The Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim

Far from the bustling cities, the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim  (Pforzheim Jewelry Museum), is the only museum in the world that traces 5,000 years of jewelry history. Here's how its fabulous collection of 10,000 pieces came to be.

Anyone interested in jewelry should visit the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim at least once in their lifetime. Located near Karlsruhe in the Black Forest, this museum is housed in the Reuchlinhaus, a cubic building made of sandstone and glass. It showcases two thousand pieces chronologically over two floors, spanning from the Bronze Age (3rd millennium BCE) to the present day. In addition to this historical collection, the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim features three other collections dedicated to rings, pocket watches, and ethnographic jewelry.

Thanks to its chronological presentation, even newcomers can explore the collection. Visitors can immerse themselves in this fabulous historical timeline, starting with a pierced stone pendant from the late 2nd millennium BCE and ending with a significant section dedicated to contemporary and avant-garde jewelry, where Germany's influence in the field is evident. Artists like Peter Chang, Otto Künzli, Barbara Paganin, and Iris Bodemer are featured. In between are marvels like pre-Celtic fibulae, a Greek funerary crown made of gold leaves, a pharaoh's seal ring, a gold net necklace likely belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, hair and iron jewelry from Berlin, brooches by René Lalique and Fouquet, and pieces by René Boivin, Cartier, Tiffany, and the Padua School jewelers. This initiatory journey includes both humble pieces and masterpieces like a Renaissance enamel parrot pendant, a bracelet by Jules Wièse, and a pair of 6th-century BCE gold earrings crafted using granulation techniques.

"The beginnings of this collection date back to 1767. In Pforzheim, the margrave (sovereign prince) entered contracts with French and German entrepreneurs for the production of 'fine steel objects' to fill the coffers. Orphans and the destitute were trained in the factories in exchange for room and board, as this also aimed to prevent social conflicts. Pforzheim thus became a significant center for the jewelry and watchmaking industry," explains Cornelie Holzach, the director of the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim. To educate apprentice goldsmiths and creators, Pforzheim established the Grand Ducal School of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbe-Verein) and the Society of Fine Arts and Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule). In 1877, these two institutions initiated the collection, purchasing jewelry (mainly from France, the epicenter of jewelry and Art Nouveau) for inspiration and skill enhancement. Soon, accusations of copying and even plagiarism emerged, straining relations between the two countries on either side of the Rhine.

Starting from 1900, the historical collection expanded to include a ring collection, with its core formed by an industrialist from the city. With 1,200 models, it features Jewish rings and beautiful specimens adorned with cameos and intaglios. In 1985, the museum welcomed a long-term loan: the ethnographic collection of the Herion couple, which has been integrated into the foundation since 2020. In a dedicated room, African and Asian breastplates, earrings, and bracelets are juxtaposed with Western pieces. A bronze necklace from Cameroon shares space with a glass necklace by René Lalique and a 19th-century iron necklace from Berlin. Horology enthusiasts can finally explore specimens from the pocket watch collection (dating from 1550 to 1923) curated by watchmaker Philipp Weber. Here, the selection sets out to showcase the evolution from an art historical perspective.

It's truly a marvel to be able to admire this collection today. In 1945, Allied bombings completely destroyed the city, but the collection remained safe and hidden in the Black Forest. So, don't hesitate to visit the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, just a 4-hour TGV ride from Paris.