Gem-hunting at Inhorgenta 2024
Inhorgenta, a trade fair in Germany, is a date we love to have in the diary, it’s a great chance for us to catch up with other jewellery makers, some of whom we trained with more that 20 years ago. Held in Munich over a few days, hundreds of exhibitors assemble there to trade in diamonds and coloured gemstones, along with every tool a jeweller could need.
There is so much to see and time is so precious at the fair, we have learned over the years to try to have a plan. This year, our focus was on pearls… we had number of commissions in the offing using pearls so we were sourcing very specific colours of south sea pearls to create partner pieces for some of our earlier creations.
We also couldn’t resist taking home a number of faceted pearls to be made up into one of a kind necklaces and beautiful sets of earrings. Not commonly seen, faceted pearls are almost magical in their appearance. Cut by hand with up to 200 facets that create geometric patterns of light across their surface, these faceted pearls are a relatively recent invention. The cutting technique was developed by a Japanese diamond cutting company over many years and was only perfected in 1998.
The pearl shows an incredible and unique depth when faceted, the inner layers of the mother of pearl becomes visible though the faceted surface. Only pearls of high quality will be faceted, as larger surface spots will show even after faceting. If you have a special gift in mind, these faceted pearls are gorgeous - please do get in touch.
Meanwhile, slightly off-plan, we also couldn’t resist picking up some beautifully cut gems.
We are now happily back at the bench, and have already started creating some pieces with the pearls we brought home. We have just made this double pearl necklace using 18ct Rose Gold in our Malahide atelier. 
If any of these gems or pearls catch your eye and you would like to discuss how they could be made into your next piece of beloved jewellery, please contact us and we would be happy to talk you through the process. Appointments are available in our London Atelier and our Dublin workshop.
