Otto Jakob Archives | gioiellis.com

Time travel with Otto Jakob

Published on October 26, 2020

From the Etruscans in Tuscany to the Tefaf in New York: the elaborate jewelry by Otto Jakob.

The end of October coincided with Otto Jakob’s return to Tefaf in New York, this year in an online version (1-4 November). From Karlsruhe, a city in southwest Germany, the German designer has won legions of admirers. Her recipe calls for 70 percent of fantasy, 25 percent of design and 5 percent of the Teutonic spirit instilled in her jewelry. That of Otto is not a job, but a vocation: he began at age 17 with the study of Etruscan art, Celtic and classical: influences that are still present in his unique pieces, plus a kind of medieval soul. From 1977 to 1980 he studied painting. Then, it is dedicated exclusively to jewelry making. But is not jewelry that you can be bought in any jewelry: are special pieces, exposed only to Tefaf or in an art gallery. Nor is it surprising that in previous editions Jakob was assigned to Tefaf in an area reserved for ancient jewels.

His real teachers, in fact, are Italians goldsmiths like Benvenuto Cellini in Fortunato Pio Castellani.

Orecchini Wolodja di Otto Jakob. Sono ispirati al film del 1925 «La corazzata Potemkin». I volti sono stati realizzati utilizzando lo stesso stampo, ma smaltati in modo leggermente diverso per farli sembrare gemelli — Orecchini Wolodja di Otto Jakob con diamanti briolette. Sono ispirati al film del 1925 «La corazzata Potemkin». I volti sono stati realizzati utilizzando lo stesso stampo, ma smaltati in modo leggermente diverso per farli sembrare gemelli

There is no trace of modern design in its rings, earrings or bracelets. They are special pieces. For example, he can use crystals of Pakistan rock and, simultaneously, with gold inclusions, oil, tar and gas, red spinel, ruby and diamond. On average, each piece is made with about one hundred hours of work by nine craftsmen. 70 percent of production are unique pieces, the rest is made up of small variations of already proposed jewels. The prices of her jewels start at around 7,000 euro and arrive in tens of thousands. And they are reserved for those who truly love his style. Rudy Serra

Pendente Lalibela in oro con perla keshi e rubino

Anello vintage con diamante in oro e smalto

Pendente Araçari con un'ametista che si è sviluppata all'interno di un quarzo — Pendente Araçari con un’ametista che si è sviluppata all’interno di un quarzo

Orecchini Edentulina ispirati a una lumaca. Sono realizzati con una rara conchiglia verde africana e tormaline arancioni

Tefaf online with high jewelry

Published on October 20, 2020

news

Tefaf New York Fall, a fair of precious and antiques, will be online this year due to the health emergency (1-4 November, with a preview on 30-31 October, 300 exhibitors). At Tefaf, in addition to the rookies we wrote about here, there are prominent jewelers, such as Hong Kong artist-designer Wallace Chan, Hemmerle, Cindy Chao, Taffin, Otto Jakob, as well as jewelry from past designers such as Suzanne Belperron.

European jewelry is represented by Hemmerle, a great Maison in Munich that combines the avant-garde with luxury. Refined shapes, surprising combinations of materials are the ingredients of Hemmerle’s jewels. Among the jewels present at Tefaf online, there is a pendant with tassel composed of small natural pearls suspended from a base of silver and white gold, paved with diamonds. The cord is made from smoky quartz beads knitted using a nearly extinct Austrian technique revived from the early 19th century of woven precious gem beads. Each bead is cut and carved and pierced by hand. Otto Jakob also comes from Germany, specializing in small jewels with floral or animal themes. He often uses gold and enamel together with colored stones.

French, but a long time resident in New York, James Taffin de Givenchy is another refined jeweler present in the Tefaf review. It is difficult to frame Taffin’s jewels and his Maison in a single style: they are truly out of the ordinary. Like the necklace with large tanzanite accompanied by black pebbles on platinum and rose gold. Really unique.

Taffin, collana con tanzanite e ciottoli

From the East, Hong Kong, comes another jeweler-artist always present at Tefaf: Wallace Chan, who presents a brooch in the shape of a butterfly. It is a jewel that highlights Wallace Chan’s fantasy and superfine technique, which uses titanium to maintain the lightness of the jewel. For example, the gemstones on the butterfly’s wings are angled to convey a sense of life and movement. The butterfly also houses an 8.24-carat imperial topaz used for the body of the butterfly, with two emeralds at the end. The brooch also includes rubies, yellow diamonds, orange sapphires, tsavorite garnets and set diamonds. Also from Hong Kong, Cindy Chao (who was born in Taiwan) brings her pieces of high jewelry.For example, the Black Label Masterpiece III Green Plumule 2020 brooch, made with 487 emeralds (17 of these from Colombia) different shapes and sizes, for a total of 172.58 carats.

Spilla farfalla In Love with Spring di Wallace Chan

Cindy Chao, spilla Masterpiece III Green Plumule Brooch

Collana in oro e diamanti di Suzanne Belperron, in vendita da Siegelson

Orecchini di Taffin in giada su platino e oro, con ceramica e zaffiri

Tefaf’s new jewelers

Published on October 16, 2020

alta gioielleria/news

Bracciale della collezione Genesi di Gismondi 1754

Many debuts, including two Italians, at Tefaf New York Fall, the prestigious fair of precious and antiques that this year, due to coronavirus, will be online. The two italian news are Gismondi 1754 and Vendorafa. The online fair organized by the European Fine Art Foundation (1-4 November plus a preview 30-31 October, 300 exhibitors) includes a large group of famous jewelers, such as Hong Kong artist-designer Wallace Chan, Hemmerle, Cindy Chao, Taffin, Otto Jakob. We talk about it in another article. But it’s also interesting see who the new jewelers are.

One of the novelties is represented by Gismondi 1454, which will present the Genesi collection, with jewels that are inspired by the helical spiral of the Nautilus shell. In fact, the Maison is from Genoa, a seaside city. The jewels, in fact, are inspired by the fossils seen by the Ceo Massimo Gismondi at the Natural History Museum. The jewels are composed of 18k rose gold strands that describe soft ellipses, paved with diamonds and topped and drop-shaped white ceramic with gold edges.

The other Italian brand debuting, the Maison of Valenza Vendorafa, offers its classic gold creations, such as the Onda ring. The jewel features a typical Vendorafa workmanship, with hammered yellow gold together with a polished finish band and a line of small diamonds on the edge.

Pod ring di Nicholas Liou con un diamante blu-verde e diamanti bianchi

From the East, however, the new entry is Nicholas Lieou, a high-end jewelry designer based in Hong Kong. We already saw her jewels last year in GemGèneve, but theis fair won’t be held this year. Nicholas Lieou started out as an apprentice for London-based jeweler Shaun Leane. And he was also design director for high-end bespoke jewelry for Tiffany & Co. He has recently launched a capsule collection in collaboration with Sotheby’s Diamonds: one of the jewels he presents is the Pod Ring, with a fancy cushion-cut diamond in color 4.40 carat bluish-green surrounded by a pavé of white diamonds on platinum.

Orecchini Pearl Raind di Tatiana Verstraeten

Finally, another new name for Tefaf is that of Tatiana Verstraeten, a Belgian designer who prefers jewels with long fringes, such as the earrings with a shower of pearls of the image on this page. Tatiana practiced at Chanel under the supervision of Karl Lagerfeld and acquired the secrets of French master craftsmen. A year ago she opened a showroom on Place Vendôme and, as if that were not enough, she allocated part of the proceeds from the sale of her fringed earrings to UN Women France, with the aim of promoting gender equality and the emancipation of women. women. Cate Blanchett and Eva Longoria, who bought her jewelry, appreciate it. Federico Graglia

Tatiana Verstraeten. Copyright: gioiellis.com

The jewels of Tefaf in New York

Published on October 23, 2018

news

Spilla a forma di salamandra di epoca vittoriana, in oro, diamanti, granato demantoide

The Tefaf returns to New York for the Fall with so many exceptional jewels ♦ ︎

The Tefaf is back in New York, the great event dedicated to design, antiques and precious objects, like jewels. Born in Maastricht, the fair has long since expanded its appointments with two events in the American city, in spring and autumn (October 27-31 in 2018). The reason is clear: New York offers the ideal setting in America for a fair like Tefaf, which remains the benchmark for the European market. In short, it is a point of arrival for traders and lovers of beauty, from painting (with works until 1920) to jewelry, but in this case it is not only vintage.

At Tefaf in New York there are pieces of Maison like Cartier, Otto Jakob, Hemmerle or designers like Suzanne Belperron and René Lalique.

Bracciale art déco in platino con diamanti, smeraldi, zaffiri, rubini, smalto

In addition to the commercial aspect, cultural events are also scheduled at Tefaf, such as a conference on Sunday, October 28th, which focuses on Men and Jewelry: does an earring have gender? Why, in short, are the jewels in the West seen so often as a feminine art form? Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Museum prepares an exhibition entitled Jewelry: The Body Transformed. In short, for those who happen in New York it is an opportunity to consider the jewels also from a cultural point of view. Margherita Donato

Collana di René Lalique in argento dorato, oro, vetro e oro smaltato

Hemmerle, anello in argento, oro bianco e diamanti

Cartier, orecchini in corallo, diamanti, platino

Spilla Fiore di Suzanne Belperron, in calcedonio, diamanti, zaffiri su oro bianco

Orecchini a grappolo di Cartier con turchesi e diamanti

Orecchini pendenti con diamanti e smeraldi colombiani

Wonders at Tefaf

Published on October 26, 2017

news

Wallace Chan, orecchini in titanio con diamanti bianchi e gisalli, tsaforiti, granati, smeraldi

At Tefaf in New York the wonders of jewelery from yesterday and today ♦ ︎
Successful things are replicating. For example, fairs such as Tefaf, an institution founded in 1988 in Maastricht, Netherlands, and soon became the most renowned Art and Antique Fair in Europe. And, last year, also in America, with the New York Autumn Edition, at Park Avenue Armory. In 2017 there is the second test of relocating Tefaf in the States (from 28 October to 1 November). As with the Maastricht edition, most of the pieces exhibited include works of art, antique furniture, and antique furniture. But there are also old and modern jewels, all of the highest quality.
For example, Siegelson presents Cartier art pieces and signed by Suzanne Belperron. But, like in the European edition, there are also today’s designers, such as German Hemmerle, or the Chinese jeweler-artist Wallace Chan, who, alongside a high technical virtuosity design, also uses patented systems to work with titanium. Among the exhibited works, for example, there are the Wonders of Life earrings, which recall a flower blooming by a pine, with roots made of diamonds and emeralds. A green light shines from the bulb made up of purple titanium cheeks, while pink sapphires link the stem of the plant to a white diamond flower. Federico Graglia

Otto Jakob, orecchini in oro giallo parzialmente ossidato

Wallace Chan, orecchini in titanio con diamanti bianchi e gialli, tsavoriti, granati, smeraldi

Wallace Chan, anello in titanio con rubino a forma di esagono e zaffiri rosa

Van Cleef & Arpels, spilla e orecchini in platino, diamanti e zaffiri

Hemmerle, orecchini in oro bianco con argento e peridoti

Hemmerle, anello in bronzo e oro bianco con zaffiro gialli

Hemmerle, orecchini in bronzo e oro con zaffiri gialli

Hemmerle, orecchini con giada, diamanti, argento, oro bianco

Castellani, collana in oro, perle e rubini. Roma, 1880

The Tefaf’s jewels

Published on March 7, 2017

news

Van Cleef & Arpels, spilla Camelia con diamanti e zaffiri

The jewels of the Tefaf 2017: from Hemmerle to Belperron, from Cartier to Reza and…
The Tefaf in Maastricht (March 10 to 19) is not only interesting for news by Wallace Chan (we talked about here). One of the most important antiques shows and design in the world, also this year hosts several large pieces of jewelry between art, antiques and design fairs with an evaluation process that it is considered by many to be among the most stringent in the world. At the 275 retailers and designers from 20 countries, there are jewels to be seen, ancient and modern. In addition to those of Chan, for example, they are present design signatures as Otto Jakob and Hemmerle, that uses traditional and unorthodox materials to create his customized parts. Halfway between ancient and modern are the signed pieces Verdura and Belperron, recreated from the original designs of the two famous designers. Do not miss the high jewelry, for example that of Reza, Maison of Place Vendome, that has some stunning pieces. And then Cartier, Lalique, Tiffany … Here are pictures of some of the most interesting pieces. Federico Gragliaù

Cartier, oro, platino, diamanti, zaffiri.Circa 1945

Hemmerle, anello in alluminio e diamante

Marjan Sterk, orecchini d'epoca con opale di fuoco e diamanti — Orecchini d’epoca con opale di fuoco e diamanti

Otto Jacob, orecchini con oro e diamanti

Tefaf comes back

Published on February 8, 2015

news

Tefaf Maastricht is coming back: the leading trade fair in the world dedicated to art and antiquities embeds a section dedicated to fine jewelry. The fair is scheduled between 13 and 22 March 2015, but those interested must make haste to find place: at Tefaf converge collectors, museum directors, art professionals, art lovers from around the world. Among other things, this edition also offers the possibility to visit an exhibition entrusted to a guest curator: Night Fishing, edited by Sidney Picasso and Hidde van Seggelen, with contemporary sculptures and post-modern, with artists such as Georg Baselitz, Tony Cragg and Richard Deacon.

There is also, as mentioned, a section dedicated to the jewelry. Includes really unique pieces, like the silver eagle on a mineral pedestal signed Buccellati. Or a pair of earrings with diamonds in the shape of laurel wreaths of Chopard. And Graff exposes Le Collier Bleu de Rêve, with a diamond from 10,47 carat Fancy Vivid Blue and a Colombian emerald from 4,22 carat. And, again, the extraordinary Kapok ring signed Otto Jakob, made using sticks beeswax, inspired by the shapes of twisted tree roots kapok rainforests of Southeast Asia, partially oxidized white gold, and sapphire blue from 7,49 carat, 223 diamonds brown diamonds and 214 blacks. In short, they are truly works of art pieces and not clash in a context like the Tefaf. Federico Graglia

All About TEFAF

Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC)

Forum 100 6229 GV Maastricht, Netherlands +31 (0) 43 38 38 383

13-22 March 2015

Daily 11am – 7pm

Sunday 22 March 11am – 6pm

Ticket

Entrance ticket € 40

Combined entrance ticket and catalog € 55

Double ticket, including one catalog € 95

Season ticket, including one catalog € 115

Children 12-18 years € 20