We are currently living in the epoch of revival of Russian jewellery and stone-cutting art of the end of the XIXth and the beginning of the XXth centuries. Both professionals and amateurs of these fine arts reveal now a keen interest in masterpieces of the great Russian craftsmen. In their time being the owner of elegant bagatelles executed by Russian court jewellers testified of being admitted in the circle of the privileged. The world elite strived to own cigarette cases signed by St. Petersburg masters Carl Fabergé and Friedrich Kehli, while the much renowned Cartier company used to buy stone-cut jewels from A. Denisov and Pr. Ovchinnikov from the Urals aiming to grasp the secrets of Russian stone-cutting craftsmanship. Domestic implements by Faberge entranced the high and the mighty of the whole world, from titled to top officials and financiers: thermometers, table bells, toilet-bags, boxes for pills were executed with the thoroughness inherent to truly creative work of art. These bagatelles introduced beauty to everyday existence as their creators aimed at “turning common life to art and art to common life”.

Contemporary Russian masters basing on the rich classical inheritance continue to surprise us with their creativity. A recently founded company Rosan Diamond set itself a task of creating a genuine work of art from a usual credit card. Originators of the idea were of the opinion that it is not a piece of mere plastic bearing a proud inscription Platinum or Gold that was to represent prosperity but a truly original and skillfully executed jewel. “Precious Card” of Rosan Diamond in gold, pearls, diamonds and semi-precious gems, materials that have come to symbolize riches of the Earth of long, could make a worthy equivalent for luxury and opulence. They will make a perfect compliment to the already existing set of costly accessories of a modern well-to-do person comprised of business card holders with transparent guilloche enamel and golden monograms, exclusive fountain pens, cellular phones in precious metals, silver cigarette-cases, etc. “Precious Card” of Rosan Diamond obviously lacking in this “consumer basket” do look like miniature work of art and aim at enhancing the owner’s individuality and eccentricity.

For that extent, artists at Rosan Diamond have developed a variety of compositions likely to satisfy the most demanding of their future clients. There are accurate images of landscapes and intricate weavings of abstract patterns. The manner of execution is varying as well thus giving a client yet a greater freedom of choice from austere graphics to vivid picturesque paintings. Artists turn to the artistic heritage of the gone centuries in quest of inspiration, offering their personal interpretation of artistic styles of the past. Influence of the Art deco style, very much in vogue nowadays, is easily percepted; the charm of japonisme and majestic art of Ancient Egypt are also noteworthy.

The manner of execution amazes with its precision and virtuosity. Credit cards can’t be over 0.9 mm in depth. Cut gems, relieves of semi-precious stones and gold should necessarily comply with the said requirement. Jewellery craftsmen Vyacheslav Dolgikh sand Vladimir Kushnerev brilliantly coped with the task and created miniature cards notable for artistic perfection and high professionalism of execution. Various complicated techniques have been employed: micromosaic, manual guilloche engraving, etc.

Russian jewellers and stone-cutting masters have always been distinguished for style, elegance and sophistication of their masterpieces. Thin and flat cards bearing an electronic chip skillfully blend into the image still produce an impression of depth, relief, and in some cases, even perspective. Smooth pearls seem to be standing out from the rest of the even illustration, while intersections of images create an impression of several spatial layers brought together in a knot. Flowers symbolizing the very first days of creation, purity and youth, white lilies of the valley executed in pearls are almost palpable (see card Lily of the Valley). Colorful combinations of gems and semi-precious stones, pearls and nacre deftly combine with the prevalent golden tone. Golden mat background is particularly spectacular on the reverse side of the Mountain Tree card that represents widely spread lacy tree branches gleaming with rhodium-plated and jasper leaves and ruby fruit. The front face of the card is yet more vibrant in colour splashes: here the background is executed in rhodonite. While the front face of the Capricorn card is made in tusk of mammoth and nacre and is, thus, more ponderous, the reverse side appears lighter being made of gold and adorned with manual and guilloche engraving. Craftsmen at Rosan Diamond skillfully apply delicate metal carving. Thus, the corners of the Samsara card ornamented with superb ligature appear see-through and almost transparent.

Works signed by Rosan Diamond artists are distinguished with superior level of drawing and exciting compositions. This is due to no chance. Outstanding Russian artists were invited to make sketches of future “Precious Cards”. Among of them is Tatyana Zharkova whose works are truly elegant and expressive. The Dragonflies card, created according to her sketch, represents a subtle interplay of lights of glittering gold, radiant nacre and sparkling diamonds making up differing intricate images at the front and at the rear sides. The front side reveals golden dragonflies fluttering across the iridescent nacre background, while the rear side is pure gold decorated with engravings and nacre insects and herbs.

The Sphinx and the Samsara cards are not merely skillfully executed miniatures representing colorful flashes of gems but allegoric compositions that convey a particular sense. Such images as boats, protective elements, so to say, or the wheel of Samsara, the wheel of life and its endless revolution, are truly symbolic and this very role is complemented with inscriptions. One of the inscriptions reads: “all material is transitory” while the beauty and the art are eternal.

In conclusion I would like to point out that craftsmen of Rosan Diamond exceeded themselves in conveying the idea if wealth, luxury and opulence in the most suitable materials for that extent and, moreover, up to standard inherent to works of art.

Tatiana Muntian,
curator at the State Museum Reserve of The Moscow Kremlin,
in charge of the collection of Russian jewellery houses and the Faberge collection.