Pforzheim


The town of Pforzheim, just west of Stuttgart, is the centre of Germany's jewellery manufacturing industry.

Nearly 400 of the nation's 650 jewellery manufacturers are located there (the other main centres being Idar-Oberstein and Schwäbisch Gmund), accounting for over 70% of Germany's carat gold jewellery manufacture of around 30 tonnes annually.

All the major German semi-fabricators (Halbzeug) are located there, including Degussa, Heraeus, Allgemeine Gold und Silberscheideanstalt, Hafner, and Wieland, along with specialist manufacturers for rolled gold. A permanent exhibition is maintained at the Industriehaus.