Based in Bienne, in the heart of Switzerland’s watch country, GIBERG was founded by Swiss artist and master goldsmith Andreas Altmann, who boasts over 40 years of experience in the industry. Together with his highly skilled team, GIBERG creates the highest quality pieces using only the most precious, certified metals.
By combining unrivalled know-how with the pioneering possibilities of technical engineering and the creativity and vision of artists, GIBERG’s jewellery and watches possess a level of exclusivity, beauty and attention to detail that is second to none.
GIBERG Haute Horlogerie is the watchmaking sector of the company, which has the goal of bringing the great and legendary tradition of the old master watchmakers into the 21st century. Inspired by elegance, innovation and uniqueness, GIBERG’s watches are Swiss-made masterpieces with a timeless design, extreme attention to quality and unmatched potential of personalization and thus, uniqueness. Crafting watches of this class, with the utmost precision, means GIBERG creates emotional masterpieces for their clients that are built to last a lifetime. GIBERG offers both men and women’s watches.
GIBERG Swiss Noble Forge is the jewellery sector of the company. Every piece is hand-produced upon request and thus, entirely unique. Both men and women’s pieces are made, with extreme attention to quality. One of the most beautiful creations is the gentlemen’s jewellery bracelets, which is manufactured from 35 grams of 18-carat gold and features 40 brilliant-cut black or white diamonds. It is held on a high-quality black rubber band, available in 3 sizes and is customizable, using either yellow, rose, black or white gold.
FOUR sits down with Andreas to find out more about the brand and its stunning products…
Can you tell us a bit about the background and history of GIBERG – when, how and why was it founded?
The whole thing with GIBERG started when I created the Golden Dragon Ahton. I knew that I was going to hand over my main company (Altmann Casting) to my children and I wanted to start creating watches again, but mainly jewellery. Today, the dragon is the guardian of the still-new brand GIBERG, which means treasure in old German.
What are some of the company’s core philosophies, principles and goals?
I founded Giberg in order to produce only what I feel like, what I like and, above all, what is fun.
Where does your passion for jewellery stem from?
I am a trained goldsmith and gemstone setter. If I hadn’t specialised in casting at the age of 23, my own brand (GIBERG) would probably already be 40 years old.
What about the inspiration for the collections – where does this come from?
The current collection takes inspiration from new 3D technologies. I wanted to create jewellery that could not be produced conventionally. In addition, our men’s collection, which I will concentrate on for the next few years, was inspired by the tennis racket and my current ambassador, Dominic Stricker.
What are some of the biggest challenges this industry faces, and how do you and Giberg overcome these?
GIBERG had to realise that even with its own tourbillon, the watch market is very difficult to conquer and burns a lot of money. That’s why I have now applied the strategy to my men’s collection, which is also in a different price category. The current success has proven us right.
What makes GIBERG’s creations truly stand out, in your opinion?
With the Gentlemen’s Collection and the new Ladies Collection Amphora, we have a jewellery line with a very high recognition value.
Tell us about the kinds of pieces and collections you produce? Is there a specific theme or signature element present in all the designs?
The current collection is 100% modern, produced using 3D technology and corresponds to the present time. GIBERG is today one of the only companies that has mastered this difficult production process with all these fine wires.
What materials are used to make the pieces, and why these?
We work exclusively with gold alloys for this collection. This guarantees the stability of our designs and corresponds to the exclusivity we want to achieve with this collection.
Can you give details on some of the best-selling collections and why you think they are so popular?
Our men and women’s bracelet collections are the best-selling items at the moment. There is nothing quite like them, and their recognition value is fantastic.
What about your bracelets? What makes these special?
Today, the wearer can change the band him/herself and our rubber is 100% vegan with a 10-year guarantee.
Tell us about some of your all-time favourite designs or pieces…
My favourite piece is still the swan watch Olora, which is worn by the ballerina dancer Maria Khoreva, which makes us very proud. She is one of the best in the world.
How do you hope that your clients will feel wearing your jewellery? What emotions do you hope to evoke with your creations?
Most clients who own a GIBERG piece have been able to meet me in person and talk about their watch or jewellery item. My customers have the opportunity to participate in invitations to world-class events such as the Swiss Open Gstaad (tennis), where we will be doing invitations to for the next three years.
Can you tell us about some of your brand ambassadors and why these partnerships are significant?
Tennis player Dominik Stricker is only 19 years old and has the potential to follow Roger Federer. He wears the special edition Tennis Bracelet, of which only 8 have been created, making it especially attractive.
Ballerina Maria Khoreva is only 21 years old and represents the pinnacle of elegance, nobility and grace. She is so unique and for this reason, she is the best advertiser for a watch like Olora.
What’s next on the cards for GIBERG – any upcoming collaborations or new product launches?
In the next few years, we will focus on custom-made products for our customers, especially with the bracelet collections. We want to reach a worldwide status where everyone knows the GIBERG bracelets.
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To find out more about GIBERG and its products, visit its website and Instagram profile.
Images © GIBERG