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.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Sourcing
The Latest
TrendsSep 23, 2026
Holiday Diamond Jewelry Trends: Layered Looks, PersonalizationThis holiday season, look to pieces that will help to fill out customers’ everyday diamond jewelry wardrobe, experts say.
IndependentsSep 23, 2026
This Milwaukee-Area Jeweler Is Serving the 7CsPaul’s Jewelers sells coffee, chocolate, and cookies from a custom gold-wrapped trailer parked outside the store starting at 7 a.m.
MajorsSep 23, 2026
Kay Jewelers’ New Campaign Goes ‘All In’ on LovePart of its brand relaunch, the marketing around the campaign includes a contest involving a jacket set with 550 diamonds.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsSep 23, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Exhibition Opening at Arkansas Museum The curation, opening soon at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, honors the jeweler’s heritage through a distinctly American lens.
Weekly QuizSep 17, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsSep 23, 2026
Pucker Up for Pandora’s New Pat McGrath Jewelry CollabThe jewelry giant has partnered with the famed makeup artist to create a colorful new collection of charms and rings.
IndependentsSep 23, 2026
Texas Jewelers Association to Celebrate 120th AnniversaryThe association will mark the milestone at its convention next month.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
IndependentsSep 23, 2026
Sissy’s Log Cabin’s ‘Back to School and Bling’ Event ReturnsThe jeweler donated school supplies to Memphis, Tennessee, students during the event combining basketball and mentorship.
MajorsSep 22, 2026
Foundrae’s Lawsuit Against Pandora Can Continue, Court RulesA federal judge denied Pandora’s motion to dismiss Foundrae’s claim for copyright infringement of its medallions.
ColumnistsSep 22, 2026
Peter Smith: Our Struggle With Emotional SellingPeople aren’t thinking rationally when they are buying luxury products, and we shouldn’t be selling them that way, Peter Smith writes.
IndependentsSep 22, 2026
Constance Polamalu Named to '40 Under 40' ListThe Baltimore Business Journal recognized the entrepreneur for her leadership in business and the jewelry industry.
GradingSep 22, 2026
GCAL by Sarine Opens New Lab in MumbaiThe facility is located within SEEPZ and is GCAL by Sarine’s second location in India, joining its existing grading lab in Surat.
Events & AwardsSep 22, 2026
NYCJAOS Returns for Autumn EditionThe four-day show is slated for Nov. 19-22 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
AuctionsSep 21, 2026
Ultra-Rare Cartier Cheich Watch Sells for $3.4M Offered at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, the one-of-a-kind white gold watch now holds the title of most valuable Cartier wristwatch sold at auction.
MajorsSep 21, 2026
Longtime Industry Executive Pamela Bernstein-Gulla to RetireBernstein-Gulla has been working in the jewelry industry for 40 years, most recently as chief engagement officer for Hill & Co.
IndependentsSep 21, 2026
Bhindi Jewelers Moves Into New, Larger California StoreThe relocated Glendale store, now at The Americana at Brand, was designed to be a contemporary “timepiece haven” inspired by luxury resorts.
AuctionsSep 18, 2026
7.52-Carat Unheated Paraíba Tourmaline Sells for $1.3M at Sotheby’s The top lot of the auction house’s Hong Kong jewelry sale was an Art Deco Mauboussin necklace with ruby beads, which sold for $2 million.
Policies & IssuesSep 18, 2026
Tariffs, Retail Crime Top of Mind at JA’s Annual Fly-In Retailers and manufacturers headed to the Capitol this week to discuss tariff exemptions for diamonds and gemstones, among other issues.
CollectionsSep 18, 2026
Nanis Transforms Its ‘Boule’ Into a Mirror Our Piece of the Week is a pair of drop earrings from the “Sway” collection featuring Nanis’ first use of mirror-polished gold.
GradingSep 18, 2026
De Beers Introduces Faster Version of Diamond Screening Machine SynthDetect 2 can scan a full tray in less than five minutes, De Beers said, making it six times faster than its predecessors.
AuctionsSep 18, 2026
Noonans To Auction Medieval Gold Seal Ring Recovered By 2 FriendsTwo metal detectorists discovered the ring, which may have belonged to English noblewoman Matilda of Lancaster, in Suffolk.
Policies & IssuesSep 17, 2026
Tariffs on India Could Increase as Russian Sanctions Bill Heads to Trump’s DeskThe bill has a provision that allows the president to raise tariffs on countries that import Russian oil and gas to as much as 100 percent.
Events & AwardsSep 17, 2026
This Is the Winner of the 2026 Robert M. Shipley AwardThe American Gem Society presented the annual award to a former president of its board.
CollectionsSep 17, 2026
Cynthia Erivo, Zoë Chicco’s Jewelry Collab Is an Ode to TransformationThe “Chrysalis” capsule centers butterfly motifs representing growth, transformation, and the unfolding of who you are.
Events & AwardsSep 17, 2026
Louisiana Retailer Kevin Patton Wins Lifetime Achievement AwardJewelers of Louisiana presented Patton, the third-generation president of Pattons Fine Jewelry, with the award at its annual convention.
PodcastsSep 16, 2026
Episode 9: Remembering Cindy EdelsteinTwo special guests join the podcast to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the designer advocate, mentor, and author’s untimely passing.
