Situated at historical Redcliffe Quay, towards the waterfront, you will find the five arches of The Goldsmitty, a spacious, air conditioned, one of a kind jewelry shop. All the jewelry is hand made on the premises and is designed by the owner, Hans Smit, world renowned for his expertise.
Hans studied at the Academy of Modern Art in Holland and has been sharing his talent in Antigua since 1965 when he took up residence on the island. He has trained some young, local apprentices the skills and secrets of lost wax casting, affording The Goldsmitty an exclusive line of handmade creations.
Black Opal, Imperial Topaz, Tanzanite, Namibian blue green Tourmaline and other rare and exotic gemstones were collected during many visits to gemstone mines around the world and are set in exquisite creations of 14 and 18 karat gold often accentuated by a sprinkle of diamonds. The style of design has often been called ‘organic’ as coral formations, Caribbean sunsets and underwater vistas are usually a source of inspiration.
In 2011 Hans, always on the lookout for rocks, happened to kick his toes and tripped over a stone which, after close examination, turned out to be a piece of petrified coral ….next step: cut off a slice and polish! What a discovery!
The samples were sent to the University of Iowa which responded by analyzing the various species as
fossilized coral that 30 million years ago formed our lovely island of Antigua.
This unique treasure of nature has now been officially registered as “Antiguanite” and
a variety of stones is being cut to create pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets in gold or in silver.
This is not just another jewelry store; it is more like an art gallery. It is important to remember that this jewelry is not sold anywhere else and is duty free into the US (CBI) and Canada (CARIBICAN).
All these unique creations are only available at The Goldsmitty, Redcliffe Quay.
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