Lifestyle & Leisure
FROM NATURE'S HEAT AND PRESSURE, TO MAN'S HEART AND PLEASURE
A gem of a place on its own, inspiration-seekers will find their long lost love affair in a piece of fine-cut semiprecious stone — matched either with silver or gold or just in its singular form.
The romance of gems has imparted lasting beauty to the life of mankind for centuries. Gem, via the Latin gemma meaning "bud", is an apt term to use when describing precious stones as they are found in nature; crystals like flowers, budding amid solid rock. These include not only a number of famous jewels as we know, but also many outstanding examples of gemstones in their natural state. Such specimens – emerald crystals sprouting from a matrix of shale, topaz growing from feldspar and quartz – amaze the many visitors who visualize gems only as they appear in the jeweler's showcase, cut and polished. And later, aesthetically set with gold or silver.
We may define a gem as a beautiful stone, and that of course is essentially correct. While experts may refine the meanings of the term, most since antiquity have agreed that a gem must be both beautiful and durable. The beauty of a gem depends on its color, or on its distinctive ability to reflect, refract, and disperse light. Today as always the value of a gem depends on the additional factors of rarity and fashion. These qualities, combined with the remoteness of so many gem sources, have surrounded gems with an aura of romance and mystery.
LUSTROUS, PRECIOUS, SEMIPRECIOUS
From our planet's very slowly but constantly cooling crust, forming and reforming its mineral constituents, nature has poured in basic ingredients, elements of which the earth is composed ranging from actinium to zirconium, cobalt to germanium; elements unevenly distributed. Mineralogists have been able to identify about 2,000 distinct combinations of the basic elements; these are the known minerals. Fewer than 100 qualify as gemstones.
A common distinction is made between precious and semi-precious stones in modern usage; precious stones are diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald, with all other gemstones being semiprecious. This distinction is unscientific and reflects the rarity of the respective stones in ancient times as well as their quality, as all are translucent with fine color in their purest forms.
As the earth's crust changes and weathers and rivers cut through geological strata, gem-bearing deposits may be exposed and the valuable crystals themselves find their way into river gravel, where we luckily might simply bend over and pick them up. A large number of minerals have been used as gems. Their value generally depends on four elements: the beauty of the stone itself, its rarity, its hardness and toughness, and the skill with which it has been cut and polished. And to add a fifth element to it – the heart and passion put into each piece of crafted jewelry. The latter are such of the findings at a pretty and petite domicile in Bali's own Petitenget, where all gem exquisiteness can be found in a single place.
A TROVE TO DISCOVER
Elegantly situated on a slightly curving wayside and set amidst a rice field on Jalan Raya Petitenget is the Jemme Jewellery Boutique. A gem of a place on its own, inspiration-seekers will find their long lost love affair in a piece of fine-cut semiprecious stone—matched either with silver or gold or just in its singular form.
You will easily find yourself gazing into the richly filled cabinets of sparkles and spectrums arranged in each corner of the elegantly styled boutique space. You will be mesmerized with each examination of a colorfully studded pendant or ring in display.
Take your time and freely browse through and admire the collections on the upper and lower levels of the boutique, and on your way down the stairway you might well come across and observe boutique owner and jeweler Azis with tweezers in hand and silver strands, busily behind fine polished semiprecious stones of various colors on his way to creating another set of luxurious masterpieces.
A couple of years ago Azis embarked on this endeavor and collaborated with the founder and owner of a successful world-renowned and London-based gem jeweler, who had also achieved recognition from the British royalty. And now through Jemme he brings and showcases his rich variety of world-class jewelry to the island of Bali.
Jemme has catered to a wide range of international and national customers and really takes care of them. Each item purchased is issued a signature certificate and is guaranteed for service and repair, should there be the necessity. The gem crafting team at Jemme treats every piece in their collection as their own child, each with its own character and each speaking out from the display cabinets in choosing their own adopters, ready to take them home with them and later on accompany and adorn them through their best of times. When they do need some slight readjustment, a flight back to Jemme to see Azis and his team is a welcome homecoming on its own.
Visit Jemme and find the 'child' that speaks to you and 'attaches' to you the best. Jemme has many pieces, from daily wear to high-glamour and bling-bling, and it has taken up residence in Petitenget as a dressing up box that is here to inspire and delight.
A variety of jewelry of various sparklers; sterling silver, rare one-off pieces, zirconian in 18 carat gold, white gold and silver, emeralds and rubies, and natural-object inspired items to complement haute couture such as lustrous pearl seedlings encased in golden bean-shaped capsules, all are ready to adorn one for any occasion. In addition, Jemme also develops its men's range with silver and masculine black leather combinations. In each cabinet, a colorful episode unravels to show you each of the different worlds. Find elaborate natural and organic shapes and pieces ranging from butterflies and dragonflies to pearls set as bean pods. Designs that symbolize the harmony between design and natural beauty.
Jemme's gemstones include champagne diamonds, black diamonds, rough diamonds (black and white), the reddish-purple kunzite, rose amethyst, green beryl, emeralds, green tourmaline, citrine, amethyst, pink topaz, green amethyst, tourmaline, elm quartz, honey quartz, rubies, sapphire, aquamarine, smoky quartz, pink opals, onyx, watermelon tourmaline, morganite and turquoise.
Jemme has a passion for colorful and unusual precious and semi-precious gemstones, from deep amethysts and vibrant citrines to luscious tourmalines and aquamarines and whetting pink kunzites. The closest attention is paid to the cut and finish of the high-quality gems in order to truly unlock their life, brilliance and fire. On many occasions these gorgeous stones are set alongside brilliant diamonds as they provide the perfect partnership, able to frame and reflect the beauty of the colored gems and further enhancing their natural beauty with their glorious glitter.
Of course, diamonds alone are always a girl's best friend, and even more so at the most special occasion and celebration, so Jemme offers some spectacular examples – brilliant diamonds set in abundance to create shimmering necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings.
With the use of claw-settings, micro-settings and pave-settings to name but a few, Jemme revels in exploring the endless potential for mounting and showcasing diamonds. Jemme also has a passion for larger diamond stones, creating pieces filled with the breathtaking beauty, mystery and playful fire that have mesmerized jewelry-lovers through time.
As with all of Jemme's gemstones, each one is carefully selected for its potential to tantalize, hypnotize and tell a unique piece of nature's story.
Displayed in harmony with Jemme's rare and precious gems are truly impressive and comprehensive collections of silver jewelry. Modern and bold designs created from sterling silver are both affordable and ideal for customers of all ages. Such contemporary designs sit alongside hand-painted bronze pieces inspired by flowers and shells and also a wondrous collection of sterling silver hand-set with marcasite and brilliant semi-precious stones.
The marcasite designs offer glittering jewelry with a timeless appeal at very affordable prices, inspired by original Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco and contemporary designs. There is truly something for everyone this Christmas, whatever the depth of pocket.
Presented with such a dazzling cornucopia of jewelry, visitors to Jemme are invited to view the festive season's collections at their leisure in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The exquisitely fashioned environment has been described by one of Jemme's frequent customers as "a giant jewelry box filled with everything one's heart desires" – a true compliment and testament to Jemme's unique appeal.
Offering a further enhancement to the Jemme 'experience' is Café Jemme, a similarly relaxed and sumptuous café/restaurant connected to the jewelry store. Adjoining the main boutique space is the cozy seating area that just happens to border Café Jemme next door, which also leads to a small rice terrace with a view.
Here, after getting lost gazing at each of the heavenly items in the boutique, you can allow yourself to unwind and take in the fresh air and open view of the calming rice field, which somehow is reassuring in that you know you are still in Bali and haven't been taken off to a distant world....
Here you can further indulge your heart away, while admiring your most favorite piece of jewelry over one of the light menu selections prepared with the freshest of organic ingredients, harvested from Jemme's own organic farm in Negara in Bali's western highlands. «»
Text by Nyoman Ari Gunadi
Courtesy photos
• Jemme Jewellery
Jl. Raya Petitenget 28, Seminyak
(0361) 733-508
www.jemmebali.com
