Modern Masterpieces: Exploring Gemstones of Royal Calibre with Bayco

If you have been following my writings for some time, you will know that the American high jeweller, Bayco, holds a special place in my heart. From the earliest moments in my career as a jewellery writer, the brand opened the doors of its New York-based atelier to me and revealed a sensational array of important rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds. I can honestly say these formative experiences shaped my love of statement precious gemstones, especially those with significant global provenance, and I’ve kept a close eye on the business’s latest masterpieces ever since. More recently, the company’s creative director, Marco Hadjibay, invited me to view some of Bayco’s latest treasures, including pieces I was fortunate enough to wear and photograph. Here’s what you need to know about these irreplaceable treasures.

Two things instantly come to mind when I think of Bayco. The first is a strong sense of family, purpose and shared passion: members of the multi-generational Hadjibay family are equally obsessed with coloured gemstones, diamonds and exceptional, timeless jewellery design. Secondly, there are the stones themselves, including Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds and the most exquisite array of natural, unheated sapphires in rainbow hues.

In 2024, I spoke with Marco Hadjibay at a special time for the brand. It had recently opened ‘The Penthouse’ on Madison Avenue in New York, providing a luxurious private space for clients to meet and discuss special pieces. The occasion was sentimental for me, too, because it marked a decade since my first interaction with the brand and afforded me the chance to quiz Marco on his impressions of a changing luxury landscape. One of the things that came up in our conversation was rarity, and how contemporary shoppers don’t always appreciate the remarkable scarcity of large, high-quality sapphires, emeralds, and rubies, especially compared to diamonds.

With this in mind, you can imagine how exciting it was to discover Bayco’s 2026 High Jewellery masterpieces, which contain some truly once-in-a-lifetime stones of the highest calibre. I want to start with a piece that really spoke to me – a multicoloured sapphire bracelet – set with 126.19 carats of natural, unheated sapphires in 18k yellow gold. Back in 2016, I referred to Bayco as the ‘King of Corundum’, and perhaps you can now see why! Although simple and elegant in design, this bracelet contains 120 emerald-cut sapphires with perfectly matched natural colours, high clarity and consistent, intense saturation. It would be an understatement to say that this five-row bracelet is challenging to produce… it is most likely entirely unrepeatable. 

“Eleven months were devoted to sourcing the stones alone,” Marco tells me. “To achieve the bracelet's seamless fluidity, the majority of the sapphires were re-cut so that each stone shares identical dimensions — a pursuit of uniformity that demanded sacrificing precious carat weight in favour of perfect movement".

At the heart of this design is a sense of absolute confidence. After all, the emerald-cut creates a window onto the interior of a gemstone, so there are fewer places for inclusions to hide. One must be sure that all the quality factors of each individual sapphire meet a consistent threshold, which is incredibly time-consuming, before mapping where they will sit in the most pleasing arrangement of colours. It is this level of patience, meticulousness and workmanship that inspires me most, and it’s really indicative of the ‘Bayco approach’ to design. 

Among the other 2026 masterpieces is another fabulous sapphire, this time an 11.10-carat cushion-cut pink stone surrounded by 1.47 carats of trapezoid diamonds in a classical trilogy ring. What I love about this piece is that it’s eternal and definitive; you would never need another pink sapphire and diamond ring knowing this was in your collection. In fact, I think this attitude is what helps to set Bayco apart. Its focus on the best of the best targets a particular group of luxury seekers who don’t want to endlessly search or build bulging collections. What they really want is a small group of pieces that are individually exceptional and demonstrative of the highest quality that nature can offer. I would argue that this mindset is quite rare among today’s most esteemed jewellers, so when I find it, I take note.

Another piece that caught my attention is a natural, unheated purple sapphire ring, featuring a 7.97 carat centre stone surrounded by 1.24 carats of diamonds in platinum and yellow gold. Again, every aspect of this corundum has aligned to make it a special stone – the colour, the saturation, the fact it’s natural and unheated, the size, the clarity, and the cushion-cut that has been applied.

Marco explains: “What few outside the trade realize is that some 95% of newly mined sapphires undergo heat treatment. To encounter a large sapphire of exceptional colour and clarity that has been spared thermal enhancement, meaning it is left exactly as the earth created it, is rarer with each passing year. A purple sapphire of this calibre crosses our path only on occasion, and when it does, we make certain it finds its place in the Bayco collection.”

From a design perspective, I like the kite-shaped prongs, each set with a brilliant-cut diamond, that hold the central stone in place. Overall, it’s a beautiful and elegant creation that wouldn’t look out of place in a royal collection.

Let’s turn to emeralds next, with two pieces that showcase best-in-class examples from the world’s most significant locales: Colombia and Zambia. The first is a necklace, set with seven Colombian beryls with a combined weight of 14.83 carats, flanked by 132 diamonds weighing 32.51 carats, and a further 1.88 carats of emeralds. All are set in platinum in a sophisticated double-row style, again featuring the unforgiving emerald-cut. Something to note about Bayco here is how its New York home influences its signature style.

The geometry of emerald-cut gems has always reminded me of the Art Deco era, and, of course, some of the world’s most significant Art Deco architecture is in New York (the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, to name just two). As a result, the emerald-cut always manages to feel both classic and contemporary at the same time, which is a feat no other gemstone cut can achieve.

The second emerald design, a cluster-style bracelet, features 13.70 carats of Zambian emeralds and 28.30 carats of diamonds set in platinum and 18k yellow gold. Again, what’s special here is the perfectly matching size, colour, intensity and clarity of the emeralds, which is a rare feat of sourcing. We often think that the most important skill for a fine jeweller to possess is creativity, but I would argue this is only a tiny fraction of the story.

The best jewellers are blessed with patience, attention to detail, meticulousness and a touch of relentless laser focus. I can only imagine the number of emeralds that were deemed unsuitable for this creation, even though they were no doubt beautiful stones. Holding out for the exact right gems to complete the composition, knowing it may take months or even years, is a big part of the process for brands at this level.

He continues: “most jewellers concern themselves with colour — and rightly so, for it is among the most critical elements. But true matching demands far more. The shape, the cutting style, the clarity, the very brilliance of each stone must correspond in perfect harmony with its neighbours. It is an infinitely more arduous pursuit and one that cannot be rushed.”

While examining these pieces, I asked Marco about his thoughts on the differences between Zambian and Colombian emeralds, which, to the practiced eye, do reveal subtly different characters. He says: “Colombian stones tend toward warmth, with a colour that seems to glow from within, as though lit by some interior source. Zambian emeralds, by contrast, possess a cooler tone and a brighter, more crystalline material that lends them remarkable brilliance. Yet in our experience, what ultimately guides a client's heart is not geography but beauty itself.”

Another special piece is a Burmese ‘pigeon’s blood’ ruby ring, set with a 3.09 carat centre stone surrounded by 1.66 carats of diamonds in platinum. In person, this cushion-cut ruby has the most intense deep red hue, which is cleverly enhanced by the reflective properties of two epaulette diamonds on either side. This piece also has a bombé or rounded shape that elevates the ruby towards the wearer rather than allowing it to sit flat. These thoughtful details, coupled with the colour, clarity and vibrancy of such an important corundum, make this ring a truly rare creation.  

Lastly, I want to remind you that Bayco is an expert in diamonds, too, not just coloured gemstones. One of its new masterpieces is a 10.04-carat fancy intense yellow diamond ring in 18k yellow gold, which must be seen in person to truly appreciate its beauty. For me, it’s the combination of a chunky octagonal-shaped gold setting, highly polished tab prongs, and colourless diamond micropavé that accentuate the hero radiant-cut diamond and maximise its sparkling potential. The addition of diamonds down the more slimline ring shank is the ideal finishing touch, making what could have been a hefty piece feel more feminine and refined.

So, in your wildest high jewellery dreams, which of these new Bayco masterpieces would be at the top of your wish list? Whether you’re drawn to the rich red hues of a pigeon’s blood ruby or the uplifting green depths of Colombian emeralds, you can be assured of absolute perfection thanks to the ongoing care and commitment of the Hadjibay family. As discoveries of such exceptional gemstones become ever more elusive, I do not doubt that Bayco will continue to surprise us with precious finds now, in a few months and in years to come.