About us

Often you make beautiful plans in life. Sometimes they come true, but sometimes things go a bit differently than you would like. The art is then not to get stuck in the negative. But to find a new path. A path where you learn to row with the oars you have. However difficult that may be. Below is the story about the collection, the ambition, and how quickly things can change.

Freek
Learn from yesterday, Plan for tomorrow, but Do things today.

Scroll down and explore the story behind the collection.

Where does the love for the stones come from?

Actually, I have Swiss roots and every year when we went to the mountains, we came back with “the most beautiful stones.” They had to come to the Netherlands. My father did not like it, the car was already full. But grumbling, he still agreed.
Later I really started searching on a large scale myself. Even before I met Carla, there was already a big collection in my house. Mainly from Europe and the Middle East. It was also at that time I learned to cut stones in Idar Oberstein, then the gemstone capital of the world. The time of collecting had begun and would continue for many years.

But how do you get so many?

After I met Carla, everything accelerated. Not so much because she is a big fan of rough stones, but more because we traveled a lot together. Carla for the photos, and I for the stones. Besides almost all of Europe, we often spent months or even a year away; Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Tibet, Iceland, Thailand, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, etc. Often multiple times. Mostly with our own camper or even motorcycle. And guess what? Where did the trips often go? Not only to the most beautiful sights of those countries but also to many mines where the most beautiful crystals and minerals are found.

Can you search in mines worldwide then?

Well, you cannot search everywhere yourself. In Europe, we went to many quarries. In the USA there are U-DIGS. In those quarries, you pay an entrance fee and can keep what you find. The nicest is Diamond Crater State Park, where you can still find real diamonds yourself. And you can keep them if you found them yourself. It’s less easy in developing countries. The mines there are often managed by the local people who rightly do not welcome a Westerner rummaging in their quarries. There you have to buy neatly from the miners and pay a fair price. Fair and proper. That has gained us many good friends. Often we were invited for a tour in the mine, tea, food, and sometimes we could stay overnight. Not that we always wanted that last part because luxury and privacy are a bit different in those countries.

How much and what have you collected then?

A lot, very much. The estimate is at least 50,000 pieces in 50 years. So about 1000 a year. In those years, all the material was never really unpacked after arrival but stored in a large shed. The reason was very simple: too busy with other things like work, family, and acquaintances.

What do I have exactly?
Well honestly, I roughly know. Here is a list I can remember now: Agate, Amethyst, Aventurine, Azurite, Rock Crystal, Sodalite, Carnelian, Calcite, Amber, Tiger’s Eye, Rose Quartz, Jet, Tourmaline, Witch’s Agate, Barite, Fluorite, Topaz, Smoky Quartz, Gold, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Double Terminated Crystals, Lemurian Crystals, Chalcedony, Labradorite, Beryl, Aquamarine, Grit, Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Las Vigas Amethyst, Lemon Quartz, Sulfur, Cobalt, Malachite, Vanadinite, Spessartine, Galena, Chromite, etc., etc. Big and sometimes very small in the form of micromounts. A page could fill up with that. It’s more that my memory sometimes fails me. But well, that comes with age.

But what were you going to do with it?

Yes, that was a long question. What to do with that enormous collection collecting dust in storage? For a long time, I had no idea. First just keep expanding, the idea would come by itself, I thought. And indeed, one fine summer day, Carla and I knew. When I retired, we would start a kind of Experience museum (small). Carla with her love for beads and my collection would then get their own world in which everyone could get to know two wonderful hobbies. Focused on adults, but especially also on the upcoming generations. Soon there were ideas and dreams more than enough. Not only showing the collection but also giving cutting lessons, identification courses, jewelry courses, and all those fun things everyone can enjoy.

Retirement seemed far away. But that’s not going to happen?

No, unfortunately, it’s not going to happen. A few years ago I was urgently admitted to the hospital. Could hardly speak anymore and saw double. A bizarre experience, and no one knew what was wrong. Many tests followed, each more curious than the last. It was a strange period with many uncertainties. Years before, I was already very tired and often slept. But I also worked a lot and traveled a lot. So maybe a bit overworked was the idea. The neurologist’s diagnosis was different. Eventually, it turned out I have Myasthenia Gravis. A difficult muscle disease that is also incurable. The first year was mainly about trying which medication could control the symptoms. Prednisone proved a harsh experience, even reversing my day and night rhythm. The second year was one of rehabilitation. Now, several years later, it is going a lot better. I have learned to live with it, as they say. But I still often hit limits. Because yes, it is and remains an unpredictable, difficult condition.

And now what next?

Well, that was a difficult one. Carla and I thought for a long time whether it was still wise to set up this Experience museum. Eventually, the decision was made not to do it. Because none of the children have the ambition to further build the collection, a difficult decision was made.

Now selling such a huge collection sounds easier than it is because ideally, you want those “kids” collected with so much love to find a good new home. To do that, this site was created, and during the Corona year we worked hard to set up the mineral inspiration center. A kind of Experience center where you are warmly welcome to get to know the minerals and crystals. And the prices, well, we will figure that out.