It was a pleasure being a part of Germany’s largest jewellery and gemstone trade fair; the 13th edition of Gemworld, in Munich from September 30 to October 2; where over 300 exhibitors, showcased their new products enabling the retailers to prepare for the upcoming Christmas season. The show took place within the framework of the Munich Show – the world’s largest trade fair for collector minerals.
Let me take you through a few of my discoveries.
I saw the finest cut gemstones by Ekkehard F. Schneider, one of the most respected and renowned gem cutters from Edelsteinschleiferei. Featured above are Pink Tourmaline, Vanadium Chryosberyll, Blue Zircon, Rubellite, Tanzanite, Mandarin Garnet, Green Tourmaline and Aquamarine
Precious coral is among the very first gem ever to be cherished by mankind, dating back to ancient civilizations. Unlike most other gemstones which are of mineral origin, these gemstones are formed by living organisms. Over the years, precious coral jewellery and carvings have gained a lot of popularity. At De Simone Fratelli I saw different types of corals handcrafted in a stunning jewel.
• Mediterranean Coral
• Momo Coral
• Angel Skin Coral
• White Coral
• Maui Coral
From amongst 7,300 coral species, only 10 are considered precious coral by the fine jewellery industry, with the purest Red Mediterranean Coral and the light pink Angel’s Skin Coral as probably the most popular in the world of fine jewellery.
So the next time you see a coral, do stop by to admire it!
I saw a very unique and precious gemstone called Star Sapphire by Karl Faller. These gemstones have a long and fascinating history of being highly coveted and prized. They show distinct star rays across the face of the stone; with 6 rays being the most common stars and 12-rayed stars considered exceptionally rare.
I have been a great admirer of rare natural pearls and I love sharing my fondness with all of you!
At the recently concluded Gemworld Show, I discovered an extremely rare type of Natural pearl known as MELO Pearls!
Let me share some important facts about Melo pearls.
• Melo Pearls do not come from an oyster or clam but are formed in the shell of a very large sea snail, known as the Indian Volute or Zebra Snail, found in the waters of Vietnam, Malaysia, Burma, China and the Philippines.
• Melo pearls do not contain nacre; instead, their composition is calcite and aragonite, giving them a fine-glazed surface that sometimes bears flame-like patterns.
• All Melo pearls are Natural.
• Melo pearls can range from Tan to Dark brown, hitting shades of orange in between; pearls of bright orange color, round in shape, that show flame pattern are the most beautiful and valuable.
• While they are formed in the same way as pearls, with layers of secretions building over foreign intruders, Melo pearls can take decades to grow to a significant size and shape. These pearls range in sizes from 7mm to up to 40mm, commanding an incredible price.
Read my article on Natural Pearls to know more about these rare gemstones.
For the 2022 Munich Show; cultural historian and mineral expert Dr. Bernhard Graf traced back several centuries, even millennia to curate a special show “Magic of Stones” that has a display of unique cultural and historical exhibits – cult and art objects from 5,000 years of human history. One of the key displays from the show was a replica of the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire was the coronation crown and it was the most important item of the Imperial Regalia. Its eight-hinged plates; made with 22k gold and studded with pearls and precious stones were arched at the top. The smaller four plates have images of figures and scenes from the Bible and the other four plates are decorated with gemstones in raised filigree settings.
Discover the extraordinary jewels from the Imperial Treasury of Vienna in my previous article
In the Mineralientage Munchen area, hundreds of exhibitors presented their best minerals, fossils, meteorites and works of art from nature.
It was my absolute pleasure sharing the world of Gem and Jewellery from the Gemworld and The Munich Show.
I would like to thank the entire team for giving me this wonderful opportunity to present the show through my eyes! To recap these beautiful memories; I have curated the highlights from the show. Hope you all enjoy it as much as l did!! Do share your favourite jewellery, gemstone and mineral from the show. I will look forward to reading your comments.