Two goldsmiths bring extremely rare gemstone from Namibia to Zug

The Kobler brothers run a jewellery studio in Zug. Two years ago, they made the find of the century in Africa. But the gemstone business itself is not completely untainted.

The gemstones in the shop window of the Kobler jewellery studio in Zug glittered particularly beautifully in the autumn sun on last Thursday afternoon. The day’s focus was just on one of them, however. The "lagoon-coloured" tourmaline provided every reason for the event taking place in the jewellery studio, however, to which the management had invited a handful of media representatives. The studio is run by Andreas and Bruno Kobler, who could also be referred to as the Goldsmith Brothers.

The tourmaline, which is also known as the "rainbow stone" due to its various colour variations, is an extremely rare find. "The word 'lagoon-coloured' doesn't really exist," explains Andreas Kobler. "We created it especially for this very special gemstone." Because it’s actually rather unlikely that you will find a tourmaline in this colour.

Notified about the discovery of the century via Whatsapp
This is exactly what happened two years ago, however. What sounds like the script of a feature film became reality for the Kobler brothers: "I received a call from a friend in Namibia. He said he had something for us," says Andreas Kobler. This friend runs a mine in Namibia, a family business involving five people. Gemstones are mined together, and the owner himself also lends a hand, he adds.

This tourmaline is a particularly rare find
Andreas Kobler's fascination for gemstones is boundless. Here the tourmaline from Namibia has been set in a necklace at the Zug studio at Rigistrasse 4.
The jeweller Andreas Kobler shows his gemstones from Namibia: the photo shows several tourmalines. 
Photos: Matthias Jurt
The two large turquoise blue tourmalines directly after the find.           Photo: PD

As soon as it became clear that there was a chance of being present at the unearthing of one of these rare gemstones, Andreas and Bruno Kobler travelled to Namibia as quickly as possible. After days of searching, they found what they were looking for at the mine in question. Two tourmalines, both around 35 carats, pure and with a deep turquoise blue colour.

Neither the prospectors nor the goldsmiths were able to believe their luck at first. It was a once-in-a-century find.

The specimens were cut and polished, and what remained at the end was a large piece of jewellery of "only" 25 carat, while the other stone broke during processingA buyer was recently found for the former in Zug. The cost: CHF 130,000.

Gemstones from problem countries also in the assortment
Andreas Kobler cannot quantify how much of this money will benefit the mine prospectors who carry out this hard and dangerous work. But he does know that large commission sums are paid to the finders for such a find, in addition to their salary.

"In addition, the miners themselves know enough about gemstones to not be ripped off," says Kobler. "If too little is offered, they will turn to someone else." This job is particularly lucrative in Namibia, a comparatively well-functioning constitutional state on the African continent.

Andreas Kobler also knows that this is not the case everywhere, however. There are other countries in which the military takes the gems from the miners, and the workers are often left empty-handed. "That's why it's important to us to have a direct contact with the prospectors," he says.

Nevertheless, the Zug store also offers gemstones from problem countries, such as Myanmar. Andreas Kobler explains: "You have to hold the respective countries responsible here. And that has to happen at the political level." He sees no, or only partial responsibility for himself.

Local football club is supported
Andreas Kobler describes gemstone hunting as an addiction. "During my time in Namibia, I could hardly wait for the sun to rise again and the search to continue," he says. The Kobler brothers also give something back to the local population through their support for the local football club “Swakopmund”. For Bruno Kobler, who is the coach of the Zugerland team, this is a matter that is especially close to his heart.

"Maybe one day I'll be a coach in Swakopmund," he says. This is obviously meant as a joke, but there is a certain seriousness in his words. After all, the Goldsmith Brothers will almost certainly be drawn back to Namibia following this discovery of the century: to look for more lagoon-coloured tourmalines.