Nechama Brodie: Diamonds, Suspended in Epoxy Resin, Are Forever

by Tarryn on Feb 4th, 2011

Nechama Brodie, author or Inside Joburg, visits Cape Town jewellery company Situ, created by architect and diamantaire Gregory Katz and jewellery designers Philippa Green and Ida Elsje. Situ recently decided to investigate new ways of encasing and displaying diamonds, with “organically inspired metalwork”, freeing diamond jewellery from the traditional confines of geometric fittings. Brodie is dazzled by the result:

Marilyn Monroe had it right in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes when she saw a tiara and chirped: “I just love finding new places to wear diamonds!”

Seven years ago jewellery designers Philippa Green and Ida Elsje collaborated with architect and diamantaire (isn’t that a lovely word?) Gregory Katz to create Situ — an innovative range of diamonds suspended in epoxy resin. They won’t reveal exactly how they do it but the concept is literally brilliant, liberating precious facets from the fixed grasp of traditional metal claws or prongs.

Until recently Situ has emphasised its high-tech origins, producing pieces that are modern, largely geometric or symmetrical — solitaires hovering in perfect circles or squares of plastic. But this month, Elsje introduced something different — her signature organically inspired metalwork with an “imperfectly” placed perfect gem. The end product is called the Rococo, a ring of startling beauty — gold filigree encased in clear resin, with a diamond winking off-centre. It is bold, outsized and very light.