Local fine jewellery designers and craftsmen Grant Bagnall and Phil Grieve of Carats Jewellers, returned recently from a tour through India and Asia where they saw first hand the scale, scope and beauty of one of the world’s largest gem and jewellery industries.
The pair were part of an education tour organised by Peter Minturn Goldsmith School (PMGS) and hosted by president, Chandan Ohri. Together with other jewellers and PMGS students, the owners of Carats embarked on an exploratioof jewellery making techniques from traditional to modern and the latest developments of the world’s most rapidly growing fine jewellery market.
Their journey took them through New Delhi to Agra where a visit to the Taj Mahal set the bar for design excellence, craftsmanship and sheer scale. “It earns itself a place as one of the wonders of the world,” says Grant. The beauty of this building is breathtaking. Photos really don’t do it justice. I couldn’t stop looking at it, everything in it was just so detailed. All the marble inlays are solid, semi-precious stones like black onyx, orange carnelian and blue turquoise.”
Visiting jewellery manufacturers in Jaipur gave the bespoke jewellers from Auckland their first insight into the sheer size and technology available in India. “Everything is done on a large scale. In the factories we visited, the jewellers do one specific task on the pieces they are making. One piece might pass through half a dozen jewellers in a big production line, whereas in New Zealand the jeweller will undertake the entire manufacturing process from start to finish, ready to be set,” explains Grant.
Surat, the world’s biggest hub of diamond cutting and polishing was a real treat as both Grant and Phil were able to get a close look at a beautiful, large heart-shaped diamond valued at over $250,000 US ($400,000 NZD). “We even found a couple of gem dealers tucked away down the backstreets; they had clean sacks full of rough, uncut gems, mainly semi precious,” says Phil.
Another incredible piece of fine jewellery technology not seen in New Zealand is the large, Italian chain-linking machines. It’s impressive to watch the chain-making machines in action. The gold wire is fed into the machines in 1kg coils and the machine forms, interlinks and laser welds each link. The engineering precision is incredibly impressive,” says Grant.
Both Phil and Grant have a fluid process for design, letting the gems they are working with drive a design narrative that guides the connection the final piece will have with the potential wearer. Both the gems and the rich culture in India provided them with so much inspiration. “The experience of just walking around the streets and the markets was a highlight in itself. The people are so friendly and just want to either talk or be of help. They are very proud of their country but India is a crazy, busy place. The act of crossing the road is an experience you will never forget, a leap of faith,” recalls Grant.
Since being back, Grant and Phil have begun working on collection that draws on the intricate and very ornate style of jewellery popular in India. “Their jewellery, like their architecture, reflects and incorporates the style of different cultures and religions. They use large, semi-precious stones surrounded by precious gemstones to create spectacular pieces they can’t not be noticed,” explains Grant. From this, Grant and Phil are in the process of making a few pieces that are worthy of a grand night out, a little lavish but still in keeping with the New Zealand aesthetic.
“Most New Zealanders are a little conservative when it comes to jewellery, so we often find more subtle ways to connect our pieces with bigger ideas or themes,” say Phil. “For example, the shape of the koru is incorporated subtley into many of our pieces and this is one way we connect our work to Aotearoa. The trip through India was an inspirational learning experience, it is a country with a 5000-year history in jewellery making and the industry is growing rapidly in terms of manufacturing and big jewellery houses.”
Today there is culture of knowledge sharing and design collaboration that wasn’t always the case for the skilled artisans who produced the Taj Mahal. “It’s amazing to think that the craftsmen who created the Taj Mahal had their hands cut off so another Taj Mahal could never be built again, but on the up side they and their families were looked after and fed for the rest of their lives,” says Grant. (ANDREA KAHUKIWA)
CARATS, 25 Vulcan Lane, T: 09 309 5145, www.caratsjewellery.co.nz
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11/2019