Hidden Gems – Sarah Hue – Williams

Foreign. Hello and welcome to Hidden Gems with Maya on women's radio station, the voice of women worldwide. Coming to you from our studio in London, Hidden Gems is designed to inform and inspire our listeners by showcasing extraordinary women in the world of mining as well as the jewelry and gemstone industry. Today on Hidden Gems, we're joined by Sarah Hugh Williams. She is a British jewelry specialist based here in London and in Sydney, Australia. Sarah's connection to jewelry is, dare I say, multifaceted. We were introduced via our alumni network GIA London when Sarah gave a talk about her book. It's called Hidden Gems. As you know, the show is called Hidden Gems, so excellent title if I say so myself. Hugh Williams has been in the jewelry industry for three decades, part of which was in the jewelry department of one of the world's most well known auction houses. She's also a lecturer and author. So, Sarah, as with all our guests, we would like to get to know you better. So welcome. Thank you, Maya, it's just lovely to be with you. Tell us, how would you describe who you are and what you do in your own words? Well, my business card says that I'm a gemologist and jewellery historian and I suppose I think of it as doing applied gemology. So converting the science of the study of gemstones with the art of design history, combining those two to give an understanding of jewelry as a whole, how it's been designed, made and worn over the centuries. So as a gemologist, the science behind the beauty of a gem, its chemical composition and the physics and optics of what it does to light, for instance, these explain its main properties. But then the understanding the history behind a jewel, both in terms of its design and the cultural era, it reflects as well as its provenance or previous ownership, of course, which people find so fascinating. These combine together beautifully to give us an overall story of a jewel. I guess my job is quite interdisciplinary. Long word to use on the radio, but I guess it's some art, some science, a bit of history and even some psychology. Across many different civilizations and cultures, jewels are tiny windows on the world. Through a jewel, we discover something of the lives, loves, pain and humor of jewellery designers, creators, owners and collectors. And it's just a fascinating and beautiful world. I quite like the idea of windows there. Oh, gosh, it's so beautiful. I just have to ask you as well, because you've mentioned, you know, psychology and art and all these different disciplines, but would you say that our industry welcomes women at all levels, from entrepreneurs to chief executives, interns? Also, the concept of Accessibility is so crucial. Do you think our industry is easily accessible? Hmm. The current zeitgeist is just so topical here. The MeToo movement, the existing discussions about the gender pay gap and the lack of representation of women at the highest levels on boards of our top companies today. You know, we're always hearing about this and I guess I'd love to tell you that the jewellery industry does welcome women, but in truth, we're coming off such a low base, there's still a long way to go. While I was writing Hidden Gems, this historical anomaly really came home to me, prompting me to write a chapter quite early on in the book called Female Flair. And it covered the story of the House of Boivin and Suzanne Belperon in the early years of the 20th century. And Suzanne Belperon I'm sure some listeners may have heard of, if they follow and are interested in jewelry, because her jewels have enjoyed such a meteoric resurgence in popularity recently. Historically, there have only been a handful of women in the business that could be classed as masters of their art. So Jeanne Toussaint at Cartier, the partnership of Rene Puissant and Rene Sim Lacaz at Van Cleef and Arpel and Suzanne Belprom all endure as the most important, in my view, around the world today. However, I think Lauren Adriana, who's based here in London, and a lady known as Edene in Paris, are two women doing exquisite, genuine, genuinely unique, I guess, work. Right now, I'd also treasure a jewel by Cora Shebani or Jessica McCormack, also working here in London, and the Australian designer Margo McKinney, while in Asia, Cindy Chow and Michelle Ong are also making their mark. And listeners probably also are aware that several women are holding top designer positions at the luxury brand groups, such as Victoire de Castellan at Dior, for instance. So overall, I think, and thankfully in the 21st century, women are coming through as successful jewellers and recognised in their own right. The other great change in the dynamic of today's industry is the fact that women all over the world are now buying jewelry for themselves, as opposed to only being given it by men. So it's a big cultural shift and a really progressive one, I think. Gosh. I think there's so many changes, as we've said. You've been around for three decades, if I'm allowed to say that. Would you say that? I mean, could you talk us through your journey and how you ended up in the role you're in today? From Cambridge to Christie's and where you are now. Actually, my website is called jewelryjourneys.com and it's been a journey with all sorts of different twists and turns. I certainly don't come from a family background of jewelry or the decorative arts. My mother, if she were here, would say that it was obvious from the start I was one of those children that was always picking up shiny pebbles and making daisy chains and necklaces from those old fashioned foil milk bottle tops. Now I really am showing my head. I read history at Cambridge and very quickly after graduating I just knew I had to follow my longtime passion, jewelry. I'd loved science subjects at school and did four science A levels. So it felt really great to go back to the science of stones, but then also combine this science with some of the history of art and the romance of jewels. So I studied for my gemology qualification, I should be able to say that by now, in London and I won the Anderson Medal, actually in the process of qualifying, which was just wonderful. I also went on to train in the US at the gia, the Gemological Institute of America, and in Antwerp at the HRD or High Diamond Council. And all the while, as many other students will have been experiencing, I was trying to gain some knowledge, some insight and some experience into all the different jewellery fields. So gemstone dealing, jewellery manufacturing, retailing, teaching staff, and then the auction world, where I taught the gemology section of the Sotheby's Understanding Jewellery course and then moved to Christie's where I wrote Christie's Guide to Jewellery in 2001. Seems an awfully long time ago. Gosh, yes, time really does fly. Sarah, my next question is about you. And as a woman in your role, have you faced any challenges? Honestly, no. But I've never really found gender a challenge. And in fact, dare I say it, I think women design jewellery for other women with perhaps a better understanding of what these end users require from their jewellery. So in a sense it's the opposite way around. I think you can really turn your gender into a positive in this industry. I think that's a really wonderful thought. And on that note, we're going to go off for a little break and we'll speak to you in about five minutes or so. WRS women's radio station, Voice of Women Worldwide, Sarah's Universal Soul Show. What does your soul or spirituality mean to you? Welcome to future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on Women's Radio Station. Welcome back. I'm Russ Cain. You're listening to in conversation with on Women's Radio Station. I'm Angie. And I'm Patsy and we're open. To see what other programs we have on Women's radio station, head to our website womensradiostation.com hi, I'm Valentina Barbacci and I'm the Executive Director of Media Matters for Women. We're a registered charity operating in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo and we produce and share podcasts via Bluetooth on mobile phones, focusing specifically on women and girls excluded from information due to extreme poverty. We empower those living in rural areas with media that transforms how they access, own and share information. To find out more and be part of this movement, come check out our website@media mattersforwomen.org do you need mediation? We are the Aid Project charity. We provide convict, resolution and community engagement services. Our services include community mediation for neighbour disputes, family mediation for separating couples, special education needs for parents, carers and their children and younger adults, as well as workplace mediation and restorative services. To find out more, head to womensradiostation.com or theaproject.co.uk women's radio station is a fresh new broadcasting platform driven by love and passion. Connecting women around the world in a global network is all about diversity from opinions, career, ethnicity, education. We aim to show the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and a platform for your voice. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Mirae B Ltd. We are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar, we update your client database, we take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077-8684-8998 for further information. Mirae B Limited making the life of the business owner successful. Women's radio station is passionate about communication and we'd love any thoughts and feedback on our programmes. Email presentersomensradiostation.com if there's a topic you'd like to hear about or want to contact your favourite presenter, do get in touch. WRS women's radio station Voice of Women Worldwide. I'm Isabelle Manavy, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? We can do this by coaching you to rewire your brain using simple visualization techniques. In 20 years of practice, I seen this transform lives. For more information, look on Women's Radio website. Call me on 07-98442-2171. I'm listening. Hi, I'm Vivian Arts President of Women in Banking and Finance. Are you a woman working in the financial services sector in the uk? If you are not already a member then you are missing out on a fantastic network which has been inspiring women for 40 years. We are a not for profit organization empowering women to network, learn and inspire, inspire each other at every stage of their career. Through our highly sought after events, we aim to improve diversity by working closely with government leaders and firms through our UK branches. Find out more at www.wibf.org uk and join a network to transform your career. Hi, I'm Sandy Goddard, founder of the Room Upstairs, a different kind of businesswoman's network. Imagine a lunch or dinner party sitting next to great connections, people who might help you. You have fun, do business, build relationships, top women speakers, good food and no membership fees. That's not selling, that's connecting. Join me and economist Ruth Lee Seabeed and have your say on Britain and Brexit. Find out more at theroomupstairs.co.uk. women's radio station is a not for profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Welcome back to Hidden Gems with Maya on women's radio station, the voice of women worldwide. I'm here today with Sarah Hugh Williams and just before the break we were discussing your time in an auction house, Sarah, at Sotheby's and at Christie's. So can you explain to our listeners the thought process behind the inner workings of an auction house? Have you always been in the jewellery department? Actually I've always been in the jewellery department and I think it's a question I get asked quite often actually about what? What do you actually do within an auction house? And what's important is to understand that auction houses are not simply middlemen, you know, connecting and bridging the gap between buyer and seller. So in my head I have always tried to apply the thought where can I add value? That's the key, I think. And it starts as soon as a jewel comes in. Is it really what the owner says or thinks it is? What does a thorough looping and that's obviously looking at the jewel with a 10 times magnification lens. What does that throw up in terms of clues as to the date and place it was made, the quality of the stones, the design, the method of manufacture? Do all these add up to a story that makes sense? I used to love doing the in depth research into a piece painting a picture of the kind of environment and context it was made in and its journey ever since. Who did it belong to, what things did it see and what adventure or love story was it part of? It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle and the jewellery specialist is like a detective piecing together all the different elements to make hopefully a coherent whole. Which of course really brings a jewel to life. And this is what adds to its appeal and value, of course. What else did I want to ask you in terms actually perhaps moving on from auction houses? Could you tell us a little bit more about the current jewellery industry here in London? And of course, if you can comment on Sydney as well, that'd be great. Well, I think we touched on it just earlier that there are definitely changes. One of the most obvious is that we're finding it harder and harder to source product, in other words, to find high quality antique jewellery to put into our auctions. London's the prime location worldwide for antique jewellery, but supply is simply running out and the current economic climate means that sales are difficult. I think I've noticed that the very best jewels signed by the top jewellery names are selling really well and we're getting very good prices. But anything that falls short of this tends to remain unsold. So it's really tough out there. Sydney, where I spend six months a year is completely different as a market. And since I spent started spending time there every year, I've come to understand that it is simply about cultural differences. As you can imagine, it's a very casual lifestyle over there with a sort of beach to bar type attire as the norm. So even at the opera or ballet, people simply don't dress up. And the other problem is education. There isn't any history of jewellery. So while the intrinsic value of gemstones is something people can understand and sort of get their head around, paying top dollar for design just isn't. So over there it tends to be big solitaire diamonds and big South Sea pearls that are bought and worn. And I don't want to make it sound as if that's a criticism. One country's appreciation isn't better or more worthy than the other. They're just different, reflecting different lifestyles. And really that's what jewellery should be, a wonderful and positive addition to life, whatever and wherever that is in the world. But perhaps we'll see a Sarah Hugh Williams Academy of Jewellery in Sydney popping up in the future. Let me tell you, the thoughts cross my mind a couple of times. I'd love to do that speaking of future, which direction do you see the industry going in the next sort of 5 to 10 years? The numbers have decreased quite substantially at Baselworld. And what do you think about that? That's a really good question. I personally think that great design will actually and rightfully become even more appreciated and valued. So as I say, top quality jewels, genuinely one off pieces, will make top prices and sell really well. Similarly, jewels at the lower end of the scale provide great value in the current climate. The problem is the large bracket in the middle which may be difficult to buy and sell. So Baselworld and the fabulous fairs such as TFAF and Masterpiece here in London provide a really good gauge as to the changing world of jewellery. And we saw quite a different mix of exhibitors showing at Masterpiece in London in June and this was viewed by some as a sad sign of the times. We witnessed some of the specialist antique dealers decide not to come. It's a shame. Yeah. One of my favourites, for instance a la vieille roussy from New York didn't come and instead the numbers were made up by contemporary houses and well known jewelers, Chopin, Bogosian and Moussaev. And that seems to be the way the direction things are going. In other words, a little bit more homogenous and I don't really believe that to be such a good thing. Meanwhile, fine jewelry and luxury houses, so the well known names, De Beers, Chanel, Boucheron, they've all embraced recent fashion trends as well as more original ways of wearing jewellery. Their designers try and keep in mind the style and taste of the millennials now who've come through as viable jewellery consumers themselves. They have their own original taste. And this is a new generation who've created a noticeable shift in the types of jewellery that most maisons, great houses create. So these include convertible or transformable jewels that are really popular. Earrings that have detachable drops for instance, that can convert from day to night. Also we've seen double finger rings being really popular, asymmetric earrings and also sort of more open ended rings where the gems sit between the fingers rather than sitting flush in the centre of them. And finally, and this, this is sort of unique to the House of Dior at the moment. A type of hand jewel, it's a piece that's a bracelet then connected with a chain to a ring. So you know, they're always trying to make themselves current and make sure that they're not resting on their laurels and going back to old designs time and time again. It's genuinely unique Stuff that they're producing now. I like the thought of the chain bracelet. I went to an Indian wedding last weekend and that's very fashionable in their world and sounds quite exciting. It really is. Absolutely. Yeah. Sarah, you mentioned Masterpiece. We talked about Baselworld and with previous guests I've talked about sihh. Did you go to Basel? No, not Baselworld. Jem Geneve. Oh, no, I was actually still in Australia. I tend to get back sometime in early May to London, but this year I wasn't in time to go, which I was really disappointed about. So can I ask you you what you thought of it when the interviewer becomes the interviewee? Sure. Was it fabulous? Well, I'd say that it was quite a breath of fresh air. The industry very much needed something like this and I use the phrase, you know, how we got our groove back, because it's an industry event that's been organized by industry insiders, so we know what we're looking for. Some of the antique dealers are there, stone dealers are pumped into lots of old friends, from geologists to gemologists to designers and, oh, gosh, it was just. It was a really wonderful few days. And of course, you know, nothing beats Geneva with its quiet confidence and always synonymous with luxury. I'd say that it's really important that the industry is ran by industry insiders, which I said a moment ago. But for us to go ahead and using these new trends, that's a large part of it also. What else? You know, places like sort of Tucson or. Do you go to IJL in London? Yes. Yes. Are you going to be going this year? Absolutely. Great. We're working to interview you again because we'll be there with Women's radio. Oh, will you? Oh, fantastic. Yeah, I love ijl. It's. It went through quite a, I guess quite a sort of predictable stage and now they. They've really, really done well to revamp things and there are loads of lectures and talks and interactive. It's got something for everyone. I'm very pro it. Oh, I like the idea of something for everyone. That's so true. If you'd like to get in touch, you can contact us on Twitter mnsradiostn or if you have any questions for me, Hidden Gems with Maya. You can email presentersomensradiostation.com you can also contact me on Instagram in the comments section or in DM thecarrot soup.com, carrot is C A R A T or the carrotsoup.com. you'll hear more from Sarah after the Break. Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. Hungry an average woman eats about 2 to 3 kilos of lipstick in her lifetime. Women's Radio Station we want to hear from you. This is Women's Radio Station. You're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen Sink Spirituality. 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We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar, we update your client database, we take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077-868-4-8998 for further information. Mirae B Limited making the life of the business owner successful. I'm Isabelle Manevy, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? We can do this by encouraging you to rewire your brain using simple visualization techniques. In 20 years of practice, I've seen this transform lives. For more information, look on Women's Radio website. Call me on 079-8442, 2171. I'm listening. Do you need mediation? We are the a project charity. We provide conflict resolution and community engagement services. 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We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important, important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Hello and welcome back to Hidden Gems with Maya on women's radio station, the voice of women Worldwide. The program is designed to inform and inspire our listeners by showcasing extraordinary women in the world of mining as well as the jewelry and gemstone industry. Today, I'm in the studio with my guest, Sarah Hugh Williams. She's a gemologist and jewelry historian. Before the break, we discussed the role of the auction house and the future of the jewelry industry, as well as key industry fairs. And now, Sarah, on a more personal level, I'd like to know what are your hobbies outside of work? Do you know, I've got to admit, I've got another love within the decorative arts, sounding not very loyal. But ceramics, and specifically British studio ceramics, they usually have a lower entry price so it's easier to sort of get started collecting. And I love the sculptural sort of 3D element. It's all the best bits of jewellery. Just on a bigger scale, really. My ex husband is a film producer and I have him to thank for a real love of film. I generally, for some reason, always prefer film to theatre and away from the arts. Sport is my other passion, which always makes people laugh because I'm tiny and I don't look as if I'm, you know, going to be the obvious sports fan, but because of my illness, I can't actually play any sport myself now. But I love spectating. I'm an ardent Chelsea football supporter. Couldn't be anything else, really. I was born and have lived in Chelsea all my life. Cricket and tennis I also love, and I'm very lucky that my adopted country, Australia, also plays these sports very well. So I kind of follow them wherever I am in the world. Have you been watching the cricket recently? Always. Oh, great. Yes, I've been. Go to Lourdes when it's there. Yep. Mad Keen Sydney Dance Company is a wonderful contemporary dance group that I support when I'm over in Australia and I love the ballet when I'm here in London. Just little anomaly that the Australian Ballet is actually based in Melbourne rather than Sydney. So I tend to go to as much ballet as I can in the months I'm in in London. Oh, it's such a lovely treat, isn't it? Speaking of treats, I really enjoy, I know you've mentioned all your sports and film and ceramics, but I enjoy your writing and of course, any good writer likes to read a lot. And I was delighted to see some sections from Hidden Gems. You know, your book, Not My show, and you recently released this book, isn't it? And what is your source of inspiration and why? Well, Hidden Gems and the book after that, A Kind of Magic, are really totally different. And the inspiration for the new book really comes from one of my favorite jewels that features in Hidden Gems sort of very close to the end in the chapter called Vanity Fair. And technically, it's not really a jewel, it's more of a jeweled accessory. And when you think about it, each jewel hails from a very particular place in time and answers a particular need. And this vanity case was just the quintessential Art Deco creation. So makeup boxes and vanity cases have always provided a tantalizing blank canvas for jewellery designers, so they're visually stunning objets d'. Art. But these boxes are also very clever and they're miracles of miniature engineering, featuring different types of tiny compartments and components within a very small space, each specifically designed for powder, lipstick, comb, cigarettes and really, everything one might need for a night out. And that, of course, is why they were known as necessaire de soirs at the height of their popularity. And although they were produced in many guises and by many jewelry houses during their heyday in the 1920s, no case has ever quite compared to the Cartier example that Christie's sold in their London sale in the summer of 2000. This case was just outstanding in its style, materials, construction and execution. And it had the most beautiful onyx panther prowling in a wonderful mother of pearl cypress tree landscape. Really, the detailing was just exquisite and the juxtaposition of strong colours, mainly black, red and green, and the combination of precious and semi precious materials, all mounted in platinum, was just pure art deco and pure magic. The whole effect epitomized everything that a high jewelry maison like Cartier stood for. And unsurprisingly, it went on to make a world record price of £130,000 when we sold it. Wow. And of course, the Panzer went on to become an iconic symbol, perhaps the iconic motif of the House of Cartier. So the new book actually focuses entirely on a collection of vanity cases and boxes from the Art Deco era. So it's very much immersed in Paris and London, New York and Shanghai a little bit as well in the interwar years. And we titled it A Kind of Magic because these creations were considered to be the ultimate embodiment of style, indispensable adjuncts to glamorous lives, and really magical in that they were portable little beauty kits full of these tiny compartments that opened up as if by magic. But the other reason for the title and for me, what really made it exciting is that this was a single owner collection. And. Yeah, and it's being bequeathed to the VA Museum and will be unveiled in the revamped William and Judith Bollinger Jewelry Galleries. How appropriate. In the museum in the spring of next year. Year. So they're having cases especially made for the collection and the owner, the collector. The clue is in the title of the book, and if I gave you a further hint that the words are actually better known as song lyrics, A Kind of Magic without me singing embarrassingly, I'm sure you'd guess it was something to do with the band Queen and actually Freddie Mercury's sister Kashmira, who collected these beautiful objects in the memory of her brother. And it's very significant. It's the sort of collection that you couldn't put together today, no matter how much money was available. These things just aren't appearing for sale. Anymore. I wish I could get my hands on them because I'm really, truly a fan of Art deco and if I had 130,000 pounds floating around, I'd love one of those on the Piccadilly line as I go on a night out or something. It's a kind of magic. We've discussed that. But who is your source of inspiration and who is magic to you? I think it's probably not so much who but what. It's gemstones, really is my answer. I still wonder at the nape, the at nature and how these incredible crystals form in the world. They're breathtaking in their beauty and bewilderingly rare and precious and they come from our earth and we still don't even have any idea at all what else remains to be discovered. In the future, new gems will be found and named and will feature in jewelry, in the sort of jewelry that our children and their children after that will be wearing. I suppose that's what I find inspiring. That is really superb because I always think, you know Morganite, which was discovered by J.P. morgan? Well, he financed it. Or more recently, Yanni Melis Yiannis, his name, Yannis Yanni. He found Aquaprese. And I always think, oh, gosh, I wonder what our grandchildren and children and children's children, because it's been sitting in the earth for billions of years and then out it sprouts and then we make beautiful things from it. And I just always think, oh, gosh, there's just so much in that world of jewellery. That's the exciting thing, isn't it, really? We just never know what's around the corner in our industry. It's Pandora's box with just so many exciting bits in there. So we've discussed more about Sarah's inspirations and where the industry is as well as, well, I say, who but what is a source of inspiration? Gemstones. I'd have to say that it's also the same for me. But we're going to find out more about advice that Sarah would give to her younger self. After the break, WRS women's radio station, Voice of Women with worldwide news, music, science, fashion, comedy and much more on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Talking Travel with myself, Kay, on women's radio station. Women speak about 20,000 words a day. That's 13,000 more than the average man. Welcome back to From Sonnet to Song. I'm Isabel Schuller. I'm Martha Reid, WRS women's radio station. Hi, I'm Sandy Goddard, founder of the room upstairs A Different Kind of Businesswoman's Network Imagine a lunch or dinner party sitting next to great connections, people who might help you. You have fun, do business, build relationships, top women speakers, good food and no membership fees. That's not selling, that's connecting. Join me and economist Ruth Lee Seabeed and have your say on Britain and Brexit. Find out more at theroomupstairs.co.uk. women's radio station is passionate about communication and we'd love any thoughts and feedback on our programs. Email presenters womensradiostation.com if there's a topic you'd like to hear about or want to contact your favourite presenter, do get in touch WRS Women's Radio station Voice of Women Worldwide hi, I'm Vivian Arts, President of Women in Banking and Finance. Are you a woman working in the financial services sector in the uk? If you are not already a member then you are missing out on a fantastic network which has been inspiring women for 40 years. We are a not for profit organization empowering women to network, learn and inspire each other at every stage of their career. Through our highly sought after events, we aim to improve diversity by working closely with government leaders and firms through our UK branches. Find out more at www.wibf.org.uk and join a network to transform your career. Women's radio station is a fresh new broadcasting platform driven by love and passion. Connecting women around the world in a global network is all about diversity from opinions, career, ethnic, ethnicity, education. We aim to show the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and a platform for your voice. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. You know women are great at organizing things and saving money. 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If you purchase a five litre bottle for a business, this creates around two hours of employment for somebody who is blind, disabled or has a long term health condition. For more information please visit www.thesoapcode.org or for business inquiries please email B2B letter B number 2B@the soapco.org Women's radio station is a not for profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative initiative alive. To donate simply head to our website. Every little will help. Hello and welcome back to Hidden Gems with me your host Maya Mk on women's radio station the voice of women worldwide. The program is designed to inform and inspire our listeners by showcasing extraordinary women in the world of mining as well as the jewellery and gemstone industry. Today I'm in the studio with my guest Sarah Hugh Williams, a gemologist and jewelry historian. Before the break we discussed Sarah's love for ceramics, her book Hidden Gems and of course It's a Kind of Magic. What a wonderful title and just such a feel good song. It really helps keep me motivated today in the studio. Sarah, what about you? What motivates you to stay in your role and in this industry? Someone once told me you've got to love what you do or be paid an awful lot of money to do it. Preferably both. The fact is I genuinely adore jewelry. I'M not going to make any comment at all about not really earning an awful lot doing what I love, but I do genuinely love it. I think. Of all the works of art that pass through the doors of an auction house, jewellery is by far the most personal. It's the ultimate statement of style and character and is really the most potent means of self expression. In this modern world, where the digital seems to have eclipsed so much of the artisan and of craftsmanship, jewellery can be the most significant statement of personal expression and identity. I mean, really, if you think about it, it's almost like a signature. It's these emotional and personal aspects that give a jewel an extra dimension above and beyond simply beauty and value alone. And this is the nature of jewels, they're as multifaceted as the gemstones within them. So being a jewellery specialist is really a privilege actually. And although we try to apply a protocol whenever we're evaluating a jewel, it's often about so much more than carat, weight, cost, price, craftsman, skill or even creator's genius. It's this sentiment and emotion, the meaning and the history, these all transcend any price tag. Each of these things contribute to overall value. But in the end, some jewels just defy quantification and deserve to be marvelled at simply for the beauty and the joy they bring to our lives. Honestly, who could ask for more in a job? And that's something you get to do absolutely every day. And I'd have to say that, you know, the watch I wear is about eight or nine euros and the ring I wear every day is not worth mentioning on air. But Sarah, what do you wear, what are you wearing today? Or what do you wear on a day to day basis that perhaps has more sentimental value as opposed to value or both? Either depends where I am in the world. I have a traveling jewelry set. Oh, that sounds rather fancy. It isn't. It isn't. So the ring I'm actually wearing today, because I came on the tube, is quite a large gold ring and it's on my, would be my engagement or wedding band finger. And it's got a large stone that sort of might look like a diamond. Actually it's a white topaz. So you can always change up the stones that you use in a jewel. They still look beautiful. A white sapphire would look fabulous as well. They don't all need to be hugely expensive then. I have my favorite things, actually. A ring that was designed by one of Suzanne Belperon's colleagues within the House of Boisvin in the 1930s. And it's in the Boisvin archive. So that is the one that I wear when I'm going out or just if I'm at home. But I often wear earrings from Zara, actually, quite funny when I was at Masterpiece and as you can imagine, when people presume you're going to be wearing proper jewelry, it never enters their head that you might be wearing costume. And I was in these whopping great Zara earrings. And we were in one of the lectures and a woman, two seats two rows ahead of me looked round and sort of mouthed, oh, wonderful earrings. Whose are they? And I just. I didn't know where to put myself. I think I must have just gone beetroot. Thank goodness the talk was about to start and I sneaked away quickly at the end. But, you know, I wouldn't be ashamed to admit that there's Zara. Jewellery's not supposed to be about money, it's supposed to be about all those other things that. That I just touched on. And if it's part of how you feel, you want to adorn yourself that day, go right ahead. That's. That's what I think. But I mean, of course, it's always a bit daunting, isn't it, when someone says, who are you wearing? As opposed to what? May I ask you about the other ring on that side? On your right finger there? I've got my plain family signet ring again, because I'm on the tube, but what I actually have on that finger. Finger is the emerald cut diamond that was my solitaire engagement ring that my wonderful husband allowed me to keep when we parted ways. And I just designed. I call it a sort of. It's almost like a ball of wool or it's lots of skeins of small diamond set strings winding around my finger. So. Yeah. And that is worth quite a lot. I shan't ask, we won't keep. All good. I'm quite careful about where I wear that, Understandably. Yep. I got a rocket from dad the other day. You can't go off to Sainsbury's wearing that on your finger, but it just becomes part of you, I suppose. And again, that's what jewellery should be. It's. It's who you are. It's an extension of yourself. Absolutely. It really is yourself today and. Yeah. Your younger self. What advice would you give to your younger self, Sarah? And what about, you know, industry newbies and career changes or returners to the trade, really? I think whoever you are and whatever stage you are in your career or otherwise, Just follow your heart and be true to yourself. I really think, you know, if you do that, you can't, you can't lose in life. I've come up against a couple of brick walls that I thought weren't get roundable and I've learned that when doors close, you're always told this and you think, how can this apply to me? When doors close, others open. I actually have two autoimmuno illnesses, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, which I'm sure many of your listeners will be aware of. It's the reason why I spend six months a year now in Sydney. The climate here, the cold and the damp just don't do me any good. And you know, gradually my ability to use my hands so in handling sessions of jewels and using a microscope for gemstones, for instance, that's become increasingly difficult. So now I write more than I used to and the leaps and bounds that have, you know, have overtaken the need to write in longhand. I now have dictation software on my laptop. So I get round, I get round that problem as well. So if you love what you do, there are always ways to go round over or through a problem and just believe in yourself. I'd say we definitely espouse that at women's radio station because, you know, oftentimes we're told, you know, you can't do this, you can't do that. There's a wall. No, if there's a wall, you make a door, isn't it? And I think the importance self belief is absolutely crucial. Sarah, you mentioned your website earlier. That's where we can find you online, isn't it? The listeners can find you there. Yes, it's jewelryjourneys.com and all my info is, is on there. So I'd love to hear from anyone. Oh, lovely. If they contact you if they need anything. Wow. Thank you so much for coming. Sarah. Is there anything else you wanted to tell us? Oh, just to thank you for having me on the show today because it's, it's a wonderful industry and anything we can do to showcase it further is just fantastic. And I've loved your questions. Really interesting sort of array of different things. I feel like we've covered a lot. We have, you know, I could speak to you for another three hours but I think my producer is going to be nodding at me anytime now. But my guest, Sarah Hu Williams, gemmologist and jewelry historian. You have been wonderful. Thank you so much. You've been listening to Hidden Gems with Maya on Women's Radio Station, the Voice of Women Worldwide. If you want to listen to us again or catch up on previous programs as well as my fellow presenters, you can head to the presenters page on womensradiostation.com you can also tweet us womensradiostn and that's the same on Instagram. And as I mentioned, if you have any questions you can email presentersomensradiostation.com or you can write to me on Instagram in the comment section or in the DM the carrot soup carat. Thank you for listening. WRS Women's Radio Station Voice of Women Worldwide. This is Amy Liu, Voice of China at Women's Radio Station. Welcome to future Classical Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on Women's Radio Station. After a long day, I like to sit in my bath with a glass of wine and listen to Women's Radio Camera. Kate, you're listening to in conversation with on Women's Radio Station. 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