Martin, Eugen, Friedrich and, since 2015, Christian Guthmann, managed the family business and each gave it their “stamp”. In the 1920s, as the name “Martin Guthmann Bijouteriefabrik” suggests, the focus was on fashionable and affordable products. In the second half of the 20th century, the focus was on young jewelry and new jewelry ideas. With Christian Guthmann, who took over the company in the fourth generation, a return to traditional jewelery themes came onto the agenda.
‘Jewelry & Love’ is the Martin Guthmann motto and refers to the emotional message of the pieces of jewelery as well as to the sustainable production in Germany.
Even as a child, Christian Guthmann liked to draw and observe animals and nature very closely. Unlike his father and grandfather, who were merchants, after graduating from high school he followed the path of his great-grandfather, the founder of the jewelry manufactory, and attended the goldsmith school in Pforzheim.
Tradition is very important at MG.
Just like his grandfather, Christian develops his own designs and puts the handicraft in the foreground. Nature plays a central role in this. Gardens and parks serve as inspiration and are 100 percent made as handcrafted bees, ladybugs, flowers and blossoms in the jewelry city of Pforzheim. Among other things, jewelery shapes and ornaments from the company’s history are incorporated into the design: The vintage look of Martin Guthmann jewelery is iconic, which is the result of the skilful use of historical techniques such as the sand casting technique and fire enamel traditional in Pforzheim.
Sand casting is a sustainable technique that produces no waste. Just a little burnt sand.
Sustainably recycled material from the Allgemeine Gold- und Silberscheideanstalt AG Agosi Pforzheim, which is committed to the ethical goals of the Responsible Jewelery Council, is processed. The metal waste from the Guthmannn factory is also recycled here. In addition, fair river gold from Germany, which is extracted without exploitation, without chemicals and without destroying the landscape, is used. Christian works exclusively with second-, third-, fourth-hand recycled diamonds that are set and reused.
Martin Guthmann stands for modern yet timeless, sustainable jewelry. Made in Germany, of course.
Sustainability is firmly anchored at Guthmann. The traditional Pforzheim company has never addressed the negative practices of the jewelery industry. On the contrary: sustainability and Made in Germany are the defining criteria that the jewelry manufactory actively uses and also implements new sustainable findings quickly and easily.
Good to know: sustainability
In production, closed water circuits are used almost exclusively. Wastewater is treated. Problematic substances are collected and cardboard or paper is used for cases, outer packaging and filling materials. Just like the new generation of displays. In addition to ecological sustainability, social aspects such as the use of flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home play a major role at the traditional Pforzheim company. In addition, the Martin Guthmann manufactory is one of the twelve founding members of the joint label “Jewellery Made in Germany”.
