A leaf through Assouline’s celebration of H Stern makes you realise that it has been a long time coming. We all know the latter as the world’s most recognised Brazilian jewellery name, established by a canny German, Hans Stern, in 1945. He saw the rich international potential in South America’s local, semi-precious gem trade. Yet his approach was different.
Unlike many jewellery houses, H Stern has primarily viewed the exquisite natural resources of its South American home – gold, semi-precious stones – as a creative tool, acting as if sculptor-jewellers. To that end, a thread of suitably starry design collaborations is laced through the fabric of its 70-year history. Oscar Niemeyer, the Campana Brothers, Tim Burton, Roberto Burle Marx and Diane von Furstenberg are just some of the creatives with H Stern jewellery collections to their names. Today, that vision is further boosted by artistic director Roberto Stern’s canny creative instincts, as this timely book attests.
The 'Ancient America' collection of 2010 mined the spiritual side of America’s early civilisations, referencing the power of naturalistic symbols. The 'Fish' bracelet mimics the graphic formation of iridescent scales. Made using noble gold, an H Stern alloy mix, yellow gold and cognac diamonds, the meticulous finish and construction is exemplary
The Stern family had a personal connection to the family of Roberto Burle Marx and so the bond with the landscape architect, who had also started designing jewellery in 1948, was formed early on. In 2011, the Brazilian jeweller paid homage to its great friend, launching a collection in his name and inspired by some of his greatest designs. The garden at the Safra Bank HQ in São Paolo inspired this ring, which also plays with stones – it is made of noble gold, and black, cognac and white diamonds
2013’s 'Rock Season' collection is a fine example of how artistic director Roberto Stern is always casting a wide creative view, refusing to be pinned entirely to the influences of his home country. Taking cues from the London punk scene – spikes, strangeness, nature’s dark side – he revisited its energy as something precious, sleek and modern
Oscar Niemeyer was a cool 100 years old when he made his debut as an H Stern jewellery collaborator in 2008. The centenarian architect agreed to design a jewellery collection only if the forms were drawn from his sinewy sketches and weren't a reference to his architecture. The house designed the pieces to capture the atmosphere of the proportion between empty space and concrete. Oscar’s only other request? 'It has to be beautiful'
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the H Stern website
Photography: Michael Ainscough
-
Revolutionary Apple icon designer Susan Kare unveils a playful jewellery and objet collaboration with Asprey StudioAsprey Studio's new collection, Esc Keys, brings digital artworks by Susan Kare to life
-
What is the role of fragrance in contemporary culture, asks a new exhibition at 10 Corso ComoMilan concept store 10 Corso Como has partnered with London creative agency System Preferences to launch Olfactory Projections 01
-
Jack White's Third Man Records opens a Paris pop-upJack White's immaculately-branded record store will set up shop in the 9th arrondissement this weekend
-
Chaumet’s new book celebrates its most memorable collaborations with photographers'Chaumet: Photographers’ Gaze' unites jewellery editorials and campaigns captured by major photographers. Co-author Carol Woolton tells us of the ‘addictive' Chaumet archive
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windowsFour British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
Rolex and Wallpaper* present the first authorised history of the Submariner watchRolex and Wallpaper* partner to publish ‘Oyster Perpetual Submariner – The Watch that Unlocked the Deep’, written by Nicholas Foulkes. The launch includes a silk-bound limited edition, available now
-
Late summer jewels: what to wear at Golden HourLate summer signals a jewellery style-shift. These independent designers have got it covered
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hitWhat started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to knowThese independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
-
Jewellery designers share their most precious personal piecesA host of jewellers give us a peek at the jewellery which brings them joy and solace
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a momentWe've been deep-diving into boutiques around the world to find the very best calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. It seems jewellers have been busy rethinking pearls, with contemporary (and often affordable) results
