Meet the Singaporean gem collector who likens his collection to family recipes
When Harris Zaidi embarked on his first real jewel hunting experience in 2022 with Arte Oro jeweller Danilo Giannoni in Bangkok, he described feeling like a "kid in a candy store".
"I spent 6 hours going from shop to shop," the 48-twelvemonth-sometime theatre veteran, and current director of Arte Oro, recalled. "Nosotros would sit downwardly and encounter an entire tray of sapphires in every hue of blue you tin imagine. It was amazing, because you really go an idea of just how many dejection there are. There was royal blue, there was peacock blue. Information technology was the same thing with emeralds and rubies."
The self-professed "gem geek" had always been interested in crystals and minerals, but only started seriously collecting gemstones 2 years ago.
"I was always just drawn to colour. Crystals and minerals… I've always called them distillations of light. I could look at them all the fourth dimension and my optics only completely beverage them upward," he said.
"Back and so, I didn't think I would graduate into (collecting) what I would telephone call gems," he continued, adding that he defines gemstones as "something that's truly rare, fabricated fifty-fifty rarer in specimens that are very make clean, that can exist faceted, where the colour tin be enhanced and the beauty of the raw textile is fabricated fifty-fifty more than amazing in the hands of man."
While other collectors typically start off their collections with sapphires, rubies, emeralds and diamonds – as well known as the Big Four – Harris employs a different strategy when building his drove. "What I always look out for is something that stands out. And for me, it's e'er color," he said.
ASIAN INSPIRATION
This fascination with color is something he believes stems from his Asian heritage. Harris' mum is of mixed Chinese and Indian beginnings. Meanwhile, his father is from the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, whose ancestors descended from Indonesia's Minangkabau ethnic group.
His parentage, coupled with his experiences growing up in Singapore, has influenced his collection to a certain extent. As Singapore is a melting pot of cultures, including Indian, Malay and Chinese, "there is such a rich, amazing, fabulous, history of traditional jewellery, of decorative jewellery, of wedding jewellery," Harris explained. "It'south amazing. The colours, the designs, the opulence. It's something that I've internalised.
"I think a lot of Western jewellery tends to be very diamond-oriented, perhaps more modern. Whereas Asian jewellery tends to be a plethora of colours. I guess that'south influenced me in some small degree. To look out for a vocabulary of colours, instead of what is more conventional, or what is more popular."
If Harris could sum upward his gem collection in iii words, they would be "drama", "emotional" and "personal".
His kickoff gemstones was a pair of 7.8-carat tanzanites. Tanzanite is one of the rarest gemstones on Globe, merely what makes Harris' acquisition even rarer is that the stones are naturally heated.
"What is special about this pair is that over 99 per cent of tanzanites are artificially heated. The bodily stones are maroon or red. But they heat it to the betoken that they can get rid of all that colour to achieve that kind of electrical blue that tanzanite is very famous for," said Harris.
When Harris first laid optics on a massive 10.8-carat grandidierite that was flown into Singapore, information technology was impossible not to fall in love. "The grandidierite, they phone call it a pleochroic stone. Depending on the type of light, it displays different colours. Information technology could be blue and light-green, or a flash of yellow here and there," he said.
Harris shared that the grandidierite stone is even rarer than tanzanite, calculation that it's difficult to fifty-fifty find a jewel quality specimen above one carat.
"Information technology was magic. The stone just spoke to me. It was only a cute stone… Of course there was that element that I accept something that nobody else has. But it was just this shade of blue and dark-green that I love."
The grandidierite has since been set into a ring, its design inspired by stars. Describing the story behind the design, Harris shared, "I looked at the gemstone and for me, this stone was simply heaven-sent. Literally, I was not looking for it, and it just cruel into my lap. It was equally if all the stars had aligned and I could be a custodian of it for awhile."
Other rare gems in Harris' collection include a v.9-carat colour-change garnet that he describes as a chance buy. "Most colour-modify garnets, they alter colour very closely to the side by side colour on the spectrum," Harris said. Notwithstanding, this particular stone in Harris' collection exhibits drastic color changes – from purple to maroon and even blue – under unlike lighting weather condition.
FAMILY HEIRLOOMS
Although Harris' collection has been built with investment potential in heed – he collects only natural, certified gems – he doesn't foresee selling them anytime soon.
"I started collecting gems simply because I like them. And so, to make myself experience amend, I tell myself it'south for investment purposes considering these are very rare, and prices won't go down ten, 20 years down the route," he said. "Simply the truth of the matter is, I don't think I would have the heart to part with them."
Equally he went along on his collecting journey, he soon realised that these gems are "precious", "special" and "personal" heirlooms that could be passed down to his family.
Harris likens his gemstones to family recipes that tin can be handed down from generation to generation. "Nutrient is very personal to me. I keep recipes from my mum, like how to brand epok-epok, how to make (unlike types of) kueh. And to me, sharing food is a way to keep the family unit history and memories alive.
"That's how I call back about the gems that I'g collecting. That they can be used for weddings, for gifts, for of import moments in the family unit. And for the gems, the jewellery, to be a repository or embodiment of family stories, history, and heritage."
Bated from gems, Harris also collects "batik tulis", or hand-painted Javanese batik. This was a hobby he picked upwards on a trip to Yogyakarta, the cultural capital of Indonesia. "I fell in love with batik (for) pretty much the same reason why I'm in love with jewellery and gemstones. I honey that this piece of fabric is a repository of so much skill and then much tradition," he said.
A spiffy dresser, Harris can often be seen at events and social functions dressed in batik, paired with formal blazers or jackets. He uses jewellery to jazz upwards the look. "I would say my style is a fusion of modern silhouettes and traditional touches, or all-out flamboyant with statement accessories like a fabulous band or an elaborate neckband pin or bracelet."
GEM COLLECTING Advice
For fellow jewel geeks embarking on their collecting journey, Harris has this tip to share: "Collect what speaks to y'all and what speaks to your centre. After a while, y'all'll develop a certain level of sophistication and there will be certain classes and types of gems that you want."
Although lesser-known gemstones such as spinel, tanzanite and garnet may be garnering more attending at present, what'southward considered unusual may be differ from person to person. "I always like to look out for the truly rare and the unusual, and for me, it ever boils down to colour," he connected. "But once again, I would say arroyo collecting the gemstones actually from what catches your eye."
"Collect what speaks to you and what speaks to your middle. After awhile, you'll develop a certain level of sophistication and at that place volition be certain classes and types of gems that you want." – Harris Zaidi
READ> Singapore men store for gems too, only they look for stones with stories
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/people/harris-zaidi-gem-collector-singapore-236411
0 Response to "Meet the Singaporean gem collector who likens his collection to family recipes"
Post a Comment