Welcome to the VON W Club
I am Alexandra, the maker behind VON W FINE JEWELLERY and this is the place to find out more about the inspiration for my work, my process and the materials.
My mindset as a jeweller
... was forged in Post Cold War Berlin. When the wall fell, many buildings in the former East remained unreclaimed or abandoned, allowing a diverse range of humans from all over the world to use these spaces to experiment and reinvent themselves without constraints: The art and music scene exploded in forgotten cellars, closed down tube and power stations, derelict shelters, warehouses and disused domestic buildings. It was in constant flux and on the move from the authorities.
The materiality
... of structures and the influence of a physical space on human development and creativity are therefore central themes in my philosophy and practice: My jewels are made from 18 carat repurposed gold, because they can be endlessly reborn and become anew. I deliberately retain the marks of their making process to illustrate their becoming. Like a Brecht play, my approach intends to break the 4th wall of making: the beholder is not taken in by a machined, perfect and disembodied end product but is deliberately shown its genesis; the behaviour of the metal and working process are left obvious.
Where Brecht's mission was political, mine is personal in the first instance: The eroded is a metaphor for shedding the old and becoming anew; for raw beauty and freedom arising from ruins like a phoenix from the flames. Daily life will add the marks of the wearer over time, making each jewel a precious historical personal record. As opposed to traditional jewellery, my work carefully curates and further invites imperfections to celebrate our individuality as humans. Each of the stones I use is unique in itself and I invite you to look closely, behold the beauty in them, and recognise them as a metaphor for yourself and our fellow humans.
In one form or another, these jewels will be bequeathed across generations, amalgamating all the stories of humans, places and use. My experimental mindset as well as the fabric of Berlin’s buildings continues to drive my obsession with materiality, process, marks & textures. As the city still shows its history while reinventing itself every day, the jewels I create become part of your own history.