Kategorie: News
From dental technician to jewellery designer
Jewellery with motifs from the sea is very popular amongst divers. In German-speaking countries, one name is firmly associated with diving jewellery: Stefan Wiessmeyer. Stfan has been a household name for jewellery in the form of whale flukes, shark teeth, manta rays and much more for 30 years now. His company anniversary is a good occasion to look back and let Stefan tell us about his history. Stefan, we congratulate you on your anniversary and look forward to more great pieces from your collection.
Stefan Wiessmeyer
It has always been fun for me to create something with my hands and already during my work as a dental technician, I had the idea to transfer the techniques and the working method of the dental technician to the design and production of jewellery. I thought to myself that it doesn't really make much difference whether I model a dental crown or a ring or ear studs. I refined my techniques and adapted them to jewellery making.
Then in 1993 I decided to start my own business and worked for a jeweller for whom I made high quality, classic and modern jewellery, mostly in 750 yellow gold. All the jewellery was first modelled in wax and then cast and finished in precious metal. However, this collaboration lasted only 2 years and already in 1995 we parted ways.
I have been diving since 1989 and after a holiday in the Maldives, I had the idea of designing a collection with sea animals as pendants, which I named "Little Fishes". It was a difficult beginning, but the then new diving magazine unterwasser reported on my collection and gradually customers began to show an interest in my jewellery.
A whale fluke becomes the logo of the collection
I started with 9 motifs in my collection and the whale fluke was the trademark and logo of my collection from the beginning. In the first years I designed about 2 - 3 new models per year and my collection grew steadily. Today it comprises 75 pendant models and 12 stud earring models. For many years now my collection has been called "scuba collection" and the whale fluke is still the most popular motif in my collection.
In 1999 I decided to exhibit at the boot show in Düsseldorf and the exhibition was very important for me, especially to maintain direct personal contact with my customers. For 15 ye
ars, my small team and I were represented at boot. In 2014, I decided to stop exhibiting there because the number of visitors had declined in recent years and it was becoming more and more time-consuming and expensive to participate in the fair. In addition, I had to prepare for the fair parallel to the Christmas business, and since I still make all the jewellery myself by hand, 16-hour working days were normal for me during this time.
2014 was also the year in which I unfortunately fell seriously ill and repeatedly suffered from severe depression, which greatly influenced and limited my work and my life. This then led to the fact that I could no longer work from 2016 to 2019 and contact with my clients was also no longer possible due to the severe depression.
Thankfully, with the help of friends and my family, I was able to free myself from this severe crisis, gradually solve all the problems and regain hope.
In 2020, I moved my business and had to start almost from scratch again. Thanks to the help of my family, we were able to put my company back on a solid footing in new premises. A new online shop with a modern design was also set up. My shop can still be reached at the familiar address www.wiessmeyer.de and all models are now available for immediate delivery.
I have been able to work normally again for the last 2 ½ years. I am doing well again and I am glad to have made it through this difficult time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my customers for their patience, understanding and loyalty.
Nobody knows what the future will bring. But I am looking forward to many more years in which I will be able to produce my jewellery for you in the usual high quality. Yours, Stefan Wiessmeyer
Further information:
Website and webshop: www.wiessmeyer.de