Constantin Wild - Gem Journal 'THE GREEN EDITION' by CONSTANTIN WILD - GEMS. TRUST. WILD. - Fine Gemstones

GEM JOURNAL THE GREEN EDITION

EDITORIAL

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LIFESTYLE

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HERITAGE

RESPONSIBILITY

TRAVELLING

ADVENTURE

TEMPTATION

LIFESTYLE

FEATURE

EDITORIAL Dear gemstone lovers, the current edition is set against a backdrop of Nature and balance. That’s why we’ve selected the colour green. For it is Mother Earth that we have to thank for a particularly valuable treasure – sparkling beauties from her very depths. Green also symbolises harmony. As a family enterprise which is regionally based but acts globally, we are very much committed to this accord with

our environment. Ever since our founding over 170 years ago, we have maintained honest relations with our customers and business partners. In some cases, the families of our employees have been closely associated with us for generations – as have our suppliers. And we also have a very special relationship with our roots. That’s why we are committed to our company location in Idar-Oberstein. You can see for yourself how strongly we feel integrated in

Nature. Let yourself be seduced by ‘different shades of green’. I take great pleasure in inviting you to an expedition through my homeland. Have fun browsing ...

Sparkling greetings Constantin Wild

LIFESTYLE

GREEN ESCAPE Want to take some deep breaths and get away from the stress of everyday life? We’ve got just what you need: a place where you can enjoy life and keep a good conscience at the same time. It’s worth getting away from the rush of the city for once. Relax, lean back and just let yourself be enchanted.

LIFESTYLE

“The wise man knows no haste; he who hastes cannot be wise.” Chinese proverb

SHANGHAI HIGHER, FASTER, FURTHER You can feel the pulse, the modernity. Once a small, insignificant fishing village, Shanghai has developed to become one of the world’s largest and most exciting metropolises. This Chinese city of millions is held in high esteem, particularly for its impressive blend of high tech and history. Lovers of art, culture and luxury certainly get their money’s worth here. For example on an excursion to the historic Yu Garden in the Old City. Or a luxurious shopping tour on Naijing Road West. BREATHTAKING SKYLINE There’s one particular view that has no equal: the one that presents itself in the evening, when the ads on the skyscrapers and the TV tower of the Pudong Financial District change from one second to the next on the other side of the water, while gaudily illuminated pleasure boats ply the river in the foreground. That’s the Shanghai we know and love. HUSTLE AND BUSTLE A colourful shimmer. People. Even more people. But sometimes, we long for a little less bustle. A lush green idyll. We feel it’s time for some fresh air. And we know exactly where to go to find what we need …

LIFESTYLE

“Nature is life’s best guide.” Cicero

HUNSRÜCK-HOCHWALD NATIONAL PARK TAKE A NICE DEEP BREATH Tranquillity. Vastness. We’ve got away from the hurly-burly. No cars, no neon signs. The region around Idar-Oberstein is the ideal refuge for stressed-out metropolitans. The HunsrückHochwald National Park really does our lungs good. Here, the country and the landscape have been left to develop as Nature intended. This is the home of the beech tree. Wildcats and deer are among its other inhabitants. A true hotspot of biological diversity. ENCHANTING VINEYARDS “The sun shines where the vines grow”. That’s what they say here. And indeed, these stony slopes and the agreeable biocli-

mate have put the national park right in the midst of Germany’s best wine-growing regions. So what about finishing off a long walk with a glass of delicious riesling? It’s hard to find a better way of winding down. INTRIGUING HISTORY The history of this place is equally fascinating. Celts lived here once. Later, the Romans settled. Having said that, it is in fact above all rocks and minerals that tell the story of this region. What, we wonder, might a 380-million-year-old quartzite have to say if it could talk? Probably just as much as the raw stones which are processed into sparkling treasures in Idar-Oberstein.

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LIFESTYLE

IDAR-OBERSTEIN LUXURY THROUGH NATURE

“Nature is the most creative artist of all.” Andreas Tenzer

We may no longer be right in the middle of an unadulterated landscape, but it’s still idyllic here. The Hunsrück hill range in the Federal State of the RhinelandPalatinate has not only some fascinating fauna and flora to offer, but also above all luxury, or perhaps it’s better to say luxury through Nature. Gemstones, from the interior of the Earth, embody all the diversity and beauty of our world. And gemstones are what the town of Idar-Oberstein is famous for, worldwide. Getting the best out of – or rather putting the final polish on – matt raw stones to produce a flawless sparkle. That is what Constantin Wild and his home town of IdarOberstein are renowned for. Constantin Wild knows that the true treasures of Nature can only unfold if you treat them with attention and respect. Only in that way, for example, can a valuable, many-faceted peridot emerge from an unprepossessing clod. Or a powerfully radiant paraiba, with which the woman who wears it will attract many admiring glances.

HERITAGE

“WE ARE PART OF NATURE” Gemstones are perhaps the most beautiful treasures on this Earth. Their sheer perfection makes them really valuable as possessions. Find out in the interview how the nature lover Constantin Wild defines true luxury and what trust has to do with the purchase of these rare stones.

GEM JOURNAL: Until 100 years ago, work was done at the Wilds’ with cutting-mills. Those times are gone, wouldn’t you say? CONSTANTIN WILD: “Not directly, no. Even if the work is done today by modern machines, many things have remained unchanged. Our products come from Mother Earth. And we’re

proud to be part of Nature, and proud that we always will be. Traditional craftsmanship continues to be an important pillar of our ongoing success. And in addition to that, we also invest in natural energy by using hydroelectric energy. That way, it’s possible for us to use state-of-the-art technology and at the same time maintain our

connection to the origins of the gemstone industry.” GJ: From the point of view of your customers, purchasing a gemstone is becoming a more and more complex matter. In the old days the only thing that really mattered was the sparkle, perhaps, whilst today everyone uses catchwords like compliance and sustainability. So what

does it actually come down to when someone wants to buy a gemstone? CW: “The purchase of a gemstone is based on trust. Trust in the qualities of the stone. Trust in its origin. As a small, exclusive enterprise run by its owner, we know our suppliers personally, and we have known them for a long time. Our

customers benefit from these relationships. When people buy from us, they’re not just trusting some company or other. They’re trusting Constantin Wild.” GJ: You’re a nature lover, not only in your role as an entrepreneur, but also in your private life. So how does your perfect free day look, in the region around your home town?

CW: “At present, my favourite free weekends are the ones I spend in the country. I have a cabin in Allenbach, right near the national park. The most beautiful things in life are free: the view out over the gentle hills of the Hunsrück, the chance to sit back and relax. That’s real luxury, if you ask me.”

HIGHLIGHTS

more than just rare COLLECTION

Demantoid Garnet

DEMANTOID GARNET Cut: round, brilliant cut • Colour: chrome green • Origin: Russia The sobriquet ‘stone of the tsars’ applies to the demantoid, which literally means ‘diamond-like’. As early as 1900, it was the favourite stone of the famous St. Petersburg court jeweller Carl Fabergé. After the Russian revolution in 1917, the ‘green diamond’ swiftly vanished into oblivion. Especially desirable for collectors are the ‘horsetail inclusions’. These golden-brown crystal threads of chrysotile are the birthmarks of the Russian demantoid. Fine chrome-green Russian demantoids above five carats in weight are extremely rare.

more than just rare COLLECTION

Tsavorite Garnet

TSAVORITE GARNET Cut: cushion cut • Colour: bright green • Origin: Tanzania Tsavorite is the name of the green variety of grossularite garnet. The gem which was first discovered in 1967 and is named after Kenya’s Tsavo National Park. This cushion-cut stone is a striking example and features a lively green colour.

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RESPONSIBILITY

CONSTANTIN WILD SPARKLING WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE. SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING.

TRADITION

OUR PEOPLE

SUPPLY CHAIN

Responsibility through tradition. We are a family enterprise in the fourth generation.

We believe you go on learning all your life. That’s why we train young professionals.

We trust our suppliers and partners worldwide. Just as they trust us.

COMMUNITY

ENVIRONMENT

QUALITY

We’re committed to society and support social, cultural and environmental protection initiatives in the region.

We process our stones using green electricity from hydroelectric power.

We know our stones personally. We’re on firstname terms with each one and know its life history.

Over 170 years of value tradition are the basis of the way we act. As a family enterprise that is regionally based but acts globally, we take our obligations seriously: obligations to our employees, customers, business partners and society itself. We’d like to say thankyou to them all. It’s just as much a matter of course for us to treat the environment with respect as it is to display entrepreneurial commitment at the company location in Idar-Oberstein.

HIGHLIGHTS

more than just rare COLLECTION

Chrome Tourmaline

CHROME TOURMALINE Cut: oval cut • Colour: chrome green • Origin: East Africa Tourmalines come in a wide variety of exciting colours. In fact, tourmaline has one of the widest colour ranges of any gem species, occurring in various shades of virtually every hue. Chrome tourmaline is coloured by the trace elements chromium and vanadium, the same elements that colour most emeralds. This chrome-green gem is special on account of its lively colour and size.

more than just rare COLLECTION

Peridot

PERIDOT Cut: cushion cut • Colour: yellowish-green • Origin: Myanmar Mogok in Burma is known to produce the best quality for peridot with its two mines near the Barnardmyo villages: Pyaung Gaung and Zalat Thaung. The Myanmar peridot is of better quality than those from other sources and thus quite valuable. This huge yellowish-green cushion-cut gem is a unique collector’s piece.

RESPONSIBILITY

CHARACTERS OF THE TRADE

TRAVELLING

EAT, DREAM, LOVE IDAR-OBERSTEIN Take your time. Leave your cares behind. Let your palate be pampered. In the area around the gemstone metropolis of Idar-Oberstein there are lots of opportunities to enjoy with a clear conscience.

TRAVELLING

SLEEP organic relaxing

DRINK organic wining

DREAM organic sightseeing

KLOSTERHOTEL MARIENHÖH

ECOLOGICAL WINE-GROWING ESTATE ARTUR MENTGES

WATCHING MIGRATORY BIRDS

Once a convent, this luxury hotel is now a wonderful refuge with genuine savoir vivre, offering guests leisure, wellness and the time to enjoy Nature. Here, rough stone facades and antique furniture are complemented by modern ambience and design. And the estate is right by the gates of the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park! Marienhöh 2-10 55758 Langweiler Tel.: +49 (0) 6786 29299 -0 info@klosterhotel-marienhoeh.de www.klosterhotel-marienhoeh.de

Since as long ago as the 80s, the Mentges family have been running their wine-growing estate along ecological lines and with great attention to detail. The home of their delicious riesling is Traben-Trarbach, the wine capital of our region. The principal motto here is ‘quality, not quantity’. That’s why I regularly stock up with this particular grapejuice, which is usually off the shelves almost as soon as it’s been put on them. Mmmh! Perfect for a mild summer evening in my garden!” Berenbruchstraße 15 D-56841 Traben-Trarbach/Wolf Tel. +49 (0) 6541 3204 info@oekowein-mentges.de www.oekowein-mentges.de

Setting off southward to their own trumpet call: when the cranes form up to go and spend the winter in warmer regions, they offer the observer a true spectacle of Nature. The region around Idar-Oberstein is ideal for observing bird migration. And those who have experienced the movements of hundreds of birds crisscrossing the Hunsrück will never forget this breathtaking event. www.hunsruecktouristik.de/en

ENJOY organic activities

EAT organic picnic

EN ROUTE IN THE IDAR FOREST

WITH THE ‘BEZIEHUNGSKISTE’ FROM REGIONAL BRAND SOONAHE

What could be nicer than spending time in the forest? The rustling of leaves, now and then the sound of a branch snapping. Listening to the twitter of the birds ... The hilly Hunsrück region around the Idar forest is rooted in tranquillity. Visible from a long way off is the Idarkopf. On a walk in the popular recreational area, the energy and magnetism of the trees can be felt quite noticeably. And so that that continues to be the case, we remain active in citizens‘ initiatives for the protection of Nature. www.finger-weg-vom-idarwald.de

Bubbly ‘Apfel-Secco’, freshly harvested honey and brown bread. In the ‘Beziehungskiste’, a special picnic basket full of tasty things grown in the region. So let’s get off out into the country, spread out the picnic rug and enjoy! Why not? SooNahe stands for ‘good things from the Nahe and the Hunsrück’. SooNahe encourages local producers and helps protect the environment by avoiding long transport routes for food products. Bahnhofstraße 37 55606 Kirn Tel.: +49 (0) 151 5111 0688 klaus.wilhelm@soonahe.de www.soonahe.de

ADVENTURE

ADVENTURE AT LATITUDE 56 – EAST OF THE URALS ON THE DEMANTOID TRAIL Sometimes, a gemstone merchant is an adventurer too. In order to be able to offer the best stones with the most enduring value, Constantin Wild visits gemstone mines all over the world. But not everything always goes as planned. Learn more about Constantin’s bizarre trip to Russia and how he contributed to the return of the Russian demantoid to the international stage. Summer 1984: Fritz Wild was a wise man. Early on, he sent his son Constantin off travelling. When Constantin showed an interest in the gemstone business, Fritz made sure he got the best training at the Gemological Institute of America in California. There, Constantin occupied himself in detail with the mineralogical backgrounds and geological environments of gemstones, and successfully obtained his certificate as a Graduate Gemologist (GG). One surprising thing this scion of a coloured-gemstone family learned there was that diamonds are valued using a logic quite different from that applied to gemstones. Whilst diamonds are the

more valuable the less colour and the fewer inclusions they have, the value of coloured gemstones can increase if they have inclusions. And that applies particularly to the Russian demantoid, which is so very valuable just because of its inclusions. A gemstone which, until the time of this adventure, had fallen into oblivion. CHANGE OF SCENE – IDAR-OBERSTEIN One day in the middle of the 80s, Constantin Wild was pretty amazed when a shaky old car drew up at his door and two Russian geologists got out and proceeded to offer him some stones from the Urals. At once,

the young gemstone merchant remembered about the special qualities of the scarce demantoid and realised that the stones he was being offered were a rarity. His enthusiasm had now been kindled. Even before the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe, Constantin travelled to Russia, and he was one of the first merchants to do so. FULL SPEED THROUGH THE SIBERIAN NIGHT So it was, one October at the beginning of this century, that Constantin went to Yekaterinburg to visit a demantoid merchant and his mine in the Urals. A journey that Constantin

ADVENTURE

and his friend, the jurist Peter Steiniger, were to remember for a long time. Hardly had they arrived in Russia than they found themselves sitting in an old 7-series BMW with the proprietor of the gemstone company and his adjutant at 3 o’clock in the morning. Their destination: a demantoid mine on the eastern slopes of the Urals, hundreds of miles east of the industrial metropolis where they had landed. On a frozen highway with no central reservation or crash barriers, the limousine raced through the Siberian night at 120 mph. Several hours later the German entrepreneurs got quite a surprise when it suddenly stopped by a cross at the roadside and the two Russians sank into a rapt silence. Some while back, the former head of the demantoid company had had a fatal accident there, they explained. No sooner had they said it than a bottle of vodka got passed round. Then, off they went again at breakneck speed through the frosty tundra. Mile by mile, the motley crew of four drew further and further away from civilisation. In a small, deserted village they swapped the comfortable limousine for a robust Russian all-terrain vehicle and a Siberian trapper joined them as its driver. Rapidly, the cold crept into the draughty ORV and time seemed to stand still. Apart from walls of snow six

feet high, it was hardly possible to make anything out to the left or right of the carriageway. MINUS 30 DEGREES – AND NOT A BIT ROMANTIC At the first light of dawn the men arrived at a log cabin. The driver switched off the engine. Endless birchwoods all around. The snow came up to the men’s chest, the cold making it tougher for them to breathe. After a short sleep they pressed on again immediately. Temperatures of minus 30 degrees were tough on the ORV and character-building for the men. In order to be able to start off at all, the four of them first had to heat the engine from below with a box full of burning timber. It wasn’t until after that that the engine started and they set off again through the wilderness. The presence of the trapper seemed like a life assurance policy. Dropped here alone, the businessmen probably wouldn’t have been able to survive at all. Painstakingly, the ORV carved its way through the woods, the thin birch trunks snapping off like matches. Constantin, a keen huntsman, immediately recognised signs on the bark that told him that this was ideal big game territory. And indeed, it was not long before some timid elks came into view. To Constantin’s amazement, the Russian company owner stuck a machine gun in his hand and told him to get up

on the roof of the vehicle. And there the gemstone merchant sat, in temperatures well below zero, weapon at the ready – while the ORV stumbled onward. When the men came across a group of elks near a clearing, the guest from Germany was invited to take first shot. In keeping with German hunting tradition, Constantin asked if he could have a trial shot. Its report was quickly swallowed by the forest and followed by thunderous laughter on the part of his host. With an unmistakable gesture, the Russian asked Constantin to hand him the weapon – and then proceeded to fire off one volley after another into the wilderness. Fortunately, the warning shot had already scared the elks off. WITHOUT A SILENCER THROUGH THE TUNDRA – STUCK FAST IN THE QUAGMIRE OF SNOW Evening was drawing nearer, dusk was gradually approaching, and the two Germans were beginning to feel uneasy. After all, there they were in the middle of the tundra, in deep snow and at least a couple of hours from the log cabin, and all around them there was nothing but utter wilderness. Slowly, the car rumbled on through the dense undergrowth. Suddenly there was a glugging sound and the ORV drifted away fast to one side. Quick action was called for,

ADVENTURE

for the vehicle was slipping further and further down and had soon sunk in up to the windows in the snowy quagmire. More than 10 miles from any kind of civilisation it was pretty clear to everyone that no-one was going to drop by on the off-chance. Hopefully, Constantin reached for his mobile phone, only to put it back in his jacket pocket in frustration a few seconds later. So far out in the wilds, of course, there was no reception. “Well, that’s probably it” was his next thought, and he remembered the uncomfortable feeling he had had as, in the grey light of dawn, the men travelled further and further out into loneliness. But to give up now would have meant certain death. They had to keep their nerves. Now it was a question of rolling up their sleeves and just trying not to think of the cold. Together, they felled one tree after another, dragging the trunks out of the impenetrable undergrowth and shoving them beneath the wheels together with leaves. After two hours the job looked as if it had been done, and the driver was able to restart the engine. But the tyres just spun. It wasn’t until they had made several attempts that they succeeded in getting the ORV out of the morass. Relieved, the men started back homeward – only to get stuck again a few hours later. This time, they managed to get

out of the fix they were in somewhat more quickly, but in doing so they lost their exhaust pipe. After a nerve-racking search they found it again in the snow and fitted it back on provisionally. Finally, well on into the night, the adventurers returned to the log cabin in a state of complete exhaustion and very relieved indeed to have survived. FLIGHT HOME WITH LUFTHANSA ON THE ‘IDAROBERSTEIN’ – HOME SO NEAR, YET SO FAR So it was that the next day, the entrepreneurs went straight back to Yekaterinburg – without having even set eyes on the demantoid mine at all. When they arrived at the airport the two Germans couldn’t believe their eyes. There on the runway was a Lufthansa jet that bore the name ‘Idar-Oberstein’. Never before had Constantin felt so close to home while being so far away. Never before had he been so relieved to be able to get on a plane. And the demantoids? Well, it was going to be years before Constantin returned to Russia. But of all his many trips there, this was one that he will never forget. Thanks to his good contacts, he made a major contribution to the rediscovery of this fine stone by international jewellers and their celebration of it as a valuable treasure.

| TEMPTATION

GREEN, GREENER, GREENEST: EMERALD, DEMANTOID, PERIDOT AND TSAVORITE, GREEN TOURMALINE AND CHROME TOURMALINE. Not only the peridot, but also other gemstones whose colour is green, have an unusually positive effect, because green is always perceived as fresh and vivacious, never as dull. Because of their very colour they seem to inspire, encourage creativity and joie de vivre and are, at the same time, a genuine piece of Nature. What they have in common is the chromium and / or vanadium that give them their colour. These trace elements succeed in transforming a crystal into a green gemstone.

Take the emerald, for example, with its unique emerald green. It’s the most valuable member of the beryl group, to which the blue aquamarine, the delicate pink morganite, the golden heliodor and the pale green beryl belong. CHROMIUM IS THE SECRET Far less well known is the emerald’s ‘little brother’, the tsavorite. Fresh green hues from a pastel green to a lush emerald green, and its extraordinary brilliance, made this relatively young gem-

stone from East Africa a real high flyer in the mid-1970s. Thanks to the film ‘Out of Africa’, the area where it originated near the Tsavo National Park in the border country between Kenya and Tanzania became world-famous. The tsavorite belongs to the colourful gemstone group of the garnets. Here too, the green tones are caused by the trace elements chromium and vanadium. Like all garnets, the tsavorite is a piece of pure Nature, unusually brilliant, robust as well, and

thanks to its good hardness of 7, also fairly hard-wearing. DEMANTOIDS – A COLLECTOR’S BEST FRIEND Having said that, there is another garnet variety that surpasses it in terms of brightness: the demantoid. In this former ‘favourite stone of Russian jewellers’ too, chromium is the reason for the green colour. The term ‘demantoid’ means ‘diamond-like’, and not without good reason. For this gemstone

has even higher refraction than the diamond, and that gives it a really incredible brightness. Russian demantoids from the Urals are the most valuable, because only they have a radiant green to chrome green hue and those so-called ‘horsetails’. ‘Horsetails’ are bushy chrysotile fibres which often have a small black crystal in their centre. GREEN IS NOT JUST GREEN The gloriously colourful gem-

stone group of the tourmalines also has two wonderful varieties in green: the green tourmaline – a real classic which women love and men love to wear – and the chrome tourmaline. The former presents a magnificent colour spectrum from a fine light green to a dark bottle-green. The green tourmaline, for a change, has the element iron to thank for its colouring, whereas in the chrome tourmaline it is tiny traces of chromium that cause the fine, emerald-like hue.

LIFESTYLE

FIVE EXCITING DAYS WITH POMELLATO How can you put any kind of topping on an unconventional style when extravagance has been at the core of a brand for 50 years? This was the task facing Pomellato’s Creative Director Vincenco Castaldo when he began searching for an idea for the Pomellato Jubilee Collection. He found what he was looking for in the versatile world of coloured gemstones: with 50 really unusual stones, Pomellato celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the company in 2017. As his partner in this lavish project, Vincenco Castaldo chose Constantin Wild of Idar-Oberstein – because in a unique way, we as a gemstone manufacturer full of tradition offer the whole spectrum of the fascination of gemstones, from the raw stone to final production, under a single roof. Together, the Creative Director, his two assistants Marina De Ponti and Enrica Castelli, and Constantin Wild, went down into the raw stone cellar of the

in-house manufacturing facility in Idar-Oberstein and set off on an exciting journey of discovery. Kilo by kilo they turned over the raw stones by hand,

aiming to discover the hidden beauty of Nature and set it in the context of an exceptional design.

HAND-PICKED TREASURES WITH A UNIQUE STORY They were looking for gemstones that had a story to tell. That way, later on, an item of jewellery doesn’t just fulfil a decorative purpose; it’s also convincing because of its own thoroughly personal statement. Alongside the correct mineralogical designations like zoisite, ruby, aquamarine and dendritic agate, imaginative names like “Secret Garden”, “Foggy Morning” and “White Cliffs of Dover” help to express the soul of each stone.

VALUABLE GEMS FOR A SOPHISTICATED COLLECTION The team also invested a good deal of effort in the selection of pavé stones designed for optimum correspondence with the colours of the principal stone. Since at Constantin Wild we can offer the combination of carrying both unusual coloured gemstones and pavé stones in our range, a combination which is very rare anywhere in the world, we were able to fulfil many of the jewellery designers’ wishes right there and then.

EXCLUSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE BY VOGUE AND LE FIGARO The Pomellato Ritratto Jubilee Collection is not a hark-back to the traditional, but a courageous step toward a forwardlooking design. As an exclusive, the ‘making of’ was accompanied by Vogue and Le Figaro. We were glad to receive their editresses as guests at Constantin Wild.

HIGHLIGHTS

more than just rare COLLECTION

Sphene

SPHENE Cut: cushion cut • Colour: yellowish-green • Origin: Madagascar The name originates from the Greek sphenos, meaning wedge. It is a calcium titanium neosilicate mineral. Traces of iron and aluminium are typically present. As a gemstone, sphene is loved for its exceptional dispersive power which exceeds that of a diamond. This yellowish-green sphene is very special in terms of colour, size, cut, double refraction and dispersion. A unique collector’s gem.

more than just rare COLLECTION

Tourmaline

TOURMALINE Cut: cushion cut • Colour: bluish-yellowish-green • Origin: Nigeria Tourmalines come in a wide variety of exciting colours. In fact, tourmaline has one of the widest colour ranges of any gem species, occurring in various shades of virtually every hue. The beauty of this bluish-yellowish-green gem is particularly enhanced by its elegant colour and well proportioned cut.

| MEET CONSTANTIN

MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG Baselworld CH – 4005 Basel, Switzerland Tel: +41 58 206 25 25 visitor@baselworld.com www.baselworld.com

TRADE FAIRS BASELWORLD: UNIQUE TREASURES Glitter, glamour and breathtaking luxury: for many decades now, the major international protagonists from the worlds of watches, jewellery and gemstones have been meeting annually in one place. The best known brands, the most renowned buyers and the most influential media will be coming together in Basel again next spring too, with international exhibitors from some 40 countries making an exclusive presentation of the most recent creations and trends. Anyone who wants to be part of it all when brands such as Gucci, Chopard, Rolex and other big names vie for the most lavish and expensive stand is sure to be in the right place at next year’s BASELWORLD too. In addition to that, the fair offers

an ideal networking platform for those who want to make valuable contacts in an exclusive atmosphere. No jewellery without a gem. Constantin Wild too has been exhibiting at BASELWORLD for over 30 years. After all, when expensive watches and designer jewellery meet, the basic ingredient obviously has to be there too: top-quality gemstones. That’s why this international trade fair devotes itself to Wild’s line of business in Hall 3, the ‚Hall of Elements – Gems and Pearls’. In spite of all the exhibition hustle and luxury overkill, Constantin and his team are happy to take the time for a personal chat with people who share their passion for these colourful treasures of our Earth.

SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT ON: PERIDOT This gemstone embodies joie de vivre and unadulterated nature. With its fine, vivacious green hues, it fits in perfectly with the times we live in. In ancient Rome it was known as the ‘emerald of the evening’. The name ‘peridot’ is derived from the Greek word ‘peridona’, meaning ‘give in abundance’. In mineralogy, on account of the olive-green hue, the term ‘olivine’ is more usual.

INSPIRING JOIE DE VIVRE Long neglected, the peridot is regarded today as one of the most beautiful gemstones in the green colour range. Its vivacious green tones embody pure joie de vivre. Often, moreover, they are enhanced with a slight hint of gold, which can give the wearer a really special aura. What is more, the peridot doesn’t just shine seductively in daylight; it also maintains its luminosity in the artificial light of evening. RADIANT SHADES OF GREEN The peridot is among the few gemstones which occur in one colour only: green. It is only very rarely that large crystals in an intense colour are found – sadly, for especially in large sizes the peridot is particularly attractive and, of course, correspondingly valuable. Tiny traces of iron are the origin of the green hue. The

more iron, the more intense the colour. The most beautiful stones come from the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and from Myanmar. In the best qualities, they display a wonderfully lush green with a very slight hint of gold. Gemstone connoisseurs esteem this so-called ‘Kashmir peridot’ as a genuine rarity. THE RIGHT CUT ... This gemstone is pure nature. That is to say that it does not require any particular treatment. With a perfect cut, it enchants us with the most beautiful green tones of summer – from the delicate yellow-green of the lime, via the lush dark green of ripe olives or the blue-green of the olive tree, all the way through to an autumnal, golden brown-green.

Experienced gemstone cutters are responsible for the right cut. Depending on the shape of the crystal, they usually go for a classical table cut or faceting. As for larger crystals, they can be used to create imaginative one-offs. Having said that, the peridot is by no means easy to cut in the first place. Because of their turbulent genesis, the raw crystals often have inclusions in their interior, and these need to be removed with great care. But once the cutting process has been brought to a successful conclusion, the peridot is an excellent jewellery gem with good wearing qualities, and it is one that inspires gemstone lovers again and again.

peridot

HERITAGE

A TRUE GEM OF A STORY By Cynthia Unninayar, © Courtesy of ICA InColor Magazine As a dealer in fine gemstones, Constantin Wild is quite accustomed to being delighted and even surprised by spectacular gemstones. A few months ago, though, he got an unexpected surprise of a totally different kind. “On October 9th of last year, I received a package from Pakistan. When I opened it, I could hardly believe my eyes. Inside was a small leather-bound booklet containing a mini-collection of gems, which once belonged to my late grandfather, Wilhelm Constantin Wild, who founded our company,” explains Wild. Not sure what to make of this discovery, Wild sent off a few more letters to Pakistan and received a more detailed explanation and some photographic evidence. “It appears that, one day, off the coast of Pakistan, not far from the port of Karachi, a fisherman made an astonishing find — a bag wrapped in plastic that contained various rough gemstones and a little leather booklet with a collection of 29 gem specimens.” As to how this bag ended up in the ocean, or who its former owner was, Wild admits “we will probably never know the entire story.”

Constantin Wild holds up the original package from Pakistan that contained a part of his family’s patrimony in front of the painting of his grandfather, the initiator of the specimen book, Wilhelm Constantin Wild.

From Idar-Oberstein, Germany to the waters of the Indian Ocean and back, the 1950s gem sample book of Wilhelm Constantin Wild is once again travelling the globe with his grandson, Constantin Wild, as he attends the world’s major trade shows.

The fisherman neither asked for nor expected any reward for returning the book, but Wild nonetheless gave him US$1000 as a token of his appreciation. “My family has been trading and processing gemstones worldwide since the 16th century,” adds Wild. “So, while this was a surprising place for the gemstone collection to be found, it was typical of my grandfather, who learned about the opportunities a global market offered from his own forefathers. He had these sample booklets made for selected customers, either as specimens or gifts.”

Notice the pearl that the fisherman put into the place of the missing tiger’s eye. The cover of the book shows worn golden letters stating “W. Constantin Wild & Co.” Inside is the company’s contact and delivery information, brief company history and gemmological notes on coloured gems, including their origin, mining photos and a world map. The gemmological information was probably provided by the late Prof. Schlossmacher.

Another small mystery surrounds the book, which dates back to the mid-20th century. The collection originally had 30 stones, but the fisherman’s original photos show that the tiger’s eye sample was missing. “When we received the book, the kind fisherman had replaced the missing gem with a pearl!” “We’ll probably never find out where the missing stone went, but my family and I are delighted that a piece of our history has come back to us. We are grateful to this wonderful man in Pakistan who restored this family treasure to us.”

The fisherman Abdullah, who found and returned the gem book, shown here with his children.

FEATURE

JANNIS FOSTIERIS FINE GEMSTONES MEET NOBLE JEWELLERY DESIGN Jannis Fostieris runs the long established company E.W. Schreiber and sets great store in his creations by sparkling treasures from Idar-Oberstein. GEM JOURNAL: Tell our readers something about the way your career has developed. JANNIS FOSTIERIS: Like Constantin, I grew up in our family enterprise, which was founded by my grandfather in 1909. Qualified as a goldsmith, merchant and gemmologist, I now proudly continue the running of the company together with my mother. My home town of Hanau is one of the last places in Germany where traditional goldsmithery still has a fundamental significance. We manufacture individual jewellery for customers from all over the world – with precision and great attention to detail. GJ: You’ve been in the business for over 20 years now. How come you’re still so enthusiastic today? JF: That’s an easy one: my love for creation and craftsmanship is just endless. I think I have

the most beautiful profession in the world! Apart from that, it’s my privilege to get up every morning and ask myself “Now, what can I do for the women of this world today?” As far as I’m concerned, a really beautiful piece of jewellery is the glory that crowns a well dressed woman. It’s great to be able to make a contribution to emphasising that beauty. GJ: So what can the women of this world expect when Constantin Wild and Jannis Fostieris get together? JF: I’ve known Constantin for many years and am a tremendous fan of his good taste. Time and again he has inspired me with gemstone compositions that create a really amazing picture. And that, in turn, inspires what I do. That’s why in the case of these earrings, for example, I decided in favour of a simple design and an enclosed setting. The

stones and the colours speak for themselves, don’t you think? Their selection is just 100% Constantin Wild! A really extravagant stone has been used in this bracelet: this demantoid garnet is intensely radiant and has a fantastic brilliance. But even the most beautiful item of jewellery fails to achieve perfection until it is united with the right wearer.

| GEM JOURNAL

IMPRINT Publisher: Constantin Wild GmbH & Co KG, Hauptstrasse 103, 55743 Idar-Oberstein. Germany Tel.: +49 6781-94500 • e-mail: gemjournal@constantinwild.com • Editors: Verena Glaese, Ursel Haggeney, Aisha Camara, Cynthia Unninayar • Art Direction / Graphic design: Stefan Lohmeyer, Forty Two: Design GbR. Translation: Gareth Bartley • Print: Nikolaus Bastian Druck und Verlag GmbH. Picture credits: Jürgen and Hiltrud Cullmann, p. 1, 3, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 26, 32, 33, 36, 37, 47 (single gemstones and portraits with gemstones) • Constantin Wild, p. 3, 12, 13 (hiking in Madeira) - p. 16, 17 (tradition, our people, supply chain, quality) p. 20, 21 (miners), p. 25 (Allenbach, landscape) p. 26-31 (travel to Russia), p. 34, 35 (hard stones), p. 42, 43 (gemstone collection) p. 47 (recycling and team) p. 48 (Anita) • Jannis Fostieris, p. 42 (Constantin with parcel) • Fotolia: p. 3, 4, 5, 17 (© Christoph, stream in the Hunsrück), p. 6, 7 (© kalafoto, Shanghai, China), p. 8, 9 (© Christoph, view from the Erbeskopf), p. 10, 11, 17 (© olenaznakk, Idar-Oberstein at sunset), p. 24 (© 4frame group, relaxing at spa), p. 24 (© pixelleo, red kite), p. 25 (© gkrphoto, cheese), p. 40 (© anderm, Baselworld), p. 47 (© nj_musik, starry night sky), p. 48 (© Joachim Neumann, red kite) • Jannis Fostieris, p. 3, 44, 45 (portrait, earrings, bracelet) • Artur Mentges, p. 24 (wine bottle) • Ibrahim Jilani, p. 43 (fisherman Abdullah) • Pomellato, p. 3, 35 (ring, three rings © Pomellato, Photos: Bodha D’Erasmo & Gilda) • Heike Rost, p. 3, 13 (portrait, Constantin Wild) • Lothar Wannemacher: p. 41 (booth at Baselworld) The Gem Journal has been compiled to the best of our knowledge. Errors and omissions excepted. Copyright: © 2018. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised without the permission of the publisher.

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