Case study 2
Case study 2
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Case Study 2 – two collaborative studies with crystal growers, one from industry (BREVALOR– Switzerland) and one with an academic crystal growth department based in Bristol University, exploried whether the collaboration between art (jewellery) and science (crystal growth) could result in innovative man-made crystal materials that would be interesting for the production of jewellery. In collaboration with BREVALOR, BRG types 1 and 2 and BRB type 1 were grown and manufactured for the application in jewellery.
In collaboration with BREVALOR, BRG and BRB crystals (both phosphorescent gemstone materials previously not used in jewellery) were grown and manufactured for their application in jewellery. Tiny “traps” within the crystal’s structure, where photons are captured, enable these crystals to glow in the dark. Once the light source is removed, the energy is gradually released, causing the crystal to emit a steady glow. By fine-tuning its composition, the glow now last up to 24 hours.
Lapis Solaris
With incorporating the material into the existing jewellery gemstone material pallet, the first idea that progressed for prototyping was the creation of a BRG torus-shaped stone, which could be positioned underneath any round faceted gemstone of similar width and would illuminate this gemstone from below.
With incorporating the material into the existing jewellery gemstone material pallet, the first idea that progressed for prototyping was the creation of a BRG torus-shaped stone, which could be positioned underneath any round faceted gemstone of similar width and would illuminate this gemstone from below.
Photography by Simon Regan
Doublets and Triplets
Having established that interesting effects could be achieved when the BRG material was reflected in a translucent faceted gemstone, the next logical step appeared to be the creation of a doublet and triplet stones. This would once more provide opportunities for the material to be incorporated into a component that would enable jewellery designers using gemstones to incorporate the material in their designs. Depending on the size of the BRB/BRG segment, various visual effects were achieved. These experiments established that varying the cut of the stone and the colour of the material to be combined with BRG/BRB would also affect the effects.
Having established that interesting effects could be achieved when the BRG material was reflected in a translucent faceted gemstone, the next logical step appeared to be the creation of a doublet and triplet stones. This would once more provide opportunities for the material to be incorporated into a component that would enable jewellery designers using gemstones to incorporate the material in their designs. Depending on the size of the BRB/BRG segment, various visual effects were achieved. These experiments established that varying the cut of the stone and the colour of the material to be combined with BRG/BRB would also affect the effects.
Photography by Simon Regan
Pooling light
Progressing beyond the perhaps expected formation of the materials in a traditional faceted gemstone, it was a desire to investigate the properties of the material that could be explored in different formats. One such property of the material is its ability to pool light towards scored or engraved lines, due to its ability to act as a guide for light. The engraved areas disrupt the uniform travel of light in the material, causing it to scatter and concentrate at these disruptions, making the engravings visible. Considering the status of the material as gemstone, a piece was created which, instead of featuring the facets of a brilliant cut, now solely featured its graphic representation, the line drawing of the brilliant cut.
Progressing beyond the perhaps expected formation of the materials in a traditional faceted gemstone, it was a desire to investigate the properties of the material that could be explored in different formats. One such property of the material is its ability to pool light towards scored or engraved lines, due to its ability to act as a guide for light. The engraved areas disrupt the uniform travel of light in the material, causing it to scatter and concentrate at these disruptions, making the engravings visible. Considering the status of the material as gemstone, a piece was created which, instead of featuring the facets of a brilliant cut, now solely featured its graphic representation, the line drawing of the brilliant cut.
Photography by Simon Regan
Octagon
Whilst the experiments and tests described above all provided viable means for the material to be used as a component for the creation of jewellery designs (an agreed and desirable outcome of the collaboration), as a jewellery artist questioning these materials as gemstone materials they also inspired the creation of artistic responses. When working with BRG and BRB, one does not just work with the handleable matter that is at hand, the facetable material which looks and feels similar to garnet. The materials borders, particularly when observed in the dark, are less defined than that. With light being stored, pooling on its edges and bouncing off neighbouring objects, illuminating surroundings, one is sculpting as much with light as with matter. An analogy became apparent between the material’s ability to visually demonstrate its release of energy (in the visual form of light) with the quintessence of a gemstone, often referenced by those interviewed as part of the PhD project (albeit in those contexts often in relation to mined gemstones). The material BRG, with its yellow-green light emission, is a gemstone material, with the soul of a gemstone. To visualise the soul of the gemstone, which extends beyond its physical boundary, a piece was constructed out of eight BRG components, which were cut, positioned and combined to form the outline of a rectangular emerald cut . Whilst the middle facets of the emerald cut were represented by the pieces, the light these pieces cast sideways formed the additional facets that made up the cut, constructing the full structure with both matter and light. The piece , which was carefully planned in collaboration with Rytz, and cut by Mr. Morsbach from the company Klein & Becker in Germany, was positioned in a silver setting that amplified its light effect through its structure.
Whilst the experiments and tests described above all provided viable means for the material to be used as a component for the creation of jewellery designs (an agreed and desirable outcome of the collaboration), as a jewellery artist questioning these materials as gemstone materials they also inspired the creation of artistic responses. When working with BRG and BRB, one does not just work with the handleable matter that is at hand, the facetable material which looks and feels similar to garnet. The materials borders, particularly when observed in the dark, are less defined than that. With light being stored, pooling on its edges and bouncing off neighbouring objects, illuminating surroundings, one is sculpting as much with light as with matter. An analogy became apparent between the material’s ability to visually demonstrate its release of energy (in the visual form of light) with the quintessence of a gemstone, often referenced by those interviewed as part of the PhD project (albeit in those contexts often in relation to mined gemstones). The material BRG, with its yellow-green light emission, is a gemstone material, with the soul of a gemstone. To visualise the soul of the gemstone, which extends beyond its physical boundary, a piece was constructed out of eight BRG components, which were cut, positioned and combined to form the outline of a rectangular emerald cut . Whilst the middle facets of the emerald cut were represented by the pieces, the light these pieces cast sideways formed the additional facets that made up the cut, constructing the full structure with both matter and light. The piece , which was carefully planned in collaboration with Rytz, and cut by Mr. Morsbach from the company Klein & Becker in Germany, was positioned in a silver setting that amplified its light effect through its structure.
CameoAs a further transformation, the material’s ability to enable light to travel through other materials was explored in ‘Cameo’ which consists of a heightmap which translates the light effect of a traditional brilliant in a translucent material positioned above a layer of BRG. In alignment with functioning of a cameo, where the translucent material is thicker less light is transmitted, and where the material is thinner more light is transmitted, resulting in the optical illusion of the light effect often seen in a traditional brilliant cut, now only visible in the dark.
The development of the brilliant cut in history is the documented quest of faceters trying to perfect a geometric cut, applying the laws of optics, that would optimise light emission by reflection in gemstone materials. A light-emitting gemstone material, now capable of storing energy and generating its own light, provides an interesting avenue for exploration, where all that was considered resolved, can be questioned again. This is something that was certainly started during the PhD study, in which some Critical Design pieces were also created as commentary on the context in which these materials are appraised. Is it a gemstone or is it not a gemstone material? When the Neo-gemstone piece is seen in the light it appears to be a normal gemstone, but in the dark a big line shows through it. When considering the labelling of this material, the term 'Neo-gemstone' seems most appropriate, as it is more than the gemstones that exist today. This gemstone material demands a reconsideration of its appearance and application in jewellery, a new quest that will span well beyond the duration of this PhD. A new material by definition will lead to a range of innovative outcomes and, collaborating with scientists who dedicate their time, resources and apply their knowledge to this challenge is most rewarding.
In the collaboration with the University of Bristol an entirely new direction of research is being undertaken within the School of Chemistry by PhD Researcher Michaela Whitehurst, she has been working on understanding the underlying mechanism related to the synthesis of novel coloured corundum under supervision of Professor Simon Hall. For jewellers or companies using enamels or glazes, the innovations in colour pigments Whitehurst is testing, could drastically improve the range of colours available, and their safety. With production feasible at low temperatures, it is possible that enamellers and glazers of the future could grow pigments for their own enamels and glazes. Whilst the collaboration has not resulted to date in jewellery outcomes, the opportunity for novel colours to be explored in a jewellery context is most promising.
Photography by Michaela Whitehurst
With special thanks to Milly Hardy for the creation of these samples.
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