We met the Head of Corporate Communications, Nadja Weisweiler for a chat about jewels in between one of her favourite occupations, cooking.
IRMA: You are Head of Corporate Communications at Wempe for 24 years, tell us some anecdotes about jewels and watches?
Nadja Weisweiler: After only a short time with the company, whether it’s particularly exquisite pearls or exceptionally rare, coloured gemstones, I quickly developed a strong sense and a good eye for the exquisite. This is an extremely helpful quality, because journalists as well as customers also intuitively know when something is special, when the combination of look and feel is right. That’s why the moment when Wempe launched its own brand, By Kim, was an important experience for me. Our jewellery lines are always unique in terms of design and craftsmanship.
IRMA: Which jewellery trend do you remember most and was there a tendency or trend setting Wempe initiated?
Nadja Weisweiler: When our Y-necklace Sunbeam, today Daily Diamonds By Kim, was launched in 1999, it was an instant success and suddenly appeared everywhere – including in fashion. I remember rediscovering it in a collection by Tom Ford for Gucci, paired with a tight satin blouse and low-rise jeans. Back then, this striking designs of the By Kim brand had set a ball rolling and had since become really innovative as well as modern classics.
IRMA: When you work with jewels and watches every day your eye might be spoiled, is there something glorious or modest that is still on your bucket list?
Nadja Weisweiler: I dream of a cushion cut diamond – a timeless yet special jewel. Since I appreciate the individual, I am also very enthusiastic about baroque pearls at the moment, as they always look different. A simple pendant with an unusually shaped pearl is therefore also on my wish list.
IRMA: How to your opinion did the jewellery industry change through digital and social media in the last years?
Nadja Weisweiler: I find it fascinating to have the whole world in my sights. Through Social Media and the internet in general, you can do an incredible amount of research. On the one hand, there is a risk of getting lost due to the wide range of offers. On the other hand, it has led to the jewellery industry opening up more to trends. Jewellery has become more courageous and modern. In addition, digitalisation has made innovative techniques such as 3D printing and thus also entirely new shapes and designs possible. Here, too, products like our ring DreamDancer By Kim could only come into being thanks to these new technologies. At the same time, the industry has not lost its deep roots of craftmanship. I think the interaction of both is very fruitful.
IRMA: What is your favorite precious stone and why?
Nadja Weisweiler: It’s definitely the emerald! Green stands for hope, which, by the way, is also the meaning of my first name. But this only plays a minor role. It’s the colour and the “jardin” of an emerald that strike me. They remind me of nature. My home, where I spent my childhood, bordered on the forest and I practically grew up under the open sky. To this day, I spend as much time outdoors as possible. That’s why I love green stones in general and the emerald in particular, with its “jardin” reminding me of an abandoned garden.
IRMA: Jewellery is still a sign of love and affection, is there a Wempe Best Seller for that topic?
Nadja Weisweiler: The solitaire is the symbol of love and commitment – and it will always remain that way. A classic with us is the solitaire with a round-cut diamond. Whether in the brilliant cut or in our exclusive WEMPE-Cut®, it is a piece of jewellery that will stand the test of time.
IRMA: One year after the pandemic, how did the jewellery business change, if so?
Nadja Weisweiler: Of course, online sales have increased for us, especially in the jewellery category, but at the same time we have observed the joy with which people have returned to our shops between the two lockdowns to try on, to touch and to feel jewellery. Both worlds can coexist and complement each other very well.
IRMA: You offer jewellery in different markets, cultures and to many different nations, is there one thing all have in common, no matter what colour, race, religion or cultural background?
Nadja Weisweiler: It is always the fascination for polished diamonds and coloured stones as well as the emotions that come with them. We almost always associate our jewellery or our watch with a particular moment, a certain occasion or personal story. No matter what nationality, skin colour, religion or culture: jewellery and watches are always symbolic and linked to memories.
IRMA: We are showing your selected favourite pieces from the Wempe collection, can you give us a personal styling tip, how you would wear these pieces?
Nadja Weisweiler: Right now I love wearing my jewellery in a wild and mixed way. When I started working in jewellery, you almost always wore everything in a set. Today, fortunately, it’s different: every woman can express her very own style, can collect jewellery and always present it in a new way. I think it’s great to combine different shapes, colours and sizes.
