This year our team traveled to a small island in the Pacific Ocean. Located south of India and to the east of the Seychelles, the tropical country with the name Sri Lanka awaited our gemologist Alexander Kreis and Stefan Kreis.

Far from the comfortable home in Germany, they were on the search for a specific pair of gemstones and in the pursuit of new and unheard of mines.

THE MAINSTREAM WAY

“In order to provide the most exceptional gemstones that there are in the world, one has to be willing to venture into areas nobody else is willing to go.
You see, really rare gemstones aren’t that many to find in the world. I always have to smile a little when I hear a big jewelry company talk about their rare gemstones. One can hear it more and more in the media. The problem is, the really rare and exceptional gemstones aren’t found in the quantity these big companies need in order to fill their stores sufficiently.
Let’s take the following example. Let us suppose a jeweler has 50 stores and has his jewelry represented in stores of other jewelers as well. So he might have his product represented in around 250 stores worldwide. Now, he wants to test a new jewelry collection. Let’s assume he needs 4 gemstones to create one sample of the new collection. So he can offer a ring that fits the pendant, or earrings,” says Alexander Kreis.

And Stefan Kreis explains: “But he needs more than one sample in each store. So let’s say he starts with 10 samples of this collection in each location to see if people will buy it. That means, for this test-run, he will need ten-thousand gemstones.
He needs for 4 stones to complete one sample times 10 samples in each store times 250 stores. 4x10x250 makes 10,000 gemstones.
Assuming he doesn’t destroy any gemstones during his production, of course. With these quantities, he has to buy in bulk from big producers. And he has to go down in quality to find the quantity he needs. There is nothing rare about it.”

GOING AGAINST THE TREND

Alexander Kreis continues: “This is why we undertake these travels, explore remote areas and expand our network. We specialize on the rarest gemstones. You cannot find another Bedarra Opal or make 10 more Masai Blue rings. These pieces are unique. Not just for their cutting and design, but they are rare pieces in themselves, in the sense that you simply cannot find another gemstone like it. Several of our ensembles have taken years of constant searching and traveling to put together.”

 

[Approaching a mine in a Valley – Picture by KREIS]