NETHERLANDS/SINGAPORE. Dutch diamond house Gassan has unveiled two limited-edition concepts in travel retail to mark the Year of the Horse and Valentine’s Day.
At Gassan’s Amsterdam Airport Schiphol location, travellers can access on-site personalisation supported by in-house goldsmiths, while its Singapore Changi Airport store is offering bespoke necklaces set with three Chinese New Year stones.
The releases highlight how the brand is leveraging its technical expertise in laser-engraved diamonds to position its collections as meaningful gifts in travel retail.
Developed under the creative direction of Steve Bierman, Master Diamond Expert of the patented Gassan 121 diamond, the designs showcase how the brand’s established technical expertise can be leveraged to create new storytelling opportunities within the channel.
Bierman said, “A diamond should tell a story. Light and brilliance are essential – but meaning is what transforms a diamond into something personal and timeless.”
The two concepts highlight Gassan’s creative capabilities in laser engraving, with the Chinese New Year edition featuring the Chinese character for ‘horse’, microscopically engraved into the diamond. The detail references the symbol of energy, success and forward movement in Chinese culture.
Offering a discreet and intimate expression of love, the Valentine’s edition features a single microscopic heart engraving, visible only through a jeweller’s loupe.
Bierman said: “Subtlety is key. These engravings are not meant to dominate the diamond. They add a hidden layer of meaning without interfering with the purity of the stone.”
Turning craftsmanship into storytelling
From technical innovation, Gassan’s laser engraving has become a storytelling tool, embedding personal meaning and emotional resonance in each diamond.
Its microscopic laser engraving personalises diamonds with symbols, dates, motifs and commemorations.
Some engravings mark milestones or carry private messages, remaining invisible to the naked eye yet permanently set within the stone, preserving brilliance while adding a personal narrative.
Bierman said: “Every engraving represents a human story. It might celebrate love, mark a journey, honour a success or capture a moment in time. That is where craftsmanship becomes emotional.” ✈
