Six jewelry sites whose treasures you should definitely take a closer look at

Style instead of status 

Do you like to show off what you've got? Of course you do! Jewelry is a great accessory. Also. Because jewelry can do so much more. A piece of jewelry is a magical thing. It awakens emotions and reflects them at the same time. And if the character of the creation harmonizes with yours, a ring, necklace or brooch often becomes a love for life. The following jewelry designers from Düsseldorf prove that not only heirlooms made of precious metal can tell fascinating stories. 

Golpira 

The story sounds almost unbelievable: as a five-year-old, Gisa Golpira leaves her childhood life in Germany behind to move to the Peruvian jungle for a few years. The reason: her mother has taken a job there as a gold digger. She gave the very first gold nugget that the adventurous Ariane Golpira found to her young daughter - and she wears it on a chain around her neck to this day. In 2014, Gisa founded her jewelry label Golpira. Here, everything revolves around "green gold". In other words, gold that has been mined in the traditional way and in accordance with high social and environmental standards. Golpira uses untreated nuggets, shaped by water and the weather, to create precious, unique pieces. With their variety of shapes, irregularities such as inclusions, a smooth or dull surface, they celebrate the beauty of imperfection. To this day, the woman with the wild curls also uses nuggets mined by her mother. She now lives in Papua New Guinea. For those who need it in black and white: Mother and daughter have written a book about their time together in the jungle. The jewelry is available from Andreas Murkudis, Berlin, and Bergdorf Goodman, New York, and in Düsseldorf-Flingern by appointment.  

Ariane Ernst Jewelry 

Minimalist and yet glamorous in its own way. Ariane Ernst's jewelry bridges the gap between current trends and a self-contained aesthetic that goes beyond clearly defined trends or styles. "Inbetween" is her credo, which inspires women and men alike. Ariane Ernst has been running her own jewelry label since 2013 and now employs 20 people. Fashion has also been added in the meantime. Each piece of jewelry is made in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area, mainly from recycled precious metals. Ariane Ernst loves the conceptual, which she sometimes takes in a deconstructivist direction. For example, she contradicts the idea that wedding rings always have to be identical. They could differ not only in size, but also in shape and structure and still complement each other. The flagship store on Bilker Allee was renovated last year and now provides an even more appropriate setting for the high-quality jewelry, which is now presented on sculptural wooden towers, among other things. You can also find Ariane Ernst at Breuninger. 

related by objects 

It's what every creative person wants: like-minded people who share their vision and give their creativity an extra boost. Eva, Anna, Mia, Anja and Lena have found exactly that in each other. They first met in 2013 at the beginning of their design studies at Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. In 2020, immediately after completing their master's degree in jewelry and product design, they founded related by objects. "We feel related through our objects, through the diverse approaches and focuses of each individual designer, which make our range so special and complete," the five write on their website - and that's exactly how it is. All pieces of jewelry are handmade in their manufactory on Oberbilker Allee in Düsseldorf-Friedrichstadt. They are always special, durable, high-quality and timeless. Eva, Anna, Mia, Anja and Lena are advocates of the slow fashion movement and are also committed to eco-design. It's great that this was rewarded last year at the Düsseldorf premiere of the international design fair Blickfang with the Fashion and Jewelry Design Award!  

Studio Behind India 

And another female combo, although each one does her own thing. The studio community in the backyard of Düsselthaler Straße 1a does not create a uniform collection. Instead, Anna Huberman, Sofia Beilharz, Maren Düsel and Laura Christmann hammer, solder and tweak their own projects and creations. The result is a variety that is waiting to be discovered. While Maren Düsel cultivates a rather minimalist design language, interspersed with colorful accents and partly implemented in jewelry with moving elements, Laura Christmann's designs, for example, find an important source of inspiration in nature. Would you like to take a look behind the scenes of the Hinter Indien studio? Special events take place here several times a year. For example, the "Jewelry Dinner", where guests are treated to a meal and learn more about the everyday work and craftsmanship of the four jewelry designers in a relaxed atmosphere. 

Nyyukin 

The brains behind Nyyukin are no strangers to Düsseldorf. Vera and Philippe Henco are not only married, but also run a design and brand agency together. And they are friends with Johannes Hundt, an internationally renowned jewelry designer. Hundt's innovative combinations of materials and manufacturing techniques, some of which he borrowed from the automotive and aviation industries, have won numerous awards. Since 2019, the three have been condensing their skills: in a bangle that combines the highest quality materials with 3D-based jewelry design and an aesthetic that is characterized by modern graphic design. The basis is provided by titanium and Swiss stainless steel, two very stable and durable materials that are also difficult to work with and therefore rarely used in jewelry production. The "Character" is created from these materials in collaboration with specialist German companies. The "Moments", interchangeable inlays made of flexible polymers in various shapes and colors, can be inserted into it. Rather understated and simple or uncompromisingly expressive? You decide! The interchangeable bracelet system allows you to express your mood at any time. Incidentally, all Nyyukin products are unisex. 

Moritz Wenz Studio 

The Moritz Wenz Studio range is not simply retro. The inspirations are tangible and clearly rooted in the history of NRW - be it mining or heavy industry in the Rhineland. Moritz Wenz studied both jewelry design in Pforzheim and industrial design in Wuppertal. And so the jewelry collection that he offers in his own store on Ackerstraße in the Flingeraner Kiez has an aesthetic to which the term authentic really applies. It includes signet rings, chain bracelets and various pendants made of solid 925 silver, but also, for example, coat of arms rings made of 585 gold, the provenance of which is the result of a recycling process. Men, you'll find what you're looking for here! Many of the creations also work for them. The handmade jewelry, which is created in collaboration with small manufacturers and family businesses in Germany, is complemented by robust bags, belts and other items made from vegetable-tanned leather. Particularly popular: the "Flöz" series with the mallet-and-iron symbol, which has already earned Moritz the FORM design prize.

Cover picture: Moritz Wenz Studio