Heaven Bodies Retrospective

My fascination with religious iconography derives from the notion that there was once a time where the majority was illiterate, inciting a need for symbols and color coding to propagate church literature. That story was further built upon as humanity developed, and now, we see these once instrumental designs used to create depth in fashion, movies, music, etc.

The Met this summer hosted the exhibition "Heavenly Bodies" ,which I must confess has been my favorite Met Gala theme by light years. Taking the wardrobe that has been reserved for the elite of the church and having it perverted by the royalty of Hollywood in their self importance is a historical parallel that probably makes every art history nerd giggle with glee.  Having grown up in the Catholic church, I'm very aware articles of clothing are indicative of status within the church.  Different outfits mean you rank a certain way, so having Rihanna dress as the highest church rank possible, that takes a lifetime to achieve, and a vote to secure, cracks me up especially since she is a woman doing so.  And above all else, the outfit was stunning, as was it's counter part in the exhibition by John Galliano for Christian Dior.

Walking into the exhibition you are swallowed by the scintillating gold mosaic, jewelry, and vestments lit and alive under the museum hot lights. On one side a line of Byzantine mosaic inspired Dolce & Gabbana dresses, the other side a more modern aesthetic of 90's Gianni Versace garments.

The dresses were displayed above the viewer, forcing you too look up with the same devotion you would show an alter or stain glass in a church.  The importance dictated by position, setting the mood of the show. The Met's permanent collection surrounded this linear path that pulled you along deeper into the museum.

The common thread of the first two rooms was gold. Encased were ancient relics of a time when Christianity was new and Justinian & Theodora were attempting to make Rome great again. Metal-smiths painstakingly planishing containers of gold, hoping not to tear the thinning metal, or else the project would be lost.

Tiny beads of granulation individually placed by a trembling hand with no modern assistance or convention, just mastery.

Stones primitively set either by carefully cut inlay or by crushing the stone into place.

Bezel set cabochon stones, the idea of faceting a distant invention. Instead, the mineral is half drilled and set on a peg to secure the stone within its gilded casing. The peg not even hidden as it is today with pearls. It shows through the middle of the translucent stones, taking the viewer away from the color of the gem and back to the reality that this was the technique of the time.

Bloodstone made an appearance as expected considering it's mythos of being the rock at the base of the Crucifixion Cross, speckled with Christ's blood.

Imitating the floor plan of a basilica, you are carried down these first rooms, like aisles, to where the exhibition really opens up dumping you into two larger more open rooms.  Before the grand reveal, you are corralled and crowded in a tiny area where visitors attempted to see the Reliquary Cross and the duo of leather jackets paying homage by Versace and Christian Lacroix. Faces pressed to glass.

In the same claustrophobic area, Chanel's cross woven vest loomed over early Christian artifacts, once used as tools for prayer, now fashion ornamentation. This point driven further home by the garish display of Chanel cross bangles, massively not humble, contrasting it's calmer predecessors. The juxtaposition of 2d geometric byzantine art to the garish bejeweled Chanel.

Also produced by Chanel, we have the  18kt rock crystal crosses sharing a case with an authentic Byzantine cross necklace. The crystal was believe to be representative of the resurrected Christ and a metaphor for the "river of life."

With a sigh of personal space and drastic temperature change, you enter the cool open gallery representing the width breadth of a domed basilica.

Inside you were met with throngs of people, foreign and domestic, to see famous fashion houses re-tell the story of religious vestment.  A cacophony of mixed tongues whispered in awe of the cornucopia of art and design sprawled throughout the room. An outfit design conversing with the painting that gave it muse. Watching the merriment of old christian foundation intertwine and give life to the modern reinterpretation.

I spent the better part of my afternoon there and it still didn't feel like enough.  It was absolutely remarkable how the seamlessly incorporated the permanent collection meshed with the borrowed couture bringing together history nerds and fashion enthusiasts to celebrate one theme.  The Met set the bar very high, especially considering it was the most visited exhibit in it's history, clocking in at just over 1.5 million visitors.

Gold Rush

There were several gold rushes throughout history which drew droves of eager prospectors from all over to an area pregnant with the promise of wealth and prosperity to those lucky enough to find the golden nuggets nestled waiting within the earth's crust.

This image sprang to mind while reading that an Australian man recently uncovered a large amount of gold in the northern goldfields of western Australia worth up to $110,000.  I really hadn't realized that the dream of striking gold was still alive for some.  Then I really thought about it, where does gold even come from?

Recently discovered "Duckfoot"

For years I've written on the history of gemstones and jewelry and why they are so preciously expensive, but why is gold precious?

Gold is an element and lives on the periodic table as a transitional element with the atomic number of 79.  It is considered to be one of the least reactive chemical elements and is the most noble of all the noble metals, making it the most resistant to corrosion.

Gold is considered very rare since it is believed there is only a finite amount in the solar system that was present as dust the day it formed. So whatever we have on earth is what we get, it does not have a recipe to form like a gemstone does. It is an element created on a celestial level and cannot be reproduced.  Gold ore is found in solid form usually as a nugget, granular, or in veins, but also exists as flakes and dust.  Gold does not have a habit formation like a gemstone does further proving it is the most malleable of all the metals.  When found during mining, what is being found is gold that is by chance clumped together in a mine-able form, and sometimes this gold is naturally alloyed with other elements and is not pure. To get pure gold, it must be refined to extract impurities and other metals.

  

Gold in it's purest form is very soft and to be used for jewelry needs to be alloyed with another metal for strength and sometimes color.

The most familiar karats of gold are:

10K or .417 meaning 41.7% pure gold alloyed with other metals like silver, copper, zinc, and/or nickel.

14K or .585 meaning 58.5% pure gold alloyed with other metals.

18K or .750 meaning 75% pure gold alloyed with other metals.

24K  or 999.9 is considered fine gold at 99.95% pure gold.

10k is much harder and more durable than 18k or 24k but not as rich in color is the main difference between these karats besides gold content and price.

For example I chose 18k for my engagement ring because it's rich color to matched my yellow center, and I know I'd be gentle with my ring knowing that it will be more susceptible to scratches and nicks.  For someone hard on their jewelry I always recommend 10k or 14k.

Happy Fourth of July from America's Largest Diamond

In honor of the Fourth we're taking a look at the largest American found

diamond, Uncle Sam.

Discovered by Wesley Oley Basham, Uncle Sam was unearthed in 1924 from the Prairie Creek Pipe Mine in Murfreesboro, Arkansas.  The hefty rough was named after Basham’s nickname “Uncle Sam” and weighed in at 40.23 carats. Its discovery drew attention to the failing Arkansas Diamond Corporation, rescuing the company from its debt and inevitable closure that winter.  Now the mine is known as The Crater of Diamonds State Park. It is the only mine in the world open to the public and has become a popular vacation destination for American rockhounds.

Uncle Sam was decided to be stylized as an 12.42 carat emerald cut fashioned by

Schenck & Van Haelen of New York. The stone was graded as an M in color, for it has been described to be a pale brown or slightly pink.  The VVS1 clarity was demonstrated beautifully in the stepped facets as a viewer could not see an inclusion without the assistance of a loupe.

Uncle Sam was sold to a private collector in 1971 for $150 million and is unfortunately not

on display but is still a celebrated American treasure.

From Uncle Sam, have a very happy and safe Fourth of July!

Sources:

http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam_(diamond)

Admiring the Strength of the Elephant

One of my favorite animals is the elephant.  They're majestically massive and at the same time incredibly intuitive and nurturing.  They are complex creatures which explains why they are so prominent as a motif in several cultures.  Here I'm wearing some of my favorite LAGOS pieces while taking a look at the iconography of the elephant.

One of the most popular depictions of the elephant is through the Hindu religion.  The god Ganesha is easily identifiable with his large elephant head on a human body.  His likeness will be found across South Asia in countries like India, Nepal, and Thailand.  Ganesha is a patron of the arts and sciences and looked upon as the remover of obstacles.  A steadfast god to look to in times of trial.

In Buddhism you will find the presence of the elephant pair Kangiten, represented as male and female elephant headed humanoid figures embracing as a symbol of the unity of opposites.  Enforcing the belief of the oneness of all things though they may be seemingly different.

In Islam, the Quran has a chapter entitled "The Elephant".  A story of a Abraha's white elephant, Mahmud, that refused to cross into Mecca, foiling Abraha's plan to lead Yemen to conquer the holy city.  Mahmud could not be persuaded to cross by reason or violence, once again depicting the elephant as a creature of intelligence and resolve.

The elephant is not indigenous to Europe but was discovered through their exploration or Asia. Awed by the ferocity of the war elephant in battle, Europe adopted the beast as a symbol of militaristic strength. Napoleon even commissioned a giant cast bronze elephant fountain to be made from guns confiscated in victorious battle.  The fountain was never completed (hello Waterloo).

America adopted the elephant to represent the Republican party in 1884.  The origin is a political cartoon done by Thomas Nash.  The elephant is shown charging in dispersing other smaller animals representing other political interests at the time.  Another account of dominance and strength.

Lastly Elephants are native to Africa and usually where most people imagine them. In Africa the elephant is revered for its strength, wisdom, and memory. The elephant was depicted on several coat of arms throughout time in Africa including South Africa, The Ivory Coast, the kingdom of Laos, and the kingdom of Dahomey.

Globally you can see the elephant is respected and admired for it's strength, it is looked to for it's wisdom, and it is a symbol of conquering obstacles and embracing change.

How Does The Lesotho Diamond Measure Up?

Early this year the world’s fifth largest gem-quality rough diamond was found at Lesotho
Africa’s Letseng mine. D in color and weighing in at 910 carats, the gem is the largest
diamond to have been found in that particular mine and is estimated to be worth
$40million.

The size is striking, comparable to a baseball in size and weight, but how does it measure
up to other large gem-quality diamonds found?

Starting with the most famous and by far the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found,
the Cullinan.  It was discovered by Thomas Cullinan from the Premier No. 2 Mine in Cullinan,
South Africa in 1905. Weighing a whopping 3106.75 carats, the stone was ultimately cut into
9 stones total by the Asscher brothers.  The Cullinan I and II were used in the British Crown
Jewels while the other 7 stones remained with the Asscher family.  Even cut, the Cullinan is
still record holding.

The Cullinan I is the world’s largest clear cut diamond weighing in at 530.4 carats and D in
color. This Great Star of Africa, currently resides in the scepter of the British Crown Jewels
on display at the Tower of London.

The Cullinan II, the Lesser Star of Africa, is that second largest clear cut diamond weighing
in at 317.4 carats.  This stone is also part of the British Crown Jewels, set in the front of the
Imperial State Crown below the Black Prince’s Ruby (famously misnamed and is actually a red spinel).

The second largest gem-quality rough diamond is the Lesedi La Rona. It was found in the

Karowe Mine of Botswana in 2015 weighing in at 1109 carats.  The stone was purchased in
2017 by Graff Diamonds and has since been cut into smaller sellable stones.

Then we have the Excelsior Diamond which was the world’s largest gem-quality rough

diamond prior to the discovery of the Cullinan and is currently ranked third among its peers
in that category at 970 carats. The Excelsior Diamond was found in 1893 at the Jagersfontein
Mine in South Africa and has since tragically been cut into 21 insignificant stones that were
sold to several different buyers. One of the famous jewelry pieces to come from this stone is
a bracelet holding the 69.68 carat pear Excelsior I.  The stone was cut by the Asscher
Diamond Company in 1903 and eventually sold to and set by Robert Mouawadin 1996.

Finally we have the fourth largest gem-quality stone, the Star of Sierra Leone, extraordinarily

close in weight to the Excelsior Diamond at 968.9 carats. It is the largest alluvial diamond
ever discovered and was uncovered by miners in 1972 in the Diminco alluvial mines in Sierra
Leone. Harry Winston purchased the diamond and had it cut into 17 stones. Six of these
diamonds are present in Harry Winston’s “Star of Sierra Leone” brooch.

It seems that Africa is still the juggernaut when it comes to large gem-quality rough.
Impressively, only two of these diamonds are known to have been found using modern LDR
technology, the Lesedi La Rona and the Lesotho.

I can’t wait to see if how this magnificent stone ends up, whether it is cut into several smaller
pieces to be auctioned or if a mighty stone is cut and set into a work of art. Either way it is
definitely a stone to stay tuned into.