Glamouria - Diamonds Have their Soul, their Own Energy By Hayat Ammouri

Valeria Messika has a unique approach to diamonds; she sees it as something not to be left in a safe: it has  to be versatile, flexible, and light weight. Valerie understands women. Her creations are contemporary but also generation-less, where there is something for everybody.

Messika’s The Move Collection is inspired by when Valérie was little and she used to play with diamonds, seeing how the lights hit them. The moving diamonds symbolizes today, yesterday and tomorrow.

Before I met Valérie a few years ago, I remember I had googled her pictures to try to understand more the person I am interviewing. She seemed warm, fun, and very down to earth, and it turned out she’s exactly that, with a smile always lightening up her face, and very friendly! I also liked the leather skirt she was wearing, somehow matching her eye color! Not sure why you feel you have known her forever… 

Hayat Ammouri: How did you start?

Valérie Messika: I used to play with diamonds with my father when I was a kid, bringing stones home, and teaching me about them, comparing stones to women. I remember him teaching me how diamonds have a charm, and that you don’t always need to look at their clarity and size. He would always say that not only women are top models, but diamonds too. Diamonds have their soul, their own energy. My father is really passionate about diamonds, he loves it.

I am also the eldest. So I felt a weight on my shoulder to be in charge.

Hayat Ammouri: Did it feel good or bad?

Valérie Messika: It felt good but it felt a little pressure. Then he said please give me one year of your life; I would like to teach you, and if you don’t like it you don’t have to do it. You leave.

Hayat Ammouri: Did you have anything else in mind at that time?

Valérie Messika: I loved Marketing and advertising. When I joined my dad, I traveled all around the world with him, he taught me everything about diamonds. We went to South Africa, India… Then one day I told him I had my vision, and I think I know what I want to do. I wanted to create a brand with diamonds that you can wear everyday, mix it with jeans; a brand that is not about wedding bands.. Something very different. I can smell in the air, a  brand is missing with this mission.

Hayat Ammouri: Did you feel you had something to prove to him?

Valérie Messika: Yes. I wanted to show him since I was little that I can succeed. Today he’s very proud. 

Hayat Ammouri: Working with your dad, did you feel you had to work harder?

Valérie Messika: Yes- when you are the child of a successful man in business, you have 2 options. You either do everything yourself or you don’t do anything. My personality was to push myself to prove to him and to myself that I can be successful too. So I left him and created my own company.

Hayat Ammouri: When did your dad give you the first compliment? What was your first achievement in his eyes?

Valérie Messika: It was in Basel. It was the second or the third year, I don’t remember. I told him it was going to be a surprise. I asked him to come just a few minutes before the opening. I showed him my collection and he cried. He said I can’t believe what you have done and what you are doing with the family name.  

There is a reason why I did not call the company Valérie Messika, only Messika, and it’s because I love the idea of a family business; it can be me, my girls, I don’t know. I love the idea of a strong family working together. 

Hayat Ammouri: What do you put from your personality into your collection?

Valérie Messika: Femininity, comfort and delicacy. Everyone tells me they feel it’s a woman designing the pieces; my jewelry is feminine.  It’s also very important to feel comfortable in my shoes and jewelry, otherwise I just want to take it off. My jewelry is very comfortable to wear. Another thing people tell me that I am a delicate person, and the look of our jewelry is very delicate. 

Hayat Ammouri: What’s your most precious creation, without it having to be the most expensive?

Valérie Messika: The Move Collection. Without The Move I could not have been a recognizable brand. When people recognize the brand and the style through its creations,  when you touch an iconic item, it means you caught something strong. 

Hayat Ammouri: Are you ever going to work with something other than diamonds?

Valérie Messika: This is a commitment I made to my dad. I will never. When I launched my business, he only asked me for two things: “please don’t copy anybody, find your own style”, and second,” use only diamonds.”

Hayat Ammouri: Do you bring diamonds home like your dad used to do?

Valérie Messika: No, but I ask the girls to come to my office, so they can breathe in the atmosphere.

Hayat Ammouri: You have little girls. Do they already have diamonds?

Valérie Messika: They have my first diamond, t’s just a message for birth, a symbol. But you know this bracelet is called Noha, the name of my daughter. She has one bracelet for her and one for her sister.

Hayat Ammouri: Do you have any regrets through your journey so far? Anything you would have done differently?

Valérie Messika: We can always do better. If I look at the things that could not have happened, I will have bad energy, I am very emotional and sensitive. So I am more of a person looking forward than looking back. Fortunately for the moment, we are growing very fast. Even if I regret things that I don’t remember right now, I keep in mind that I need to let go of all the negative thoughts, come over it and continue to lead in a positive way.  I keep the positive. 

Hayat Ammouri: What’s your advice for any woman starting her business?

Valérie Messika: Passion. If you have the passion, you will work but you will never feel that you’re working. You will do what you like and you will feel stronger.

Passion is contagious. When you are passionate, you pass it through to people around you.

Hayat Ammouri: When did you feel that you were successful?

Valérie Messika: When my brand was starting to be distributed in the right places. When celebrities started wearing my brand, it was a shock. When I see beautiful women like Beyoncé wearing my creations, it’s very special.

First you have the idea to create jewelry, then you make it for real, then you see women wearing it… That’s success.

Diamonds..

Hayat Ammouri: What’s a good age to start with diamonds?

Valérie Messika: I would say Eighteen; it’s a good age. 

Hayat Ammouri: What is your advice for a woman buying jewelry for the first time?

Valérie Messika: Jewelry has to match your style and your personality. When you wear it, you have to feel good, more powerful, more sexy. Find what suits you best. Jewelry is not about showing how much money you have.

Hayat Ammouri: What is the diamond piece every woman should have in her collection?

Valérie Messika: I think a good pair of earrings. I love earrings that show a little attitude. I also love the tennis bracelet. It summarizes my philosophy. It’s stretchable, you can wear it, and it’s very comfortable. My idea is for jewelry to be like tattoo. It’s  also flexible and strong, like a woman!

Hayat Ammouri: How do you take care of your jewelry?

Valérie Messika: You have to clean it. Your jewelry gets dirty when you wear it and from the creams you have. We have a small kit to wash jewelry that we give to our customers. 

Hayat Ammouri: How do we wear diamonds during the day?

Valérie Messika: With jeans, it’s a touch of light. You can mix and match. Mix it with other jewelry.