Fun Facts about Hong Kong:

• Hong Kong means “fragrant harbor” in Chinese, and Kowloon mean “nine dragons”
• It is ranked fourth in a global billionaires list and has 64 residents with personal fortunes of over US$1 Billion
• There are 263 islands in Hong Kong
• Dim Sum originated here and means “touch the heart”
• the glittering skyline has over 8,000 skyscrapers
• it is home to jewelers extraordinaire….. FORMS JEWELERY

As much as we love the skyline, the islands, and dim sum, nothing compares with a visit to master jewelers Forms Jewellery . The founders, Tzvika Janover and Elad Assor, are no strangers to exceptional stones, coming from multi-generational families of diamond cutters. Recently, Gilly Strauss joined the executive team as CEO, bringing over 18 years of experience in luxury brand building and value creation to the Forms Family. No strangers to the FORMS brand, we excitedly planned to spend time in the FORMS Hong Kong workshop, eager to learn more about this extraordinary jeweler.

Before we share our experiences with you, lets backtrack a moment to understand why we are so passionate about this brand. Bear in mind that we spend all day every day viewing exceptional jewelry. Yet nothing ever prepares us for the thrill of seeing a new FORMS creation. Each piece is one of a kind, hand crafted, and includes diamonds and gemstones rarely seen elsewhere. Over and above this…it’s all about the design! A FORMS piece can be held from any angle, and the beauty will still captivate you. The details are astounding, and the brand strives to “seek perfection in every imaginable detail of every piece, calling them works of patience”.

The artisans in the workshop patiently handcraft the creations, turning exceptional designs into flawless pieces of jewelry. The design and production artisans work seamlessly together painstakingly handcrafting each step of the process. The resulting pieces are perfect for the FORMS woman, who is as individual, unique, and stylish as the FORMS jewelry she wears. Through the years the design team have evolved the FORMS signature, but the commitment to selecting unusual gemstones and working with precision cut diamonds (diamonds that are custom cut for a specific piece) remains constant.

With only 100 new pieces created each year, FORMS strive to make sure every design counts. The new FORMS collection is based on the ELEMENTS and subtly conveys images of fire, ice,earth and water.  First we saw the earrings, which are detailed, light, flexible, and elegant.

“DIAMOND CHANDELIERS” BY FORMS, REPRESENTING FIRE AND ICE: The earrings have a sense of weightlessness and light, and are exceptionally flexible, gently swaying with every movement! The design team worked hard to make sure they used the least amount of gold possible – when it comes to earrings, a few grams can make all the difference. The earrings are designed to be both statement pieces and exceedingly wearable. Wear them every day with ease…or on the red carpet with confidence!

In addition to the earrings, we saw several new rings that are part of the new collection. We saw designs that have been influenced by both floral (earth) and fire (flame) elements. The new rings all have clean continuous lines, a look only achievable by hand carving each piece until it is exactly right.

Here we are briefly explaining each step in manufacturing a diamond from rough to polished diamond:

• Planning or mapping refers to of the initial idea of cutting a rough diamond for maximum yield. As technology advanced in past few decades, the current mapping software can analyze the rough diamond to the heart of the stone and design a sawing and polishing plan to maximize yield and profit.

• Sawing or cleaving refers to separating a piece from rough diamond to be polished as a separate finished diamond. Sawing is now done by high technology laser machines.

• Bruting varies depending on the final shape of the polished diamond. For example for round brilliant diamonds bruting involves two diamonds spinning at high speed in different directions. While applying against each other with moderate pressure then they shape each other into the preliminary round shape.

• Polishing is the final stage of diamond manufacturing and consists of blocking and brillianteering.

• Blocking is referring to polishing main facets of a diamond. Blocking includes polishing main table, culet, eight upper crown and eight lower pavilion facets of a 58facet brilliant cut diamonds. This step in diamond manufacturing provides much of a finished shape and facets are monitored closely to make sure that proper proportions are maintained.

• Brillianteering is the final step to add the star facets on both crown and pavilion of the diamond hence the reason for brilliance and fire of diamonds. Low quality brillianteering can result in visible polishing lines that do not match or line up with each other.

People are presented with perfume, gloves, sweaters, and cell phones. In fact, there is a very wide variety of gifts one would consider. But, from all the options you have, unless you are getting them a new car, there is one which stands out and will always be remembered. That’s right, we are talking high-end diamond jewelry!

Leibish & Co Unique Gift Ideas

Diamond jewelry is one of those things that have been gifted for thousands of years, especially when it comes to displaying your love and respect. One can never go wrong with gifting jewelry. Unlike clothes or electronics, it can be worn every day, and it never gets old or out of date. In short, it us truly unforgettable and will be cherished for a lifetime.

Just think about it for a moment. No matter what her age, it will always be welcomed. Whether it is for your grandmother, mom, wife, or just someone you think deserves something truly special this Christmas, diamond jewelry will always win them over.

Keeping it Unique

The right piece is sometimes hard to find, as there really are so many different types of options out there. But, if you want something with a classic design but so unique it will stand out among everything else, consider fancy color diamonds. There is no doubt that upon receiving one of those magical pieces that a lot of love and thought was put into her gift.

Leibish & Co Fancy Color Diamonds

Color is a big factor in choosing what you think works best. Think of colors they are particularly drawn to, colors they like to wear, or perhaps a color that will represent their personality. In addition to the remarkable beauty the colors show, there is a deep meaning in every color that exists. For example, red symbolizes ambition, strong will, and passion. Blue represents nobility and strength, while green symbolizes safety, harmony and growth. A popular color choice for diamonds is yellow as they symbolize joy, happiness, and intellect. If you aren’t sure what color they would enjoy best, choose a colored diamond that represents what you love most about their personality!

Jewelry Styles

Of course it’s important when choosing a jewelry piece for your loved one to keep in mind what you think they might like. Since they will be the one wearing this piece for many more years to come, it’s important that the jewelry reflects their personality and taste. One can never go wrong with a classic style, comprised of stunning styles of jewelry that will never go out of trend.

So now that you have decided that diamond jewelry is unquestionably the best present to give this holiday season, the question that remains now is what kind of jewelry?

For a person with simple tastes, perhaps they will enjoy heart shaped jewelry, to remind them of how much you love them. One of the many benefits of a simple piece of jewelry is that you can wear it every single day. They don’t need to ever take off their jewelry and it works with just about any type of outfit they would wear.

If your loved one is bold, consider a fine gemstone. These pieces can often be found with a deeper color and a little more presence. For example, a fine piece of emerald jewelry will be exactly what they are looking for. The stunning shade of emerald green will be sure to turn heads.

Lastly, if you are in the market for something extraordinarily rare, take a look at some Argyle Diamond jewelry. These pieces include the most spectacular and exclusive pink diamonds that exist. One thing you can be absolutely sure of is that no one else will have a piece like it.

If you are still not sure what you should get, check their social media sites and see if they have pinned or posted some jewelry designs they like. Chances are if they posted it on social media, they will love to get the real thing!

Check out all these pieces and more fancy colored diamond and gemstone jewelry at www.leibish.com. It’s time to wow your family this holiday season, after all they deserve it!

The approximately 40ct light brown, antique cushion-cut diamond is classified as a Type IIa, distinguished by an absence of nitrogen. Being the most chemically pure form of diamond it exhibits exceptional optical transparency. Type IIa’s were first unearthed in India, particularly Golconda, and have since been recovered from all major diamond producing regions.

This rare cushion-cut also exhibits antique shapes and preparation styles often encountered in 17th and 18th centuries. With all modern cuttings being digitally generated , there remains an irreplaceable artisanal texture that conveys what is today an almost forgotten level of craftsmanship. Cutters of the old world would implement their personal expertise according to the possibilities organically contained within the stone itself (rather then “band” them to maximize yield laser sowing etc).

These hand-cleaved and polished diamonds allow for a beautiful brilliance which is incomparable to modern tones. Its movements and facets, individually shaped by and according to the human eye, are far softer and some say more feminine than current cuts. Without the limiting requirement to follow pre-designated ‘ideal’ templates regarding the numbers, angles and direction of facets this diamond captures light in an entirely unique way. Its larger, open facets softens dispersion giving the diamond a softer brilliancy in comparison to a modern brilliant cut diamond . For such reasons, earlier periods rightfully considered perfect symmetry to not be as important. This particular diamond displays minor irregularities in both the sizing and positioning of facets thereby producing an exclusive diffusion as well as substantial changes in color when placed under different light.

Besides being such a rare and pure diamond that, to my eyes, is as deep and clear as ocean the modern design in which it has been set is remarkable. Modeled on the ancient Egyptian Ouroboros, this Eastern interpretation implements an Asian dragon with a tail clasp set between its jaws. Used throughout a variety of cultures over the centuries, from Ancient Greece to Jungian psychology, the Ouroboros embodies endless cyclicality or infinite recreation. There is a tangible sense of timeless beauty embodied in both the hints to this archetypal structure as well as within the diamonds themselves.

The piece has two additional types of diamond scales enveloping the entire bangle. The first are half-moon old cuts which echo the central diamonds’ shape. These also portray large, highly specialized softer facets that permit light to effortlessly pass through. The second are pink melee diamonds positioned for pronounced accents or highlights. To release the Ouroboros one must push a hidden pink diamond clasp nestled inside the serpents’ mouth.

The craftsmanship and design is as breathtaking as the diamond. Therefore, all in all, I can honestly call it a once in a lifetime piece to come across and appreciate the beauty as well as the rarity of such an exceptional composition.

With very special thanks to Tzvika Janovar (Director of Forms) for providing such valuable information on traditional and artisanal methods used in the past to cut diamonds and history behind the piece.

You can follow Forms on Instagram and enjoy an up-close experience of the piece through my eyes here: