Gemstone-cutting in Idar Oberstein
Being trained as a sculptor, I enjoy grinding my stones. So far, I have been working with stones that are used mainly in sculpting. Such stones are usually not suitable for jewellery. I have long dreamt of mastering the art of stone cutting. The International Summer Academy in Idar-Oberstein allowed me to make my dream come true. The workshop Cut, Grinding and Polishing taught by Alexander Friedrich has exceeded my wildest dreams. Alexander's expertise and behind the scenes cooking team, who treated all participants with their delicious meals, the organisation and of course the fellow participants made it an unforgettable week. The pictures show the processing of a rough piece of Girasol, an nearly transparent, colourless gemstone with a bluish shine, into a polished piece engraved on the bottom.