K. S. Jewelry International

A RARE JEWELLERY GEM

Having supplied some of the world’s most famous brands, K.S. Jewelry International is a luxury jewellery manufacturer recognised for its highquality products and designs. We dive headfirst into the company’s four decades of experience and passion for innovation

Writer: Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Poppi Burke

The presence of jewellery has been intricately woven into human culture and civilisation for over 100,000 years.

Reflecting so much more than just decoration, jewellery represents the intangible: desire, status, superstition, creativity, love, hope, and more.

In tracing the history of jewellery, human nature itself can begin to be unravelled.

These incorporeal aspects, which have changed very little over history, are to be expertly captured by the jeweller within each piece forged.

An ever-evolving skill that requires ample amounts of craftsmanship, this trade can only be mastered by those who are passionate, determined, and innovative.

One such example of a company that epitomises these qualities is K.S.

Jewelry International (K.S. Jewelry), a high-end manufacturer with over 40 years’ experience working for some of the world’s most respected fine jewellery brands.

A GLISTENING HISTORY

Founded in 1979 by brothers Klaus and Michael Stenzhorn, K.S. Jewelry initially focused on the wholesale side of business, supplying jewellers in Germany with goods produced in Bangkok by several local manufacturers.

While sales proved to be successful, the brothers knew that they could increase the quality and consistency of their jewellery to elevate the company to the next level, spurring them to start their own production in Bangkok in the mid-1980s, ultimately allowing K.S. Jewelry to match the quality of top factories in Europe.

Going a step further, Klaus and Michael invited top specialists from Europe to train new staff, providing the company with a notable distinction from the rest of Bangkok manufacturers who were specialising in the production of jewellery from the lower end of the market at the time.

This policy resulted in K.S. Jewelry being one of the first in Bangkok to use microscopes for pave settings, and within a few years, microscopes were installed not only in setting sections but in quality control and goldsmith benches.

Once the company was able to match European quality while producing in Thailand, it then became a pioneer in making complicated invisible set pieces with diamonds alongside developing a unique way to make flexible necklaces and bracelets out of handmade coronets from pulled wire.

K.S Jewelry to establish business relationships with the two brothers.

This approach and resulting high quality didn’t go unnoticed, and several large brands approached

The desire for total transparency and control over the entire production process led to K.S. Jewelry acquiring

JEWELLERY WORLD AWARDS

The Jewellery World Awards (JWA) was formed in 2012 by Informa Markets to serve as a platform to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the international jewellery and gemstone industry.

JWA is among the most respected programmes in the sector, acknowledging trailblazers, gamechangers, up-and-comers, and luminaries, and consists of an independent judging panel of industry experts.

The awards strive to encourage and promote excellence, innovation, and best practices regardless of the scale of business operations, area of specialisation, or geographical location.

During a glittering evening attended by leading industry players from around the globe, awards are presented across 11 categories in this world-class event for the international jewellery trade.

K.S. Jewelry was an honouree within the Industry Innovation of the Year –Jewellery Manufacturing Technology category at JWA in 2019.

Able to showcase the company’s innovative and unique skills and use of 3D technology to work on even the smallest of elements, K.S. Jewelry was proud to be recognised for its continuous hard work and dedication.

gold and diamond mines in Africa and later diamond-cutting in Santo Domingo.

Part of this extensive and innovative heritage still lives in the company today, having become recognised globally across the jewellery industry for its unique techniques, achieved through a combination of its own engineering, the latest technology, high-quality handwork, and a consistent desire to always be in pursuit of excellence.

VALUES THAT SPARKLE

The core values of expertise, quality, and technology serve as K.S. Jewelry’s roadmap and help to guide the company in every aspect of its operation.

With a desire to achieve sustainable, quality growth, the company is built around the motto ‘in pursuit of excellence since 1979’, because it is steadfast in the belief that innovation is never stagnant and must constantly be sought after.

These core values showcase themselves in various aspects of K.S. Jewelry, whose expertise is readily proven by nearly four decades

THE ROYAL WEDDING OF KING JIGME KHESAR NAMGYEL AND QUEEN JETSUN PEMA

On Thursday 13th October 2011, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck married Jetsun Pema in a Buddhist ceremony at the Punakha Dzong, which translates to ‘the palace of bliss’, in Punakha, Bhutan.

The royal ceremony combined the coronation of the new queen with the nuptials in an event that was predominantly attended by members of the royal family but was heavily publicised and televised across the nation, quickly becoming Bhutan’s largest media event in Bhutan’s history.

K.S. Jewelry was given the distinct honour of designing a crown for the new Queen Jetsun Pema to wear. The tiara consisted of an intricate gold setting adorned with large jades, a stone which has historically symbolised nobility and wealth.

Known as the ‘Prince William and Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’, this event showcased the care, detail, and cultural significance that K.S. Jewelry places in each of its designs.

of experience, having developed cutting-edge techniques for modern jewellery production that have propelled the company to the top of the industry.

Quality is shown by the exceptional products comprised of precious gemstones, gold, and platinum, all aligned with expertise, technology, and the continuous development of employee skills.

Technology, meanwhile, is one of the most relevant and important skills that K.S. Jewelry boasts, using 3D machinery to allow employees to work on even the smallest of elements and be precise in a way that is out of

reach by traditional methods.

As the company is confident that the future of jewellery production is going to be strongly influenced by advancing technology, close cooperation between computeraided design (CAD) technicians is crucial for developing skills, achieving synergy, and manufacturing a product that can satisfy even the most demanding customer.

Technology has never before influenced so many different areas of human life, creating possibilities that were beyond reach even just a few years prior. The same can be said about jewellery production, which

constantly changes like the rest of the fashion industry.

To stay on top of new and emerging trends, K.S. Jewelry designates a significant part of its profits into the latest technical solutions and machinery, helping it to adapt, improve efficiency, and establish points of difference.

PRODUCTION OF GOLDEN STANDARDS

Priding itself on passion, decades of experience, and craftsmanship, K.S. Jewelry has designed and manufactured for some of the world’s biggest high-end jewellery brands,

including locations along New Bond Street in London and Place Vendôme in Paris.

This high quality stems from the company’s manner of production and the care it places into every step of the jewellery journey, from conception to the runway.

The process begins with an initial inquiry to understand the vision, no matter how developed the idea is. It then progresses from concept to prototype, where the latest CAD and 3D printing technologies are used to create models and materialise the vision.

The last step consists of the final delivery, in which production is conducted over several stages by highly skilled employees with all-in-house casting, goldsmith work, diamond and stone cutting, gem setting, polishing, and plating conducted with meticulous detail and oversight.

This in-house production is located across three different factories in central Bangkok, whilst the product development CAD team is expertly skilled in the usage of programmes including Rhino, Matrix, and JewelCAD. Additionally, the company provides multilingual customer service to assist clients anywhere in the world.

For over 40 years, the people behind K.S. Jewelry have been in pursuit of beauty, innovation, and excellence, aiming to be among the best high-end manufacturers in the world.

This is more relevant than ever in today’s market, with consumers rejecting the mass-made jewellery that has flooded the scene and looking towards a future of craftsmanship, detail, and long-lasting artistry that will shine for generations to come.