VANT Jewellery: Timeless, Collectable, and the Ultimate Statement in Modern Luxury
They say that a bump on the head can turn someone into a genius. In Veronika Marsoner’s case, that is literally true; so taken with the sparkling beads she saw on display at the age of four while on holiday in Venice that she walked into a concrete block. “It was the beginning of my obsession,” she reveals.
Having trained as a goldsmith in Linz, Austria and acquired a degree in Jewellery and Product Design at Parsons in New York, Veronika became Asprey & Garrard’s in-house designer. There she took commissions directly from customers and helped develop Asprey’s own collections, like the Daisy line. “Coming from Parsons where everything was pretty wacky and super contemporary, I had to learn to be much more classical, working directly with the head of jewellery to select stones and come up with ideas.”
Later, Veronika took an MBA in Luxury Brand Management in Paris before travelling to Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam to broaden her knowledge of gemstones. By the time she set out on her own in 1998, launching VANT Jewellery, she had a firm grasp on the pieces she wanted to design and how best to create a demand for them. The way ahead involved focusing on bespoke, one-of-a kind pieces and exclusive ranges, as well as everyday pieces, only using the best quality stones and materials and 18k gold. The overall effect is Contemporary with a Classic twist. As her website displays confirm, vibrant colour is an essential component of many designs.
“Every piece should be practical yet stunning and of the highest quality of craftsmanship. All are handcrafted and can take up to six weeks to create,” says Veronika. “If you’re investing this level of time, effort and inspiration, you also need a well-developed understanding of what is going to strike a chord with your clients, whether they are looking for a gift, a single piece for a special occasion or to start collecting a particular style or range. They want to be stunned and inspired by what they see.”
A model wearing a large necklace from VANT’s Giselle collection; Veronika Marsoner wearing a custom-made design of earrings and signature bracelets.
Some will start with the fun, everyday pieces, like the bestselling enamel and precious stone Sea Urchin rings, before returning to look at something more exclusive. Popular designs have included Veronika’s engraved rock crystal and mother-of-pearl Butterfly jewels, which includes sautoir necklaces engraved with the names of loved ones.One ring currently on offer is appropriately named Showstopper.
“Collectors and those who follow my work value originality, so it is important to me to meet those expectations.” An example of such work is her Inflation bracelet, where 18ct gold drops dangle from a woven silk cord, each drop etched with its precise carat weight.
When Covid hit, Veronika decided to harness the new normal to refresh her approach to work by enrolling in the Master of Art & Design program at Central Saint Martins. The results can be seen in new creations like Giselle, a dance-inspired collection that’s full of movement, expressed through spiralling, twisted gold studded with diamonds.
Potential buyers must make an appointment to inspect the ranges on offer in person, a policy that adds to the sense of exclusivity but also allows Veronika to build a close understanding of her clients. The Berkeley Square Fair provides a unique opportunity to see her creations without such an appointment. Veronika sums up her approach neatly on her company website: “A precise balance between timeless, collectable jewellery and the ultimate statement in modern luxury.”
