GEM JOURNAL First Edition
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Editorial
Lifestyle
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HERITAGE
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Spotlight
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TravelLing
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INVESTMENT
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Feature
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Editorial Dear gemstone lovers, “For natures like mine a journey is invaluable; it animates, corrects, instructs and develops.” This wise pronouncement came from no lesser personality than Johann Wolfgang von Goethe himself. And I am glad, in the first issue of the Gem Journal, to be able to take you on just such a journey. A journey through my fascinating world of gemstones. And not least: a journey through my homeland.
People who know me are aware of the fact that I love adventure and different cultures – be they in South America, Africa or Asia. But Idar-Oberstein, my oasis of wellbeing, is the place I like to be best of all. That’s why I’ve dedicated a large part of this issue to the Deutsche Vita. Let’s set out together on a journey from Frankfurt, the metropolis on the Main, to my Gem Room! Of course, the most wonderful treasures of this Earth certainly also deserve their share of the
limelight. And you will see that my rare and exclusive treasures are not only suitable for being processed into fabulous luxury jewellery, but that they can also be a particularly sparkling investment. On the other hand I don’t want to give too much away – so it’ll be better if you just start reading! Sparkling greetings
Constantin Wild
IMPRINT Publisher: W. Constantin Wild & Co, Proprietor Constantin Wild eK • Hauptstrasse 103 • 55743 Idar-Oberstein, Germany • Tel.: +49 6781-9450-0 • e-mail: gemjournal@constantinwild.com • Editorial office: Aisha Camara; Mandelkern Marketing & Kommunikation GmbH • Art Direction: Stefan Lohmeyer; Forty Two: Design GbR. Translation: Gareth Bartley • Print: Nikolaus Bastian Druck und Verlag GmbH. Picture credits on page 26. The Gem Journal has been compiled to the best of our knowledge. Errors and omissions excepted. Copyright: © 2015. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised without the permission of the publisher.
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Lifestyle
“We always have time enough, if we will but use it aright.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
DEUTSCHE VITA Typically German?! There‘s no such thing really. And as for the way a feeling of being alive such as the ‘Deutsche Vita’ can sometimes look, sound or taste, well, that’s a thing one ought to experience oneself. A journey from skyscrapers to gemstone mines. On a visit to Frankfurt’s most famous son “I am to be drawn of the size of life, enveloped in a white mantle, and sitting on a fallen obelisk, viewing the ruins of the Campagna di Roma ... . It will form a beautiful piece, only it will be rather too large for our northern habitations.” An entry by Goethe in his diary, while he was enjoying life in Rome – under a pseudonym – with the painter Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein in 1786. We, for our part, are sitting on a bench. In Frankfurt, the town where Goethe was born. More than 200 years later. Very apt indeed that we should begin our journey looking at one of the most famous works in the Städel Museum. Even more apt: at the time he was writing, the best known German writer personified
the feeling of being alive that we’re seeking now: the ‘Deutsche Vita’. The joy of life. The beaux arts. The fine wine. For it’s not as if these things exist in Italy alone. In the Städel too, for example: you can find over 700 years of art history here under a single roof. We take in renaissance, baroque, classical modernity and works from the present day: Botticelli. Monet. Dürer. Picasso. The building is right on the Museumsufer, where there are 15 other museums between the south bank of the Main in Sachsenhausen and the Eiserner Steg. So what is it we want to see next? Film? Sculptures? Germany’s first stagecoach? Perhaps we should just pause for a moment first. Observe the reflection of the skyline in the water. After all, another of the aspects of the Deutsche Vita is taking things as they come.
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Lifestyle
“Taste is only to be educated by contemplation, not of the tolerably good but of the truly excellent.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Frankfurt am Main German pesto from ‘Mainhattan’ A change of scene. Now we feel regal. Schloss Friedrichshof – now known as the Schlosshotel Kronberg – was erected in 1888 as a seat for the dowager Empress Victoria. The neo-Gothic Tudor style is impressive. This small luxury hotel is one of the few to have been classified among the ‘Leading Small Hotels of The World’. One of those who have stayed overnight in our suite is Mikhail Gorbachev. Just 20 minutes away: downtown Frankfurt. The European Central Bank or the Stock Exchange – Europe’s financial metropolis is always worth a visit. We stop off at the Alte Oper. Magnificent historical facade. And behind it, one of the world’s most important concert halls, in which world-class
conductors, soloists, ensembles and orchestras play. The première of ‘Carmina Burana’ was given here too. We stroll across the Goethestrasse. Anyone who wants to see the most expensive and exclusive side of Frankfurt is spot on here! Yet the Goethestrasse is only 280 metres long. We fortify ourselves in the equally exclusive Fressgasse: green sauce, Frankfurt’s speciality, which, we’re told, absolutely has to have seven herbs in it. Neither more nor fewer. We’d never heard of borage, chervil or burnet saxifrage until today. But they advise us to come back in May, when the herbs are at their best. We certainly won’t wait to be told that twice! But first we’ll take a big pot back home with us. “Fantastic, this German pesto!”, we hear an Italian tourist say. So there it is again: Deutsche Vita.
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Lifestyle
German Gemstone Route On the German Gemstone Route! After all that city, we now long for some Nature. Fortunately, the route we need to take goes through the Nahe country. To put it more exactly: along Germany’s Gemstone Route. The southern foothills of the Hunsrück and the northern North Palatine Uplands on the two sides of the River Nahe are known together as the ‘Nahe country’. The Nahe country extends for some 80 km along an east-west axis from the source of the river in Saarland to the point where it joins the Rhine near Bingen. At the beginning all was lava. Back in the infancy of the planet, so to speak. The minerals enclosed in that lava gave birth to quartzes, amethysts and those famous agates. Jasper and rock crystal were also discovered here in the 15th century. Mother Earth thus laid the foundation stone for the gemstone industry of the region. And we in Idar-
Oberstein probably still have a great deal to learn about the way that industry grew from a local to an international one. But that incredible sparkle on a wrist or a neck that inspires gemstone fans so much was by no means the only thing to have been thrown up by these geological events. Everywhere you look, facades in slate mark the ‘Slate and Castle Route’. Romantic forests, castles and mythological-looking rocks invite you to daydream. We feel like castle lords. We admire ancient rock in Bundenbach too: there’s a world-class fossil deposit there. They show us a 400-millionyear-old placoderm. That’s what history feels like. High time for a break. “Life is too short to drink bad wine”, said Goethe. Well, that can’t happen to us on the German Gemstone Route. We enjoy some chilled riesling from the EmrichSchönleber estate in Monzingen. And it’s not far to Idar-Oberstein now.
“Even the stones that have been placed in one’s path can be made into something beautiful.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Lifestyle
Idar-oberstein Welcome home To experience the world of gemstones is to experience the world of Constantin Wild. And that also means experiencing Idar-Oberstein. For us the gemstone merchant rolls out the red carpet: to his own in-house showroom. And that’s not all …
turies-old history. Raw stones are stored here. The old stone-cutting mill awaits them. In the cuttingshop, handicraft meets state-ofthe-art technology. Outside, the Idar stream babbles gently along. In spring, the aroma of the cherry blossoms in the garden pervades the whole house.
But there’s great deal more to be seen in Constantin Wild’s ‘Gem Room’. In his treasure chamber gemstones take the centre of the stage. With extraordinarily good taste and great attention to detail.
Idar-Oberstein is always worth a visit. For its art and culture. Or because everyone ought to try spiessbraten once in his life. And there’s more, whichever direction you care to look in: romantic Heidelberg, for example. Trier, the oldest bishopric north of the Alps, is equally easy to reach. And out beyond the German borders Paris, the capital of ‘haute joaillerie’, beckons. Basel, the city of jewellery and clocks, is not far either.
Idar-Oberstein, Hauptstrasse 103: its gem room is not the only thing that is special about this elegant house, in which Constantin Wild first saw the light of day. In each nook, each corner: a piece of cen-
But first, bask in the light. The facets. The shine and sparkle. Sink a little deeper into that leather armchair. We feel all right. And we‘ll be interested to see whatever it is that awaits us here.
In the rotating showcase: a spinel, radiant, in a deep carmine red. Not far away: a mandarin garnet with an orange glow from the collection ‘Great Temptations’. In a cabinet, a yellow sapphire shimmers.
“For natures like mine a journey is invaluable; it animates, corrects, instructs and develops” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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HIGHLIGHTS
more than just rare COLLECTION
ST. MARIA AQUAMARINE octagon, step cut intense deep azure blue Brazil
Trade name Cut Colour Origin
For many years aquamarine specimens of the highest quality and the finest blue have been referred to in the trade as ‘Santa Maria’, such material having been found around Santa Maria de Itabira in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Though mining ceased decades ago, the by-name ‘Santa Maria’ is still used around the world to denote high-quality aquamarines. The aquamarines of this pair are of this outstanding Santa Maria de Itabira type and come in an intense deep azure blue colour.
CANARY TOURMALINE oval, star cut neon yellow Zambia
Trade name Cut Colour Origin
In southern East Africa, in Zambia, a gemstone deposit with some wonderful yellow tourmalines was discovered in the autumn of 2000. The fresh, springlike yellow of these tourmalines is clear and pure and has just a very fine hint of green. It is fine traces of manganese and titanium that are responsible for the electrifying yellow colour. Canary tourmalines of more than five carats are very rare.
BICOLOURED IMPERIAL TOPAZ cushion, star cut reddish-pink and orange Brazil
Trade name Cut Colour Origin
Topazes usually come in brown, blue, white or yellow. This amazing gem features two natural colours in one: orange and the rare, highly coveted reddish-pink. A one-of-a-kind rarity and a world-class beauty.
more than just rare COLLECTION
Trade name Cut Colour Origin
MANDARIN GARNET oval, modified brilliant cut orange Nigeria
Mandarin garnet is the trade name for orange spessartite garnets. In gem quality they were first discovered in 1991 in Namibia and later in Nigeria. With their unequalled high brilliancy and orange colour, they are a welcome addition to the gemstone family, both in terms of fashion and as collector‘s items. This large, well cut gem sparkles in a rich ‚Fanta‘-orange colour. Cut specimens this size are very rare.
Trade name Cut Colour Origin
PARAIBA TOURMALINE oval, star cut neon-greenish-blue Mozambique
The tourmaline family features virtually every colour of the rainbow. Most tourmalines get their colour from traces of iron, manganese, chromium and vanadium, but the Paraiba has traces of copper, and often manganese, their perfect interaction creating the neon-blue beauty of this gem. This specimen is a real rarity.
Trade name Cut Colour Origin
Peridot cushion, mixed star and step cut yellowish-green Myanmar
Mogok in Burma is known to produce the best quality for peridot with its two mines near the Barnardmyo villages of Pyaung Gaung and Zalat Thaung. The Myanmar peridot is of better quality than those from other sources and thus quite valuable.
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DEUTSCHE VITA
Heritage If this great selection of extravagant gemstones is to continue to find its way into Constantin Wild’s treasure chamber, one man is indispensable: Gernot Weber. As a gemstone cutter he carries the heritage of the gemstone metropolis within him.
GEM JOURNAL: Idar-Oberstein is regarded as the absolute gemstone metropolis. How did that come to be? Gernot Weber: Agates were discovered here for the first time in the 15th century. The wild Idar stream, which flows right through the town, quickly gave rise to numerous cutting-shops, in which
my forefathers were able to process the stones. Later, jasper and rock crystal were discovered too. When the domestic deposits began to decline at the beginning of the 19th century, the people of the Hunsrück set off out into the great wide world and discovered many other kinds of stone there. But the stones were always processed back at home.
GJ: Idar-Oberstein is the only gemstone centre in the world where all kinds of gemstone are processed and traded in. Why does that work so well here? GW: In this town, small though it is – at first glance – there is a vast amount of knowledge. Over centuries, a broad base of expertise covering all the aspects of
the world of gemstones has been built up. To benefit from it, the whole industry turns to us. Not least for our renowned tradition of German craftsmanship. GJ: As a gemstone cutter you have a perfect command of your craft. What exactly does this demanding profession entail?
GW: It’s a well known fact that the first step is always the most difficult. It goes without saying that I too had to learn my trade in a course of training that lasted many years. There’s far more to my profession than just cutting. At the beginning of each job you first need to ask yourself the questions: what raw material am I actually working with? How can
I best cut and shape this stone? To create wonderful jewellery items from complex stones too, you need not only craftsmanship, but also a very fair portion of creativity. And that variety is exactly what I like about it so much.
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Spotlight
Spotlight on: Imperial Topaz There is one particular stone which has a really special appeal for Constantin Wild, with its reddish-gold tones and its sparkle. The incomparable imperial topaz was discovered in the mid-18th century near Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais, the ‘home town’ of topazes, in Brazil. Imperial topaz – the very name is magical! And yet it’s by no means certain how the stone came to get it. Perhaps the Russian tsars were the force behind it. They were
among the earliest buyers of this rarity. Others say that the stone wasn’t named until the time of the Brazilian empire, i.e. between 1822 and 1889. In other words, nobody really knows exactly. Having said that, the imperial topaz is still among the most valuable and most coveted stones worldwide even today.
In the Wild family, the imperial topaz has a very special tradition: it was already the favourite of Constantin’s father, Fritz Wild. Time and again he went off ‘shopping’ to Brazil. Back at home in IdarOberstein, cutters transformed the unprepossessing raw stones into sparkling ovals, glowing pears, coruscant step-cut gems.
Colourless, blue, brown or green: topazes come in an enormous range of colours. But the name of imperial topaz is only borne by rare stones with a golden-red, orange and shocking pink sparkle. Many gemstone lovers have come to recognise that the imperial topaz, with its almost platinum shim-
mer, its unbelievable facets and a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, is a true top-class gem. The result: it has become extremely rare, which means it is not only suitable for use in jewellery, but also as a worthwhile investment. So Constantin is all the more delighted to have a specimen of over
30 carats in his treasure chamber. It shows a distinct pleochroism and displays red, pink-red and orange-red hues, depending on the angle at which it is viewed. Blending these hues in the faceting process has resulted in a very rare and magnificent body colour. For sheer beauty, this pear-shaped extravaganza in red is very hard to beat!
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TravelLing
EAT, DREAM, LOVE – Idar-Oberstein Sparkling gemstones, romantic landscapes, magnificent culinary delights. My home town has a lot to offer. So I’ve put together a few exclusive tips for your next visit. Hope you enjoy it …
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TravelLing
SLEEP My friends and business partners are welcome at any time at the Parkhotel Idar-Oberstein. This impressive building was erected at the beginning of the 20th century and offers its guests comfortable rooms and suites. And whether it’s delicious spiessbraten in the hotel’s own restaurant, drinks in the ‘Cohibar’ or relaxation in the sauna area: you’re going to get thoroughly spoilt here! Parkhotel Idar-Oberstein, Hauptstrasse 185, 55743 Idar-Oberstein, www.parkhotel-idaroberstein.de
EAT All you need do is take a few steps through my garden – and there you are, sitting in the cosy Café Villa, in which I have spent many an hour of leisure. In this representative art nouveau villa with its mansard roof, the friendly staff serve genuine plain German cooking. An absolute must for lovers of Idar-Oberstein! Café Villa, Mainzer Strasse 69, 55743 Idar-Oberstein, www.café-villa.de
DRINK A much celebrated star in the world of wine: the Emrich-Schönleber estate is known for its outstanding wines, not only here at home, but also internationally. There’s confirmation of that in Gault Millau! Sometimes I enjoy the flowery bouquet of the riesling ‘Frühlingsplätzchen’, strongly characterised by red slate and silica. Now and then I indulge myself in a glass of top-quality ‘Halenberg’, in which blue slate and quartzite predominate. The fact is that it’s not only gemstones in which minerals play a decisive role … Weingut Emrich-Schönleber, Soonwaldstrasse 10a, 55569 Monzingen, www.emrich-schoenleber.de
DREAM Nature, history and exercise, all at the same time: the premium hiking trail ‘Rund um die Kama’ runs out from Idar-Oberstein through the surrounding conservation area. Time and again, the magnificent expansiveness of this landscape beckons me to get out there for a while and just leave my cares behind. On this romantic tour, you’re accompanied all along by the gentle murmur of the Nahe River. Traumschleife Rund um die Kama www.idar-oberstein.de
SHOP Quality ‘Made in Germany’. No, sorry, ‘Made in Idar-Oberstein’! Even after 170 years, Fissler enthuses its customers with high-quality cooking utensils, utensils of the kind I always have in my own kitchen cupboard. So particularly for my international guests, there’s no way round the Fissler shop. Fissler Werksverkauf Idar, Harald Fissler Strasse 1, 55743 Idar-Oberstein www.fissler.de
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INVESTMENT
Doing things the right way: gemstones as an alternative investment
The banks are hardly paying any interest at all; property is overpriced and the share market volatile. Many capital investors are wondering, quite rightly, what they can make worthwhile investments with in these difficult times. One of the answers is high-quality gemstones. Constantin Wild and Jörg Lindemann talk here about the opportunities and risks relating to the smallest possible form of capital investment.
For several years, a marked increase in demand has been noticeable in the gemstone trade. Yet that demand is facing limited resources, as Constantin Wild is well aware: “It’s becoming more and more difficult to get hold of high-value stones. Many deposits in Africa and Latin America are already exhausted. Imperial topazes, blue aquamarines and neon-yellow canary tourmalines, to name but a few.” Typically for this market, the price is also affected by the increased demand and short supply: “Today, for example, the Paraiba tourmaline fetches absolute top prices on the market”, says Wild, who runs the family enterprise, representing the fourth generation of that family in doing so. Jörg Lindemann, managing director of the federal association of the gemstone and diamond industry (BVED), also sees gemstones as a good investment option – if the conditions are right: “Gemstones are indeed an interesting form of value guarantee. Unlike currency or stocks and shares, the value of gemstones stays constant over generations. Having said that, investors should only consider very high-quality, top-class specimens.” The ex-
pert also advises against buying on one’s own initiative: “A buyer needs a profound knowledge of the market if he is to purchase a suitable stone of enduring value. Buyers should have a very clear knowledge of the situation regarding the demand for or deposits of the gemstone in question. A purchase is not to be recommended without a reputable partner.” Scientific reports also help to protect the buyer against making a bad buy. “However, reputable institutes merely issue a report with scientific findings without making any statement about the value of the stones”, emphasises Lindemann. “Here too, buyers should consult only trustworthy institutions like the German Foundation for Gemstone Research (DSEF), the Swiss Gemological Institute (SSEF) or the Gübelin Gem Lab”, recommends Wild. Wild, who specialises in especially rare stones and stones of very intense colour, says that particularly colourful garnets and unusual tourmaline colours with a neon effect will be in fashion in the future. But he adds: “At the end of the day, a rare top-class gemstone is always a particularly glittering investment.”
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Feature
GEMS. TRUST. WILD. Stanislav Drokin meets Constantin Wild The renowned jewellery designer Stanislav Drokin also trusts for his creations in the expertise of Constantin Wild. The result: colourful and exclusive jewellery highlights!
ger to learn: for his studies he was drawn to the Kharkov State Academy of Design and Fine Arts (KSADA). And during his training as a gemmologist, he even stopped over in Idar-Oberstein!
Above all, Drokin is known for his colourful creations. And when it comes to sparkling coloured stones, there’s hardly any way round Constantin’s treasure chamber!
Aiming high
Drokin meets Wild
Today, Drokin is among the best known jewellery designers in the trade. With his dainty works of art he has already won numerous awards, for example the Gold Award in the Solidscape 3D Design Competition at Baselworld 2014.
These 3 extravagant items make pulses race! There is certainly no off-the-peg jewellery to be had from this Ukrainian designer: for an individualised wearing experience, the earrings are adapted precisely to fit the ears of the woman who is to wear them …
From engraver to designer So how did it all start? In the 80s, Drokin started his professional life by training as an engraver – and soon discovered his passion for artistic jewellery. From then on, he created items of his own, opening his first studio in 1994. In the time that followed, the Ukrainian designer remained ea-
Wonderful shades of blue These earrings unite tanzanite, moonstone, aquamarine and white gold.
Enchanting purple, shocking pink and pink Here, rhodolite, shocking pink sapphire, morganite and yellow gold come together.
Warm orange and green Drokin combines fire opal, spessartine, green agates and yellow gold.
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Picture credits: Fernando Babtista, p. 28 (hug) • Jürgen u. Hiltrud Cullmann, p. 1, 3, 15, 21, 24, 25 • Café Villa, p. 16 • Stanislav Drokin, p. 3, 22, 23 • Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, 1751-1829, Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, © U. Edelmann, Städel Museum, ARTOTHEK (Goethe in der römischen Campagna), p. 3, 4, 5, 27 • EmrichSchönleber, p. 16 • Fissler, p. 17 • Fotolia, p. 16 - 19 (© Csaba Peterdi, Vineyard), p. 28 (© gandolf, wine glass), p. 28 (© photocrew, Frankfurter Würstchen) • Graciano, 15 (rough) • Stefan Lohmeyer, p. 2, 6, 7, 20 • Park Hotel, IdarOberstein, p. 16 • Heike Rost, p. 3, 8, 9, 14, 25, 27 • Constantin Wild, p. 10, 11, 17, 27
Meet Me on line Although I do prefer to show people my treasure chamber in person, I would also be happy to know that you were visiting my website and reading my blog. For connoisseurs. For gemstone lovers – for up-to-the-minute news on all aspects of my world of gemstones. Why not dip into that world?
Blog and Website
constantinwild.com GEMS. TRUST. WILD.
constantinwild.com