FOUR Magazin März 2022 - Larimar

31. März 2022

NATURAL BEAUTY

 Infatuated with gemstones since childhood, Thomas Jirgens now uses his passion for these precious natural beauties to create striking jewels. His latest collection, Larimar, celebrates none other than the Caribbean herself.

At one stage or another, all of us have been entranced by the mythical world of fairy tales, legends and magic, especially as young children. For Thomas, this intrigue never quite waned but, instead, blossomed into a career that honours the effervescence of the natural world. It was thirty years ago that Thomas embarked on his journey to create jewels that not only themselves glitter with grace, but that enhance the innate beauty of the woman who wears them. Geometric yet organic shapes, intense colours and sophisticated designs defi ne Thomas’ creations, which have attracted clients the world over thanks to their unique, eye-grabbing semblances. Inspired by nature, colours — especially those brought about by the four seasons — are always the guiding light in Thomas’ ready-to-wear and bespoke pieces. Whether it’s gems that encapsulate the fi ery African sunrise, the auburn hues of autumn or the stark white and black contrasts of snow-capped mountains in winter, Mother Nature shines through in all her glory in Thomas’ timeless, architectural designs. His latest collection, Larimar, is no exception. His muse for this range, the Larimar gemstone, took him from his showroom in the heart of Munich’s high-end shopping district, Maximilianstraße, to the Dominican Republic to unearth a blue-hued beauty that captures the ocean’s wealth of colours unlike any other.

Found deep in the mountains on Hispaniola island, this natural spectacle is not an easy stone to excavate. Narrow shafts, steep slopes and thick rock formations characterise the mining process, which is carried out carefully by hand using nothing but hammers, chisels and shovels. The process is made even more challenging by the fact that the crystals are enrobed in a layer of opaque greyish-brown rock, and can only be identifi ed once cut open, unveiling the colour and purity of the crystal that lies within. Mirroring the appearance of sunlight refl ecting on the water’s surface, the gem is a rich aquamarine colour crisscrossed with lines of white and pockets of green and brown. However, this pattern poses diffi culties when cutting the stone, as these colourful inclusions caused by interspersed elements such as copper, alter the material’s degree of hardness, making it subject to cracking easily. But with a skilled hand and a deft eye, Larimar can be expertly shaped and turned into mesmerising pieces of jewellery that beguile on the body. Thomas found exactly this expertise with César, a local lapidary who runs a small gem-cutting business with his family in Bahoruco. In February 2021, Thomas spent six weeks with César and his family, training them and working side by side with them cutting the stones.

He returned in February 2022, spending four weeks with the team cutting new forms for the collection. Once precisely cut, the gems are sent back to Thomas Jirgens’ workshop in Germany, where they are refi ned by a goldsmith’s craftsmanship and the company’s state-ofthe-art technologies, resulting in unparalleled works of art that are almost impossible to replicate in this quality. One such innovation is Jirgens’ Trinity Transformers technology, which allows earrings to vary in length. Elements can be left out, turned around and changed, enabling one earring to be worn in multiple ways. The Larimar collection, which features these signature earrings, along with rings, bracelets and pendants set in white gold and combined with diamonds and Paraiba tourmalines, is an ode to summer days spent in the Caribbean. From the power of surging waves to the elegance of gently bobbing yachts, all of these facets are evident in the creations, encapsulating Hispaniola’s magnetic spirit and serene beauty.

 

 

 

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