Charlotte Ehinger-Schwarz 1876, has been honored with the first-ever Tanzanite “Celebration of Life” Jewelry Design Award in the Manufacturer category during a ceremony held in New York City. The necklace, designed exclusively for the awards, depicts the birth of tanzanite in Africa, and captures the beauty of the rare stone through artistic and creative brilliance. The award was presented by the Tanzanite Foundation, a non-profit industry supported organization.

Based in Germany and headed by master goldsmith and fourth-generation jewelry designer, Wolf-Peter Schwarz, Charlotte Ehinger-Schwarz 1876 specializes in fine jewelry that combines color and form to enhance the beauty of natural materials. The company has more than 100 stores in 10 countries—including four U.S. stores.

The necklace is a tribute to the abundant geological landscape and the magnificent native wildlife of Tanzania, Wolf-Peter Schwarz said. A giraffe, elephant, and ape nestle among precious rubies, tsavorite and zoisite. A detachable diamond drop carries the necklace’s centerpiece: a dramatic 25.29 carat pear cut tanzanite. The one-of-a-kind necklace is valued at $91,000.

“The necklace is a piece that tells a story: the story of tanzanite, one of the most rare and spectacular stones, being ‘born’ in Africa,” Wolf-Peter Schwarz said. “It is a communication piece and jewelry is about communication. Through form and color, signs and symbols, the elements come together to express something bigger than their individual parts.”

JCK