There are many aspects to creating a piece of fine jewelry and at the venerable design house Oscar Heyman, having an in-house lapidary is part of the magic that makes a jewel extraordinary. The job of a lapidary is to cut and polish colored gemstones, a very important position in a company that specializes in that area.
“At Oscar Heyman we’ve had an in-house lapidary since before 1930,” explains Tom Heyman, co-President of the company, in business since 1912, and a third-generation family member. “Having an in-house lapidary supports our work in making the finest colored stone jewelry.”
Why is a Lapidary Important?
What’s important, Heyman explains is that a lapidary can add beauty to a colored gemstone. When the company buys a gem from Colombia or Sri Lanka, it has already been cut, generally to preserve the weight of the stone for maximum value. Once the stone enters Oscar Heyman’s New York City workshop, the lapidary examines the gemstone to determine if it can be re-cut or polished to bring out more beauty in the stone. “We’ve taken an 8.30-carat emerald and cut it down to 7.95-carats. Some have questioned why we do that, suggesting that the gem loses value at a smaller size,” says Heyman. “We believe that the stone becomes more valuable when we re-cut it for beauty. We refashion almost every stone we buy. Our lapidary looks over every stone that is over 1-carat to determine if he can refashion the gem to make it more beautiful.”
Cutting to Specifications
In terms of design, an in-house lapidary removes any limits the designers may have when working with existing stone shapes because they can re-work a stone to fit the specifications of the design, often working on gems that are mere millimeters in size. “If we’re making an invisible set ruby flower design all the rubies are square, but they need to fit the curve of the petal so there are no gaps. The rubies need to be recut to trapezoid shapes to make a solid gemstone curve,” says Heyman, who notes that it can take up to two hours per stone to create a piece of invisibly set jewelry. “Each stone needs to be cut individually. With invisibly set jewelry an in-house lapidary works shoulder-to-shoulder with the designer and setter.”
For a high-end jewelry maker such as Oscar Heyman, quality control is of the utmost importance. Before a stone is set, it is reviewed by the lapidary for any scratches or abrasions which are then polished before the stone is set. After the setting process the stone is reviewed again and touched up if necessary.
An Excellent Eye
What skills does a lapidary need? Beyond excellent lapidary skills, Heyman says the person needs a good eye, an understanding of colored gemstones and the distribution of color in the stone. “From the girdle up, the stone must be symmetrical, but under the girdle the stone may not be as symmetrical as the stone was fashioned to bring out the most color as evenly as possible,” says Heyman, who adds that a lapidary must also have an eye for beauty and artistry.
Oscar Heyman buys stones from all over the world. Seeing the beauty inside the stone, and releasing it, is an integral part of making the best possible jewelry. “A lapidary has always been an essential part of our team for making fabulous colored gemstone jewelry,” concludes Heyman.
Authored by Amber Michelle
