SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia – Russian businessman Victor Petrik has created a gem portrait of the President of Russia to commemorate Vladimir Putin’s birthday.

Putin’s portrait was made on a huge sapphire of dark blue color, with an astonishing and rich variety of overtones. Stone dimensions 100x90x44 mm, weight 611 grams.

Today it is known that Petrik created his collection privately for 20 years. Collection numbers nearly 90 portraits of famous people from history and the modern day. His portraits are made on rubies, sapphires, topazes and other natural gems or synthetic stones.

Petrik has not only dedicated equipment for the synthesis of gems, but also brand new technologies that allow the production of emeralds and rubies of ultimate size with previously unattainable characteristics.

At first, a portrait is made from normal plastic materials, i.e. putty or wax. This is a creative part. At this stage the artist embodies not only portrait similarity in sculptural plastic, but also the deepest traits of the subject’s personality. Thus, for Putin’s portrait, Petrik emphasized such main traits as courage and the strength of Putin’s nature. Besides, using delicate and intellectual techniques, he used sculptural opportunities to transfer a wisdom that is reflected in the eyes of a hero.

Petrik said of the portrait: “Millions of years will pass, everything will be destroyed, but the portrait of the President of Russia on sapphire will shine in the rays of the everlasting sun.”