GEM

A gem is a stone — most often mineral, sometimes organic (pearl, coral) — valued for its beauty, its rarity and its Hardness, and used in jewelry-making, jewelry and watchmaking. Precious stones are traditionally distinguished (Diamond, Ruby / Jewel, Sapphire, Emerald) from semi-precious stones (all other gems of quality). In watchmaking, gems are mainly involved in Setting (stone/jewel setting) decorative element of cases, bezels, dials and bracelets, where they enhance the jewelry watch. They must be distinguished from functional watchmaking “stones” (synthetic Ruby / Jewel used as bearings for pivots), which belong to the technical realm rather than ornamentation, even though they come from the same corundum. The value of a Gem is assessed according to criteria such as color, clarity, cut and weight (in carats). The Setting (stone/jewel setting) of gems calls for a specific craft, Setting (stone/jewel setting), which requires precision and an aesthetic sense to fix the stones without weakening them while optimizing their brilliance. Gems belong to the most precious realm of watchmaking-jewelry.