The Hope Diamond and the Star of India have carried with them the fame of beauty and wonder. One looks at it and is in awe; that something so magical could come from this earth. But what they don’t realize is that while they may be a creation of mother earth, its true beauty is brought out by those who have spent countless hours perfecting their art. These are the hidden heroes at Lustre Design Corporation where the best of custom gem cutting in Sri Lanka is showcased.
To paraphrase Victor Hugo, nature made pebbles and lapidary made diamonds. Nothing could be closer to describing the art of the lapidary. They take a stone from the earth and give the world unthinkable beauty and wonder. They take something what is found at your feet and turn it into something that is adorned atop of your head. They give a unique character to something that is rough and cold; they give it elegance.
In days of past, lapidary was considered vital to the portrayal of beauty and elegance; Kings and Queens had such artists in their courts and wealthy families spent fortunes cultivating these natural talents. Hours on hours and years on years spent perfecting the art taught to them by their teachers who in turn learnt at the foot of their mentors. An art so personal and close to the heart cannot be taught from books, it must be learnt from the lovers of the art themselves.
The time and dedication needed to cultivate the art would be the main cause for the why the art of lapidary is dying. In a world of speed and efficiency, to spend hours on hours crafting and perfecting stones into a thing of beauty is a hard sell. Though the industry has greatly benefitted with the use of technology, there is a certain personal connection a lapidary keeps with its art. This personalisation of the art can never be replaced by technology and collectives such as Lustre Design Corporation show case talent that bridges the gap between technology and art.
But technology cannot simply be blamed for the decline in the interest of the art but the relevance gemstones play in society today. In a world where the fashion trends are influenced by those who have not reached the peak in their field but reached out to millions of viewers, the question coming up would be what value they place on custom gem cutting in Sri Lanka.
Lapidary, like any art must be protected and nurtured. Not only by those are sustained by it but by those who share the passion and love for it. It must not be allowed to die as the world would lose a little bit more beauty and sparkle in a already dimming world. Supporting local talent at places such as Lustre Design Corporation, helping develop the craft and custom gem cutting in Sri Lanka should be on everyone inspired by the beauty and magnificence of lapidary
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