H.Stern: Worth its weight in stones

Iprefer a man who lives and gives expensive jewels,” Marilyn Monroe sang in Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend. In reality, the iconic actress, arguably cinemas’s most enduring sex symbol, definitely earned enough to buy her own jewelry for herself. But in the ‘50s, it was more commonly acceptable for suitors to buy jewels for women, just like the scene in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes where Monroe is surrounded by men, all holding up layers of diamond-encrusted (rhinestones in reality) jewelry for her to choose from. But if Monroe had perhaps lived in a different era, not only would she buy her own jewelry for herself — she’d also realize that there is a lot more to the world of precious gems than just diamonds.

In the world of precious colored gems, there are five major gemological families: corundum, tourmaline, quartz, topaz and beryl. Rubies, which are corundums, are rarer than diamonds, especially today. And quality rubies and sapphires, which are also corundums, to be used for jewelry purposes are extremely difficult to find. The same goes for parahyba tourmalines, which are described as neon or fluorescent and can only be found in the Paraíba state in Brazil. When it comes to quartzes, which arrive in citrines, rose quartzes, amethysts, smoky quartzes, milky quartzes, and even clear quartzes, only four percent worldwide have the size and clarity that is suitable enough for jewelry purposes.

Topazes, which are commonly yellow, but also come in brown, green, light blue, red and pink were highly valued in the olden days for their ability to protect their wearers from death. Emeralds, which are the most common type of beryl, were considered to be so brilliant, a special cut — the emerald cut — was created just for it.

A new era

In the early 1940s, around the time when Monroe received her first diamond engagement ring from James Dougherty (fame, Joe DiMaggio and a third marriage would come much later), a young German typist for a trading company in Brazil came across a mound of colored stones on an officemate’s desk. His name was Hans Stern. At the time, these stones were referred to in the jewelry industry as the “other colored stones.” But Hans became so fascinated with these brilliant objects, that he decided to quit his job and go into the gemstone trading business in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Within the decade, he started producing finished pieces of jewelry under the name H.Stern, which counted kings, queens, artists, politicians and celebrities among its many fans.

Because of his efforts, the fine jewelry industry was able to broaden its focus to include not only diamonds, and “oriental stones,” like rubies, sapphires and emeralds, but also aquamarines, tourmalines, amethysts and topazes. Little by little, more people became aware of how rare and valuable these stones are. In contrast to other jewelry designers who would use colored stones to highlight a diamond, H.Stern took a different approach by using diamonds to highlight these underrated, yet extremely precious gems. So impassioned was Hans about these colored precious stones that when he went into jewelry production, he decided that the design of a piece of jewelry should center on the stone.

That all changed when his oldest son, Roberto, took over the business in 1995. An artist himself, he decided that from then on, the H.Stern would place greater emphasis on design and innovative manufacturing techniques, and find the stones that would fit the design, rather than just make the stone the centerpiece. Under his guidance, H.Stern won several more clients who were drawn to the uniqueness of their designs, saying that the jewelry was unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Word has it that in-house designers for H.Stern are even discouraged from looking at fashion magazines in order to avoid being influenced by trends  — the goal was for H.Stern to be a trendsetter in the jewelry industry, not mere followers. As a result, the coveted collections of H.Stern jewelry are inspired by nature, art, architecture and even performance art, such as the Stars, Nature, Golden Stones, Cobblestones and the Grupo Corpo collections.

Stars collection

Not many are aware that “stern” actually means “star” in Hans’ native land, Germany. A visual icon for H.Stern, the inspiration for the Stars collection came from a Victorian tiara, circa 1900. This collection recalls the romanticism of that period, but the interpretation is contemporary. As Roberto Stern once said, “We search the past for inspiration, but our interpretation must be current. We imagine the future but use the expertise and techniques available today. Our work plays with time. We are breaking barriers, pursuing the new but never forgetting our roots.”

The jewels are made of darkened 18K Noble Gold and set with diamonds of varying cognac tones. Noble Gold is a special innovation of the brand. It took more than two years and more than 180 metallic combinations in order to achieve the unique alloy of metals that resulted in a new color of 18k gold, which is neither white nor yellow, yet retains the refinement of white gold and warmth of yellow gold. As a result, this neutral tone is flattering to all skin types and can easily be paired with white or yellow gold.

Nature collection

In Noble Gold are the exquisite Nature jewels, a leaf-and-branch design with diamonds that contrast with large, organic and colorful gems. The feminine Nature collection combines a delicate pattern of leaves and branches made of 18K Noble Gold and diamonds with unique gems in two versions: one featuring intense green tourmalines in shades ranging from light to dark, and one with pastel hues.  In the second model, designers opted for an assortment of lavender amethyst and pale rose quartz gems to achieve a result that is colorful yet elegant and sophisticated.  Each pear-shape gem has an organic cut that preserves its natural beauty, set in contrast with an intricate diamond design.

Golden stones collection

Inspired by the flat and smooth stones found on the banks of Brazil’s many rivers, this acclaimed collection first made its debut in 1997. This time, the collection that epitomizes the jeweler’s innovative creative philosophy merges past and future in new colored stone styles. The organic, rounded shapes are made of textured 18K Noble Gold and feature blue topaz and amethyst, set as earrings and rings. The entire family of Golden Stones designs continues to offer rings, earrings and pendants in 18K gold  — textured yellow or Noble — with rock crystal or with white diamonds.

The Golden Stones watches, on the other hand, are made with stainless steel or 18K gold cases that are finished with the same artistry and exclusive techniques H.Stern developed when creating the original Golden Stones jewels. In 2007, gold and stainless models with diamonds set around the dials and new strap colors were introduced.

Cobblestones collection

The Cobblestones collection, previously launched in the spring of 2004, transformed a charming stone-paved street in Brazil’s famous resort town of Buzios, into a best-selling line of modern jewels. The stunning earrings, rings and bracelets replicate the street’s pattern of stone pavers in rock crystal, amethyst, tourmaline, rose and smoky quartz. The gems are set in H.Stern’s elegant and exclusive 18K Noble Gold.

Each gem in the collection is hand-faceted in a distinct shape, as unique as the rocks laid on the street that inspired the line’s design. The gems are wide, sophisticated in their simplicity and sparkling in their transparency. The evolution of this best-selling design now introduces styles in sync with the latest trends that favor clear, sheer gems in large scales. There are also new cocktail-style rings in rose quartz, amethyst and in pairings of smoky quartz-amethyst and smoky quartz-rose quartz. New charms in amethyst, rose quartz and rock crystal come in round or square shapes are each made brilliant by the expert faceting of the gems.

Grupo corpo collection

The H.Stern + Grupo Corpo collection, which was launched in 2009, was inspired by Grupo Corpo ballets, specifically the Benguelê ballet (1998), which merged essential elements of H.Stern’s passion for beauty and design with Grupo Corpo’s multi-sensory approach to creating and staging unique modern dance spectacles. The new collection is comprised of modern, light, and airy jewels, full of contrasting textures and sinuous lines that resemble the human body in movement, the jewels showcase exquisite craftsmanship, audacity and vision.

Journeying into the universe of modern dance, the jewelry design team studied all aspects of Grupo Corpo’s renowned productions, from the conceptualization of each ballet’s theme and its choreography to costume and set design. In small, intimate creative meetings choreography and costumes were translated into finishing techniques and textures; drops of perspiration became diamonds, and the chiseled bodies of extraordinary dancers (“corpo” means “body” in Portuguese) morphed into twisted surfaces and sinuous lines caught somewhere between diversity, tradition and modernity. 

This group of avant-garde jewels in 18K Yellow and Noble Gold, diamonds and colored gemstones, transcend the concept of jewelry as objects, and creates an ensemble of unique artistic interpretation. Each piece in this collection expresses fluidity of movement, and has its origins in a complex world where imbalance can be more important than planned, rehearsed steps. Yellow and Noble gold were used throughout the collection, always brushed, matted, or grooved, a literal nod to the very abstract notion that “there is much more beneath the surface than meets the eye.” 

H.Stern has come a long way since its founder went into the gemstone trading business in terms of pioneering design and manufacturing techniques. The brand has countless celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow, who trust only H.Stern with accenting their famous necks and wrists during red carpet events. These women, just like Hans Stern himself, recognize the beauty and brilliance of precious colored stones, but like Hans’ son Roberto, are inspired to the brand’s innovative designs. In a world where it’s all too easy to get blinded by overt displays of wealth, it takes real taste to discover hidden gems.

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H.Stern is available only at Adora, 3/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati. Tel. No. (+63 2) 217-4029