UNIX Goldschmiede AG

UNIX Goldschmiede AG is a master goldsmith's atelier (Meisteratelier) at Vazerolgasse 2 in Chur, run by the goldsmiths Singkham Xayaboun and Jeannette Xayaboun-Probst. It makes one-off pieces and jewelry to order, and the site names the forging of wedding rings as one of Jeannette's favorite tasks. The business has existed, in the site's words, "seit über 65 Jahren" (for over 65 years), and the homepage invited customers to a party for 25 years of UNIX Goldschmiede on Saturday 19 September 2026.

Wedding rings made in the atelier

The site's menu has a separate wedding ring section (Eheringe), and the service page lists the atelier's core work as "Herstellung von Unikaten" (making one-off pieces) and "Anfertigung nach Ihren Vorstellungen" (pieces made to your ideas). For a couple, that means rings designed with the goldsmiths and made in their own workshop, not ordered from a catalog.

The site points to Jeannette Xayaboun-Probst for wedding rings. The portrait page says: "Ihre Lieblingsaufgaben sind das Schmieden von Eheringen und Entwerfen von Unikaten" (her favorite tasks are forging wedding rings and designing one-off pieces).

A couple with a stone in mind has a second specialist on hand. Singkham Xayaboun specialized in gemstones after his apprenticeship, and the page says "Gemmologie und Edelsteinfassen sind seine Steckenpferde" (gemology and stone setting are his passions). The menu also has a gemstones section (Edelsteine), and the portrait page says the business has kept rare gemstones along with antique jewelry and old tools through its long history. Couples who want a particular stone set in an engagement or wedding ring can ask to see what the atelier holds.

The service page also offers "Umänderungen Ihres nicht mehr getragenen Schmuckes" (reworking jewelry you no longer wear), which opens the option of turning an inherited piece into something new for the wedding.

The team

The portrait page introduces three goldsmiths.

Singkham Xayaboun, goldsmith, was born in Laos and came to Switzerland as a child with his family. He trained as a goldsmith under Konrad Schmid, the business's previous owner, and then specialized in gemstones.

Jeannette Xayaboun-Probst, master goldsmith (Goldschmiedemeisterin), grew up in Chur. After her Matura and a foundation course at the Schule für Gestaltung Luzern, she completed her goldsmith apprenticeship in the same workshop, followed by several years working in Switzerland and abroad and the federal master examination for goldsmiths.

Rebecca Docters-Böhringer, goldsmith, grew up in Igis and has been part of the team for over 10 years. She particularly likes creating original figures and animals, and the page says customers know her for her inventive ideas and how she carries them out. The page adds that until the start of next year her time belongs entirely to her growing family, so she is currently away.

The contact block names the atelier's owners as Singkham and Jeannette Xayaboun-Probst.

The atelier's tradition

The portrait page sets out the business's outlook in a few sentences. Thanks to its continuity and the care of earlier owners, craft knowledge, tools, antique jewelry and rare gemstones have been preserved, and the current team builds on those traditions. The stated goal: "Handwerkliche Perfektion mit schönem Design zu verbinden" (to combine craft perfection with beautiful design).

Other services

The service page lists, beyond custom work:

• repairs;
• stringing pearl and stone necklaces;
• jewelry checks and cleaning;
• ear piercing, for babies from 2 months old;
• valuations of jewelry, gemstone assessments and inheritance valuations;
• purchase of old gold, old silver and antique jewelry.

The menu also includes sections for jewelry, watches and the Morins brand.

Opening hours: reduced for now

The homepage carries a clear warning: "wegen Personalmangel verkürzte Öffnungszeiten!" (reduced opening hours due to staff shortage). The shop is closed on Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday to Friday 13.30 to 18.30, and Saturday 9.00 to 16.00. With the atelier open only in the afternoons on weekdays, a couple should plan a visit carefully.

The site also asks for an appointment for any real consultation: "Eine gute Beratung braucht etwas Zeit, bitte vereinbaren Sie dafür mit uns einen Termin" (good advice takes some time, so please make an appointment with us), by phone on 081 252 19 83. The same number serves as a fax, and the email address is mail@unixgold.ch.

Planning a visit from abroad

For a couple who do not live in Chur, the published hours shape the whole process. Saturday, from 9.00 to 16.00, is the only day with a morning opening, so it is the natural choice for a first design meeting combined with a weekend trip. With one of the three goldsmiths away until early next year and hours cut for lack of staff, the team is smaller than usual, which makes booking early more important. The email address is the easiest first contact from another country: a short message with the wedding date, the kind of ring in mind and any stone the couple want to use gives the atelier what it needs to suggest an appointment.

What the site leaves open

• Prices. Nothing is published for wedding rings or any other work.
• Lead times. The site does not say how long a forged pair of wedding rings takes, which matters all the more with reduced hours.
• Materials. The site does not list which metals the atelier works in for wedding rings.
• Language. The site is in German only and does not say whether consultations can be held in English.
• Getting there. The site gives the street address and nothing on directions, parking or public transport.

Who it suits

UNIX Goldschmiede suits couples in or near Chur who want wedding rings forged by hand in a small master atelier, and who value talking directly with the goldsmiths who will make them. The gemstone specialist on the team and the atelier's stock of old stones make it interesting for couples who want a particular stone in the design, and the reworking service suits couples with family gold.

It is less suited to couples on a tight timeline or with little flexibility for visits, since the atelier is currently open only on Wednesday to Saturday with reduced weekday hours and asks for appointments. Couples from abroad should email first to ask about language, lead times and a suitable appointment.