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.
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