A pair of Hemmerle earrings.
Photo: Courtesy of Hemmerle
How Christian and Yasmin Hemmerle Are Bringing a Family Jewelry Dynasty Into the Future
Run by fourth-generation family member Christian and his wife, Yasmin, the maison is celebrated for its cutting-edge high jewelry
Yasmin and Christian Hemmerle. Photo: Courtesy of Hemmerle
Founded in Munich in 1893, Hemmerle boasts an illustrious history crafting medals for Bavarian royalty and bejeweled objects for Ludwig III as well as producing papal medallions for the Vatican. Currently run by fourth-generation family member Christian Hemmerle and his wife, Yasmin, the maison is now celebrated for its cutting-edge high jewelry, which masterfully blends rare and precious gemstones with unconventional materials like aluminum, copper, and aged wood. “I remember watching my father draw,” Christian says. “He always had loose gemstones spread over his desk. I was like a kid in a candy shop.”
Composing just 200 one-of-a-kind pieces each year, artisans can spend up to 500 hours on a single creation, handcrafting wearable works of art in an atelier that dates back to the 1790s.
A pair of Hemmerle earrings. Photo: Courtesy of Hemmerle
“If you walk through life with your eyes open, you will find inspiration”
Christian Hemmerle
The Hemmerles have also introduced the brand to the art world, in prestigious fairs like TEFAF in Maastricht and New York and, for the first time this September, Design Miami/Basel. “My mother had an incredible flair for color, and she greatly impacted our style today,” says Christian. “When we sketch something now, we will know immediately if it will become a Hemmerle jewel. My father didn’t give much advice, but he always said, ‘If you walk through life with your eyes open, you will find inspiration.’ ”
A ring by Hemmerle Photo: Courtesy of Hemmerle
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2021 Fall Issue under the headline “Family Treasures.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: A pair of Hemmerle earrings.
Photo: Courtesy of Hemmerle
