Sensitive craftsmanship & highest product quality

Our core:
Production

Production

The production of gemstones

Every gemstone is a unique creation of nature, formed over millions of years. Color, structure, and inclusions make every rough stone unique and determine the potential hidden within it.

We accompany our gemstones from the selection and purchase of the raw material to the finished, cut gemstone. Each rough stone is carefully examined and individually assessed. Based on its natural characteristics, we determine the shape, orientation, and cut to best highlight its color, brilliance, and character.

In our lapidary in Kirschweiler near Idar-Oberstein, we combine traditional craftsmanship with decades of experience and a trained eye for every single gemstone. Each gemstone is processed individually, as the raw material, color, and characteristics place different demands on the optimal cut.

Throughout the entire process, each gemstone is checked multiple times. This ensures that the cut, proportions, polish, and quality meet our standards before the gemstone leaves our facility.

Step 1

Purchasing of raw stones

We receive our raw stones from suppliers all over the world and assess them based on factors such as color, flaws, cracks, and overall quality. We examine which shapes we could craft from the stones and how much the material is worth, before entering into price negotiations. In doing so, we pay particular attention to fair conditions for all parties involved.

Step 2

Assessment & Expertise

After the purchase, every single stone is once again professionally inspected and assessed in our workshop in Kirschweiler near Idar-Oberstein. Initial decisions are also made here as to which cuts should be applied to extract the optimal value from each individual stone.

Step 3

The first cut

Depending on the type of stone, different axes are chosen and the first cut is made with the diamond saw in order to achieve the optimal color intensity of the stone in the final result.

Step 4

Dressing the stones

The gemstone designer gives the stone its initial basic shape through the process of roughing out. Hubert Arnoldi is usually personally responsible for this, as as little material as possible should be lost during the roughing process. The roughed-out basic shape is then perfected in the subsequent steps.

Step 5

Putty on the putty knife

In the gemstone cutting workshop, the individual stones are attached to a so-called dop stick. This makes the stone easier to handle for subsequent steps and allows it to be removed from the dop stick later without leaving any residue. The stones are re-doped several times during the various work steps.

Step 6

The perfect facet cut

Using traditional, professional craftsmanship, the fine facets of the stone are repeatedly ground on the diamond sharpening stone. For this, the dop stick is positioned against a peg plate to ensure a consistent angle and a constantly high level of precision in the cut.

Step 7

Final polishing

The facets of the stone are subsequently polished to perfection. To ensure no streaks are created during this process, a highly trained eye is required to bring out the gemstone's optimal luster. Finally, the gemstone is detached from the cement by cooling and then placed in an essence to remove any remaining cement residue.

Variant · Series production

Technically assisted grinding on the quadrant

For serial production, where precisely calibrated dimensions of the colored stones are essential, the grinding process is performed with technical assistance using a quadrant. In this method, the traditional dop stick is replaced by a mechanical wheel, on which the angle for grinding the gemstones can be precisely adjusted using a digital display. Instead of wax, a UV adhesive is used, which is fixed and cured under UV light.

Variant · Cabochon

Cabochon cut

With the cabochon cut, the gemstone is not faceted, but rather polished into a round or oval shape with a domed exterior. Often, the cabochon cut—named after the French word for "nail head"—is used for stones like opals or cat's-eye quartz to optimally bring out and showcase the natural shimmer of the gems.