I will be visiting Frankfurt, Germany on 20/5 to attend the Achema
(engineering expo - chemical engineering being my real job -
jewellery keeps me sane. Well, most of the time…)
Can anyone recommend a good (inexpensive) supplier of sterling silver
findings in Frankfurt? These are expensive in South Africa and quite
difficult to find (Yuck…sorry about the pun). I would like to buy
some while I am there. Secondly, does anyone know of any good displays
of jewellery there, or alternatively are there any Orchidians in
Frankfurt who would not mind an amateur/hobbyist from ‘darkest
Africa’ :-)) sticking his nose into their workshop? As I do quite a
lot of vacuum casting, I am particularly interested in meeting anyone
that specializes in casting.
I will also be in Paris from the 26/5, but as my German is vastly
better than my French, I suppose that Frankfurt would be a little
easier. At least I know how to ask for directions there!!
Lastly my thanks for this amazing forum - it has taught me a great
deal.
All of the best
Nils Schwarz
Johannesburg, South Africa
Nils, Since you will be in Frankfurt, you must go to Idar-Oberstein.
It is just a short train ride and the town is completely filled with
Museums, Gems and jewelry. I’m sure you can find your findings there,
but it is more for the Gemstone buyers.
Hello Nils, I live in Heidelberg about 70 Km from Frankfurt. Talking
about gibving yo a tip,bring enough money if you want to buy some
stuff in Frankfurt.Frankfurt is EXPENSIVE!!!The main place to buy
findings and other smaller silver items are “Pforzheim” or “Idar
Oberstein”.To give you an example, a silver 6 mm setting with four
prongs costs roughly .70 cents.Add another 16 % taxes to it that’s
what you have to pay.No discounts at all !! Pforzheim and
Idar-Oberstein are the two most known places of making jewelry.If you
have the time and money,I know a place where they give classes about
jewelry casting and mold making.Maybe you could give them a call and
ask them if they are willing to show you there casting equipment.This
guy is very knowledgable,its an older man near to his retirement,but
whit heaps of know-how. Idar-Oberstein is about 150 Km from Frankfurt
and you could see lots of jewellers,but be aware,they do not like to
share their knowledge as easy as other people do! You better rent a
car which cost you about 150 DM (equals 75 US$ a day!!),if you would
like to travel around a bit.
Here is the guy's phone number
Tel: 0049-6781-46078
Fax: 0049-6781-41862
Why not jump on a train, from Frankfurt, on a week day, and take a
several hour ride to Idar Oberstein. The ride is very nice. The city
looks like something out of a doll house - everything is perfect and
in its place. Lots of gem stones and jewelry in the downtown
shops(Mainzer Strasse). If you want to work harder, go to the stone
houses along Tiefensteiner Strasse and out to the village of
Kirschweiler also.
You can probably find findings also as the trade has started to change
in Idar as the old lapidaries retire and their sons aren’t interested
in the business - as well as the competition from China, Bangkok etc.
So many of the houses are starting to make jewelry also.
Take a look at jewelry and lapidary tools at W. Kruel, Hauptstrasse
101. They are expensive and very well made and last forever (at least
the lapidary saw blades and diamond wheels are what we all use in
Brasil)
On the weekdays the wholesale shops and houses are open, on the
weekends only the tourist geared shops. Take an extra day and see the
sights also - I didn’t get there, but there is a church carved out of
the rock high up on the side of a mountain. You can see it from
downtown.
As you speak some German, you will have no trouble getting around. I
don’t speak any German and still managed to get there, stay a week,
sell stones (rough) and buy stones (tourmaline rainbow sets and
tourmaline and ametrine carvings - flowers etc).
Be careful with your money - you can blow your budget very fast as
there are many great gems, carvings, and specimens to buy.
Best regards,
Robert Lowe - Lowe Asociates - Brasil
Gemstones, Rough, Specimens
e-mail: @Robert