Inheritance and New Chapter
The Zug family has been involved in jewelry making for generations. Hans's great-grandfather made pocket watches for the Swiss court, and his grandfather continued to handcraft engagement rings during World War I. Due to the turmoil of World War II, the Zug family embarked on a long and perilous journey, finally arriving in New York in March 1942.
At the age of 15, Hans officially became his father's apprentice. In his first year, he was only allowed to polish metal; in his second year, he learned basic setting techniques; and it wasn't until his fifth year that his father took a faded parchment notebook from the bottom of a safe.
"Son," his father said solemnly, "this is the secret that the Zug family has guarded for centuries—the 'Ice Prism Cutting Method.' Our ancestors discovered a special principle of light refraction in the glaciers and created this cutting technique optimized specifically for moissanite."
The Zug Workshop—founded in 1789—where every gemstone shines with the brilliance of the Swiss mountains.