jewellery wax crafted on a faceted amethyst in the TVRRINI studio

The Art of Lapidary: Faceting Stones for the Thera Collection

‘The Art of Lapidary’ is a short documentary produced by TVRRINI for the Thera Collection

Lapidary is the art of shaping rough stones to reveal their light. As one of our family members and having achieved his GIA GD, Harris Spinos 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. 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 for thousands of years.

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, fewer and fewer young people are willing to take up this craft as machined processes have gained popularity. 

 

With an eye for detail, Harris selects rough stones and proceeds to shape, facet, then polish as needed for specific jewellery designs. 

TVRRINI's Thera collection is inspired by the myth of Atlantis, a city described by Plato. We were guided by a fascination for historical literature and found there was a fresh perspective to tell this story for our world as it continues to evolve.

Keeping unique jewellery is very much about finding what feels personal. We see gemstones as having a wonderful ability to stir up emotions, building on your story as an individual. You can request for a gemstone to be cut by us, fitted to a bespoke design, with expert advice from our team. 

More from the Thera Collection.

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