DIAMONDS
Stop seeking diamonds or precious stones during your hikes in the Haut-Jura mountains: you will not find them!
But why did this activity take off in the small town of Saint-Claude and the surrounding villages ?
The answer comes from the Genevan watchmaking activity which already sought in the 17th century a skillful and local workforce to cut the ruby pivots used in watch movements. In the 19th century, Antwerp diamond dealers, attracted by a meticulous and inexpensive workforce as well as by the natural driving force of the rivers that cross the city, relocated the diamond cutting in Haut-Jura.
The answer comes from the Genevan watchmaking activity which already sought in the 17th century a skillful and local workforce to cut the ruby pivots used in watch movements. In the 19th century, Antwerp diamond dealers, attracted by a meticulous and inexpensive workforce as well as by the natural driving force of the rivers that cross the city, relocated the diamond cutting in Haut-Jura.