A unique duo
Their search for wedding rings led Carmen Schiltknecht and Bruno Stettler to the Beyer jewellery atelier. It was the beginning of a remarkable journey.
The partner rings should be unusual, individual, but have a unifying element that only reveals itself to the attentive observer. The Beyer atelier has created precious pieces that are as unique as the story of Carmen Schiltknecht and Bruno Stettler itself. Their friendship began 40 years ago, before life separated them from each other – and brought them back together again not so long ago. Carmen Schiltknecht is a coach, author and charismatic entrepreneur, while Bruno Stettler, an investor and property developer, is the calming influence in their relationship. They agreed that their rings should have weight – after all, says Carmen Schiltknecht, marriage is also a weighty decision.
ORNAMENTA AS INSPIRATION
The initial discussions with jewellery atelier director Željko Gregurek gave rise to numerous sketches that experimented playfully with proportions, lines and settings and provided a stage for a 2.5-carat brilliant-cut diamond. At a subsequent appointment, Carmen Schiltknecht spotted ear jewellery from the Beyer Ornamenta collection in the display window, which immediately captivated her – with curved shapes and diamonds of one carat that seemed to float freely in the setting. “At last, a setting in which one-carat diamonds don’t look smaller than they are,” says Carmen Schiltknecht with a laugh.
This moment set the direction for the design of the wedding rings. Gregurek told the couple more about the Ornamenta high jewellery collection. It is a tribute to Zurich and highlights the close connection that has existed between Beyer and the city since 1860. Inspired by façade elements of striking historical buildings – the Fraumünster was the inspiration for the first collection – the goldsmiths create one-off artistic, sculptural pieces. The mix of tradition and Fraumünster appealed to Bruno Stettler straight away, while its modern interpretation and the story behind it earned Carmen Schiltknecht’s enthusiasm.
Diving into an aesthetically dazzling world: Carmen Schiltknecht and Bruno Stettler with atelier director Željko Gregurek.
CREATIVE TO-AND-FRO
Based on the design language of Ornamenta, the next few steps involved playing with, modifying and refining the details. A “creative to-and-fro”, as Carmen Schiltknecht describes it. She also appreciated the fact that Gregurek always related her personality to the rings: “That gave us the feeling that something was being created here that had a great deal to do with our lives.” For Željko Gregurek, on the other hand, Carmen Schiltknecht’s clarity was a great help. “You could feel the attention to detail in her deliberate choice of words alone,” he says. The result was a collaborative tapestry of ideas that Bruno Stettler was just as enthusiastic about as his partner.
FLOATING DIAMOND
As with the Ornamenta earrings, the 2.5-carat diamond on Carmen Schiltknecht’s ring appears to float freely. It is held in place at just four points. What looks simple is actually a sophisticated way of setting diamonds, in which the Beyer atelier has invested a great deal of effort. “The floating diamond looks particularly beautiful from the side,” Gregurek enthuses. The couple chose white diamonds to delicately frame the four-leaf motif. A small blue sapphire was placed on the tips of each leaf – a play on Zurich’s colours of blue and white that has characterised every Beyer creation since Ornamenta. For the ring shanks, Carmen Schiltknecht opted for a straight-line design, adorned with two continuous rows of black diamonds. An element that the goldsmiths echoed in Bruno Stettler’s ring with a row of diamonds. Just like the shadow gaps, which lend the rings lightness or, as Gregurek says, can also symbolise stages of life. Carmen Schiltknecht comments: “I’m someone who likes to reach for the stars but still has both feet on the ground: with this design, Željko Gregurek and his team have succeeded in artistically combining this personality with a piece of tradition.”
Individual, but with a strong connection: the Schiltknecht/Stettler wedding rings.
ALMOST INVISIBLE MECHANICS
As the beauty of the resulting rings sparked so much enthusiasm in the couple, matching ear jewellery was also added in the course of the creation process. Inspired by the fourleaf motif, the goldsmiths created elegant clip earrings with a one-carat brilliant-cut diamond sparkling in the centre – a pair that display a rare consistency in colour and purity. “The principle of the closure,” Gregurek explains, “is as simple as it is compelling: a small pin holds the earring in position in the ear, so the clip only needs to be tightened slightly. You can’t lose it without noticing.” And there is another special feature hidden in these jewels: an almost invisible mechanism to which additional precious items such as pearls or gemstones can be attached.
“TAKING POSSESSION OF THE
RINGS WAS LIKE A QUIET ‘I DO’ BEFORE
THE REAL ‘I DO’.”
Step by step and with the utmost precision, these high jewellery creations took shape in Beyer’s jewellery atelier. The elaborate goldsmithing process involved milling, setting and polishing, until every detail was deemed perfect. Even the engraving on the inside of the rings was carried out by hand. “The degree of detail you see here,” Gregurek explains, “is a reflection of our love of craftsmanship and the soul of our jewellery.”
A VALUABLE WHOLE
Carmen Schiltknecht describes her journey from the initial ideas until she took receipt of the jewellery as follows: “It was a journey that demanded a great deal of mindfulness – from each of us for ourselves and for our partner, and of course from the Beyer team, who performed an incredible service. These items of jewellery are far more than just rings. In them, we find ourselves, our values and our attitude worked into a valuable whole.” She also remembers the moment of the handover well: “Željko Gregurek was waiting for us with a bouquet of flowers. We were delighted at this personal gesture. And taking possession of the rings was like a quiet ‘I do’ before the real ‘I do’.” What more beautiful compliment could there be for the Beyer team?
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