Louise Kriek
Forever stretches into eternity. It's a philosophy more than a practical concept. As emotional beings with such short lives when compared to the vastness of time, making a promise that lasts forever is not a thing to be done lightly. When this promise is made it carries with it a weight and a meaning much deeper than any other.
Louise Kriek’s Journey
An aspiring young creative and runner-up of the De Beers Group Shining Light Awards, Louise is passionate about jewellery design. Here we discover what Forever means to her.
Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa, Kriek studied jewellery design and manufacturing at the University of Technology in Pretoria. Runner up of the Shining Light Awards in 2015/16, Kriek carried out a three-month internship with us at the De Beers Forevermark Design and Innovation Centre in Milan. During her internship, in a once in a lifetime opportunity, Kriek designed ‘Force of Nature’, a masterpiece design comprising a statement ring and brooch that are part of the De Beers Forevermark Red Carpet Collection.
“To think that a piece of jewellery I’ve helped create could be showcased on the red carpet on a global stage is a demonstration of just how important the Shining Light Awards are in helping to build the careers of emerging jewellery designers.”
What does ‘Forever’ mean to Louise Kriek?
Forever for Kriek is about the promises we make and the legacies we leave. A promise of Forever has a much deeper meaning than any other. As we have such short lives compared to the vastness of time, living on long after we’re gone, a promise of Forever is about the love, passion and dedication that you have for your loved one to make a promise as special as Forever.
Whether it’s protecting the environment or creating a sustainable future in harmony with the natural world, something that De Beers Forevermark diamonds contribute to, you should leave a legacy that you are proud of and a legacy that future generations will look at with admiration.
What opportunities do you feel De Beers Forevermark and the De Beers Group provides for women?
"In terms of community I think De Beers Forevermark and the De Beers Group provide women with the opportunity to be empowered. The work the De Beers Group does in Southern Africa is proof of this – women are given the opportunity to become financially independent and to contribute to their communities. In terms of style and fashion, Forevemark and the De Beers Group provide women with the opportunity to feel absolutely amazing while wearing the world’s most beautiful diamonds. But not just that, their jewellery has meaning behind it, it symbolises love and eternity." - Louise Kriek
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