Jewelry magnificent but elegant - Leo Wittwer

Magnificent jewelry that is both elegant and understated - this is the focus of the design and manufacture of the Leo Wittwer collections. From the design to the production of the extraordinary jewelry, everything takes place in Pforzheim. Messe.TV meets Managing Director Frank Maier to find out which Leo Wittwer products will be in the spotlight at Inhorgenta 2016 in Munich.

Leo Wittwer accessoires

I'll be at Leo Wittwer in a moment. A manufacturer that claims that its jewelry doesn't belong in a safe, but should be suitable for every occasion. Yes, and now I'm going to see for myself. Jenny Dettner: Hello Mr. Maier, greetings! Frank Maier: I am very pleased to welcome you here today. A very warm welcome! Jenny Dettner: Thank you! Tell me, Leo Wittwer doesn't just make great jewelry, you also have really beautiful accessories, including handbags. Frank Maier: Yes, that's right, perhaps I can show you one or two models from the new collection? Jenny Dettner: With pleasure. Frank Maier: Let's go. (Frank Maier picks up a large, smooth, bright orange handbag) So perhaps I can show you one of the new models. This is from the Leo accessories collection. The first Leo ladies' handbag in a very current fashion shade, orange. This is a natural shrink leather. Very, very resistant. Jenny Dettner: Probably also washable then. Frank Maier: Yes, you don't need to, because it doesn't get very dirty. Perhaps I can show you the interior again. It's all made of Alcantara. Very, very soft, really great materials. Jenny Dettner: Great storage space too, lots of little pockets where you can put things in - that's always particularly important for us women. Frank Maier: It also has an outside cell phone pocket that you can close quickly. And what is very pleasant - it is incredibly comfortable to wear over the shoulder because the handle is very, very soft. Jenny Dettner: (Takes the bag over her shoulder) Oh yes. It's a great bag - but you don't just have something for women now, you also have bags for men. Frank Maier: That's right. We have a brand new crocodile laptop bag for men. Crocodile look. But it's not crocodile, it's embossed calfskin. Species-appropriate. Jenny Dettner: Great design, even on the inside. Super beautiful. Frank Maier: With great paisley and also with great storage compartments for the laptop. Once separately protected: here on the outside for cell phones, for writing utensils, for whatever you need.

Jenny Dettner: What price segment are we roughly in here? Frank Maier: Here we are around 1,200 euros, while the women's handbags (like the one just shown) are around 1,500 euros, but there is also the sportier collection where we are around 500 euros. Jenny Dettner: That's quite a hefty price for a handbag. What is your target group? Who do you want to address explicitly with the laptop bag, or also with your women's collections? Frank Maier: Definitely the woman of today, the man of today. The woman who has both feet firmly on the ground, who keeps up with current trends, but who also has a feel and appreciation for good quality, good design and durability, where the price-performance ratio is also right. The products are all made in Germany. They are designed as a family project - by my wife, my son and myself. We design them and then they are manufactured in a small factory according to our wishes. Jenny Dettner: How long does it take you to come up with this design? Does it just come to you at night or do you make a plan beforehand? Where does it come from? Frank Maier: It's just like that, yes. It's completely spontaneous. Sometimes you just sit in a café and suddenly you have an idea and start drawing on a piece of paper or a napkin. It's the same with jewelry and accessories and then you take the first sketches, think about it and work it out bit by bit at home. Jenny Dettner: What is the difference between your handbags as opposed to other exclusive handbags? Frank Maier: There are the big brands that make great handbags that are also exceptionally beautiful. We try to serve the small niche through our design and our retailers. The lady who is interested in something special that you can't get everywhere, that you can't see on every corner. Jenny Dettner: You don't just have great accessories. You also have men's and women's jewelry! Perhaps we can take another look at the highlights together.

Leo Wittwer cross

Frank Maier: Very much so. That is the main focus of what Leo Wittwer stands for. That is the jewelry collection. And here we are standing in front of the display case with the new men's jewelry collection, Leo Homme. Very, very important for us, it has expanded considerably in recent years. For the fashion-conscious gentleman who not only wants to wear a beautiful watch but also high-quality jewelry. Here again, we have one of the key pieces, the Leo Wittwer cross for men. Made in palladium, white gold, with a black botanium clasp and princess cut diamonds and with leather. The important thing for me in the collection is that it is very, very easy to wear. You can wear it with a suit, with an open shirt, with jeans and a leather jacket - it always has to fit. And it should always look high-quality. Jenny Dettner: I've just noticed, you're wearing a little cross like that too (smiles). Frank Maier: That's exactly how it is. There are two versions. One is worn by my son and the other by me. They are two unique pieces. I made this once for us, father and son, and it's always very important to be able to pass on the tradition. Jenny Dettner: Tell me, what price segment are we in now? Frank Maier: We are in a price segment here of around 2,000 to 5,000 euros. Jenny Dettner: Who is your target group? Frank Maier: We're moving away from these stiff conventions like wearing a tie and a suit and trying to take a more relaxed approach. The business has changed somewhat. People have also become a little more generous and fashion-conscious. Actually for the fashion-conscious gentleman of today. Who wears a jacket with a pocket square with a pair of jeans. That's actually our target group. Because there isn't much jewelry for men. The most beautiful jewelry that we men always have are our wives, but I always find a small accessory like this very fitting. Jenny Dettner: You have launched a whole campaign to match your men's jewelry. What's it all about? Frank Maier: Yes, we have launched a completely new campaign this year with our men's crosses, for example. Together with GQ magazine to introduce and present the new Leo Homme campaign there in particular. And this has been very, very successful and we are delighted that we have such great support from Condé Nast Verlag and that the editors are also very well-disposed towards us.

Jenny Dettner: Yes, that sounds very tempting. But now I'd like to know what the women's collection looks like, so that I have something to look at. Frank Maier: Absolutely. Perhaps we'd like to take a closer look. Then you can see how it feels. Yes, now we're actually getting to the important things. Namely the beautiful things in life and that's women. Of course, we always want to make a small contribution here so that we can set small highlights. Leo Wittwer is known for its craftsmanship. But that doesn't mean that Leo Wittwer is unaffordable. For example, over 1 carat of diamonds now sparkle here. Finest quality. Everything is made in white gold, palladium, in 18-carat gold, but there are pieces of jewelry here for 2,000, 2,500 euros, but of course we also have something special - that is now the Leo Wittwer Classic collection. But we also have the Leo Wittwer Manufaktur collection - something that distinguishes the Manufaktur collection is the craftsmanship. We are one of the last companies to continue this tradition in Pforzheim. Next year, for example, Pforzheim will be celebrating its 250th anniversary. There is no place in the entire world with a city that has a tradition of producing jewelry for over 250 years. Jenny Dettner: And you also make your highlights in Pforzheim? In other words, extravagant diamonds like this necklace here. Frank Maier: Exactly, for example. Or this wonderful bracelet. If I may just put this on you? Jenny Dettner: With pleasure. Frank Maier: So that you can see it for yourself. It's set with 18-carat diamonds. Jenny Dettner: Well, I don't think there's such a thing as too many carats! Frank Maier: No, the important thing is that it sparkles and looks beautiful and makes you feel incredibly good. Jenny Dettner: Wow! It almost looks fake because it glitters so much. That's incredible! Is it the cut or is it the crab setting? Why does it have such a fire? Frank Maier: Of course, it's down to the perfectly cut diamonds that we use in the Manufacture collection, which we buy directly from stock exchanges all over the world, such as Ramat Gan in Israel or Antwerp in Belgium. And, of course, the special setting technique that we have developed to showcase the diamonds in the best possible light. It is always important that they set as much gold against the diamonds so that they sit securely - but without impairing the diamond's brilliance. And I think we've actually succeeded very, very well here on this manufacture piece, matching the ring.

Jenny Dettner: (Holds the manufacture ring in her hand) How many carats are there now, with the necklace, ring and bracelet? Frank Maier: We are now at just under 40 carats. Jenny Dettner: And how many euros? Frank Maier: Just under 120,000 euros. Jenny Dettner: Oh, that's nice. But the air is getting thin for the men who buy such beautiful pieces of jewelry for women. Frank Maier: Yes, of course we want these pieces of jewelry to be bought and worn. Just as the women are unique, the jewelry should also be individual and special. This is what the Manufaktur collection and our creativity stand for. That we can always create something new so that we can give every woman individual pleasure. Jenny Dettner: Who buys such expensive and exclusive jewelry? That's almost Hollywood! You could wear it on the red carpet at the Oscars. Frank Maier: Absolutely. The Manufaktur collection is sold exclusively at Leo Wittwer events. This means that this year Leo Wittwer is organizing exclusive events together with its jeweller partners and we have been able to win Feinschmecker magazine as an exclusive partner and we will be visiting top chefs in Germany with Feinschmecker magazine and inviting our customers. Jewelry has to be experienced. Jewelry is a piece of emotion. You have to try it on. Does it fit? Do you like it? Jenny Dettner: Would you say that emotion is one of the most important aspects of jewelry? Frank Maier: Absolutely. You want to treat yourself to something special. I get up every day and want to look at myself and enjoy it. If we can play a small part in ensuring that you wear your personal piece of jewelry in the morning - whether it's a highlight like this Reviere necklace from the Manufaktur collection or the campaign model from the new Leo Wittwer Crosses collection - then we've done our job right. The great advantage of this Leo Wittwer cross, which has been around in this form for over 20 years - and is also protected - is that it is incredibly variable. This means that you can take it out with a small clip fastener, wear it on a long chain or wear it over a leather cord, which gives it a very sporty character. You can wear it with jeans, leather trousers, a leather jacket or a blouse. The important thing is that Leo Wittwer jewelry can be worn for any occasion. It should accompany you throughout the day and put a little smile on your face every day. And if we can do that, then we've done our job right. Jenny Dettner: You've definitely done that - even with me today with such a dream collection, you can't help but shine and smile just like the diamonds. Thank you very much for the lovely interview! Frank Maier: With pleasure.

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