Freywillie’s Artful Jewelry

The most beautiful art in Paris isn’t only hanging on the walls of the Musée d’Orsay or in the Louvre. It’s also found behind glass at the shops of some of the world’s most famous fashion and jewelry designers. Paris is legendary for its window displays and leading brands like Chanel, Cartier and Hermès vie for the most creative. With so many spectacular windows along Rue Saint-Honoré, what made me stop at the unassuming storefront of jewelry designer, FREYWILLE?

By Parisian standards, FREYWILLE’s windows, topped with traditional blue awnings, were plain but that allowed their fanciful jewelry to take center stage. Sparkling diamonds, gleaming sapphires and brilliant rubies didn’t catch my eye. Instead, it was the colorful enamel patterns on bangles, earrings, pendants, watches and rings that drew me in. Their pieces were a visual treat.

What started as a small, Vienna-based business by Michaela Frey in 1951 has now expanded and includes boutiques throughout Asia, Europe and the Middle East as well as in Australia and North America. Now under the direction of Dr. Friedrich WILLE, the brand presents a contemporary twist on its European cultural heritage. FREYWILLE’s pieces are primarily enameled, a process of ornamenting metal with an opaque, glassy finish that resembles high-gloss paint. Conceived as wearable art and made by hand using approximately 80 processes, each design can employ 12-20 different colors.  And you thought the Impressionists were uninhibited with their use of color.

Not only is FREYWILLE’s jewelry created by artisans, but the brand also celebrates some of Europe’s most famous artists, taking inspiration from them. Collections are inspired by Claude Monet, Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha and Friedensreich Hundertwasser, one of the most visionary Austrian artists of the twentieth century.  FREYWILLE’s newest creations are designed to give a visual representation to human emotions. One such collection is called Ode to Joy of Life which was inspired by Friedrich Schiller’s Ode to Joy and its themes of love and friendship. Very much in the same feeling, FREYWILLE pieces exude a lust for life, passion and joy with pieces named Secret Love, Living Art, Blue Passion, Heavenly Joy and Paradise Moonlight.

I browsed the store trying on rings from the various collections, but I kept going back to the one that initially caught my eye in the window called Spirit of Africa. With its colorful panes of zebra, cheetah, giraffe and tribal patterns, I was smitten. The store manager explained that the artist was inspired by a trip to Africa and each pattern represented a different country visited. In addition, the ring I had on was currently the only one of its size in the world. Several months would pass before another Spirit of Africa ring would find its way into other FREYWILLE boutiques. Sold!

Even after a few days had passed I found I was still thinking about FREYWILLE, so the day before leaving Paris, I headed back to the store and purchased another ring from the Ode to Joy of Life collection. Given my love for Paris and now FREYWILLE, it was only fitting that I chose Red Passion. I think it’s safe to assume that I’m now a believer in Friedrich WILLE’s mantra – that his artistic jewelry can make a decisive improvement on one’s quality of life. I’m wearing both rings daily and I smile every time I look at them.