Jeweller - November 2023

REVIEW
Gems
Gemmologists who changed the game:
Jack Stanley Taylor
The latest addition to this series of gemmologists
who left their mark on the world of gemstones and
jewellery is a man who likely contributed to the
education of many readers of Jeweller.
Born in August of 1910 in Greenwich (NSW), Jack Stanley
Taylor was one of the founders of the Gemmological
Association of Australia (GAA) and is referred to as the
‘father of Australian lapidary.’
Taylor’s grandfather and father were both jewellers, the
founders of fine jewellery retailer W.C. Taylor & Co. The
family-run business opened in the 1920s on King Street
in the Sydney Arcade and operated as a specialist in
diamond jewellery until the 1960s.
Jack joined the family business after finishing school, as
all the Taylor children did. Here, he started his jewellery
apprenticeship directly under his father and grandfather.
By the 1940s, Jack had fallen in love with gemstones
more than jewellery and started to drift away from
the retail side of the industry. He enrolled in a
gemmology course offered by the Federated Retail
Jewellers Association (FRJA), taught by the then
-Curator of Minerals at the Australian Museum,
Thomas Hodge-Smith.
Taylor completed the course alongside John Pope,
Arthur Wirth, Arthur ‘Sandy’ Tombs, and Alan Philby.
Shortly after graduating, the FRJA ceased offering their
courses, and Taylor, Tombs, and Wirth believed they had
identified a gap in the market.
Australia needed more formal education opportunities
in gemmology. With the desire to educate the industry,
gemstone enthusiasts, and consumers, these three
colleagues joined forces and proposed the foundation
of the GAA.
To acquire academic standing for the association,
Taylor, Tombs, and Wirth approached Dr. G.D. Osborne,
a professor of geology, and D.R. Mellor, a reader in
chemistry, and requested their support. As fellow
gemstone enthusiasts, Osborne and Mellor were
happy to contribute.
The GAA’s inaugural meeting was held on 29 October
1945 in Sydney. Tombs was elected chairman, and Taylor
was elected secretary. Osborne accepted the office of
patron, and Mellor took that of president.
Jack Stanley Taylor, FGAA
GEMMOLOGIST AND LAPIDARIST
» Born: 1910
» Died: 1988 (Age 78)
W. C. Taylor & Co was a fine jewellery
retailer on King Street in the Sydney
Arcade until the 1960s.
In just five years, the association had created
divisions in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia,
and Western Australia.
In October 1947, Taylor sat his exams and completed
the first diploma in gemmology. He was the first to earn
the postnominals FGAA (Fellow of the Gemmological
Association of Australia).
In the following years, Taylor remained a lecturer and
passionate contributor to the world of gemmology. In
1953, he appeared on a radio interview with Radio 2GB
Sydney, promoting the art of gemstone cutting and
fashioning. He announced he was seeking like-minded
individuals who may want to learn more.
After receiving considerable interest, Taylor called a
meeting and invited all parties to discuss the formation
of a club where its members could discuss and learn the
art of lapidary.
Later that same year, Taylor officially founded the New
South Wales Lapidary Club – the first in Australia. He
was elected president and took to forming his own
lapidary business and publishing works such as ‘Gem
cutting as a hobby in Australia.’
Throughout his life, Taylor travelled around Australia,
fossicking and operating his successful lapidary
business. Today, a sample of his extensive gemstone
collection can be seen in the Australian Museum in
Sydney and the NSW division of the GAA.
Taylor was a passionate man who loved sharing
knowledge on gemstones. His dedication to the world
of gemmology, along with Tombs and Wirth, may well
be the reason many in Australia can call themselves
gemmologists today.
• The author would like to express her gratitude to
Jill Taylor, daughter of Jack Stanley Taylor, for
her generous assistance in preparing this article.
Mikaelah Egan FGAA Dip DT began her career
in the industry at Diamonds of Distinction in 2015.
She now balances her role at the Gemmological
Association of Australia with studying geology at
the University of Queensland. Visit instagram.com/
mikaelah.egan For more information on gems and
gemmology, go to www.gem.org.au
November 2023 | 33