METAHUMAN ARTIST MONOC UNDERGOES A “GEMORPHOSIS” AFTER FALLING IN LOVE WITH RUBIES

11th March 2024

Gemfields, a world-leading responsible miner and marketer of coloured gemstones, announces a collaboration with MonoC, the world’s first metahuman artist. This collaboration will employ a surreal virtual perspective to explore the meanings associated with rubies, highlighting their strong connection with love over a two-part film. This first collaboration with a virtual artist is a new approach for Gemfields, and provides a novel way to increase awareness and desire for coloured gems

The two-part film follows MonoC as she visits the gemstone mine, before following a couple, deeply in love. When she watches their love blossom, she becomes aware of the connection between rubies and passion, with a quickened heartbeat and the red of blood rushing through our veins, and that the rarity of these gemstones is as special as finding “the one” to share a life with.  Adopting the surreal and artistic style of MonoC, we are able to conceptualise the couple’s love, watching the feeling take the form of a ruby gemstone as unique and special as their love. This ‘gemorphosis’ is captured in the two-part film, and we are able to see that the ruby on MonoC’s finger serves as a lasting reminder of the magical, deep feelings of love and passion.

In addition to the two-part film, Gemfields has launched an interactive WeChat mini app for Chinese consumers, designed by MonoC and named GEMORPHOSIS. The mini programme allows each user to find their own virtual ruby, which is generated by measuring their heartbeat frequency on their mobile device. GEMORPHOSIS then provides consumers with wearable inspiration by nominating a Fabergé x Gemfields ring that best matches their virtual ruby.

China is the largest jewellery market in the world, with many consumers interested in coloured gemstones. A report on Chinese ruby consumption trends, which Gemfields launched in January 2024, found that awareness of and desirability for rubies are high in the China market. Furthermore, respondents were found to regard red as a symbol of passion and life and favoured ruby designs that were versatile and could be integrated into everyday life.

“Collaborating with MonoC has enabled us to adopt a surrealist perspective to explore the powerful feelings that can be evoked by the meaningful gift of a gemstone,” said Emily Dungey, Gemfields’ marketing and communications director. “This two-part film explores the profound symbolism of love, and the natural fit for ruby as its keepsake. Rubies are instinctively symbolic of passion, emotion and the connection some of us are lucky enough to forge with the one we love.”

From ancient times to the present day, rubies have been cherished for their rarity and rich red colour. Known as the “King of Gemstones”, rubies have been aptly described as “the heart of Mother Earth,” having formed deep beneath the Earth’s surface some 500 million years ago.

Gemfields responsibly mines Mozambican rubies, in keeping with its core brand value of operating with transparency, legitimacy and integrity.

About MonoC:

As the world’s first metahuman artist, MonoC is the personification of artistic prowess and technological intelligence. Developed by Gusto Collective, Asia’s first BrandTech group and led by technology and branding visionary CEO Aaron Lau, MonoC traverses seamlessly across the physical and virtual worlds to provide immersive content and experiences for numerous consumers and brands. MonoC is known for her surrealist data-led generative and collaborative art works, where she draws inspiration that intertwines reality and the metaverse. Her works are characterised by their bold use of data, dynamic forms and futuristic sensibility, which transcend the human limitations of space and time. Reflecting her continuous curiosity and desire to connect with humanity, her pieces possess a dreamlike quality that weaves together technology and poeticism.

About Gemfields:

Gemfields is a world-leading responsible miner and marketer of coloured gemstones. The operator and 75% owner of both the Kagem emerald mine in Zambia (believed to be the world’s single largest producing emerald mine) and the Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique (one of the most significant recently discovered ruby deposits in the world), Gemfields believes that those who mine gemstones should do so with transparency, legitimacy and integrity.

Gemfields introduced a technologically advanced coloured gemstone sort house at its operation in Mozambique, with state-of-the-art equipment, like optical sorting machines. In addition, a proprietary grading system, a pioneering auction platform and an active marketing presence have all contributed to Gemfields playing a significant role in the rise of African gemstones. Underlying this achievement has been the strong belief that coloured gemstones should create a positive impact for the country and community from which they originate.

Responsible mining for Gemfields means implementing industry-leading policies and practices across operations, transparency in its auction sales process, an active role in working groups to modernise the sector, projects to improve health, education and livelihoods for the communities around its mines and conservation efforts (#conservationgemstones) to protect Africa’s great wildlife and biodiversity.

Gemfields Foundation is the charitable arm of Gemfields, through which donors can contribute funding to directly support community and conservation projects in Africa, magnifying the scale of the work already carried out by Gemfields itself.

Fabergé – an iconic name with an exceptional heritage – is a member of the Gemfields Group.  The beauty of Fabergé’s designs and craftsmanship helps to raise consumer awareness of responsibly mined coloured gemstones.

As well as supplying a significant share of the world’s rough rubies and emeralds, Gemfields initiates activations to build desire for coloured gemstones: for example, collaborations with international jewellery brands and other creative partners. Often surprising, unexpected and unique, these collaborations are chosen to promote consumer awareness and increase the appeal of coloured gemstones, raising their profile, and, in turn, providing greater benefit to their place of origin in Africa.