Colorful Spirit: Interview with Valérie Messika
Up to now, staging diamonds has been your trademark. Where does your newly founded desire for color originate from?
It all started when we were designing the “Lucky Move” pieces. I thought of them as a lucky charm and of their design, and the message behind them made me want to work with colored stones. My idea was to use ornamental stones as a gold flat tint, which is something that I usually do. I didn’t replace diamonds, but I replaced the gold. The theme of the lucky charm, the medallion that turns and changes color while having a specific mantra, fits perfectly with the design and message of the necklace. It felt obvious!
Especially in light of your professional beginnings in the diamond trade: did the artificial production of diamonds in the laboratory influence your decision?
Not at all. Like I explained above, I continue to pay tribute to diamonds. It is part of my DNA and my heritage. The colored stones are ornaments, not the predominant stones in my designs. To date, the concept of a synthetic diamond is not yet clearly defined in the eyes of the general public. Like any new subject that needs the wind in its sails, we hear things and their opposites, and many conflicted opinions emerge.
Which of the nine designs is your personal favorite?
I can’t stop wearing the turquoise necklace. The color is vibrant, intense, and beautiful. Alongside the fact that I love the color, the turquoise necklace represents the idea of a free woman.
Each of the models stands for a specific mantra such as #bestrong (onyx) or #bepassionate (cornelia). This raises the question: Are you a spiritual person?
In a sense, I am.
With this in mind: Do you have a talisman that accompanies you? A special gift from your father, diamond dealer André Messika, for example?
The dearest item to me can be found in my office: it is a jewelry magnifying glass that my father gave me. It was my first introduction to the diamond world.
Photos: Messika
