Not Your Average One-of-a-kind Jewelry – GZurstrassen is Once-in-a-Lifetime
Wednesday 17th of March 2021
The Galleria GZurstrassen in Soneva Fushi is a small nook in the island of Kunafunadhoo, home to some of the most unique pieces of jewelry that you can find. Owned by a talented Belgian Gemologist, this galleria is one of the two outlets of what he calls not a brand, but a collection of jewelry pieces that are inspired by stories of nature. Made entirely by hand, his pieces captivate even the wildest imaginations. Every single one of the pieces makes up a personal diary of emotions, journeys, and memories.
Gonzague Zurstrassen has been in the stone dealing business for well over two decades now but for as long as he can remember, he has been in the presence of artists starting with generations of his family. It can safely be said that he was destined to be what he is today given he has always been surrounded by brilliant talents in different aspects of the industry.
Post his graduation from Hoge Raad of Diamant in Antwerp as a Gemologist in the year 1996, Gonzague set off on an adventurous journey of 14 years with the House of Mouawad. Gonzague believes that he was mentored to perfection under the wing of his biggest inspiration and good friend, Fred Mouawad.
In a chance meeting with Eva Malmström Shivdasani in 2010, right around the time when Gonzague was evaluating thoughts of setting off on his own venture, a humble conversation became the beginning of Galleria GZurstrassen opening in Soneva Kiri resort, Ko Kut, Thailand. The philosophies of staying true to nature entwined Soneva into Gonzague’s next chapter effortlessly and allowed him to explore his curiosity bound only by his own imagination.
As Gonzague describes it, his crafts are his passion, it's in his blood and it has become his life. He considers himself lucky to have known early on that this is the dream he wants to chase in life. When he looks around the world, the simplest things such as a shell on a pristine beach, or luxuries as rare and genuine as a one-of-a-kind vividly colored stone in the market could spark his curiosity.
Gonzague admits to being helplessly drawn towards unusually shaped and colored gems. He knew for a fact that natural stones don’t grow on trees so when a rare, high-quality gem catches his keen eyes, he doesn’t miss his chance of calling it his own. At this point, sometimes he has no clue of how it will turn out, but he believes in the creative process.
Like no memory, experience or emotion is felt the same way by two different people, every jewelry piece in Gonzague’s collection is unique. There is no rule of thumb in the creative process therefore some pieces you see in his collection took weeks, and some took months and plenty of laborious hours between the moment the idea flourished in Gonzague's mind and the moment the final product is presented to the public.
Gonzague is personally involved every step of the way in the crafting of the jewelry. Being a master carver himself, he would carve the pieces from his imagination into a wax mold, embodying the inspirations he catches from romance in the air, purity of the soul, and poetic energy that flows through the universe. Gonzague is not a designer by definition and his drawing skills could use some help, but the beauty of his ideas is not sketched on a paper. He needs to feel the piece coming to life, several different versions of it being twisted and modified in the process.
His job in the House of Mouawad took him across vibrant cities of Buenos Aires. Geneva, L.A and so many more around the world. In due time, Gonzague built a solid network of stone dealers and craftsmen that when he decided to set off with his own venture, he had enough knowledge of where, how, and from whom to source stones that fit ideas in his mind like a puzzle piece. It is incredibly important for Gonzague to be comfortable with his colleagues and match his energy because they are the initial pieces of DNA integrated into each one of his jewelry creations.
Once Gonzague is happy with the final mold, the production is smooth like butter. His proficient team members put together unmistakably exceptional pieces that epitomize raw, earthly emotions in exquisite aesthetics. Remarkably colored stones are decorated into the finest Gold, Silver, and sometimes Titanium.
The past 10 years have refined Gonzague’s craftsmanship and his business as well. When he started with the first outlet in Thailand, he expanded quickly into high-end hubs across many continents which, unfortunately, became overwhelming both personally and professionally to handle all by himself. Gonzague finally decided to stick with his niche market and cater to a more aware customer-base from selected outlets in remote islands where he can personally be involved in sharing his art with his customers.
Gonzague and Eva have remained friends all throughout the journey, and he is thankful for Eva’s continuous support in promoting his jewelry pieces among visitors to the resort. In 2016, Gonzague grabbed hold of an opportunity at Soneva Jani to expand his business into the Maldives and opened his gallery in the then newly opened resort. Quite recently, this gallery was shifted to Soneva Fushi. If you visit the outlet, make sure to say hi to Shifa, the guardian of GZurstrassen in the galleria. Having been in the hospitality industry for over 24 years, Shifa’s friendly smile is unmistakable and she is keen to assist in the quest for the right piece for you.
The passion has come a long way for Gonzague, and he is very proud of the ethos he has built around his collection. His art holds connections to organic shapes that symbolize natural elements and hidden messages only the unique pieces can reveal. Even the most affluent visitors to Gonzague’s galleries who have knowledge of the upscale end of the industry are surprised by how rare GZurstrassen pieces are and end up taking several pieces home with them.
From the very first designs to the enduring pieces of the present, Gonzague’s collection has evolved massively. Finer finishing, unmatched quality of colored stones, pieces that are more personal and intricate to him; it has made Gonzague unforgivingly selective with a sharper skill set that can feel the difference of millimeters in the mold. Should the right partners come by, Gonzague is more than willing to take his concept of refined jewelry making to newer horizons.
Once you find yourself so deeply invested in your dreams, there is no going back. It’s like Gonzague’s mind just can’t stop imagining ideas that grow into obsessions so persistent, he cannot find peace unless the project is completed. The world is full of never-ending inspiration and Gonzague is fascinated by how diverse nature is. He simply cannot picture himself doing anything else other than crafting ideas into timeless, once-in-a-lifetime jewelry pieces, each with a story of its own.
Photos: Gonzague Zurstrassen