Historical Gem Cutting Regions: Idar-Oberstein, Germany
Idar-Oberstein's Gem History
Article Copyright © 2010 AllAboutGemstones.com
The small town of Idar-Oberstein (population: 35,000), is tucked away in the Hunsrück Mountains of the Rhineland-Palatine region in the district of Birkenfeld, southwestern Germany. Idar-Oberstein, known simply as "Idar" to the locals, has a several hundred year history of mining and gem-cutting that has made it one of the leading cut-gem trading centers in the world.
Idar-Oberstein (Photo: Public Domain) |
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Stamp Photo: www.iv-schmuck-metall.de |
Although primitive hand-dug mining in the Rhineland-Palatine region dates back several thousand years, mechanized mining operations for the extraction of agate, jasper and quartz within the vicinity of the towns Idar, and Oberstein, began in the late 1400s, creating a demand for gem-cutters, stone-carvers, and lapidary artisans to migrate to the area.
During this early period in Idar's history, the Nahe River that traversed through Idar-Oberstein was harnessed to power hundreds of water-wheel-powered stone-cutting wheels known as "schleifscheiben" or "wasserradgetriebenen sandstein-schleifrädern", and a major gem-cutting industry was born in in the Rhineland.
Water-Wheel Gem Cutting in Idar-Oberstein
Water-wheel stone-cutting in Idar was an awkward and cumbersome task, with the stone-cutters (Schleifer or edelsteinschneider) performing the majority of their work lying on their belly, situated on "loop tilting devices" [6] (below, right).
Photos: www.edelsteinminen-idar-oberstein.de
By the 1800s, precious and semi-precious colored gemstones were being shipped from around the world to be cut in Idar-Oberstein, and hundreds of cutting houses and Ateliers had sprung up in the surrounding countryside, swelling the population to 50,000. By the late 1800s, wages in the area grew to be too expensive for the cutting of lesser materials and the cutting industry began to decline, forcing many of Idar's gem-cutters to immigrate to Brazil.
Idar-Oberstein Carnelian Agate by M. Zobel |
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Idar-Oberstein Agate |
Today, Idar-Oberstein is primarily known for the cutting of larger, more valuable gemstones, fantasy cuts (Fantasieschliffe), and the wholesale trade in polished gemstones (geschliffenen Edelsteinen). Every year around late September or early October, Idar-Oberstein is host to the Intergem trade show - short for the "International Trade Fair for Precious Stones and Jewellery."
There are several gemological research institutes [7] in Idar-Oberstein that include the 'German Foundation for Gemstone Research' (Deutsche Stiftung Edelsteinforschung - DSEF), Diamond Grading Laboratory (Diamant-Prüflabor GmbH - DPL), German Association for Gemstone and Jewellery Evaluation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Edelsteinbewertung mbH - DEGEB), Research Institute for Gemstones and Precious Metals (Forschungsinstitut für mineralische und metallische Werkstoffe, Edelsteine/Edelmetalle GmbH - FEE), and the German Gemmological Association (Deutsche Gemmologische Gesellschaft e.V. (DGemG).
On To:
Antwerp's Diamond Bourses
Italian & Flemish Renaissance Gem Cutters
Old European Gemstone Cuts
Fancy Gem Cuts & Fantasy Cuts
Gem Cutting Technology, Equipment & Techniques
Bibliography on Idar-Oberstein's Gem-Cutting and Lapidary Industry
1. Victoria Finlay, Jewels: A Secret History  . Ballantine Books
2. INTERGEM, International Trade Fair for Gems in Idar-Oberstein . www.intergem-messe.de
3. Mildred Berman, Location of the Diamond-Cutting Industry . Amer Geographer Vol.61, p.316-328
4. Diamant Museum Brugge, The Bruges Diamond Museum . www.diamondmuseum.be
5. Idar-Oberstein, German Diamond and Gemstone Laboratories . www.gemcertificate.com
6. Edelsteinminen, Idar Oberstein Jewel Mines . www.edelsteinminen-idar-oberstein.de
7. Schmuck, Industrieverband Schmuck Deutschland . www.iv-schmuck-metall.de
8. The Bead Site, Roman Maps and the Concept of Indian Gems . www.thebeadsite.com
9. Beth Hatefutsoth, The Jewish Community of Antwerp . www.bh.org
10. Joods Historisch Museum, Amsterdam's Boas Diamond Factory . www.jhm.nl
11. Gassan's, Gassan Diamonds of Amsterdam . www.gassandiamonds.nl
12. Francesco Guerrera, Andrew Parke, The Changing Face of the Diamond Industry . specials.ft.com
13. Nationaal Vakbondsmuseum, Amsterdam Monumenten - The ANDB . www.bma.amsterdam.nl
14. Wilhelm Lindemann (ED.), Bernd Munsteiner: Reflexionen in Stein . Arnoldsche Art Publishers
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