Brazilian finds, African markets,
The african customers demanded mostly black onyx and red carnelian beads, which they imported from Cambay in India
(more about Cambay on the following page). Both agate varieties are scarce in nature, so the Idar gemstone cutters
developed ways to dye the grey brasilian rough that got into Germany now in sufficient quantities. Agate rock was
used as ballast on freight ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean, so transportation to Germany was very inexpensive,
if not free. A variety of other precious gem material found its way to Idar-Oberstein via that route, too. More
than a hundred water powered lapidaries along the creeks around Idar-Oberstein kept thousands of people busy
in the gem trade.
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Unlike the indian beads, the german made ones were smooth and shiny and their color was more intense.
The most valuable bi- and multicolored elongated beads could be produced by quantity and the african bead market
was taken by storm by Idar's gem cutters. Another advantage of german beads was a better stone drilling technique.
Indian artisans drilled wholes from both opposite sides into the bead to meet in the middle.
Sharp edges around the always imperfect joints easily cut the cords apart, with which the beads are strung up and made into necklaces i.e.
Longer brass drill bits with diamond studded heads could penetrate the bead in one shot, so no edges occured within
the drill hole anymore. A superior product raised its value and demand in Africa. Business was constantly growing,
only inner african problems like the Mahdi revolt in Egypt towards the end of the 19th century slowed production down.
But by now the gem cutters produced a wide variety of shapes and colors of agate beads and even sold them all the way
to Micronesia, where beads were used as money as well. The North American market became important for the Idarers and
the Victorian fashion in Britain demanded black onyx in huge quantities. Production facilities got more efficient,
created a much higher output. Since the african demand for gemstone products did not rise at same rate as the other
markets, the "Afrika-Geschaeft" lost its rank in the industry to end up as a small, exotic branch of the trade.
