Demand for jewellery with Czech garnet is rising again. After difficult years, Granát Turnov is now venturing onto international markets.
The traditional company Granát Turnov, the only one in the Czech Republic with the right to mine and certify the gemstone, is now expanding into new markets such as Japan and the USA.
The dark red gemstone is traditionally mined in Podsedice in the Litoměřice district and subsequently processed in Turnov, where it is sorted, cut, and prepared for jewellery production.
During the pandemic, sales collapsed almost completely. The crisis hit the company twice over: closed shops and the absence of tourists from the Far East during Covid, followed by the loss of Russian customers due to the war in Ukraine.
But the industry is gradually recovering. Tourists are once again buying jewellery, and new markets are boosting sales. “Sales have more than doubled and continue to grow. We expect another increase in turnover this year,” said Eva Stodůlková, CFO of Granát Turnov, speaking to the Czech news channel ČT24. Already 15 to 20 per cent of production is exported.
A Gemstone with History
The annual mining volume in Podsedice amounts to around 100 kilograms, with additional extraction in Dolní Olešnice. Only Granát Turnov holds the licence to carry out mining and, at the same time, certify the authenticity of the stones.
Czech garnet is prized for its intense, dark red colour, which shimmers in different shades depending on the light. It is also regarded as particularly hard and heat-resistant.
Its history goes back to the Middle Ages, but its greatest popularity came in the 19th century, when it became a highly sought-after jewel among the European aristocracy. Today, the National Museum in Prague houses the world’s largest collection of historical jewellery featuring Czech garnet.
