EUROPEAN GEMSTONE TOUR

A trip to Europe always ignites my passion for gemstones. My recent trip wouldn't be complete without visiting the gemstone museum in Idar Oberstein in Germany and the Natural History Museum in London.

The museum in Idar Oberstein is an ode to the gem oriented history of the city. It houses some of the most beautiful carved minerals and other unique gemstones found in nature. 

Hand carved bunnies and frogs In lapis, rose quartz, turquoise, and aquamarine. Many of the carvers still working here worked under Carl Faberge under the House of Faberge.

 

Then next to London, where the darkly lit gem room inside the Natural History Museum takes you through the main jewelry movements from Roman times to the present. It shows the incredible craftsmanship in pieces used to symbolize the power of monarchy in Europe.  

Aquamarine from Brazil in the Idar Oberstein gemstone museum. The Brazilians would bring their best aquamarine and emerald specimens to Idar Oberstein, bringing their cultural influence to this little town.

The highlight of the Natural History Museum for me is the wheel of incredible gemstones, honored in a beautifully curated fashion.