Idar-Oberstein, the city in the heart of stones

It seems that in the Middle Ages, the mines of the region are full of agates, jaspe, quartz.World capital of trading and the size of colorful stones, Idar-Oberstein has nothing to envy to Antwerp, her twin specializing in the size and trading of the diamond.Here too, we size the most beautiful colorful stones in the world-emeralds, sapphires, rubies or aigues-marines-from father to son and 30% of the active population lives from this know-how.

A tradition that dates back to the closure of mines, when the inhabitants of Idar imported the most beautiful colored stones from South America.In a Europe ravaged by the Napoleonic wars, the inhabitants of Idar had decided to emigrate to Brazil.At the time, minors could go out in the mines, in addition to their farm income.They had to dig a year to travel a meter, and the deposits were declining.The Emperor of Brazil, Pierre I, promised the German farmers new lands.

"Once there, in the Rio Grande Do Sul, what was by their surprise to note that agates were directly on the ground or the river, and that it was only to bend down for thepick up.They then filled the wedges of the boats with their precious treasures which they sent to Idar, and thus revived the size industry, "said Beate Nikodemus, a former 40 -year trader who became a guide to the museum.

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Tanzanite

In Idar, the presence of Brazil is read in the kitchen, churrasco, weddings or family reunion.While in Brazil, many villages are still talking about German dialects.

The Idar-Oberstein Precious Stone Museum, owned by a foundation and supplied with stones by traders and lapidaries, exhibits incredible treasures.Ruby of Burma, emeralds of Colombia, Sapphire of Pakistan, Aigue-Marine du Brazil, Morganite, Tsavorite or Tanzanite, a very rare stone discovered in 1967, whose mine is almost exhausted and the value can match that of diamonds.

"For Liz Taylor, the jeweler Tiffany’s had created a collection with Tanzanite and that launched a fashion as for the diamond.This set is exposed here, explains Beate Nikodemus.The value of a precious stone lies in the gaze of the one who admires it.It is the metal oxides, the impurities present in the stone, which make its beauty, ”explains Beate Nikodemus.

From father to son

At the head of a factory founded in 1919, René Arnoldi works with woman and son.Five people sell its products on the five continents.Historically, in the factories, the workshop is on the ground floor and the family on the second floor.Most companies have a surname and are transmitted from generation to generation, sometimes for more than a century, as with the Arnoldi."My grandfather was tailor, we had family in Brazil, cousins, who then left for Minas Gerais, with a hammer and a little food.We then found magnificent Aigues-Marines in the famous Santa Maria mine, explains René.Then came the era of Tanzanite, which played a big role in the rise of the house.In the 1960s, my father had a contract with the Tanzanian government to buy all the production.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Right now, it is the ruby of Mozambique and the Paraiba tourmaline that run the heads."Paraiba comes from Brazil, but also from Mozambique," emphasizes René Arnoldi.She was completely unknown before the early 1980s.No one thought there could be tourmalines with copper oxide which gives it this blue color.Special and unique, it started the Carat at 1000 euros in 1985, it is today at 150,000.I do not know other stones that have experienced such a price increase.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Negotiations

That day, Sekou Condé brings Aigues-Marines of Jos, Mandarin Grenats and Rubellites of Ibadan, and Tourmalines of Goma.While Alexander Arnoldi examines the raw stones at the lamp to better judge their quality, the seller awaits the verdict with anxiety.He wants to sell the whole package, the buyer sorts ...

"These mines produce many stones with inclusions. Ce n’est pas satisfaisant pour nous… Il y a des pierres que je ne pourrai pas vendre»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»», explique Alexander, qui prendra bientôt la relève de son père.He offers 15 euros per gram, we argue, Sekou Condé tries to negotiate the gram at 23 euros.Bargain!

Sekou started at 26.His father was a minor of diamonds in Guinea, his brothers and his friends too.“We prefer to come to Idar, because the sale price here is better;Sometimes we buy in Africa but there is a lot of competition between buyers, he says.We, the Guineans, are now in competition with the Indians and the Chinese who come directly to the field.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Best price

At first, the Guineans came with their small sachets for their own account.They ate in Chinese restaurants and moved by taxi.Today, they are well accepted and manage to the African: "I negotiate the stones on behalf of my contacts in Congo, Madagascar, Tanzania, Nigeria, and we share the product of the sale. Mais parfois, on porte trop d’espoirs, trop! L’espoir de nos familles, de nos villages, l’espoir du pays et de l’Afrique en même temps»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»», confie Sekou Condé.

The Guineans sell in Idar, then in Bangkok and Hong Kong.They exchange between them and send the stones where they can get the best price.Mandingues, they often work on behalf of local intermediaries that they must then pay off.This stranglehold on trading in Africa began with the discovery of the diamond in Guinea and Sierra Leone.

On the purchase scholarship of precious stones, Idar then aspired to compete with New York or Tel Aviv before Bangkok made him a shadow.Today only left Indian Jaipur companies, Guinean sellers and Rolf Görlitz.The latter has been, for sixty years, in the business and sells ruby, sapphires, emeralds and Alexandrites, a chrysoberyl with color change, which has the distinction of the day and ruby at night ...

Closed environment

"In Bangkok, they are gifted for all colored stones, but here we have stones of great value.The difficulty is to know where to find crude.We take the plane when we find something interesting.I go to Brazil, East Africa, Sri Lanka, Russia.It’s sometimes dangerous. Dans les mines de Longido, en Tanzanie, j’ai failli mourir en recherchant un rubis dans un trou de 60 mètres qui s’est rempli d’eau»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»», se rappelle Rolf Görlitz.

The environment remains very closed, it is not so easy to sell stones."If you try to sell for 10,000 dollars, it is not sure that you recover 10,000, even by going from Bangkok to Hong Kong.It takes at least ten years of experience to achieve it.I tried and got plucked. J’ai fait beaucoup de métiers dans ma vie et je n’ai jamais connu un tel business»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»», témoigne Andy Köhler, tailleur de pierres qui fait le travail de portier de la bourse, en attendant des jours meilleurs.

The resale price and the purchase price are completely subjective.Gold, coffee, oil and even diamonds have a course, but not colored stones."Everything is lucky, to find the most beautiful stones, and the experience, so as not to be rolled.Like in a game.I have never seen a business more difficult than this one.And everything is done by a simple handshake, there is no contract, you will not be able to appeal to justice.This is why confidence is important.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Mafia

The scams are legion: false deliverers, sellers of false heated stones to change the color… Ten years ago, a Belgian mafia also prowled in the streets of the city.A breakage from a diamonder had left 2 dead and resulted in a chase.Since then, all traders change their mineralogical plates to no longer carry the canton identifier and avoid flights.

Suitcase carriers and traders who come to Idar can make a nice blow there.Two beautiful tourmalines can for example bring 75,000 euros."The origin of the stones remains, however, uncertain.Sometimes there are transit countries.They are not as secure and controlled as the diamond with the Kimberley process. Quoi qu’on en dise, c’est toujours un gars qui la tient d’un gars, qui la tient d’un gars… Et une fois passé la douane, les pierres sont légales»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»», confie Andy Köhler.

After spending most of his youth in Eastern Germany and then in Africa, he is awaiting an opportunity to leave.Born near Leipzig, Andy lived in Africa for fifteen years.He started from zero by doing all the possible trades: taxi driver, seller of petrol, wood for fire or fish."I didn't win much, I was hungry and I didn't want to come back to the country with empty pockets.This is how I started with gold.In Africa, this is the only business you can do by yourself and transport without depending on anyone else. Avec les pierres précieuses»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»», dit-il.

Andy is in Idar to finish his studies in gemology and lapidary: "I explored all the trades and I want to return to Africa.I do this porter work to raise a little money and mount a size factory in Madagascar.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»"Like an eternal restart.

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