Why is Kofu the "Jewel Polishing Town"?
In the past, as Kofu was a source of crystal and a crystal mining site, polishing workshops for gemstones flourished from ancient times. The polishing techniques cultivated over a long history continue to be refined even today.
For many years, our store has been using special loose stones made in Kofu for our original jewelry.
This time, we had the opportunity to visit the workshop of Shimizu Kiseki, located in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture.
They create popular original cuts that receive orders from both domestic and international clients.
Storage room "like a museum" lined with rough stones
First, we saw the room where rough stones are stored.
Cases are neatly organized by stone type,
Like a museum, gemstones from all over the world are waiting to be polished.
"Sakura Incut" where not even a moment's deviation is permitted
Then we went to the polishing craftsmen's workroom.
This time, we observed the polishing process of the Sakura Line Cut, a representative cut by Shimizu featuring a mysterious cutting where cherry blossoms appear to float within the loose stone.
The "Sakura Line Cut" is characterized by five cherry blossom petals that float around the culet at the center of the loose stone, clearly visible from the top surface.
While adjustments are also made by machine, most of the process relies on the 'sense' cultivated through manual labor.
Truly the craftsmanship of Japan.
After applying rough facet cuts, three polishing craftspeople refine it through each stage of the process.
At each stage, they progress to finer polishing compounds.
A precise and labor-intensive collaborative process where the petal shapes are intentionally left slightly roughly polished, while the surrounding facets are polished to a fine finish.
The cutting of cherry petals is said to lose its shape if the angle or force is changed even for a moment.
What a delicate cutting!
The angle and strength at which the tool is applied to the grinder can only be done with years of experience, a true craftsmanship.
The work of polishing facets at specific angles is adjusted with precision measured in fractions of paper thickness.
To achieve beautiful cuts, fine-tuned sizing similar to brilliant cuts and careful balance adjustments are employed.
As I watched the process of bringing out the cherry blossoms while preserving the color, I realized anew that gem polishing is ultimately about how much color and carat (size) can be retained.
In the workshop surrounded by countless rough stones, where craftspeople work silently, there is a warm, gentle atmosphere much like that of a family home.
We felt our backs once again straightened up as we wanted to carefully and firmly tailor such a carefully cut loose piece into jewelry.
Sakura Incut Jewelry and Our Thoughts
Drawing attention from around the world, the creation of Sakura Incut now takes approximately 4 to 5 months.
Since our store was founded in 1970, we have carefully crafted each precious piece into jewelry.
A design featuring a pink amethyst Sakura Line Cut complemented by sparkling diamonds.
The loose stone used is sized so that the cherry blossoms are clearly visible.
Truly an item that symbolizes Japanese handcrafted work.
Passing down jewelry is one of the things our store cherishes,
and we also consider it our mission to inherit this beautiful and wonderful Japanese technique.
Himitsu Sakura Collection
If you are interested, please feel free to contact us 🌸
