Handmade jewelry for modern rebels.
SCHMAAL stands for first-class, handmade goods.
Made to live and grow old with you.
Welcome to my studio, where silver and gold sparkle and leather tells stories.
Here we create jewelry that makes your heart beat faster.
Why is it called SCHMAAL?
In Cologne, people like to say the opposite to “slim” people like me. It's common for the People who see me and I often hear: "There is the Schmaal." The people of Cologne have their own sense of humor, as you'll notice once you've been there. As a broad person, you tend to be called narrow. Adorable, right?
Holger Altgeld
That's me. Trained chemical technician, qualified chemistry master and self-trained advertising photographer with a focus on portraits. Now a self-employed goldsmith, knife maker and manufacturer of beautiful consumer goods. My career has changed over the years. Progress and change are important to me and I like to follow my heart.
What always remains is creativity and working with your hands.
How did it all start?
For many years I have been searching every market and every shop for cool jewelry for myself. It is extremely rare to find something there. You are practically plastered with women's jewelry, but finding something for men is a gamble with rarely good outcomes.
The only solution was to make the jewelry myself. I had no choice :)
During the Corona period, a friend approached me who had made himself an outdoor knife and I was immediately fascinated by the idea, as I already had a few knives in my collection. No sooner said than done - I organized the tools and got started. The first outdoor knife I made was hardened in the charcoal grill in the garden.
My sister is a trained saddler and showed me how beautiful working with leather can be.
So everything fits together and is connected by the desire to work with raw materials that are alive in a certain way. The metal, wood and leather accompany you through life and live with you. It ages with you and gets better with you.
Love for handcraft combined with a penchant for perfection
I couldn't spend my day any other way, because what I do is much more than just work - it's my philosophy of life. Every movement, every cut and every stitch are an expression of my passion for the craft.
Why do I do all this? Because I love how time plays with my creations. Silver develops a patina, knives bear the stories of their adventures, and leather goods recall the journeys they have taken. My workshop and that of my partners are places where raw materials are not just processed, but brought to life.
Every piece is unique
In a world that is often too fast-paced, I pause and devote myself to the art of slow, thoughtful creation. Handcraft is not just a profession, but a tribute to the beauty of simplicity. Each piece is unique - characterized by attention to detail and a touch of adventure.
Buying from me is a process
A piece from SCHMAAL is not something you just buy casually. It is a piece you scurry around. That you think twice about. That you are passionate about. That you absolutely want to have. Only after this process do you grab it and treat yourself. You experience it. You enjoy it forever.
Sustainability & respect
Every person, every animal and every food item deserves respect. If you adopt this attitude, you will be more conscious and economical in using the resources that our earth has to offer. You buy things that are long-lasting and are therefore more sustainable than most other consumer goods.
SCHMAAL and its partners manufacture products that are sustainable and of the highest quality. Products that are meant to be used every day and, with the right care, will last a very long time. This, along with many private things, is my part in keeping the planet livable for future generations.