The mysterious allure of coloured stones can’t be fully explained in words. The glimmer of an emerald, the fire inside a ruby, the aquatic depth of a blue sapphire. Ancient scriptures inform us of the elite position archaic communities afforded gem cutters, because they were the keepers of a mineral secrets. The magicians who could …
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Journalist, Richa Goyal Sikri explores the complex fabric of India’s love affair with jewels, it’s 5,000 year-old history, notable periods, differences within the Indian subcontinent, and how India has influenced jewellery styles beyond it’s shores. The second part of Richa’s presentation will de-mystify the ancient polki-kundan technique of jewellery craftsmanship involving the setting of wafer-thin …
Read more “Indian jewellery culture: special focus on Polki-Kundan jewellery”
Journalist and storyteller, Richa Goyal Sikri, has been visiting coloured gemstone mines and manufacturing centers since 2014. Her quest for greater understanding as a connoisseur of gemstones was pivotal in her development as an international journalist, storyteller, and speaker in the industry. In this exclusive presentation, she shares historical insights, and deconstructs artisanal mining for …
Read more “Exploring gemstone mining: Sri Lanka & Zambia”
As the flow of coloured gemstones from traditional deposits has reduced to a trickle, Africa has emerged as the primary source of gemstones feeding our voracious appetite for colour. However, when we look at the price of a precious gem with an Africa tag, it continues to be ranked below better known sources such as …
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In the last 100 years, the discovery of gemstones across the African continent have changed the course of the coloured gemstone industry. For the past two years, journalist and storyteller, Richa Goyal Sikri has been interviewing known and unknown figures in the industry and writing adventure stories based on their experiences and actual events. The …
Read more “Hidden human stories from Africa”