Where are the Diamonds???

[Steve 5]

Sadly Christopher can not shed any light or add to this thread.....
"I have to say I have no recollection of this. If the guy can say which book it was in I could do some tracing"....was part of his reply to me.
Prost ! Steve.

[Norm F]

Yes, when referring to those particular OLS, I think Bob did specifically say, that set wasn't by S&L ?
Interesting set though!!!!!!!!!
-Nigel

Bob's quote:

This is a Steinhauer and Lueck Oak Leaves Swords and Brilliants. I assume it is made post-war as St&L was not an authorized maker of the Brilliants. Each of the rhinestones is hand set with 'fingers' holding them in place. The swords are finished, on the reverse.

Bob Hritz

But as mentioned, no real evidence for this.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Nigel N]

Norm, I was referring to the Dietrich set!!
-Nigel

PS if, as mentioned, the swords in the other set w/ Swaz RK are finished on the reverse, then that is different to all the normal Oaks made postwar by S&L????

[Nigel N]

@Steve, I can't remember which of Chris' books it was, I used to have quite a lot when TR collecting!!
-Nigel

[Norm F]

@Norm, What you say makes sense, however S&L have something of a history in this kind of thing, they went ahead and made medal versions of the ADB & TDB, not waiting to see if they would get the official go-ahead (which they didn't) they then sold the lot to the collectors market! Similarly, they must have thought that a 57 version of the Westwall would be made, as they made a number of those too!!
Each of these pieces required a new die making, so if they "only" converted ordinary OLS, then that wouldn't have been too big a deal for them I guess?
An entirely new die for different/ larger Diamond OLS would be a bigger job, but if they did it for the Westwall, ADB & TDB....who knows????
I hope we can find an answer!!!
-Nigel

Hi Nigel,

That fact that S&L made post-war versions of awards that they didn't make in wartime is different from what I'm saying about the Oakleaves with Diamonds. It doesn't bother me that they didn't make it in wartime -- just that the Oakleaves with diamonds (or any diamonds award) were for a select few, involving a type of construction outside of S&L's expertise. For Souval/Umlauf over the decades anything goes - new dies, castings of originals, inset sapphires/rhinestones, home-made hardware, etc. but S&L had a consistent business practice, always used working dies for decent-sized production runs with consistent hardware choices and they didn't do jewellery work. It doesn't make sense (to me) to tool up for a large run of Oakleaves with Diamonds and contract out the laborious hand-setting of the "diamonds" - especially since we don't see them.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Nigel N]

We'll see!!!!!!!!!
-Nigel

[Norm F]

Sadly Christopher can not shed any light or add to this thread.....
"I have to say I have no recollection of this. If the guy can say which book it was in I could do some tracing"....was part of his reply to me.
Prost ! Steve.

@Steve, I can't remember which of Chris' books it was, I used to have quite a lot when TR collecting!!
-Nigel

It may be just as well. Regardless of intentions, there are a couple of fake U-Boats with Diamonds on the Ailsby blog (although one was a real Schwerin badge that had been doctored by a jeweller) so mistakes have already been made on the topic of diamonds awards. If on the other hand there was a verifiable source for the statement, then maybe...

Best regards,
---Norm

[Nigel N]

I have asked Dietrich and Gentry if they have any photo's or info!!
Hopefully we can find something out, from two good sources????????
-Nigel

[Nigel N]

Well, I have heard back from Dietrich, he said he has no info, but admitted his interest finishes at the wars end, he recommended Gentry!!
So we will wait for Da man!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Nigel

[Tom B]

Nigel, Here is a set of Klein marked Diamonds like I purchased back in the 80's: Ebay info: Seller: Antique-Watch-Collector Item#: 281629458580. Photos are very good. Thought maybe you could post as interest to the thread. Tom

[Nigel N]

Thanks Tom!!
Here is the Klein set 4,500 Euro's.........
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[Norm F]

Thanks Tom!!
Here is the Klein set 4,500 Euro's.........

Hm. Pretty scanty diamonds there. For comparison this sterling silver ring with an equivalent amount of genuine diamonds for 300 Euro...

[Tom B]

Hm. Pretty scanty diamonds there. For comparison this sterling silver ring with an equivalent amount of genuine diamonds for 300 Euro...

I think Klein was not thinking about the value of the diamonds. They are not real , I had a jeweler check my set. Tom

[Tom B]

I think Klein was not thinking about the value of the diamonds. They are not real , I had a jeweler check my set. Tom

Forgot this......I paid Klein only $200.00 for my purchase in 1981. I was told they were hand made by a couple old employees of the firm. Tom

[Dwight]

Here is the post war set I posted in an earlier thread in this Forum. I hope that it is ok that I post the set once more in connection with this thread! They are however quite different from the set shown in post 41 (no diamonds in the hilt and also a different shape).