
Bio
In 2009, the Grand Masters Program saw the exciting addition of a stone-setting course taught by Alexandre Sidorov. He shared his innovative techniques for multiple stone pavé, unique single-stone settings, and how to make the special tools needed for these techniques. Alexandre returned to instruct in 2012 and 2017. During the 2017 Grand Masters course, Alexandre instructed students in setting and inlaying mother-of-pearl, resulting in truly unique practice projects.
With an extensive background in engraving and stone setting, Alexandre has worked in many high-quality environments since a young age. Born in 1960 in Kherson, Ukraine, Sidorov’s family surrounded him with many generations of creative talent. At the beginning of his artistic career, he worked for two years in the military’s bureau of high-precision micro stamp engraving.
After his time in the engraving department, Sidorov attended a jewelry atelier (artist’s studio) where he mastered the basics of goldsmithing. He improved his skills with personal study before returning to the engraving business.
Due to the political and economic climate of the times, Sidorov left Ukraine in 1994 to work in a private shop in Antwerp, Belgium. With the freedom to experiment, Sidorov learned and developed new techniques while in the setting department. Over the next six years, he started bit by bit to establish his method of stone setting.
In 1996, he started an atelier of his own. Two years later, he founded the Optical Diamond Setting School where he instructs three-month courses and five-day workshops.