An idea to create something beautiful and wearable where inspirations are drawn from far and wide. Nature, romance and the gemstones themselves are the muses for most Gemondo jewellery pieces. A meeting of minds takes place as metals, colours and stones are discussed by a team of skilled designers. These concepts are sketched and collated as the first step in the journey of a Gemondo jewellery piece begins.

A belief in the true beauty of nature means we only offer gemstones that have been mined, not synthetic or lab created. Each gemstone in one single piece could originate from any number of countries. Supply of our gemstones can come from trusted vendors in international markets such as the famous bustling Chanthaburi in Thailand.

Sourced gemstones may require lapidiary or treatment to make them suitable for their design. Gemstones are often expertly hand cut and ground to create facets that enhance beauty and to rid the stone of external imperfections. The rough gemstone can be worked by hand and then attached to a wooden stick with hot wax. The gemstone is then pressed and filed against a rotating abrasive wheel and moved accordingly to apply each facet.

Whilst the gemstones are being prepared, so must the metal be formed to encapsulate them. Working from the initial design specification, a wax mould is prepared. This can be done by hand or with automated processes. Care is taken with each mould, ensuring small nicks and superficial flaws are filed down or meticulously removed before casting.

Lost wax casting is a traditional process whereby a wax mould is created as a template for metal to be cast into. Often these wax moulds are applied to a central post, to form a tree and then machinery is used to melt the wax and replace with molten metal. When the metal has cooled, each jewellery setting created from the mould is ready to be worked on.

After the gemstones have been sourced, cut and cleaned they will still need to be organised before they can be set into the cast metals. Although there is no internationally renowned system for grading coloured gemstones yet, we use our own grading system to categorise gems so that we can be as consistent as possible. Gemstones are laid out to be analysed and organised into batches that will be used in a single ring, earring, necklace or bracelet design. The gemstones we use are mined from the earth, so they can differ from one to another. We love this quality as it means each gem is truly individual but we also try to keep consistency from piece to piece which requires speciality in gemstone selection.

Jewellery and gemstones start to blend together to create something truly special. Stone setting involves securing each gemstone into its gold or sterling silver setting. The method of securing the gemstones will depend on the setting intended for the mount. Some popular setting types include channel setting, bezel setting and claw setting. If you’d like to know more about each type of setting you can visit our Jewellery Settings information page.

Buffing and smoothing imperfections in the cast metal so that the final piece flaunts. Pieces can be tumbled in a barrel polishing device and then hand filed to remove excess metals. Sprues, which are leftover from the lost wax casting process, and other surface blemishes are filed down using rotating abrasives and mops of different grades and sizes. Any metal textures such as hammering and sandblasting or metal plating with gold and rhodium can be applied after the metal has been finished to display its desired lustre.

It is important to go back to the initial design specification and check that each aspect has been met. Jewellery is inspected to ensure the correct amount of polishing has been applied and each stage has been executed according to our craftsmanship standards. Once the jewellery is approved, flaunting brilliance, beauty and finesse it is ready to be adorned.

We see every finished piece of Gemondo jewellery as an accomplishment that conveys a special meaning; a marriage of exquisite things that results in not only a treasured ring, earring, necklace or bracelet, but a special moment. That could be a moment for yourself, between friends or loved ones spoken through gemstone meaning, colour, texture and uniqueness. Express your unique personality through your gems with your very own piece of Gemondo jewellery.