In a number of blog posts we have already been emphasizing that our Pro Heraldica <a href=“http://proheraldica.com/fine-arts/“ target=“_blank“ rel=“noopener“>Fine Arts products</a> are handcrafted. Now, it is time to have a look behind the scenes and look over the manufacturer’s shoulder. Today, we would like to show you how a <a href=“http://proheraldica.com/fine-arts/jewelry/“ target=“_blank“ rel=“noopener“>Pro Heraldica Chronometer</a> is made. For that purpose we put together a collection of pictures that illustrate beautifully how all those tiny parts are assembled by caring hands.

Currently, our watchmaker Jochen Benzinger is working simultaneously on four differents models. From time to time, he grants us a glimpse at his work and shares his work progress with us by taking pictures of the different work steps. We gladly share them with you and invite you to enter the world of this century-old handicraft.

In part I of our series „How a Pro Heraldica Watch Is Made“ you can see for yourself what painstaking work is put in such an individual piece of jewelry:

A signet ring is one of the most beautiful ways to carry your coat of arms always at your side.

Some families have even established certain rituals for passing on their coat of arms and the family traditions associated with it. Not long ago, we received a photograph from the Fuhr family. It shows the family’s letters patent and on it each family member has place their hand. All family members, i.e. mother, father and their three daughters, wear a signet ring with their family’s coat of arms.

All three daughters have been given their signet ring on their 25th birthday as a present. The youngest daughter has just celebrated hers quite recently. As a result, all family members are wearing their signet rings now.

We are always happy when pictures like the one below are sent to us. It illustrates quite well the significance of these pieces of jewlery and the value the families assign to them.

Many thanks to the Fuhr family for giving the permission to publish this photo in our blog. We wish you lots of joy with your very special jewelry!

On March, 25th Elton John was born in Pinner, Middlessex, Greater London. He was Born as Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Elton John changed this name via Deed poll.

In 1995 Elton John was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. On February, 24th 1998 Elton John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He can call himself Sir Elton John, CBE.

Sir Elton John’s coat of arms was granted to him in 1987.

Blazon

Per saltire gules and or, in fess two pellets pierced and in pale as many plates also pierced, on a chief argent issuant in chief seven pallets retrait two three and two sable.

The chief represents the keys of a piano keyboard the pierced roundels represent records and CDs. Red and gold are apparently the colours of Watford Football Club of which Elton John was Chairman when the coat of arms was granted to him. The Spanish motto, „el tono es bueno“, combines a pun on the singer’s name with the translation „the tone is good“. At the crest there is a Pan playing his pipes. On the Pan’s hoof is on a golden ball. That symbolizes a footbal, cause Elton John took over the Watford Football Club and was the chairman of it even when he sold it in 1990.

By Rs-nourse (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

According to the modern rules of heraldry and on the prevailing opionion the coat of arms is a picture of the family name. We describe and what you should pay attention to at the creation of a new coat of arms and what can be helpful when choosing the symbols.

Like your Family name is not freely available, your coat of arms isn´t either. There are a few things to consider.

1. Is or has the coat of arms been beared in another family
2. Can it be mistaken with another coat of arms?
3. Does the symbolism have a reasonable relation with your family name and/or your family history?

Coat of arms symbols and their meaning

The motives that we use for the creation of a coat of arms, are essentially the same like in historical coat of arms. To get an intensive connection from family history and family symbol, you may consider the following:

1.Names, their meaning and „canting coat of arms“

Many family names give a hint on the profession, the origin or the position of the ancestors. Thats the reason why it is often symbolized in the coat of arms and optically expressed through the matching symbols. Such a coat of arms is a „canting“ coat of arms.

2. Native Home of the family

Where the family comes from has a big influence on its family history. To symbolize the native or current home of the family, often city coat of arms or country coat of arms are used. These coat of arms may not be used unaltered, so you have to limit to use single elements.

3. professions and professional traditions today and yesterday

Professional Tradition or professinal development might be very characteristic for a family. In this case you can add some professional symbols to your coat of arms.

4. special events in the family history

Sometimes there is one characteristic event in the family history which can be symbolized in heraldry as distinctive feature.

5. Ideas and wishes of the Commissioner of the coat of arms

The Ideas and wishes of the commissioner of the coat of arms provide valuable information for the creation of the coat of arms. But it has to be inspected carefully, if they match with the scientific and aesthetical rules and can be realized under coat of arms regulations.

The most important thing is, that the coat of arms which is created under all these aspect, is unique.

To check the uniqueness, you need a experienced Heraldist who has access to the required records.

On 12 Febuary 1971, Bhutan received unrestricted sovereignty from India. On this day, Bhutan gained the international recognition when the country was admitted to the United Nations. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy. Head of state is King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk.

On 5 February 2016, the first child of Dragonking Jigme and his wife Dragonqueen Jetsun Pema was born.

Bhutan is one of the states that has been founded in the last century. Not long ago, a series of postings appeared in our German Blog with the title „New States and Their Heraldry and Emblematics“. There, we reported that more than 60 % of all states are younger than 50 years. The series is an adaptation from a lecture given by our Scientific Director Dr. Rolf Sutter at the XXXI International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences in Oslo in 2014. The lecture reflected upon the issue of “new states in the last 50 years and their heraldry and emblematics”.

In the past, this blog has served the announce a number of birthdays, but this time it is a very special one. Today our CEO Harald Heimbach is celebrating his 50th birthday!

And of course, we received him with a very special welcome when he came to the office, today. Already at the front door there was a poster with birthday wishes, so was on his office door, when Mrs. Gruschka had placed a card with the signatures of the whole staff.

Our collegue Bianca Schmidt brought a home-made birthday cake.

It is Harald Heimbach’s dream to compete in an Ironman triathlon competition now that he has turned 50. This is why we gave him professional swimming lessons with his favorite trainer as a present. We are sure with these lessons he is going to get closer to this goal.

For lunch Harald Heimbach invited the whole staff to the Pier51 Restaurant in Degerloch, where we had typical Swabian dishes. After that we returned to the company to eat the birthday cake.

Dr. Zdenko G. Alexy, Michal Kováč (President of the Slovak Republik at the time), and Pope John Paul II.

Contemporary heraldry has lost one of their most important characters. In the evening of January 10, 2016, our highly esteemed colleague died in his hometown of Bratislava. He was an impressive person, scholar, politician and economics specialist. I have known Dr. Alexy for 35 years and worked with him for many years. It pains me much that he could not witness the completion of our last project together, the second volume of the Matricula Armalis – the ecclesial roll of arms he administered. The volume came out only a few days before Christmas 2015, but a copy of it did not reach him in time. The heraldic community has lost of their most recognized international specialists.

Obituary

The originals of the letters patents for the Matricula Armalis are signed with the name SIDONIUS and bear the notarial seal of Notarii Episcopalis Reginae Gradecensis. SIDONIUS is an official name, the real name of the holder of the office was Dr. Sc. Zdenko G. Alexy. Dr. Alexy was not only one of the most renowned European heralds of the 20th and the beginning 21st century, but he was also a respectable person within the political landscape of his country. To appreciate his merits in detail would take up more space than we have here. Still, as editor it befits me to introduce him and his personality as the spiritus rector of the Matricula Armalis.

Zdenko G. Alexy was born in Bratislava on September 9, 1922. He finished secondary school and acquired his certificate of maturity in 1941. After that, he served in the military of the Czechoslovak army in Great Britain. The years 1945-1947 he spent as attaché at the embassy of Czechoslovakia in Berne, Switzerland. At the same time he studied at the commercial college in Bratislava and St. Gallen, Switzerland, and in 1946/1947 he graduated from University of Neuchâtel receiving the title of Dr. sc. écon. et comm. In 1947/1948, he studied history at the Universitas Carolina in Prague and worked at the same time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague up to 1949. After that, he was in leading positions at Exico Bratislava, BEZ Co. (formerly Siemens), at the foreign trade company Omnia, and at the Ministry of Finance. After the velvet revolution he was an adviser to the minister between 1989 and 1990. In the years 1990 to 2002 and up to his retirement he was the founder and the director of the Bratislava stock exchange, Chief of Protocol at the office of the President of the Slovak Republic, and a member of the supervisory board at Ludová Banka, Bratislava.

Zdenko G. Alexy had been conducting research since 1958 in the fields of heraldry and emblazonry, particularly on the subject of civic and ecclesiastical heraldry, which he enriched by important new creations. He was the designer of numerous heraldic bookplates. Between 1983 and 1985 he published a three-volume work on that subject with the title „Ex libris Armales”. His contributions in the field of heraldry appeared in numerous European specialist journals. He gave lectures at international congresses above all on the development of contemporary designs for coats of arms and flags in Slovakia. From 1978 onwards, he had also been involved in the study of order-like pectoral badges of church dignitaries. His research into such artefacts is reflected in the book „Distinctive Ensigns of Chapters in Formerly Habsburg Dominated Countries“. It presents a long-neglected aspect of phaleristic art in Central Europe.

He was a member of many international expert panels. To mention a few: Member of the International Heraldry Academy, Member of the Heraldic Commission of the Slovak Ministry of Interior, Vice-President of the Slovak Genealogy a Heraldry Society, corresponding member of the society „Adler“ in Vienna and the society „Herold“ in Berlin, and Distinguished Fellow of the American College of Heraldry.

In 1979, Dr. Alexy was appointed episcopal notary. Despite his many professional obligations he fulfilled not only this function, but also acted tirelessly as a consultant in the field of local and ecclesiastical heraldry. Hundreds of family crests have been recorded in the notarial registers, traditionally blazoned in Latin and just as in Guttenberg’s time printed letter for letter on hand-made paper with a hand-painted coat of arms illustration.

We owe Dr. Alexy two volumes of the MATRICULA ARMALIS and, thus, forty years of active and interdenominational registration work in the spirit of vivid heraldry.