|
All
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Idar-Oberstein; German Gemstone History The Town of Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein is a small town situated in the Hunsrück Mountains of the Rhineland-Palatine region in the south west of Germany. Despite its diminutive size, it became one of the leading gem-cutting centers of the world, with a history of mining and lapidary dating back hundreds of years. Positioned on the banks of the Nahe river, the two neighboring villages of Idar and Oberstein are at the center of a region where agate was hand mined for thousands of years. As early as the late 1400s, mechanized mining operations to extract agate, jasper and quartz created employment for gem cutters and stone carvers who flocked to the region. The river was the main energy source used to power the lapidary machines which were directly connected to water wheels. Using these machines was somewhat awkward as the stone-cutters of the time were forced to carry out most of their work whilst lying on their stomachs. Some of these water powered wheels can still be seen in some of the town's historic buildings. In the 1800s the agate deposits along the Nahe River began to be depleted, but by that time gem cutting was the mainstay of its inhabitants. To stay in business, they began to import rough stones from Brazil, where discoveries of amethyst, citrine, tourmaline, topaz and other gemstone materials had been made.  Carved Agate Bowl from Idar-Oberstein
By the end of the nineteenth century, gems from around the world were being shipped to Idar-Oberstein for cutting by its famous artisans, and there were literally hundreds of cutting houses in the town and surrounding villages. However this very fame led to the end of the industry's heyday - wages in the area became too high to warrant cutting less valuable stones and many gem-cutters were forced to emigrate to Brazil. However, many of the artisans and their families remained to continue the tradition through the generations, and today Idar-Oberstein is still famous for some of the finest agate carving in the world. The cutters still import a large variety of other gemstones from around the world for cutting and carving, and master cameo carvers and modern lapidary artists alike still flourish, as do the dealers who import rough stones from gem markets around the world.  The Town of Idar-Oberstein
One of the most famous families in Idar-Oberstein today is the Munsteiner family. Berndt Munsteiner, known as the father of the fantasy cut, is a third-generation cutter who says he was never asked whether he wanted to be a cutter or not, but simply fulfilled his parents' expectations by training in traditional lapidary techniques with his father Viktor. He went on to become a pioneering artist using the techniques he learned at his father's side to produce remarkable designs that are anything but traditional. In true Idar-Oberstein style, his son Tom carries on the family trade and is known as one of the world's leading lapidary artists in his own right.
About Us
Overall Rating -> 8 Excellent product selection with easy to use sorting functions. Gem pricing is also competitive. Posted By Travelnman in February, 2023 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 10 I kept changing my mind on the stones to order today. No problems Posted By Rbuddy in November, 2022 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 10 Great site easy to find what I'm looking for Posted By Gero in December, 2022 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 10 I was pleasantly surprised my wife found this site and we both are interested in gems as amateurs. Great selection and prices, we will be back for more! Posted By Jake in April, 2022 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 9 I really appreciate how accurate and easy to use this site is. Posted By Doug in January, 2023 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 10 After working with and polishing low-grade, rough fire-agate, only to be disappointed, this shop was nirvana. The costs of some gems might seem high, but I have easily spent the same amount rough polishing lousy material only to get a few hints of fire. If you want Fire-agates, BUY the agates you want. These are excellent specimens and are worth considering. Posted By Jim in October, 2022 Source: Bizrate Related Articles Chalcedony Info Chalcedony Gemstone Information - Subtle colors with an inner glow ... Quartz Info Quartz Info - Enviable durability in an array of enticing colors ... Why Cut as Cabochons? Why are Some Gems Cut as Cabochons? ... Agate Stone About Agate Stone ... Black and White Gems Darkness and Light - Black and White Gemstones ...
|
| STAY IN TOUCH |
| *You're signing up to receive GemSelect promotional email. |
Privacy Notice © 2005-2023 GemSelect.com all rights reserved.
Reproduction (text or graphics) without the express written consent of GemSelect.com (SETT Company Ltd.) is strictly prohibited.
526
|
More Shapes
|
English speaking customer support only
|
|
Toll Free - USA & Canada only: |
Save Money
No shipping Fees for Additional Items!
$8.90 Worldwide Shipping
|
Update Translation
|
||||
|
||||
|
Size and Weight
|
|
Gems are always measured in Millimeter (mm) Dimensions are given as; Select gems by size, not by weight! Note: 1ct = 0.2g  |
