At work, checking a sapphire being recut. Photo : The gemmologist
On the site, I like to introduce you to the companies and skills that make up our professional sector. As you have been able to see over the months, our profession is rich (see Career section, nda). Whether they are large companies or smaller craft structures, they all have stories to tell.
I would like to take you to meet a young lapidary with an interesting background, Sébastien Hourrègue, who has been working in the 11th arrondissement of Paris since 2014.
Rear view of a citrine cabochon made by the workshop. Photo: The gemmologist.
One of the workshop’s specialities is the creation of so-called “fancy” cuts. An example is this Vector Equilibrium quartz (31 facets) which he imagined and designed for an amazing result. Photo: The gemmologist.
Before practising this profession, Sébastien was first a chemist by training (Baccalauréat followed by a BTS). Minerals have been with him since childhood and he admits without hesitation to a real passion for rocks and gems. At the same time, he is very interested in what is often called non-conventional medicine. And it was through the discovery of lithotherapy that his professional life changed. A meeting with a lapidary in Bagnère-de-Luchon, Jacques May, convinced him to start an apprenticeship.
Faceting. Photo: The gemmologist
He will stay two years with this craftsman while attending the CFA of Saumur in order to prepare the CAP of lapidary. Then, in order to perfect his work on faceted stones, he went to Paris and a workshop in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. At the same time he enrolled at the BJO school. Once his diploma was validated, he stayed for a while in the company that had trained him on a sandwich course.
Resumption of the roundel on a damaged heart cut sapphire. Photo : The gemmologist
Different tools for cabochon cutting. Photo : The gemmologist
Setting up his own business seemed obvious to him because he wanted to be able to carry out, in addition to the classic services of a lapidary workshop (cutting, re-cutting and adjusting on new stones as well as repairs), creative work around the stone. Inspired by the work of American or Russian lapidaries such as Jean-Noel Soni, Chris Lawrie or Victor Tuzlukov, he makes so-called “fantasy” cuts that take more account of the original rough than academic cuts and thus favour its natural harmony.
Inspired by the work of Victor Tuzlukov, the workshop has designed and created a new fantasy cut on a synthetic sapphire of 29.28 carats. This stone with 396 facets required more than 30 hours of work from design to final polishing. Photo: The gemologist
Sculpture work on a 91.68 carat rock crystal. About 20 hours were necessary to finalize this stone. Photo: The gemmologist
You can contact the workshop for all types of work on new and old pieces: cutting, adjusting and recutting. Moreover, you can ask him for custom-made work. He will then study the feasibility of your project with you. Don’t hesitate to send him an email: seb-lapidaire@hotmail.fr
Being a lapidary also allows you to take up challenges. Realization on a zirconium oxide of the copy of the Great blue diamond of Louis XIV thanks to the ribs taken on the lead found in the collection of the MNHN of Paris and to the data provided by Mr. François Farges. Several days of work were necessary to make this 89 facets stone with a beautiful result. Photo: The gemmologist
See you soon!
