“Old diamonds have a story to tell,” says Hemmerle. “They speak to you through their energy; we feel their energy.”.
Internationally renowned for her bold, innovative creations, Hemmerle favours vintage diamonds for her distinctly contemporary jewellery designs.
Diamonds and gemstones are the starting point for Hemmerle's unique jewellery creations.
A century ago, these diamonds were cut by master craftsmen. Their aim was to reveal the characteristics and beauty of a rough stone. Not just to increase its carat weight, explains Yasmine Hemmerle, Christian's wife. The result was diamonds that gave off a softer glow. This compared to today's modern diamonds, often precision-cut.
Hemmerle uses antique diamonds, which are most often left untreated and unfinished. She combines them with unconventional materials such as iron, bronze and aluminium to create unique designs. This striking juxtaposition of softly shimmering antique diamonds and striking industrial iron or elegant copper has become the defining signature of the house.
A Hemmerle design is instantly recognisable for its minimalist, sculptural form, innovative materials and exceptional craftsmanship. There is often a sense of playfulness to the pieces, such as the floral designs featured in the recent Infused Jewels collection. This collection has metal frames that were coloured to enhance the colour of the gemstones. They also regularly use ancient Egyptian artifacts and 18th century cameos. Thus these add layers of culture, craftsmanship and storytelling to a single piece of jewelry.
“Perfection is found in imperfection,” says Yasmin of the diamonds Hemmerle chooses.
When Yasmin joined the family business, she quickly learned how to discover the diamonds that express you. “I only knew about modern diamonds and 4Cs,” she says. “The more I looked at these old stones, the more I recognized that they had a soul, something unique in them.”.
Once the Hemmerles find that special diamond, it takes patience to find the best for it, Christian says. That's what happened with a 12-carat cushion-shaped diamond that was once set in a European crown. He kept that stone for 16 years, until he recently decided to find the perfect setting for it. It was a beautiful, crooked diamond, and she set it on an iron ring with the diamond resting between two fingers. ’It was a beautiful design; the crooked stone fit perfectly between the fingers. It sold immediately.’.
Hemmerle's bold style has been started by Christian's father, Stefan, who experimented with new ideas and materials.
Today, Hemmerle's modern iron and diamond rings are sought after by international collectors who prefer a more understated but distinctive aesthetic. This style began in the 1990s, when Stefan Hemmerle set a diamond in an iron ring for a client who preferred the iron jewelry of early 19th century Berlin to platinum and diamonds. It was the beginning of a new era.
“Stefan was ahead of his time,” says Yasmin. “He was always a minimalist in everything he did and was never afraid of what people might say.”.
Hemmerle was founded in 1893 by Stefan's grandfather and the family has kept this personal touch. Every piece the family designs is made by master craftsmen in their workshop in the centre of Munich.
That first iron ring gave the Hemmerles the freedom - and the courage - to experiment with precious gemstones in combination with innovative materials such as brass, aluminium or even pebbles. “We don't set limits,” explains Christian. “It's not about what is precious or not, we just look at what is the best environment for the diamond.”.
Hemmerle are constantly using different techniques and materials for their new creations adapted to the way women live today. “We live at a very fast pace and people want to wear and enjoy their jewellery on a daily basis,” says Yasmin. So the Hemmerles design rings with low-set stones in minimalist designs and the diamonds are set upside down in reverse pave spikes.
“Jewellery should never dominate a woman,” says Yasmin. Of course, they should represent her.
