I regret to inform you that on Friday the 23rd March 2012 we had to bid farewell to Herbert Nägele the former owner of the House of Gems.

After much suffering we are grateful for his peaceful deliverance.


Born in Austria on the 31st of May 1940, Herbert left his home-land in 1972 for Cape Town and then finally settled in Windhoek in 1984.


The ‘rock-bug’ hit him when a friend in Austria requested that Herbert send him some of Namibia’s minerals for his collection. This is when Herbert met Sidney Pieters.

They spent many Saturdays together at the House of Gems and soon afterwards, Herbert was purchasing mineral specimens for his own collection.


As the years went on, Herbert as a long time friend of Sid’s was given first choice to buy Sid’s lifelong labor of love, the House of Gems in 2001.




Herbert ran the business with his wife and daughter as a close knit family team.


Under Herbert’s Management the House of Gems - in keeping with the traditions of its founder, worked together with internationally recognized expert publications on elaborating and expanding the knowledge of Namibia’s gemstone and mineral heritage.

Herbert was admired by many for his knowledge, passion and enthusiasm regarding Namibian minerals.


Herbert is survived by his wife Ramona, his daughter Claudia and son Marcel.