In the workshops of Groh + Ripp the precious treasures of nature are transformed into works of art. Devoted attention is required for them to reveal their full beauty.

The first step in the process is always the walk to one of the numerous uncut stone cellars of the company — a storage area that resembles a treasure chamber, bursting at the seams. Over the course of several generations stones have been gathered together here from all around the world, each of them unique. Entering one of these rooms, the silver-coloured shelves reveal true treasures: lapis, various kinds of jade, obsidian, quartz, malachite and numerous other materials are to be found here. The largely opaque stones peek out imploringly from the coarse jute sacks, waiting to be chosen. 

Everything is in its allotted place. “With this immense inventory it is vital to maintain an overview. Only then can we provide our customers with optimal service and advice in the realisation of their requests,” says Jürgen Brunk, who has worked as a gemmologist and diamond assessor at Groh + Ripp for over 15 years. He is a dyed-in-the-wool “coloured gemstone person” — his eyes light up as soon as he begins to talk about the sheer inexhaustible range of coloured gemstones, of the crystals of the stones, of pleochroism, of the origins of the stones, of their cuts and how everything tails in to one another.

The cellars are divided into opaque and transparent uncut stones, with these subsequently chosen for their different uses. The opaque materials are mostly used for technical products or objects. The transparent rough stones are selected and cut for premium necklaces, pendants or rings. The variety of coloured stones on offer here is simply inexhaustible. The rough crystals in the cellars and the cut coloured stones in the safes display the entire spectrum of colours: kunzite, fire opals, rubies, coloured sapphires, emeralds, aquamarine, tsavorite, opals, moonstone, tourmalines in every conceivable hue, tanzanite, jade, turquoise — all are found here in select qualities, shapes and colours.

“The starting point for us is always the wishes of the customer. As soon as we know what the customer wants, everything moves very quickly. We recommend a suitable stone from our uncut material. We can choose from nearly every colour in nearly every material,” says Jürgen Brunk.