Heinz Mayer –
Tradition since 1599

More than 400 years of company history lie
behind the Heinz Mayer jewellery manufactory
in Idar-Oberstein. Take a trip on an extraordinary
journey through time…

1492

Christopher Columbus discovers America

1517

Beginning of the Protestant Reformation in Europe by Martin Luther

1599

Beginning of the Heinz Mayer family tradition

The gemstone cutter Johannes Becker establishes our family tradition, which has endured to this day in the jewellery and gemstone industry.

1618 – 1648

Thirty Years’ War

1776

American Declaration of Independence

1789

French Revolution

1855

Emigration to South America

The gemstone deposits in Idar-Oberstein and the surrounding area are exhausted. Driven by economic necessity, the brothers and cousins of the great-grandfather of today's owners Frank and Stefan Mayer, emigrate to Brazil and Uruguay and send rough stones back to be processed in their homeland. Strong family ties to South America still exist today.

1883

World’s first skyscraper in Chicago

1875

Garnet cutter Gustav Postler

Gustav Postler, from Bohemia (today part of the Czech Republic) teaches the first lapidaries in Idar-Oberstein to cut on the horizontal steel wheel, among them is the great-grandfather of today's company owners, Frank and Stefan Mayer.

1886

The first car

1914 – 1918

The First World War

1918

Women’s suffrage in Germany

1919

Treaty of Versailles

1926

Philipp Becker receives Master title

The grandfather of the current owners earns the title of master gemstone cutter and lapidary. He was one of the first protagonists of the now popular buff-top cut.

1928

Significant work

Philipp Becker, the grandfather of the current company owners, produced commissioned pieces for the Green Vault in Dresden and the Vatican.

1939 – 1945

The Second World War

1948

The establishment of the State of Israel

1950

Founding of the Heinz Mayer company tradition

Following the end of the Second World War, Heinz Mayer, the father of the current owners and a trained diamond and gemstone cutter, starts his own diamond cutting company. His most prestigious customer is Harry Winston from New York.

post 1950

Adapting to the times

Political and social factors in the post-war period cause the diamond cutting industry to decline. The diamond and gemstone cutter Heinz Mayer therefore increasingly focuses on the production of high-quality jewellery using coloured gemstones and diamonds.

1960

John F. Kennedy becomes president of the USA

1960

The first buying office

In the 1960s Heinz Mayer opens its first buying office in Antwerp. Further offices in Bangkok, Jaipur, Hong Kong and Kobe are established in the following years.

1961

Construction of the Berlin Wall.

1969

THE FIRST MANNED MOON LANDING AND WOODSTOCK

1970

German Chancellor Willy Brandt lays a wreath and kneels in remembrance of the victims of the Warsaw Ghetto.

1970

The Ring Expert

The increased focus on the production of rings in the 1970s and 80s earns Heinz Mayer the nickname "The Ring Expert".

1990

German Reunification

1990

Taking over the company management

Frank and Stefan Mayer take over the management of the company from their father Heinz Mayer

1994

Jewellery collection for Wolfgang Joop

Contact with Wolfgang Joop leads to the creation of the first jewellery collection for a fashion brand, which is successfully established in the jewellery market by Heinz Mayer.

2000

GEM-FEST in Basel, Switzerland.

Stefan Mayer is invited by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to the GEM-FEST in Basel as a guest speaker.

2002

The introduction of the Euro.

2004

Supplier of Choice

The Heinz Mayer company takes part in the DeBeers ‘Supplier of Choice’ programme.

2005

In Germany, Bundeskanzlerin (Chancellor) is the word of the year 2005.

2005

Creation of the Rolls Royce Motor Cars centenary jewellery

Heinz Mayer is invited by Rolls Royce Motor Cars to create a bracelet for the company’s centenary. The celebrations take place in England, Tokyo, Long Island and Kuwait’s Royal Palace. This piece of jewellery for Rolls Royce’s centenary remains the only officially authorised piece of jewellery in the 100-year history of Rolls Royce Motor Cars.

2005

Royal customers

Royal houses and their court jewellers all over the world are now among Heinz Mayer oHG's clientele.

2006

Invitation from the Gemological Institute of America

Stefan Mayer is invited by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to San Diego to speak on the topic: "Gemstone Treatment: Friend or Foe?” This global gemmological symposium, which takes place every 7-10 years, is opened by none other than Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State of the United States of America.

2006

A great honour for Heinz Mayer in Japan

Another milestone: the German Ambassador to Japan presents Heinz Mayer oHG at his residence in Tokyo. The premium Japanese department store Takashimaya and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars invite their Japanese customers to get to know Heinz Mayer´s jewellery in the ambience of the German Embassy in Tokyo. A great honour.

2006

The participants’ pin

The participants’ pin for the Baden-Baden Entrepeneur Talks (B.B.U.G.) is made by Heinz Mayer´s jewellery workshop.

2008

Barack Obama becomes the first African-American president of the United States.

2014

Harvard Business School

Stefan Mayer is invited to the founding event of the GIA Global Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. Since then Heinz Mayer has participated annually in this exclusive discussion forum as one of two European voices.

2018

Partnership with De Beers Forevermark

Since January 2018, the jewellery manufacturer Heinz Mayer has been the official, exclusive distribution partner of De Beers ‘Forevermark’ diamonds in Germany and Austria. This exclusive diamond brand is already available in over 2,100 shops worldwide and enjoys a high level of brand recognition, especially in America and Asia. The German premiere of the diamond collection took place in November 2018. As the icing on the cake, Heinz Mayer offers exclusive access to the official De Beers Forevermark Red Carpet Collection for exhibition purposes. These exquisite one-off pieces are worn by celebrities at events such as the MTV Music Awards, the Golden Globes and the Oscars in Hollywood.

2019

Creation of the Bentley Jewellery Collection

At Baselworld 2019, Heinz Mayer presents the Bentley Jewellery Collection in celebration of Bentley Motor’s 100th anniversary. The collection was designed in close cooperation with the world-famous English automobile manufacturer’s own designers. The world premiere in Basel is followed by the Asian premiere in Hong Kong in September of the same year.

2020

The global Coronavirus pandemic.