Orwin Products Ltd is owned and managed by Colin & Hilary Winter. Hilary, formerly known as Hilary Taylor the illustrator and co-author of ‘A Students’ Guide to Spectroscopy’, married Colin in May 2006, in Sri Lanka. Hilary has a B.A. (hons) degree and both Colin & Hilary have the coveted FGA Diplomas, with Distinction, and Gem Diamond Diplomas of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain.
Colin and Hilary have taught gemmology and given lectures in Europe, Asia and the USA, and have both owned retail jewellery stores and an international Gemmology School in the UK. As well as being former specialist consultants for the UKs Atomic Energy Commission, De Beers and Christies’, London, part of the international Auction House Group, both wrote the ‘Gemstone Course’ for the UKs National Association of Goldsmiths, and have been actively involved in many other aspects of distance learning, during which time Hilary was also a Director and Board Member of the N.A.G, the prestigious association for the jewellery trades in the UK.
During the past ten years both Colin and Hilary have been elevated to the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in the City of London, and both have Freedom of the City of London.
Apart from her work as a gemmologist and illustrator, Hilary has also spent many years designing and manufacturing fine quality bespoke jewellery and more recently produced all of the artwork for the OPL book ‘A Students Guide to Spectroscopy’. She is now actively engaged in producing the artwork for the next two books in the series – ‘A Students Guide to the Refractometer’ and ‘A Students Guide to the Polariscope & Dichroscope’.
Other jewellery and gemmological activities include involvement with the South East Branch of Gem A, Colin was Chairman and Hilary was Secretary. Colin has also been a member of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences for over 30 years. Other interests include sailing and a house in Spain. Hilary is a fine artist and paints in several media in her spare time.
Needless to say, both are dedicated to the continued improvement of the OPL range of gem testing equipment and have a desire to provide the best available at affordable prices.
In October 2017 Colin & Hilary organized and hosted a prestigious 14 day Gem Study Tour to Sri Lanka on behalf of both the Gem-A and the NAJ (National Association of Jewellers) for the benefit of Professional Gemmologists & Jewellers. This study tour was so successful and well received that plans are already being made for another trip possibly in 2018.