LABHART Chronometrie & Goldschmiede

LABHART Chronometrie & Goldschmiede is a family-run goldsmith and watchmaking business in St. Gallen, describing itself in its header as "Goldschmiede • Uhrmacher • St. Gallen". Its wedding-ring page, "Unsere Trauringe", offers couples three routes to their rings: a large collection from established jewelry brands, a made-to-measure ring from the company's own goldsmith atelier, or a ring the couple forge themselves in a wedding-ring workshop. On top of that it lists several extras for couples, including free loan of jewelry for the bride.

Three routes to a wedding ring

The page opens with a simple statement: a wedding without the rings is unthinkable, and so that the rings still give pleasure decades later, first-class advice matters. Whether a couple chooses gold, platinum, palladium or modern carbon, the page says, they will find their ring for life either in the extensive collection of top jewelry brands or in a custom piece from the in-house goldsmith atelier. The brands listed under wedding rings in the site menu are Furrer Jacot, Gerstner, Niessing, Polello and Wellendorff, alongside a separate engagement-ring section and an online ring configurator (Konfigurator).

The wedding-ring workshop

The third route is the most unusual. Under the heading "Kauft ihr noch oder schmiedet ihr schon?" (are you still buying, or are you already forging?), the page invites couples to make their own wedding rings in the Trauring-Workshop. It says hardly any other piece of jewelry holds as much love, joy and memory as a ring you made yourself, that the goldsmith atelier has the charming atmosphere of St. Gallen's old town (Sankt Galler Altstadt), and that this creates a particularly romantic setting for the workshop. It closes with a promise that the workshop will forge together not only the rings but also the couple's bond.

The page does not say how long the workshop takes, what it costs, how many couples take part at once, or how far ahead it needs to be booked. Those are the practical questions to ask, especially for a couple traveling to St. Gallen for it.

Siegelringe des Lebens

LABHART has also created its own collection called "Siegelringe des Lebens" (signet rings of life), inspired by the classic signet ring and by the idea of preserving a couple's shared memories and adventures on a single piece. Couples can design their coat-of-arms or signet ring to their own wishes, choosing the gold color, the width, the surface and even the shape of the ring, and the surfaces can be engraved or set with gemstones. The page also shows winning rings from a Wedding Award.

Extras for couples

A section headed "Mehrwert für eure Hochzeitsplanung" (added value for your wedding planning) lists what couples get beyond the rings:

• Personal advice, a large range and custom pieces, tagged #madeinsg.
• Jewelry on loan for the bride. Customers can borrow selected pieces free of charge for the wedding day, in the spirit of the custom of something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.
• A wedding-supplier network. LABHART says it belongs to a group of selected wedding suppliers in St. Gallen, and that couples who buy from it and its partners can receive a voucher of up to 1'000 francs; details are on the initiative's own website.
• Video advice and a podcast. The page links a video guide, Von Verlobung bis Hochzeit (from engagement to wedding), and further episodes of a wedding podcast on Spotify.

The site also runs a Brautpaar-Wahl, a photo contest for couples with a voucher draw, and its events page lists a large wedding-ring exhibition, "Le Mariage", held in November 2025, and an open day at the goldsmith atelier the same month.

Old gold and other services

The old-gold page is detailed. LABHART buys gold and platinum at the current daily rate and says it holds an official purchase license from the Swiss Central Office for Precious Metals Control. Its goldsmith determines the fineness by X-ray analysis and weighs the pieces before calculating the value, and the company says it is directly linked to the St. Galler Kantonalbank so that old gold is always bought at the current precious-metal rate. Payment is in cash or as a LABHART voucher. Before selling, the page recommends advice, because old gold can also be reworked into a new piece. For couples with inherited gold, that is worth a conversation. The service pages also list jewelry commissions and repairs, watch repairs and overhauls.

The team

The team page names a large staff of goldsmiths, watchmakers and sales advisers. The business is led by owner Romano Prader, a qualified watchmaker, with Pia Prader on the management team; Patrick and Raphael Prader also work in the family business. On the goldsmith side, Lothar Slawik is a master goldsmith and designer who says he has developed jewelry for more than 25 years, and Anna Balzer works on new pieces and repairs. Vanessa Schmid organizes events and exhibitions for the company's Galerie Surprise.

Booking a consultation

Every page has a "Beratung buchen" (book a consultation) button. The booking page invites customers to reserve an individual consultation in the shop and to choose a category so the team can prepare. The site header shows the day's closing time.

What the site leaves open

• Prices. No prices are published for wedding rings, custom work or the workshop.
• Workshop details. Duration, group size, cost and lead time for the forging workshop are not stated.
• Language. The site is in German only and says nothing about consultations or workshops in English.
• Address and access. The wedding and service pages do not print a street address or directions; there is a separate contact page.

Who it suits

LABHART suits couples who want choice: several recognized ring brands, a custom ring from a sizable goldsmith team, or the experience of forging their own rings in St. Gallen's old town. The free jewelry loan for the bride and the supplier-network voucher add value for couples planning the whole wedding in the region.

Couples from abroad will want to confirm the language before booking, since the forging workshop in particular depends on following a goldsmith's instructions. Couples who need a quick purchase with a published price will find the site short on figures, and the consultation booking is the place to start.