Gemma – Preciosa Lighting
Alluringly practical, Gemma shines an exquisite light on functionality. A column of detailed cut crystal gently illuminates from the top, while a purposeful light radiates downward. The stainless steel and glass casing make it a graceful addition to any space. Gemma is the perfect combination of contemporary heritage, with its modern form featuring traditional glass cutting techniques and material by designer Daniel Szöllösi.
Speaking exclusively with darc, Szöllösi explained his vision behind the new release. “The concept was inspired by Preciosa’s traditional glass cutting craft and the way glass transforms into what I see as a gemstone. Its concept was inspired simply by the fact that there was no lamp in Preciosa’s portfolio with both functional and decorative lighting features. I imagined a contemporary design yet a classy one that is very functional and can be used both as a spotlight over a reading table, reception area, table in a restaurant, or as a source of ambient, more decorative and magical light. Gemma can fit any given space by adjusting the light from both sources as desired.”
A relatively young designer, Szöllösi’s relationship with Preciosa began when he was working on his diploma thesis and received callback from the lighting brand for an interview. Preciosa selects three diploma works each year, with the idea of producing them as fully functional prototypes. With a decision to be made – should he continue with his diploma thesis on chair design or take an entirely new direction to work on a pendant – the Gemma lamp was born.
Commenting on the process so far, Szöllösi tells darc: “One of the most challenging aspects of this project was finding the technical solutions that allows the design to be fully functional yet aesthetically pleasing. For example, I had to design a solution to wire up the socket for the bottom spotlight lamp – it has to be invisible yet at the same time, is placed behind transparent glass. Another, similarly difficult part was designing a way for owners to easily remove the middle component in order to change both light sources; the final design only takes three moves: upward push, leftward twist, downward pull.
As with a lot of Preciosa’s works, Gemma makes use of crystal glass and metal. Szöllösi continues: “One of things about working with glass that fascinates me is how it is created from the amorphous molten silica mineral, but ends up as a refined piece of glass in any shape, but at the same time complements a stainless steel pipe that is, in contrast, machine produced from start to finish.”
What makes Gemma stand out from the rest of the Preciosa range, is its use of two light sources that have different functions and can be independently controlled. The combination of direct light from the spotlight placed at the bottom of the lamp and indirect ambient light emitted from the lamp placed in the centre of the fixture offer different lighting options but in one designer piece.
“Gemma uses simple technologies allowing the customer to do all the maintenance,” says Szöllösi. “The setup of the lamps and the wiring allows the fixture to be connected via various control systems. Both the ambient lamp and the spotlight are individually controlled and on dimmers. This gives the user ultimate control on the amount of lighting needed at any particular time.”
The design concept of Gemma makes it suitable for any environment imaginable. With three modifications available – frosted, clear, and a frosted wedge cut, key features of the fixture make it suitable for environments where you want to create the perfect mood lighting, but it also fits areas for work or reading when more direct light is required.
