History

"Emil Weis Opals" - for nearly 120 years, our name has stood for excellence in opals. Not only do experience and expertise characterise our company, but we also look back with pride on a company history that spans several generations. Today, we are firmly rooted in Kirschweiler, the "Opal Village" in the world-renowned gemstone region of Idar-Oberstein, Germany, but we are also at home everywhere in the world where our passion - opals - is concerned: in the opal fields and mines of Australia, Mexico, and other areas of discovery; at major exhibitions and trade shows; with gem dealers and experts. But it all began here in Kirschweiler at a time when the Hunsrück region was still largely rural and so far removed from the glitz and glamour of the big, wide world....

The gemstone region around Idar-Oberstein has a long tradition of cutting and setting many different kinds of precious stones. Above all, the agate deposits native to the area were processed locally, initially with the help of water power and later with electrically-powered machines. Thus, there was already a solid foundation of gemstone processing knowledge and experience when opals increasingly became the focus of interest more than 100 years ago. Among the pioneers in this exciting time were the brothers Emil and Otto Weis, who had their workplace in the Hohl-Jacobs Lapidary at the Kirschweiler Bridge. They were among the first gem cutters to venture into cutting raw opals, which were still largely unknown in this country at the time - purchased and brought to Germany by gem cutters from Idar-Oberstein visiting Australia, and arduously transported home to Europe in large crates via sailing ship.

In 1905 the Weis brothers founded their own company, and Emil Weis Opals has been continuously family-owned ever since. We are a family business in the best sense of the word, with knowledge acquired over generations, with experience passed on through decades, and with a close and sustainable network of relationships within the industry. Today, we proudly continue the success story of Emil Weis Opals, even in difficult times, with a regular presence at all the important locations: our own mining affiliations, exhibitions and trade shows, and, of course, on buying trips to increase our own extensive and high-quality stocks of opal varieties and opal jewellery. Benefit from our extensive knowledge and the experience we have gained over generations - contact us!