Art and the Search for the Rare
Art and scarcity
“Art is an expression of personality”
Associations with jewelry are plenty and they run deep. Some of the most important descriptions that come to mind are elegance, rare, luxurious and high-quality.
“I would add individuality,” says Alexander Kreis and goes on, “every piece of jewelry and art is an expression of personality. It is about the appreciation and understanding of the work that went into its creation and selection of the material. This is why I prefer to say connoisseur.” What he is referring to is the clientele.
KREIS takes its time. A gemstone might be sitting idle in the Atelier for months or, as in some cases, years before the first cut is being made. Alexander continues, “we might think about the cutting of a gemstone for a long time. You know it is a special piece and heavy lies the crown. Once we apply a cut, we cannot go back. As a result, we put countless hours into a sculpture and a piece of jewelry. So when we sell one, it is just understandable that we want to know that it will be in good hands”.
A fresh start
“We don’t design based on a preconcieved notion”
“When we think about jewelry, we don’t design based on a preconceived notion. We start with every piece anew. Our approach comes more from an artistic point of view,” explains Vanessa Kreis, the designer.
She and her mother, Sonja Kreis, design every piece of jewelry personally and they share a common attitude. “I think what unites us is the perception that every gem is unique. It has its own history, its own story to tell. Thus every gemstone deserves to be treated based on its individual properties,” Sonja says.
For each piece of art, there is a case of authenticity to be made. Capturing the inherent beauty of a gem through an artistic interpretation. It is the search for the unique, the extravagant. Such as an unusual colour, or color-change. One such example was the custom made ring “Under Pressure”. An intense green and red come to light, depending on the angle the ring is looked upon. This property is called pleochroism. What makes this interplay of colours so fascinating, is the fact that it is not dependent upon the differing kinds of light the stone is exposed to. The change in colour by Alexandrite, on the other hand, depends on the kind of light which shines on it. Daylight turns the alexandrite green and incandescent light turns it red.
Once the jewelry becomes generic, due to a lack of imagination or individuality, it loses its appeal. Hence, “we take on the risk of travelling to mines off the beaten path. We want the extraordinary, the rare,” says Alexander Kreis.