Niessing
Jewelry design fusing tradition and modernity

Modernity in architecture, furniture design or consumer products was originally influenced by the concept of reconciling form with function and taking advantage of the available materials. Established in 1873, Niessing proved that it was possible to apply this concept to jewelry. The result, which went beyond contemporary wedding rings, was modern jewelry that expressed essence through clear form: the fascination of forged gold, the cool elegance and purity of platinum, the beauty of a basic geometric form or a traditional gold forging technique.
One particularly successful example here is the NIESSING tension ring®, developed by artist Walter Wittek of Vreden, Germany, in 1979 exclusively for Niessing. The diamonds in a tension ring appear to float but are actually secured in the piece by the tension of the forged precious metals. The Niessing tension ring® was granted legal recognition as an artwork in 2001 and is thus pro¬tected against imitation and plagiarism . As an icon of modern jewelry culture, it has been awarded numerous design awards – like many other Niessing lines – and can be seen in museums the world over.
Niessing collections combine classical with experimental. In 135 years, manufacturing with precious metals has made some great leaps forward. The tradition is now expressed in the fusion of skilled craftsmanship and modern technology.
Connoisseurs can currently enjoy this wealth of form, this Niessing “language of jewelry”, in 11 Niessing Concept Stores around the world. Anyone who enters these alluring, well-lit spaces will be captivated by overwhelming images conveying this message. Niessing represents a plea to the senses. Small, delicate pieces, dramatic eyecatchers with genuine, softly rounded ponder stones or clear, cubical and pure designs. Sometimes you indicate proximity, sometimes distance, like the people who adorn themselves with these works of art.
For more information go to www.niessing.com.


Products
Every piece of Niessing jewelry tells a story. The myriad ideas and developments for new pieces are an essential element of Niessing history. People have made the process what it is today. Their inventions, patents, solutions and decisions have made Niessing the top address for jewelry.

Niessing Flower Disks IRIS®
»Jewelry with a transition of colors for the Niessing coil, posts for the ear or pins for the lapel. A paper-thin circular disk magically transforms into a stately blossom. The goldsmith’s hammer provides curvature to the plane and inscribes it with linear traces. The play of shadow and light is meaningful and sensual.«
In 1984, Niessing began developing colored gold alloys and has since introduced colors ranging from yellow, red, and reddish to green, pale green, sandy gray and gray. Professor Matthias Mönnich developed IRIS® at Niessing, jewelry with colors from fine gold to silver.

NIESSING tension ring
»Do you feel the energy? All of the tension concentrated in two points. A floating bridge of pure light firmly anchored in the clear circle of the ring. Stone sizes between 0.05 and 1.7 carat, in gold or platinum. The first award-winning tension ring from Walter Wittek is now in museums around the world.«
The Niessing tension ring in the form developed by Walter Wittek was given the Busse Longlife Design Award (Busse Design Ulm) in 1999 and was granted legal recognition as an artwork in 2001 and is thus pro¬tected against imitation and plagiarism (Federal Court ruling). Today it can be found in the following museum collections:
- Grassimuseum Leipzig (since 1993)
- Kunstindustrimuseet Oslo (since 1994)
- Technisches Museum Wien (since 1999)
- Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (since 2003)

Niessing Papyr
»Opulent necklaces and pendants in illuminant yellow gold. Each link is a finely woven, closed band that loosely loops through the next. The materials are integrated with the utmost discipline. The luxury lies in the rich variations of light and form. They emerge again and again with lavish diversity. A baroque, even audible pleasure.«
A common feature of Niessing jewelry is the use of paper-thin strips of precious metal that develop stability and volume as they are shaped. The hand forging, rotation and folding is an essential element of the tension in precious metals and the shaping of a minimalist aesthetic.
In 2002, the Niessing Papyr design received the internationally renowned »red dot« design award in the competition of the same name at the Design Zentrum North-Rhine Westphalia (Essen).