5 Clawed Dragon Lighter / 016797
- Dragon Body: Russian Obsidian stone
- Dragon Fittings: Gold Vermeil
- Base Stand: Made from a block of Agate (Brazil)
Ligne 2 Lighter
- Fire Agate inside the lighter
- S.T.Dupont 1872 Signature
Limited to 8 pieces
The lighter and parts of the base have inlays of fire Agate from Mexico, a very special combination since it looks like the stone has fire inside.
5 CLAWED DRAGON LIGHTER
Inspiration
“Five Clawed Dragon”, a collaboration between S.T.Dupont and artists & master gemstone carver Luis Alberto Quispe Aparicio to celebrate S.T.Dupont´s 75th lighter/fire anniversary.
This set was inspired in the most significant Chinese Dragon. In the 13th Century, the Dragon became a symbol of nobility as the first Ming Emperor decreed that the dragon would be his emblem and that it would have five claws. This piece was entirely hand crafted combining techniques of a high degree of difficulty of
both; gemstone carving and jewellery.
The materials used to carve the Dragon were carefully selected not only to take care of aesthetics but also having in consideration the meaning of each material to have the fire symbolism present. Obsidian used to cave the body of the dragon is formed as lava from volcanic eruptions which cools within the earth to form a natural solid volcanic glass. Complementing obsidian, fire agate (a variety of chalcedony) was used for the flames of the lighter. This stone is only found in certain areas of Arizona and northern Mexico and was formed around 24-36 millions of years ago in areas which were subjected to massive volcanic activity and is considered one of the hardest gems to cut into finished stones.
Therefore, we can say that the soul of this dragon lies on the fire and lava of the volcanoes that formed both obsidian and fire agate millions of years ago.
Additional Information:
All the metal work is in Gold Vermeil and each piece was handmade either by carving wax or directly hand hammering the bronze. A group of 4 people were in charge of this project, two master carvers, one master polisher and one mastermetal smith.
In total more than 550 hours of working hours invested in this piece.
ABOUT L’AQUART
MASTER STONE CARVER
Luis Alberto Quispe Aparicio follows a second generation family tradition, since 1968, in the creation of objects d´art and gemstone carving (also known as glyptography) an ancient art with roots from
pre-Babylonian times. An engineer by profession, he grew up surrounded by art, sculpture, minerals & gemstones; artists, master carvers and jewelers were ingrained in his everyday life at his family studio in Lima, Peru where he spent most of his formative years.
His knowledge on precious stones was organically acquired during constant visits to mines around the world where he hunted for exceptional gemstones; making the quest for rarity and quality an
exquisite lifetime pursuit. His art is characterized by the fusion of sculpting techniques and those of jewelry fabrication, the use of exceptional gemstones, the daring design and the flawless execution carried out by hand which is vital in order to give a soul to each creation.
After mastering his craft, Quispe Aparacio moved to Paris in search for a new vision and to broaden his scope through the specialization in luxury goods. Examples of this can be seen in his collection “The
Beast Within” which was inspired by the resounding influence nature has on man after Quispe Aparacio’s numerous travels to Africa. The second hardest gemstone found on earth after the diamond, few artists have managed to successfully work with ruby as it requires advanced technique in vision, carving and polishing. His works are displayed in museums in the United States and Europe and enjoyed by private collectors around the World.
FIRE AGATE STONE
Historically, Fire Agate was used in alchemy because it was believed to contain the essence of fire. In many traditions sacred to fire deities, it encouraged timid adults and shy children to speak up and not be ignored or bullied. It is a stone of integrity, encouraging high standards of behaviour in self and others, and promotes passion in love and in life.
