Sonja Quandt

The brand’s heritage begins in 1860 when Johann Stanislaus Nepomuk Kühn founded a gold and silversmith manufactory in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. The business later became the internationally renowned Gebrüder Kühn. Over a century later, in 1984, the passionate silversmith Sonja Quandt took over the historic manufactory. In 2014, she officially rebranded it under her own name. Today, Sonja Quandt preserves the ancient manual techniques of hammering, chasing, and guilloché, ensuring every piece of silver remains a handcrafted, unique work of art.

In luxury flatware, the quality of silver-plated items is determined by the thickness of the silver layer. Standard commercial flatware often uses 60g to 90g plating. Sonja Quandt exclusively utilizes a massive 150-gram silver plating for collections like the Art Nouveau and Vendôme. This exceptionally thick layer of silver guarantees that the cutlery will withstand decades of daily use in fine dining environments without the base metal showing through.

An 84-piece set is considered a comprehensive, formal service for 12 guests. As seen in the Sonja Quandt Art Nouveau set on Amiramour, it typically includes 12 Dinner Forks, 12 Dinner Knives, 12 Dinner Spoons (for soups), 12 Dessert Forks, 12 Dessert Knives, 12 Dessert Spoons, and 12 Butter Knives.

In high-end flatware collections (such as Sonja Quandt's Art Nouveau), dinner knives are crafted in two parts. The handle is made of pure sterling silver or thick silver plate, leaving the inside hollow to ensure the knife is perfectly balanced in the hand. A specialized, forged stainless steel blade is then securely set into the handle. This technique is superior to solid silver knives because pure silver is too soft to maintain a sharp, durable cutting edge.