Menē's Co-Founder and Chief Artistic Director, Diana Widmaier-Picasso, sits down with Laurence Mouillefarine for an exclusive interview in Sotheby's 76 Faubourg. The English translation can be found below.

Rules of Gold according to Diana Widmaier-Picasso

In the Picasso family, there is Diana Widmaier-Picasso, the great granddaughter of the master and Marie-Thérèse Walter. Art historian, ancient drawings expert, curator of modern art exhibitions, recently partnered with a businessman to launch a new jewelry line, called Menē. What makes Menē so special? Menē jewelry is made of pure 24K or pure platinum and are sold as investments. As unbelievable as it sounds, the company is one of a kind.

What does Menē, the jewelry brand you co-founded, mean?

In Aramaic, Menē means “currency exchange”.

How did this adventure come about?

In 2016, I was fortunate enough to meet a brilliant businessman named Roy Sebag in New York. We immediately became friends and I partnered with him. This young entrepreneur, founder of GoldMoney Inc., already owned a gold bank at the age of 30! We observed that customers and jewelers bought pure metal to make gold alloys to sell in 18, 14, 12 and even 8 karats. We have lost the notion of jewelry as a savings. Hence our idea of offering jewelry that is an investment.

Tell me more.

Menē jewelry in pure platinum or 24 karat gold is sold by weight, with a certificate of authenticity. In addition to the metal price, we add a small transparent margin of 30% or 40% for design and manufacturing. In addition, we are committed to buying back our jewelry at today’s metal value. It’s more than an ingot, it is an object of adornment.

Why 24 karat Gold?

It has the greatest density! It is the metal as it arises in nature. It is an indestructible material, to the point that the Egyptians saw it as the means to access eternity. Its color and influence is inimitable. It’s what made my 3-year-old daughter say “It’s not beautiful!” when she saw a small alloyed bracelet.

Why then, don’t other jewelers use pure gold?

You have to have the means to build up a stock of precious metal. In addition, 24 karat gold has a reputation for being soft and difficult to work with. We found artisans in the United States capable of these feats; I am thinking in particular of chain styles, inspired by Renaissance pieces and paintings by Holbein.

Why call on American artisans and not Parisian workshops?

I lived in New York for ten years and the company was established in Canada. The gold we use comes exclusively, for ethical reasons, from mines in the United States and Canada. We don’t rule out the idea of using workshops in Europe in the future. It would be my greatest pride in calling on the immense French know-how now that I live in Paris.

How does Menē stand out in the fashion world?

Our concept is the opposite of that of fashion. We want our jewelry to last, passed down from generation to generation. In fact, since we founded Menē, the price of gold has continued to rise and only 5% of our customers wanted to take advantage of this exceptional added value. They prefer to keep their acquisitions and I’m happy about that.

As co-founder and Chief Artistic Officer, are you the house designer?

I prefer not to present myself as an artist. I have a lot of respect for my aunt, Paloma Picasso, who has been creating jewelry for Tiffany’s for a very long time. We have a small team - I work closely in collaboration with Sunjoo Moon, the creative director and one of my closest friends. In three years, we have designed 600 pieces! Rings, amulets, then chains, pendants, bracelets, and recently religious medallions. The consistent challenge of renewing oneself with a unique material.

How would you define the style of Menē?

The inspiration is very primitive! I dive into the heart of the mine, I often visit the Saint-Germain-en-Laye Archeology Museum, and every time I am touched by the jewels of the unflourished but admirable prehistory.

Menē’s creations seem classic, and suddenly, there are pieces made from the artist Louise Bourgeois. Why her?

Again, it's about an encounter. At the time of preparation for the exhibition of Louise Bourgeois and Pablo Picasso, “Anatomies of Desire” at the gallery of Hauser & Wirth from Zurich, I saw my dear friend again Jerry Gorovoy, Director of the Easton Foundation, that Louise Bourgeois founded before passing. We looked for ways to work together. We have chosen three emblematic subjects of Louise, the Spider, The Arch of Hysteria, the Spiral. From the original molds, and thanks to 3D design, we were able to reproduce her sculptures with the most subtle details.

Didn’t the work of Louise Bourgeois already spark an edition of jewelry in the 1990s?

Very few people knew of it, it was a very limited edition. We want to reach the largest number of people with our pieces.

Are other collaborations with artists planned?

Yes, but it’s a secret..

Menē’s pieces are only accessible on the internet, are you thinking of opening a store?

We considered it, however with our reduced margin, we prefer to minimize the costs, especially in these difficult times.

Isn’t it better to try a piece of jewelry before you acquire it?

Pieces like our medallions, buttons, etc, you don’t need to try on first! Our catalogue includes many gifts, such a spinning tops or peanuts…haven’t you ever bought a piece of jewelry online? It’s the first step that’s the hardest. Once you’ve tried it, you have a taste for it. You buy a gold chain and immediately you want to wear several at once. Our enthusiasts literally tear them away when they’re in stock. We are overwhelmed by demand!

You don’t wear jewelry yourself?

I don’t. I see them more as sculptures, I have them all around me. I place religious medallions on my table at night, I can touch them. Kind of grigris.

Let’s talk about your grandfather. If I say “Picasso and jewelry” what do you think of?

I think of the links he had with the artisans. Studying his metal sculptures and his production, in the 1950’s, I went to Vallauris and got closer to the locksmiths, carpenters, blacksmiths with whom he had collaborated, and who remained in the background. Even the village dentist re-melted gold to help him make his medallions! This research gave rise to an article in the catalogue of the Sylvette exhibition in Bremen. Realizing the works of Picasso was a challenge. Instead of imposing his authority, my grandfather conversed with its suppliers; from this exchange were born the technical solutions. They were inspired mutually. It’s fascinating.

Have you leaned more particularly towards his jewelry?

When working on the catalogue raisonne of sculptures, I gathered together the jewelry, of course, but also the jewelry projects, “the unfinished thing”. Since my art history studies at the Sorbonne, the theme of the non-finito fascinates me. Jewelry appears recurrently in Picasso’s drawings and paintings.

When should the catalogue raisonné be complete?

I will take as much time as it takes. I just found a sculpture from 1904 which we had been lost since 1954 (it was featured in a former Gallery sales catalogue Carpenter). Even for a modest work, a catalogue raisonné takes years. However, there isn’t anyone more prolific than my grandfather. In addition, I am a perfectionist.