“Cabochon Diamonds require a different type of setting technique and they bring a radical texture to a design topography — bumpy and imperfect. This is so different than the expected and historical way diamonds have been treated. Diamonds have always been cut flat — this is another way to see the diamond. The paradigm has changed. The unique life of every diamond remains inside the heart of the stone and like all people, that is where the life force is.”
—Todd Reed on what makes Cabochon Diamonds special.
Rapaport Magazine Editor in Chief, Amber Michelle, on Todd Reed and his evolution as a designer through the years: Visitors to the Design Center at the Las Vegas JCK show in 2003 were buzzing about a new designer who was creating jewelry using rough diamonds. That designer — Todd Reed — was a novelty during a time when bling was king. Some forward-thinking retailers realized that Reed was on to something and that his designs were filling a niche for those who wanted something different and unique. Given the nature of the diamonds that he uses, each piece, while perhaps having the same design aesthetic, will be distinctly different due to the variances of each diamond. As his business progressed, Reed expanded his offerings by adding rose-cut opaque diamonds to his collection, creating a more refined feeling to his jewelry, all of which is crafted using recycled metals. Reed is once again bringing innovation to the world of diamonds and to his creations with his Cabochon Diamonds™. These diamonds are not faceted, but are instead polished and dome shaped, giving the gems an entirely different energy than a faceted stone. While the cabochon cut has been used on colored gemstones for centuries, this is the first time that it is being applied to diamonds. Reed worked with his diamond cutter for 11 years to find the proper technique to create these Cabochon Diamonds.
“I wanted to bring something new to my collectors, an innovation on the diamond that had never been done before. I’ve always loved the dome shape and the luster of the nonfaceted diamond. It is deeper, softer, organic — it is smoky and yet has the same quality on the inside that all diamonds have.”
—Todd Reed on the inspiration behind Cabochon Diamonds.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - January 2017. To subscribe click here.