About Morgenster
Founded in 1900 on my great-grandfather's farm.
Stephanus Vaessen was a farmer's son born in Voerendaal in 1883.
Stephanus was unfortunately not made for the heavy work on the farm.
His parents had noticed that their son had a good technical understanding
and so it was decided that he would start a repair workshop for watches annex gold and silver smith in the upstairs room of the "Morgenster" farm on the border between Heerlen and Voerendaal.
This is why we use the name Morgenster Vaessen, the place where it all started for four generations for the Vaessen family as jewelers.
In 1915 Stephanus moved to the center of Heerlen, where he opened a shop in the Oranje Nassaustraat for the sale of timepieces (at that time pocket watches) and jewellery.
At that time, Heerlen was a city that was growing rapidly, people from all corners of the world came to work for the State Mines.
He also met Josephine Frank, daughter of a wood trader in Heerlen, he married her in 1915 and had 4 children.
Winandus Vaessen was the only son of Stephanus and took over the shop just after the war. Stephanus was self-taught and started training his own son to be a watchmaker and jeweler just before the Second World War.
He married Gerrie Frijns and had 3 children.
His second child Stephanus, my father, took over the shop in 1972.
He had completed the Durch Jeweler school in Schoonhoven and had gained experience at a number of jewelers in the Netherlands.
Steph quickly realized that it was wise to distinguish yourself as a jeweler. He traveled to international fairs in Switzerland, Italy and France.
At that time it was not normal for a jeweler to sell branded products, but to distinguish himself from the 15 other jewelers in Heerlen,
Steph was the first in the Netherlands to include Cartier and Chopard in the collection (we still sell Chopard today).
In 2000, Steph expanded the store and received the designation by appointment to her majesty the queen.
In 2017, Servaas Vaessen my brother took over the store from my father and I started a new adventure with my father "Morgenster Vintage Watches & Jewelry".
Morgenster gives us the opportunity to express our passion for beautiful jewelery and watches.
Jewelery and watches are emotion, they are given at moments that mark an important moment in their lives for many people.
The collection of watches and jewelery that we have selected all have a unique but often beautiful story.
We look forward to welcoming you in one of our stores in Heerlen or Maastricht.
Morgenster Vaessen BV