Alex Fritsch: Design Quality for Inexpensive Prices

Axel Fritsch from Bastian sees his products as an alternative for design-focused goldsmiths and jewelers. Unlike the jewelry form major international fashion labels, the Bremen-based producer draws on alternatives in the design and materials in order to provide an inexpensive supplement to one's own more discerning range.

Bastian produces more than simply nameless products in trendy, mainstream sectors. Instead, Axel Fritsch draws time and again on the design ideas by renowned jewelry makers such as Ursula Gnädinger, Sabine Ring-Kirschler and Andrea Frahm and produces them in excellent qualities at inexpensive prices. The Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, believes that this is so convincingly successful that it has included the Bastian Collection in the products sold in the Museum Shop.

Axel Fritsch explains what characterizes the jewelry from Bremen, what lends it an independent style and what brings it increasing international renown as follows: "It is quite obvious in our pieces that the design was created by people and for people - in this case by globally renowned artists or promising newcomers. The products created within this process are pleasingly individual and quite distinct from run of the mill, anonymous, mass production. But the friendly price means that large sections of the population can afford this luxury, although expensive, unique pieces would be out of their reach, at least at the moment. Therefore, this means that Bastian is a good starting point in contemporary jewelry design, especially for the younger target group. For established customers, it is a welcome opportunity to try out new things and to extend ones own possibilities to set standards with jewelry and accessories."

You will search for synthetic materials and zirconium in vain in the 2004/2005 silver line by Bastian. The sterling silver collection is characterized by the use of diamonds, colored stones and gemstones. Among other things, the jewelry draws on blue chalcedon, rose quartz, amber, garnet, cornelian, jade, blue topaz, citrine, peridot, onyx and mother of pearl in imaginative cuts that were specifically created for Bastian. The combinations of silver with 18 karat gold soldering and a 14 karat yellow and white gold collection are encrusted with diamonds and colored gemstones. The new Bastian models are presented twice a year in a high-quality catalogue.

Apropos catalogue: It also makes clear that Bastian is different to comparable providers. London, Prague, Havana, the Caribbean or most recently Seville are the fascinating backdrops for photos that tell stories and conjure up emotion and that focus entirely on the jewelry. The fact that the company has enjoyed noticeable growth rates in 2004 despite the difficult economic environment is proof that this concept is welcome.

www.e-bastian.de