Hans-Jürgen Henn
Few people in the gemstone industry, if any, can demonstrate Hans-Jürgen Henn’s long standing and wide ranging expertise. Thanks to his family background – he is the third generation to be in the trade – and over fifty years of passionate and dedicated experience, Jürgen has developed an innate intuition and an assured eye for superlative gems and minerals. His distinguished opinion is respected and sought after globally. From an early age Jürgen combined a passion for precious stones with mountaineering, which has taken him up some of the highest peaks and into largely unexplored territories long before anyone else dared. Always on the lookout for the rare and the undiscovered, he was the first to coin the expression Kashmir Peridot. He also had the vision and foresight to acquire and preserve the Dom Pedro Aquamarine as a single spectacular stone. This legendary piece, exquisitely cut by Bernd Munsteiner, was gifted to the Smithsonian Institute in 2011. It remains the largest fine aquamarine ever cut and perhaps there will never be another. Trained as a master goldsmith, Jürgen’s lifelong motto is: “That which is rendered great by nature should not be diminished by man”, a sentiment which perfectly reflects the profound respect that he has for gemstones and the natural world in which they are found. As creative director of the family business, Jürgen’s sheer breadth of knowledge within the world of fine gemstones together with his refined sense of design is second to none, elevating Henn to a leading position within the industry. He instinctively understands which stones are best left untouched. He can also envision those which will shine when shaped and polished into a graceful organic form, or be intricately carved into a unique and exceptional objet d’art. Even in the rough he can spot the fine rarities which could be expertly cut into scintillating gems, then translated into extraordinary bespoke jewels. Master craftsman, artist, adventurer and astute businessman, Jürgen’s skills also lie in the nurture of many successful projects in collaboration with collectors, curators, museums and jewellery houses worldwide.
A Gem of a Life
"That which is rendered great by nature should not be diminished by man." This is the philosophy of Hans-Jürgen Henn. For over 50 years he has travelled to remote gemstone mines, primarily in Africa, Sri Lanka and the Himalayas, motivated by his passion for nature in the raw and regions beyond our civilization. A trained mountaineer, his adventures to mines add a colorful dimension to the family's history and to his own reputation within the gemstone trade. What is rare, what is difficult, what has not been done before, has a special attraction to Jürgen -- and is behind his willingness to undertake challenging gemstone projects to create master works. .
Impressions from the first EGS 2007 in Idar-Oberstein
Register for the European Gemmological Symposium
on May 24 – 26, 2019 in Idar-Oberstein.
During the two days’ conference, you will enjoy numerous internationally recognized and distinguished speakers, as well as a broad spectrum of subjects including diamonds, coloured stone, pearls and jewellery.
