JUTTA BEHR-SCHAEIDT: Uniqueness and Beauty in the Art of jewelry

The encounter with Jutta Behr-Schaeidt was a source of wonder and amazement for me, owing to her original creations that possess the delicacy and uniqueness of the precious nature that surrounds her. Jutta was born in Saarbrücken, a German city not far from the French border, in an environment steeped in culture and art.

– Jutta Behr-Schaeidt –

The numerous journeys she undertook with her family, the discovery of Tuscany, as well as the contemplation of mountains, elevated her mind and taste, leading her to reflect on the beauty of nature. After working at many Master jewelers’ ateliers and following numerous specialized studies culminating in the Master Goldsmith Degree obtained in Munich in 2000, an internationally recognized achievement, Jutta felt the need to live on the coast of pink granite in Brittany, a land famous for its rocks colored by poetic shapes.

Cocoon of transformation

In this privileged Breton environment, her creations come to life, celebrating the wonders of nature and drawing inspiration from the uniqueness of its landscapes. Each piece of jewelry is a unique, rare, and inimitable work that tells us an ancient story. Jutta is a great lover of art: Niko Pirosmani (1862–1918), was a source of inspiration for her. This enigmatic and solitary Georgian painter produced artworks rich in allusive meanings, emanating a sense of spirituality. The same radiant simplicity and elegant frankness are found in Jutta’s works. Essential yet filled with spiritual beauty.

Barrière

Phoenix ring

Fundamental in Jutta’s artistic philosophy is the observation of nature. Her imagination soars high, following an intuition or something that particularly strikes her, whether it be a precious stone, a humbler material or a shade of color. A versatile artist capable of mastering all jewelry techniques, she prefers gold and silver, which she handles with sensibility and artistry.

Skills

Often, these two precious metals are associated, like yin and yang, as two sides of the same coin or rather like the sun and the moon.

Natural drop ring

When clients visit Jutta’s atelier, they step into her universe and are immediately captivated: often they are moved by her art. Thanks to this special connection, she has gained a loyal and admiring clientele.

Double Cocoon

Like path – the royal

I met Jutta in Milan where she will showcase at Artistar Jewels eight artworks on the occasion of Milan Jewelry Week (19- 22 October 2023) and I asked her if there is a piece that she loves more or she is attached in a particular way: “I love them all… like the strong and raw side of my cocoons with their hidden and subtle nuances. My latest piece among these eight artworks is the large golden cocoon with its rows of cultured pearls. This cocoon radiates particularly strongly: its ‘shell’ is crafted in such a way that it appears airy and almost fragile, yet it is robust. This is just one of the many details of this piece. I can tell you much more about it, like the luminous symbolism of the opal on the mother rock that is set inside the piece, joyfully representing the beauty of the transformation that has taken place or is taking place within this cocoon, like the glimmering particles of color from the butterfly wings still attached to the cocoon. The gold is blackened by the fire in certain places, as if immense forces had acted during the transformation… Also, the rows of pearls are not a result of chance; they too tell the journey, the process of the transformation from a disturbing grain of sand within the oyster into preciousness.”

Cocoon of transformation colored drawing

Following her increasing success, I asked her how she can combine her authenticity while growing her business:

“My authenticity is the essence of my work. My clients feel the soul of my jewelry, my pieces resonate with them and become a part of their lives. I have always approached my professional journey in a unique way from the very beginning and customer feedback has always been overwhelmingly positive. Growing my business, it means maintaining the quality and rarity of strictly one-of-a-kind pieces.”

Hubs ring

Another important aspect of Jutta’s work is sustainability. For an artist inspired by nature like her, this is fundamental in her approach to jewelry.

“All the diamonds are subject to the Kimberley Process and come from carefully selected sources with which my suppliers have been working for decades, or they are recycled diamonds processed with their recent expertise, meeting current criteria. Furthermore, the fair treatment of my partners and their employees worldwide, along with fair payment and workplace safety, are of great importance to me. The gemstones are certified according to the international rules of CIBJO. Rough stones, minerals and drum stones are also checked by an independent institute following the GKS guidelines. My trusted lapidary is a co-founder and member of the Fair-Trade Minerals e.V. association. Also, the precious metals come from recycling or bear the LBMA label www.lbma.org.uk, an independent Authority that ensure the highest levels of transparency and integrity for the global precious metal global industry. “

Cocoon Cornucopia