Spotlight On: Georg Jensen

Last week we were very lucky to be given the opportunity to take a tour around the Georg Jensen store in Melbourne. Now, I’m the first to admit my knowledge of Georg Jensen was pretty limited prior to this. It mostly consisted of pointing to billboards of the Fusion ring and telling my husband that ‘I need that!’ But there is heaps more to Georg Jensen, as the fabulous Richard, the Georg Jensen store manager, shared with us, and today we share it all with you (including some great buys!)

Who the heck is Georg Jensen?!
Georg Jensen was a Danish silversmith, who also had a background in fine arts. In 1904 he opened his own silversmith focusing on unique jewellery, sometimes in collaboration with other artists. He soon started producing hollowware (serving items such as silver trays, sugar bowls etc) and flatware (cutlery). By the time of his death in 1935, his company was internationally known and hosted a plethora of artisan designers who all focused on the basic aesthetics of fusing art and metalsmithing for classic, contemporary designs

One of the most fascinating things about Georg Jensen today is the longevity of their designs. The top selling flatware today is a design that has not been modified since the 1930s. As Richard took me through the store, he was able to point about many items that have scarcely changed since their design inception, but also able to point out new twists on collections, such as bringing in enamel, cords and leather with existing designs to give them a modern twist

Jewellery should be fun…
Richard says Georg Jenson’s philosophy is that jewellery should be fun and flexible, and its something you can see carried through the range. With the gorgeous Daisy Pendants, you can also slip the daisy off the chain and use it as a brooch, or slip it on a shorter chain – whatever suits your outfit for the day. Another great idea is the cord bracelets, which come in a number of different ranges – basically you paying for the pendant part of the bracelet and at any time you can head into a Georg Jensen store and update your bracelet with a different color cord at no cost! There were also a really nifty pair of earrings, which actually hooked into your ears and slid down into position, which meant those with non-pierced earrings AND pierced ears could wear them.

On buying that all important engagement ring..
Richard and I got into a completely in-depth discussion about the purchase of engagement rings. It is after all, one of the most important pieces of jewellery you’ll ever buy, and Richard offered this tips

• Expect your sales assistant to be prepared to give you an in-depth education on the four C’s

This is something both Richard and  I concurred on quite strongly – a good sales assistant knows what they are selling and wants to you to be education because it means a) they know what they are selling is a good product and b) the more educated you are, the happier you will be in the long run. Georg Jensen also has a really great booklet which takes you all through the four C’s, which I highly recommend checking out.

• The mirror is your friend

One of Richards mottos. There is no point looking down at your hand to assess your jewellery, go and check it out in the mirror, so you can see the view that everyone else gets of your jewellery.

• Ring buying does pass as ‘quality time together’

Richard said he ALWAYS prefers to see the couple together. Not only does he want you both up to speed on the ins and outs of the ring, he said its much easier to guide and assist a couple because he can get a sense of the personal style and needs of the ring-wearer. (So no, you’re not being precious by wanting to be involved!)

It’s NOT a tension setting!

One of my burning questions was about the centenary ring – can the diamond fall out and how in the hell does it stay secure?! Richard was able to assure me the diamond will never fall out and the reason for this is, despite popular belief, it’s not a tension setting. Instead the band is crafted (and the size of the band is determined by the size of the diamond you select) and is actually made smaller than the width of your diamond. Your diamond is then forced (remember that the diamond is the hardest substance so it can’t get wrecked!) into the setting, until it ‘pops’ into the setting, which then keeps it secure.

Making it more contemporary (and affordable!) with stainless steel…
As much as the sterling silver hollowware and flatware sounds divine it would be, quite frankly, a pain the butt to care for. It requires regular use and polishing, but that’s why some of the more iconic designs are being remade in stainless steel. Not only can you just pop it straight into the dishwasher, it also becomes more affordable  (we love the pitcher to the right, which is HUGE and a real bargain at $85 in stainless steel (the sterling silver version is $650). Whoever’s wedding I go to next is most likely getting this, or something similar!)

Going online….

Georg Jensen has an Australian online store that focuses mostly on the living products, but does still have a great selecton of jewellery also. Richard says the online store is about making Georg Jensen more accessible, not only for those who don’t live near a store, but also by giving people an idea of the Georg Jensen range. You can check it out at http://www.georgjensenstore.com.au