The Art of Lapidary: Faceting Stones for the Kara Collection
TVRRINI STUDIO‘The Art of Lapidary’ is a short documentary produced by TVRRINI for the Kara Collection, which draws inspiration from the island of Santorini, formerly known as Thera in ancient times.
Having achieved his GIA GD, Harris Spinos, who appears in the following video takes part of a wider effort to sustain this tradition through contemporary jewellery design. We were delighted to film him faceting gemstones.
A great deal of patience is vital for a lapidary artist to deliver high-quality results, especially for one-of-a-kind gems. Lapidary is the art of shaping rough stones to reveal their light. In the video, the camera highlights the process as Harris makes each cut by eye, stopping at regular intervals to assess the workpiece up close.
Judging every detail by eye has been the way that artists engage with this craft even in the present day.
It is an incredibly old process that is estimated to reach back some one million years ago, according to historians. Although gem-cutting technology has since advanced, increasingly fewer young people are willing to take up this craft as there are few sources of formal training available. That being said, lapidary organisations and short courses are essentially the continued stream of skills exchange.
With an eye for detail, Harris selects rough stones and proceeds to shape, facet, then polish as needed for specific jewellery designs.
The Kara collection is inspired by our readings about the fictional city of Atlantis. Whether it existed is one matter, and yet we entertain the idea that it is a cautionary tale that has mixed with our imagination about the natural scenery and produce of Greece.
We envisioned the abundance of fruit in an orchard as the concept for this collection. The palette is radiant and evokes long summers, which is why gemstones are the centre of this story.
Keeping unique jewellery is about finding what feels personal. You can explore the Kara Collection to find a one-off piece that matches your confidence with personality.
