THE DESIGNER OF THE WOMENSNET RING

So who did we choose for the design and production of the womensnet ring?

Michaela Holsträder, a young master goldsmith who has received numerous awards for her creative ideas and technical skill. She already has two workshops, a gifted team of five employees, and a showroom in Bochum. But has she always known where her career path would take her?

Ms. Holsträder, what led you to a career as a goldsmith?

Even while I was still in school I knew it: I wanted a creative as well as technical job. When I was fourteen I had to do a school internship, so I decided to work as a goldsmith. And by the end of the first day I was sure. Working with different materials, implementing my own creative ideas, and particularly the technical side completely fascinated me. It all inspired me and then I knew what I wanted to become: A goldsmith!

At sixteen I was ready. In 1992, I began my training with a renowned goldsmith. Completing this training—and even winning a competition of the Handwerksjugend in Münster—brought me closer to realizing my dream of one day designing my own collection.

But I still wanted more! I wanted to further improve my technical skills and design ability, so I decided to become a master. In October, I entered the state competition of the Crafts Association of North Rhine-Westphalia with a self-designed and created piece of jewelry. As the winner of the competition and with a scholarship to the master school, I was one step closer to my dream. For four years, I worked as an assistant and went to the master school in the evenings. Then with my master qualification, I applied to the Hofgoldschmiede—the workshop that I would later lead—and was hired.

Did you always know that you would one day become self-employed?

From very early on I dreamed of having my own collection, but I became self-employed only gradually. During the five years that I worked as a master, I increasingly felt the desire to have freedom for my ideas. I wanted not only to implement these ideas in manufacturing but also in the creation of an exhibition space and in dealing with clients. When the opportunity presented itself in 2004, I had already been thinking about the idea for quite some time and was sure: I had never been closer to my dream! Together with a partner, Volker Friedrich, I took on the adventure of self-employment.

What philosophy drives your workshop?

Having high standards of consultation, care, relevance, and zeitgeist to meet our customers’ wishes. For me, the top priority is maintaining first class and individual service alongside a positive atmosphere within the team. It is very important to me to have the luxury of taking the time to interact with each client individually in order to deliver a consultation that is tailored to their needs and ideas. The jewelry should not be the only focus but also the clients themselves. This is because jewelry should always represent the energy of the wearer and emphasize his or her individuality. For me, only a 100% satisfied customer is a good customer.

How did womensnet win you over for the creation of its ring?

I have had offers before to specially design a piece of jewelry for a business or to design a brand. What appealed to me so much about womensnet, however, were the similarities in our missions to provide consultation to customers, and the quality of the site and its design.Our concepts fit together perfectly, and it did not take long before I was excited by the idea of a cooperation. I immediately had a picture in mind of the womensnet ring. When I lend my name and ideas to a particular project, I must be completely convinced that it is a good fit. Without this identification with the partner, such a beautiful result would not have been possible.

The womensnet ring expresses exactly what both womensnet and today’s woman stand for. Innovativeness, clarity, openness, and strength—but also femininity and sensuality. Its many possibilities in terms of combination of materials enable every woman very individual wearing possibilities according to her type.

Contact:

Hofgoldschmiede Friedrich & Holsträter OHG

Kreutzstrasse 5

44787 Bochum

Phone: 0234.682992

Fax: 0234.6408380

info@hofgoldschmiede.de

www.hofgoldschmiede.de