Cape Town - South Africa is celebrated for its abundance of mineral resources and is one of the world’s biggest producers of precious stones. With the country’s economy built on gold and diamond mining, the sector is an important foreign exchange earner.
Now Capetonians and tourists can learn about the country’s dazzling earthly treasures at Prins & Prins Diamonds, South Africa’s first museum devoted exclusively to gems and jewellery.
Located in the authentically restored 18th century Huguenot House, at the corner of Loop and Hout streets, the museum offers visitors an insight into how mankind came to appreciate these precious commodities. The grand house, formerly occupied by wealthy Dutch merchants, has been home to jewellers Prins & Prins Diamonds since 1982.
The museum, which includes a goldsmith studio and a diamond cutting factory, opened its doors the public in April. The company’s marketing and PR manager, Stéfan Doveton-Moore, says the museum gives people access to the private collection of its founder, Dr Petré Prins, who has been a collector of rare and precious gemstones for many years.
“It’s a chance to view and compare how jewellery styles have changed over the years with the influence of technology and mass production,” says Doveton-Moore.
We visited the showroom and museum, where portraits of the Dutch merchants still adorn the walls, telling the stories of the families that once occupied the house.
There is also the story of the very first, and oldest, piece of jewellery found at Blomos Cave in the Blombosfontein Nature Reserve, about 200km outside Cape Town. The museum’s display takes visitors on a journey of the history of diamonds and how they were discovered. It also delves into how South Africa’s political and mineralogical history was influenced by mineral discoveries in the country.
Visitors will also be able to see goldsmiths craft rough diamonds into sparkling gems.
“The jewellery business is very personal; we get to witness special occasions when people come here look for jewellery to celebrate anything from a birthday to a wedding anniversary,” says Doveton-Moore.
He explains that the colour and the size of a diamond are the biggest influences when people buy jewellery. “The fancy-coloured ones, to the extremely intense colours of yellow, pink and blue, are relatively difficult to find,” says Doveton-Moore.
Entry to the museum is free. It is open Mondays to Fridays, from 9am to 5pm, and on Saturdays, from 9am to 1pm
Cape Argus