Marcel Tolkowsky
Marcel Tolkowsky (born December 5, 1898 in Antwerp , † February 10, 1991 in New York City ) was a Belgian mathematician and renowned gemologist . On the basis of scientific studies of the brilliance and play of colors of diamonds, he established a cut for brilliant-cut diamonds , which is still the standard in North America to this day.
Life
Marcel Tolkowsky was born in Antwerp in 1898 , his ancestors had been involved in the processing and trading of diamonds for several generations . He completed an engineering degree at the University of London and published in 1919 as part of his doctorate in mathematics with the book "Diamond Design. A Study of the Reflection and Refraction of Light in a Diamond “a mathematical-optical analysis of the brilliance and the play of colors of diamonds, which is considered the first scientific study in this area. In doing so, he laid the foundations for a brilliant shape that, as the Tolkowsky diamond or ideal cut , has been the standard in cutting technology , especially in North America, to the present day . In 1940 he emigrated to the United States , where he worked as a diamond designer and dealer until 1975. He died in New York City in 1991 .
literature
- Barak Green, Al Gilbertson, Ilene Reinitz, Mary Johnson, James Shigley: What did Marcel Tolkowsky Really Say? In: GIA on Diamond Cut. Gemological Institute of America, published August 17, 2001 ( PDF file , approx. 1.1 MB)
- Marcel Tolkowsky, 92, A Retired Gemologist . Obituary in: The New York Times . Edition of February 15, 1991, p. D16
- Rayner W. Hesse: Jewelrymaking Through History: An Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport 2007, ISBN 0-31-333507-9 , pp. 76/77
Web links
- Marcel Tolkowsky: Diamond Design. A Study of the Reflection and Refraction of Light in a Diamond London and New York 1919 (online version)
- Tolkowsky Diamonds (English)
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Tolkowsky, Marcel |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Belgian mathematician and gemologist |
DATE OF BIRTH | December 5, 1898 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Antwerp |
DATE OF DEATH | February 10, 1991 |
Place of death | New York City |