Entering the Hemmerle’s world during Masterpiece London fair was like stepping into an architecturally modern museum featuring beautiful and rare artifacts.
Full report by Olivier Dupon for The Eye of Jewelry- author of The New Artisans (2011), The New Jewelers (2012), The New Pâtissiers (2013), Floral Contemporary (2014) and Encore! The New Artisans (2015), all published by Thames & Hudson. Awaiting the publication of his new book on luxury jewelry that will be published in 2016, Dupon attended the Masterpiece London Fair early July to share an exclusive feedback.
LONDON- The conjunction of past and future in one place, where the jewelry pieces were grouped by color themes inside squared column surmounted by sleek glass cases for everyone to admire.
Besides one long lateral window showcased a magnificent brown diamond flower brooch nestled inside an ancient vessel, while a long pendant with a cameo of King George II dressed as an emperor in a tasselled sautoir was regally framed by two antique bronze sculptural hands.
As shown below: Hemmerle necklace, onyx, cameo, diamonds, sapphire tassel, bronze and white gold and Hemmerle ring, diamond, iron, copper and white gold.
A striking tableau reconciling contemporary pieces with an old world scenography, and as a result exuding timelessness, one of Hemmerle jewels’ core attributes. For its 4th year of attendance at Masterpiece, we should praise Hemmerle’s vision and the choice of Dutch architect and sculptor, Tom Postma, who has also completed the superb renovation of their Maximilianstrasse boutique in Munich, for creating such a serene hub, where Hemmerle’s jewelry almost stand for archeological treasures from a nearby future.Befittingly Hemmerle’s clientele is mostly composed of art collectors, ‘our best ambassadors,’ says Christian Hemmerle.
He continues, ‘It is not possible to geographically identify them, however it is possible to define them by their shared passion for the Art. As I have always considered our creations as works of Art, it makes complete sense to exhibit at Masterpiece. I’ve always thought the idea of mixing different disciplines is a very good one and collectors at the fair often have this cross-collecting ethos and tend to be diverse, cultured and curious. It provides a natural co-habitation that allows attendees to covet as much a rare painting as a unique necklace all this under one roof.’
As shown below : Hemmerle ring, Burma ruby, rubies, copper and white gold and Hemmerle pair of earrings, tsavorites, silver and white gold.
Unveiling some of their latest collections, one could still applaud some of Hemmerle’s signatures. Starting with a pairing of metal including aluminum, iron or copper with precious gems, which allows varied color combinations to optimize each stone’s potential. The faceted gem tassels; the sculptural duo of a large bulbous drop surmounted by a smaller sphere on top comes in numerous options of color cum gem combinations; setting of stones upside down creating a spiky effect and the meticulous hand-knitted beading work Hemmerle is known for.
As Christian Hemmerle explains, “we find the perfect stone and then create a distinctive design especially for it. This then becomes reality in our Munich atelier. We are always experimenting with new materials to find the perfect combinations for a stone; in a recent pair of earrings we used concrete and aluminium.”
In addition, wreath knotting is a technique that replicates the effect of uneven basket weaving, a brilliant interpretation of what a modern solitaire should be: the impact of a large old European cut white diamond inserted in a mesh of mat bronze bands is manifold.
As shown below: Hemmerle ring, diamond, bronze and white gold and Hemmerle earrings, beryls, tsavorites, demantoids, brass and white gold.
A stunning pair of tourmaline and demantoid stone earrings evoking the lush vegetal green of a tropical forest was a reminder that Nature is a major source of inspiration for the brand. In addition, a four-leaf clover hollow shape brings a secondary dimension to the design as the tourmalines are freely held above the the pavé body so that one can see the glistening demantoids from all angles and through the cut-out shape. Last but not least, one of the most recognizable designs, the Harmony bangle, with a seamless closure allowing it to twist open for it to be worn. Each piece can take over 500 hours of work and years can pass trying to find the perfect coloured stones to complete a piece, each celebrating Hemmerle’s outstanding craftsmanship, originality with a design aesthetic of powerfully audacious modernity.
Hemmerle
Maximilianstrasse 14
80539 Munich
+49 89 24 22 600
www.hemmerle.com
As shown below: Hemmerle Earrings, tourmalines, demantoides, silver and white gold and Hemmerle bangle, diamonds, ebony, silver and white gold.
