What is your place of longing?

“We had the idea to communicate home in a different way. We are children of the North. I used to spend my holidays on Norderney and later on Sylt. We sailed a lot in Hörnum around the southern tip. Coordinates, a lighthouse. There was something trusting about it.”

Jochen von Kemp has always been creative. He used an old Vespa to make chairs and tables, for example. “I’ve always enjoyed changing materials. When I was a child I loved to spend time in our saddlery,” he says.

I am meeting the ANCRAGE owner on his favourite island Sylt for an interview. Jochen von Kemp was born in Dortmund and is actually running a family business in the 5th generation. “After completing my business studies in Venlo, my grandmother asked me to continue the business. As my father had worked with my grandmother for decades, he wanted to avoid further family conflicts and retired at the age of 60. Our company has existed since 1873, when we produced carriages. Today we do superstructures and conversions of vehicles and trucks and restore classic cars.”

“Somehow I was still looking for a new challenge and was dissatisfied. My wife Tessa then said to me: “You are so creative. Why don’t you do something new again?”

“Since 2016, we have been producing bangles with coordinates of various hotspots on an old spindle press from 1920, which is still in our company. It all started on Norderney. A hotelier thought our idea was great and supported us in getting started and immediately provided a showcase where we could show the products. That was the starting signal. We didn’t expect that everything would develop so quickly. In the second to third year we made 17 times the turnover.

Today we have the bangle with further coordinates like Ibiza, Tegernsee and Kitzbühel. My wife loves the Kampen lighthouse. That’s why we chose the coordinates of the Kampen lighthouse for the Sylt bangle.

“On Sylt we are represented at different locations. In stage 16, among others. That was a matter close to my heart. This location is for me the epitome of Sylt. Here I have experienced so many beautiful moments.”

“One knighthood was that we were able to enthuse Wempe on Sylt for our arm braces, or the Stanglwirt in Kitzbühel, for example. The Hauser family sells our jewellery in the hotel boutique and immediately liked our products. They made a photo gallery with Cathy Hummels. Arnold Schwarzenegger is also supposed to wear our bangle. “

“The name ANCRAGE came to me during a football tournament of our son in a stuffy gymnasium in winter. I read a book and imagined what it would be like to be by the sea now with great North Sea air. Coordinates, compass rose, anchorage. All this went through my head. I entered anchorage in Google and that’s how I came up with “Ancrage”. Anchorage in French.”

“We also do custom work. Hardy Krüger Jr., the globetrotter, for example, has a bracelet with coordinates of where he got engaged. We try to realize all wishes. We can also work in small diamonds or make other imprints, like “I love life” or “Friends forever”.”

The bangle comes in 935 silver. It has a higher silver content than sterling silver and therefore has a higher luster. Or in gold-plated brass or rose gold-plated. Solid gold is also possible on request. New is the colour black, which is applied with a “Diamond like Carbon coating” and then ionised and blasted. This creates a great matt black.

The braces are available in different sizes and also for children.

Jochen is currently developing new products such as necklaces and bracelets. With the begging bracelet you can collect little by little. Once you have visited the areas, you can treat yourself to another pendant on every holiday. But also beach bags are planned. The small label should become a real brand.

My friend Marion Bock wears a silver bangle with the coordinates of Sylt. The bangle in gold has the coordinates of your homeland Tegernsee.

The packaging bags of the jewellery are made by Caritas in workshops for the disabled. A part of the proceeds was previously donated to the sea rescue service and is now going to “1% for the planet” and to anti- plastic campaigns.

Of course I would like to have a bracelet with the coordinates of St. Tropez! But I am more than happy with my bangle from Sylt and since I got it a few weeks ago I wear it daily! So you always have a memory of places you associate with beautiful memories with you.

If I made you curious, you can find the Link to the Ancrage website here.

Email: sehnsucht@ancrage.de

Photos: Uwe Erensmann

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A few more Sylt tips: Jochen still loves stage 16 as a place to relax on Sylt. But he also likes to go to Strönholt at the Budersand Hotel. “You sit wonderfully there! You have an incredible peace and quiet. It is relaxed and laid-back. The food is very good.”

“The Sylter Muscheln Bistro in Hörnum is also great.”

Posted in Fashion, General | Tags : Ancrage, ancrage bangles, Ancrage Ibiza, Ancrage Juist, Ancrage Sylt, Ancrage Tegernsee, Jochen von Kemp Ancrage