is presented by a partner to COSTA their prospective spouse when they propose marriage. We all understand the importance of the ‘proposal’ however we all know what it boils down to: the RING. An engagement ring not only symbolizes a promise; it symbolizes the beginning of one of lifes most anticipated journeys: MARRIAGE. I took some time to speak to Gaetano Costa; Founder and CEO of GC Manufacturing Jewellery based in Sandton Johannesburg. I wanted to better understand his journey to mastery and success in the Diamond Industry. I got to know the main man behind one of South Africa’s most beloved diamond ring designs. INTERVIEW Where were you born? I was born in Catania Italy on A visionary and entrepeneur with Sicily’s east coast.” a solid promise What were you like as a child? Interview by Nezisa Mfenyana I was a very curious yet naughty child, on Did your upbringing influence 011 3267919 the verge of always getting into trouble or your choice of work/career? Benmore Centre, 28 Lower expelled from school. My Primary School Ground Floor, Grayston Dr teachers were always calling my parents When I was a child, my parents had the & Benmore Rd, Sandton and pleadig with them to come take me power to dictate what I studied. However, home. To them I was unteachable, to me, the more they pushed the more I rebelled. THEDIAMONDRING.CO.ZA I was just misunderstood. I questioned My father was in construction and my everything and everyone. My belief was siblings followed suit. I honestly had that knowledge and all life’s lessons was no desire to study any futher than high out there in the “concrete jungle” and not school and I didn’t. I had ants in my between the four walls of the classroom. pants, I could not wait to leave home and persure my dreams even though I was As ambitious as I was there was a not sure what my dreams were at stubborn side to me that made me every the time.” teachers nightmare. Now that I look back, I feel as though I was being groomed to face lifes most challenging exerises and situations.” MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
28 So what came next on your Tell us more about your At the time online shopping was a challenge journey to self discovery? transition to becoming an in our industry because people wanted to see entreprenuer. and feel the product before purchasing it but My greatest guide was my passion; my things were changing and so was I. need to create. I wanted to know how 2003 was indeed a significant year where things worked. I took odd jobs here I made crucial moves that guided my fate. 2010’s financial crisis influenced my views and there in the retail and traveling As much as I loved my knew found career on the future of online shopping. To date around Italy and Europe looking for I had valid concerns and fears. I faced both our online (thediamondring.co.za) opportunities. Nothing was taken for dangers to my health on a daily basis and and physical store have sold over 50,000 granted. Fast track to my twenties: the threats of an explosion or accident rings locally and around the world. This occuring in the mine were becaming rife. has made us on of the most trusted and In January of 1997 I took a trip to Dangerous diseases such as yellow fever, reviewed diamond manufacturer website in Lesotho, and I was supposed to stay there malaria and other very serious viruses South Africa.” for 21 days. I made friends at the hotel lurked in the air on a daily basis. where I was staying and through those Fascinating career, tell us a bit connections, I got offered a job at one of Moving to Johannesburg South Africa on about your love life. Why you the diamond mines in the area. It was just was a decision and opportunity I never got married? that random. welcomed with both hands. I’ve had many long fulfilling I knew nothing about minning let alone My transition was smooth due to my relationships; I have bonded with a few diamonds, but my curiosity alone was connections in the diamond mining women and I remain friends with some. I enough to get me excited about this new sector. I was able to source and purchase am not the easiest person to live with, and adventure. And so, it all began. diamonds for resale locally and my past and present career choices has internationally. influenced my relationships. Perhaps GC I discovered the heart of everything I Manufacturing Jewellery would not have loved and adored: the rough diamond. I then tried my hand in retail and I did happened if I had married and settled Nothing captured my soul like the sight fairly well. down. The perfectionist and workaholic and feel of a rough diamond covered in a in me is forever present. Ironically, I have black carbon rind. I owned several stores in and around produced thousands of rings for other Johannesburg and imported a few Italian couples but I have never proposed to any Mining diamonds is a hard and time jewellery brands. woman with one of my rings.” consuming exercise. You cannot imagine the amount of work it takes to extract I decided that I wanted to move from Do you think you have it in you just over 1 carat worth of diamonds. retail to manufacturing so I acquired my to sell the business and retire The process is straineous, humbling yet very first manufacturing workshop where one day? exciting at the same time. I designed and manufactured diamond pieces for private clients. That’s a good question! I have explored Once the diamonds are sorted and priced, this scenario a lot, especially during this they are sold to manufacturers. The In 2011, I made a decision to focus purely pandemic; being alone and away from balance of the world’s rough supply is sold on the design and manufacturing of my family has been excruciating. The to private organizations and individuals, diamond engagement rings and wedding worry that something might happen to and some through private auctions. bands, thus GC Manufacturing Jewellery me or someone in my family torments was born. me. All current restrictions have left me I was learning so much at lightning speed yearning for home now more than ever. I and nine months later I was promoted My vision was to make engagement rings have invested a lot of energy and passion to General Manager of the mine. In and wedding bands affordable. My aim in my work, and I believe that one day I 2001 I was contracted to work along side was to cut out the middle man and make will retire back where I began; Sicily.” geologists in Botstwana, Angola and the this luxury accessible to every couple. I Democratic Republic of Congo, for the don’t need to be excessively expensive to identification and opening of new survive this industry. mining sites.” © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
29 MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
30 Now Available at AA Watch Wholesalers Contact: Tel: (012) 342 8978/9 Email: [email protected] PAGE 1 YOUR INSURANCE IS OUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATED INSURANCE BROKERS (AIB) Contact: Shaun Summers Address: 33 Scott Street, Waverley, Johannesburg, 2090 E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected] Phone: +27 (0)11 883-2400 | Fax: +27 (0)11 783-3664 Website www.aib.za.com AIB is the trading name of i capital Risk Services (Pty) Ltd Reg. No 2004/022911/07 AIB is a registered Financial Services Provider FSP 19819 © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
31 FE ATURED ARTICLE Featured article CULTURED PEARLS by Craig Arthur Thomas & Arthur Ernest Thomas AKOYA The Akoya molluscs are very vulnerable Akoya pearls CULTURED PEARLS to changes in water temperature. While Irradiated, belted Akoya pearls variations above 280C or below 80C can The bivalve molluscs that be fatal low temperatures are favourable produce the majority of pearls to the quality of the pearls produced are frequently and inaccurately since the platelets that are deposited are referred to as oysters. smaller, denser and brighter. They are actually ‘wing shells’, a genus Pearl farmers are very conscious of this that builds an attachment by the hinge so they time the lifting of the Haamage and can open and close both shells. (pearl crop) when the lustre of the pearls Wing shells occur in a range of sizes from is at its best. Relatively few Akoya pearls the small 6cms Pinctada Radiata of the achieve 8mm in diameter. The operation Persian Gulf to the huge 30cms Pinctada to introduce the mother-of-pearl bead Maxima of the South Seas. together with a section of mantle tissue often produces small centres of irritation. The process of producing a completely round cultured pearl was first The animal also coats these with nacre accomplished in Japan using the wing thus creating the tiny pearls that the shell Pinctada Fucata. This is a mollusc Japanese call Keshi or poppy seed pearls. that is widely distributed throughout the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, China, India, Japan, Korea, Venezuela and the Western Pacific. MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
32 FRESHWATER PEARLS A series of incisions were made in the large mantle lobe of the mussel and small As much as 3000 years ago the segments of tissue cut from the outer lip Chinese were using Cristaria of another mussel were inserted. Plicata, a species of freshwater mussel, to coat religious objects The transplanted tissue, that carried Golden-lip Pinctada Maxima Indonesia with nacre. the functions of shell building, rapidly The process they employed involved grafted into place and began to secrete using a bamboo spatula to ease the layers of nacre that eventually formed animal’s mantle away from its shell a pearl. while they inserted small lead images of Buddha. It took several years for The shape of the resulting pearl was Graduated South-Sea Pearls. Pinctada these religious images to accumulate a governed to some extent by the form of Maxima Cook Island substantial coating of nacre. the original segment of tissue. Smoothly During the period from 1911 to 1925 rounded, lustrous and exhibiting a wide Japanese pearl farmers undertook a series range of natural hues the Biwa pearls were of experiments in Lake Biwa employing very beautiful and rapidly developed a the same large freshwater mussel substantial market. Cristaria Plicata (Unio). The species is of wide occurrence in the rivers and lakes of Pearl farmers in China countered, Japan. They did not use a mother-of pearl resorting to mass production methods nucleus to create these Biwa pearls. so that they could compete on the basis of cost. Their product, bearing a Lake Biwa freshwater pearls remarkable resemblance to rice crispys in shape, was bleached then dyed in Biwa, freshwater button pearls various artificial colours. Fortunately production has come a long Tahitian South-Sea Pearl, way since those early days and large Pinctada Margaritifera attractive freshwater pearls in a wide range of hues are now available at very SOUTH-SEA PEARLS competitive prices. Marine pearls, usually 10mm or more in diameter, are termed South-Sea Pearls. China, freshwater ‘rice-crispy’ pearls Very large wing-shell molluscs, for example, Pinctada Maxima or Co-authored by Arthur Thomas Pinctada Margaritifera are employed to produce them. FGA(GB), GG(USA), CE(RSA) Pearls are also recovered from members and Craig Thomas of the conch family. While conch pearls do not have a nacreous coating FGA(GB), GG(USA), B.Comm(RSA). they do enjoy a ready market because they frequently exhibit attractive hues especially in a range of pinks. © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
33 Finest gemstones, beads & unconventional diamonds 076 162 3741 or 021 422 4677 [email protected] www.ajantaafrika.com MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
34 the new SRG MINTED BARS MINED, REFINED AND MINTED IN SOUTH AFRICA SRG MINTED BARS ARE AVAILABLE IN: 10 50 100 grams grams grams © LINKED BY JEWELLERS’ NETWORK
35 RICHLINE SA A Berkshire Hathaway Company Richline navigates the new normal in Style Style Rich Welcome to our Virtual Showroom Office: 011-418 1600 Sales/Design Cathy -Manager Bianca and connie - Sales Executives Toni / Nadia - Design MANUFACTURING, MINING AND REFINING EDITION
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