EditorsMay 27, 2021
Netflix Charts the Rise and Fall of ‘Bad Boy Billionaire’ Nirav ModiSourcingJun 03, 2021
This Documentary About ‘Gem Painting’ Just Won an Award
It follows artisans in Thailand and Vietnam who have found another use for lower quality rough stones.
New York—The locals of a few mining areas have found artistic uses for gemstones that aren’t facet-grade, and one documentary has captured the art in an award-winning short film.
Gem painting is the art of using rough stones of lower quality to make beautiful pictures, created by artisans in source countries like Thailand and Vietnam.
It’s exactly this craftwork and these people that are featured in the documentary aptly, and simply, called “Gem Painting.”
The short documentary was directed by Philippe Brunot, who also did “Follow the Zebra,” which provides a behind-the-scenes of gemstone mining and trading in Tanzania.
Producing the film is a name many in the industry will recognize—field gemologist Vincent Pardieu; they created the documentary while he was on a field expedition to collect reference samples for Bahrain lab Danat in 2018.
The team spoke to gem painters and miners in both Thailand and Vietnam to let them talk about their work.
Gem painting, referred to by one of the artists as both a passion and a livelihood, was introduced to the Luc Yen area of Vietnam in the 1990s by locals who were inspired by what others were doing in Thailand.
(Pardieu said he was told it got its start in Jaipur before spreading to Thailand and onward.)
Related stories will be right here …
Gem painting is the art of using rough stones of lower quality to make beautiful pictures, created by artisans in source countries like Thailand and Vietnam.
It’s exactly this craftwork and these people that are featured in the documentary aptly, and simply, called “Gem Painting.”
The short documentary was directed by Philippe Brunot, who also did “Follow the Zebra,” which provides a behind-the-scenes of gemstone mining and trading in Tanzania.
Producing the film is a name many in the industry will recognize—field gemologist Vincent Pardieu; they created the documentary while he was on a field expedition to collect reference samples for Bahrain lab Danat in 2018.
The team spoke to gem painters and miners in both Thailand and Vietnam to let them talk about their work.
Gem painting, referred to by one of the artists as both a passion and a livelihood, was introduced to the Luc Yen area of Vietnam in the 1990s by locals who were inspired by what others were doing in Thailand.
(Pardieu said he was told it got its start in Jaipur before spreading to Thailand and onward.)
The film, which just won the Best Short Documentary award at the Paris Film Festival, highlights the steps that go into the highly skilled work, from sourcing the gems to sorting and crushing them, creating the painting outline, inlaying the stones, gluing, and washing.
It also talks about the opportunities gem paintings create for source areas, for both the artists who earn more revenue from their creations but also for the miners, who can sell stones that might not otherwise find buyers.
“Countries that possess an abundance of precious stone deposits, I am convinced that if … they knew how to transform these cheap raw materials into gem paintings, their livelihood would improve considerably,” one gem painter is quotes as saying through translation in the documentary.
Getting the word out about the art and its possibilities for source countries was the goal of the project.
Pardieu said he noticed in his frequent travels around Southeast Asia that gem painting “creates a positive incentive for miners as, thanks to gem paintings, they get a market for the low-quality stones they produce and the ones that are too small to use in jewelry.”
“Thanks to that, miners and their families can get a regular kind of expected minimum revenue and, from time to time, some exceptional stones good enough to be cut and polished can be produced.”
Pardieu said they first presented the documentary during the 2019 ICA Congress to help illustrate his talk about the benefits of gem paintings to mining areas.
He added that the film has been selected for another festival, though the results aren’t in yet since it was postponed due to the pandemic.
In addition to Pardieu and Brunot, images were also taken by cameramen Didier Barriere and Anthony Methez.
There were also numerous locals who helped the team during creation; for full credits, visit the film’s YouTube page.
Watch the full 21-minute documentary there or above.
It also talks about the opportunities gem paintings create for source areas, for both the artists who earn more revenue from their creations but also for the miners, who can sell stones that might not otherwise find buyers.
“Countries that possess an abundance of precious stone deposits, I am convinced that if … they knew how to transform these cheap raw materials into gem paintings, their livelihood would improve considerably,” one gem painter is quotes as saying through translation in the documentary.
Getting the word out about the art and its possibilities for source countries was the goal of the project.
Pardieu said he noticed in his frequent travels around Southeast Asia that gem painting “creates a positive incentive for miners as, thanks to gem paintings, they get a market for the low-quality stones they produce and the ones that are too small to use in jewelry.”
“Thanks to that, miners and their families can get a regular kind of expected minimum revenue and, from time to time, some exceptional stones good enough to be cut and polished can be produced.”
Pardieu said they first presented the documentary during the 2019 ICA Congress to help illustrate his talk about the benefits of gem paintings to mining areas.
He added that the film has been selected for another festival, though the results aren’t in yet since it was postponed due to the pandemic.
In addition to Pardieu and Brunot, images were also taken by cameramen Didier Barriere and Anthony Methez.
There were also numerous locals who helped the team during creation; for full credits, visit the film’s YouTube page.
Watch the full 21-minute documentary there or above.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
Weekly QuizAug 07, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsAug 07, 2026
Look Ahead with Syna’s Binoculars PendantThe “Star Gazer” pendant, our Piece of the Week, is Syna’s tribute to curiosity and the discovery of something new.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
Claire’s Revamps Piercing Services for Second Time in Three Years The overhaul includes enhanced employee safety training and trendy earring styles, including lab-grown diamond studs.
FinancialsAug 06, 2026
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 6%, Driven by High-Income ShoppersThe retailer said it had its biggest Mother’s Day ever, with strong demand for higher-priced jewelry.
TrendsAug 06, 2026
New Book on Handcrafted American Objects Highlights Jewelry“Handwork: Handcrafted Objects that Made America” features historic and contemporary works, including a Diné squash blossom necklace.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
AJA East Coast Names Ani Khachian as First Female President-ElectThe Armenian Jewelers Association’s East Coast chapter has also elected its 2026–2027 board of directors.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy 100+ JCPenney StoresOnyx Partners has submitted a second offer to buy the department stores after its first offer fell through last year.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Atlanta Jeweler Introduces $10K MartiniSolomon Brothers Jewelers has partnered with local cocktail bar Roaring Social on a new martini garnished with a tennis necklace.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Another Member of the Siegel Family Joins Hamilton Jewelers Benjamin Siegel, son of President and CEO Hank Siegel, started working for the family business this week.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Bulgari Opens Store in San DiegoThe new space features a modern design that blends Bulgari’s Roman heritage with San Diego’s coastal spirit.
CrimeAug 04, 2026
Crew of Thieves Break Into Indiana Jeweler’s HomeFour men were charged in connection with the break-in and accused of stealing $365,000 in cash, jewelry, and designer goods.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Pandora Hires Former Signet Board Member to Lead North American MarketAndré Branch has more than 25 years of experience with various brands, most recently serving as CEO of Ariana Grande’s cosmetics company.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Sasha Primak Acquires GemlokNew York-based atelier Gemlok is best known for creating the innovative “bridge” setting that became popular in the bridal market.
CollectionsAug 04, 2026
Musician Carlos Santana Launches Jewelry BrandSantana Now's debut collection, “Unidad,” features symbolic motifs as well as pieces of wood from the Woodstock stage.
CrimeAug 03, 2026
Florida Man Gets 15 Years in Trio of Jewelry Store RobberiesThe 50-year-old man pleaded guilty earlier this year to robbing two jewelry stores and a pawn shop of more than $700,000 in merchandise.
WatchesAug 03, 2026
Citizen's New Spider-Man Watch Is a Collector’s DreamThe watch’s dial features an original design by Marvel comics illustrator Adam Kubert.
Lab-GrownAug 03, 2026
Chatham Releases First Men’s CollectionThe new collection of lab-grown diamond and colored gemstone jewelry provides a “fresh perspective” on the category, Chatham said.
TrendsAug 03, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Spinel vs. Peridot While some August babies are team peridot, the month's time-honored birthstone, others are team spinel, the newer alternative.
TrendsJul 31, 2026
These Pieces of the Week Are Sweet Edina Kiss’ “Popsicle” pendant and Karina Choudhrie’s “Ice Cream” charm satisfy that summer craving for a sweet piece of jewelry.
MajorsJul 31, 2026
Macy’s Iconic Red Shopping Bag Sign Torn DownThe massive billboard has been in the same spot on the department store’s Herald Square flagship store for decades.
Policies & IssuesJul 30, 2026
JA Heads Back to Washington as New Wave of Tariffs Takes Effect David Bonaparte, along with Tim Haake and Ronnie VanderLinden, continue to lobby for tariff exemptions for diamonds, gemstones, and pearls.
