Champions-League

Željko Gregurek reverently turns the rose gold bracelet in his hand, letting the light glide over its curves. “It’s no exaggeration to say that this is Champions League quality,” says the head of the Beyer jewellery atelier. “It doesn’t get any better than this.” The commissioned piece weighs 130 grams and was meticulously handcrafted over 120 hours in the Beyer atelier – for a gentleman. It is no longer unusual for men to treat themselves to special pieces of jewellery, often featuring coloured gemstones. This hasn’t gone unnoticed at Beyer. “More and more men are treating themselves to something beautiful to emphasise their personality,” explains Željko Gregurek. “We are fortunate that the people who come to us often have a deep understanding of craftsmanship and individuality.” Because our clients know: with us, they will receive a piece

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

The journey to completing this exceptional piece began with the client’s precise vision: His bracelet should have a purist design – with smooth surfaces, right angles and sapphires. Initial rough sketches were developed through a creative collaboration with the Beyer team, followed by meticulously detailed drawings. These are an important step in visualising and refining ideas. In the end, the client opted for an elliptical shape and rose gold, which harmoniously flatters the pink sapphires – as a counterpoint to the formally masculine character.

360 DEGREES OF SAPPHIRES

Another of the client’s wishes posed a significant technical challenge: an uninterrupted 360-degree band of sapphires encircling the entire bracelet. He also envisioned a modular design for the bracelet, allowing for future customisation and combination possibilities. “Nothing is impossible for us,” laughs Željko Gregurek. “We love challenges!” 

Beyer’s goldsmiths spent hours pondering possible designs. “Many clients know what they want, but they don’t realise how surprised they will be by the result,” says Gregurek with a smile. And so, once again, the solution was a hit, as the 14-millimetre-wide bangle was designed in two halves. To preserve the seamless line of sapphires, a technically refined clasp replaces the traditional hinge, allowing both halves to connect elegantly from both sides.

 Gregurek proudly presents this unique fastening mechanism: as if by magic, the two halves glide apart. This moment of surprise is made possible by two sapphires set on top. Pressing them simultaneously triggers the mechanism, simply and with a single movement. When the two halves are joined, you hear a satisfying “clack” – not a “click”. This is the sound of perfect technical precision, and something that unites all the exquisite pieces from the Beyer atelier: quality that you can not only see and feel, but also hear.

ELEGANT MODULAR SYSTEM 

To meet the requirement of modularity, Beyer designed an innovative system featuring four semi-circular side elements that elegantly frame the sapphire band. The clever detail? If necessary, the elements can be removed and replaced with others (pieces made of carbon, white gold or metal, for example). An elegant modular concept that immediately fascinated the design-savvy client. But Beyer thought even further ahead: to ensure that the piece of jewellery was “suitable for

AS IF BY MAGIC, THE TWO
HALVES GLIDE APART.

everyday use” and would survive contact with the edge of a table unscathed, the sapphires were set as deep as possible, minimally below the line of the gold elements. This provides exceptional protection for each gemstone. The gold elements themselves can be removed individually and refurbished. “Our client’s technical understanding was a great help in the development process. We really enjoyed the exchange of ideas,” says Željko Gregurek.

THE HIGHEST ART OF GOLDSMITHING 

Work on this unusual piece of jewellery took 18 months. “Without trust and patience,” says the head of the jewellery atelier, “such a work of art could not be created.” The search for the perfect row of sapphires alone took a year. “Finding stones of this colour that are homogeneous is the real art,” explains Gregurek. Although the setting work is usually the final step, the Beyer team knew that for this design it would have to be the first step in order to achieve perfect harmony among all individual components.

In a first step, a bar was soldered onto the inner lining, a 1.2-millimetre-thick gold sheet, ensuring the 67 sapphires are set with precise and seamless continuity. Each of the stones was flawless and cut to exactly 3.5 millimetres specifically for this bracelet. In a second step, the gold side elements were carefully sawed and milled, then secured with finely hand-crafted gold screws and ultra-thin wires to prevent any lateral movement. Every creation from the Beyer atelier reflects unwavering dedication – from the smallest hidden detail to the flawlessly polished surface. “Nowadays, it is a great privilege to be able to work in an atelier according to all the rules of the art,” says Željko Gregurek. “And when the client beams with joy upon receiving the bracelet, then we haven’t done too badly.” Simply Champions League.