“Of course, an enormous amount of patience and stamina is required; sometimes more than 300 hours of work are needed for one unique carved figure. Given the considerable cost of the rough stones and the tools as well as the time already invested, one can hardly afford to put some partly finished work aside for a while or even abandon it. Therefore it has to be quite clear from the beginning that it will be possible to realize an idea as planned.” GERD DREHER
STEP BY STEP: A GEMSTONE ANIMAL COMES TO LIFE This is how an obsidian would be found at a dealers (above left). But most of the time, when stones are selected by the Dreher family, they are dirty and their outer appearance does not reveal the inner beauty of the stone. So cleaning and external polishing is needed in order to determine what kind of animal could be carved out of this stone. Once the decision has been made and the first measurements calculated, the stone can be cut approximately with the diamond saw into a basic shape (above right). This is the most challenging part of the journey into the stone. New colors, inclusions, and other surprises can be found, and sometimes an adaption of the carving process or a change in the design is required. Then the elaborate details can be carved, step by step (below, left to right).
A very rare obsidian from the Caucasus—this object and the illustration of the five-step work process are part of the permanent exhibition at the headquarters of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, California.
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“Of course, an enormous amount of patience and stamina is required; sometimes more than 300 hours of work are needed for one unique carved figure. Given the considerable cost of the rough stones and the tools as well as the time already invested, one can hardly afford to put some partly finished work aside for a while or even abandon it. Therefore it has to be quite clear from the beginning that it will be possible to realize an idea as planned.” GERD DREHER
STEP BY STEP: A GEMSTONE ANIMAL COMES TO LIFE This is how an obsidian would be found at a dealers (above left). But most of the time, when stones are selected by the Dreher family, they are dirty and their outer appearance does not reveal the inner beauty of the stone. So cleaning and external polishing is needed in order to determine what kind of animal could be carved out of this stone. Once the decision has been made and the first measurements calculated, the stone can be cut approximately with the diamond saw into a basic shape (above right). This is the most challenging part of the journey into the stone. New colors, inclusions, and other surprises can be found, and sometimes an adaption of the carving process or a change in the design is required. Then the elaborate details can be carved, step by step (below, left to right).
A very rare obsidian from the Caucasus—this object and the illustration of the five-step work process are part of the permanent exhibition at the headquarters of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, California.
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WILDLIFE IN GEMSTONES
WILDLIFE IN GEMSTONES
GERD DREHER, Crawling Toad, Indian jasper, L 140 mm, 1988. 72
GERD DREHER, Crawling Toad, Indian jasper, L 140 mm, 1988. 72
GERD DREHER, Frog, Ukrainian heliodor, H 110 mm, 1993. 77
GERD DREHER, Frog, Ukrainian heliodor, H 110 mm, 1993. 77
GERD DREHER, Chameleon, green beryl, H 124 mm, 478 g, 2000.
98
99
GERD DREHER, Chameleon, green beryl, H 124 mm, 478 g, 2000.
98
99
GERD DREHER, Snail, natural Brazilian agate, L 136 mm, 2003. GERD DREHER, Running Rhinoceros, natural Brazilian agate, L 280 mm, 2001. 100
GERD DREHER, Snail, natural Brazilian agate, L 136 mm, 2003. GERD DREHER, Running Rhinoceros, natural Brazilian agate, L 280 mm, 2001. 100
GERD DREHER, Howling Wolf, natural Brazilian agate, H 135 mm, 2005. 118
119
GERD DREHER, Howling Wolf, natural Brazilian agate, H 135 mm, 2005. 118
119
GERD DREHER, Tarsier on a Branch, natural Brazilian agate, smoky quartz base, H 190 mm, 2006. 132
133
GERD DREHER, Tarsier on a Branch, natural Brazilian agate, smoky quartz base, H 190 mm, 2006. 132
133
GERD DREHER, Communicating Pair of Chimpanzees, black-brown natural Brazilian agate, male: H 90 mm, female: H 71 mm, 2007. 145
GERD DREHER, Communicating Pair of Chimpanzees, black-brown natural Brazilian agate, male: H 90 mm, female: H 71 mm, 2007. 145
PATRICK DREHER, Mouse, smoky quartz, 18 kt gold, L 70 mm, 2008. 146
PATRICK DREHER, Snail, natural Brazilian agate, L 140 mm, 2009. 147
PATRICK DREHER, Mouse, smoky quartz, 18 kt gold, L 70 mm, 2008. 146
PATRICK DREHER, Snail, natural Brazilian agate, L 140 mm, 2009. 147
GERD DREHER, Sitting Gorilla, smoky quartz, H 126 mm, 2011. PATRICK DREHER, Chimpanzee, natural Brazilian agate, H 91 mm, 2009. PATRICK DREHER, Young Elephant, natural Brazilian agate, L 135 mm, 2011. 162
GERD DREHER, Sitting Gorilla, smoky quartz, H 126 mm, 2011. PATRICK DREHER, Chimpanzee, natural Brazilian agate, H 91 mm, 2009. PATRICK DREHER, Young Elephant, natural Brazilian agate, L 135 mm, 2011. 162
PATRICK DREHER, Bear with Honeycomb, agate, 18 kt gold, H 90 mm, 2013. 176
PATRICK DREHER, Bear with Honeycomb, agate, 18 kt gold, H 90 mm, 2013. 176
PATRICK DREHER, Starfish, strawberry quartz, amethyst, crystal, H 136 mm, 2014. 186
PATRICK DREHER, Starfish, strawberry quartz, amethyst, crystal, H 136 mm, 2014. 186
PATRICK DREHER, Hippopotamus, citrine, L 120 mm, 526 g, 2015. 196