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S kincare guru to the stars, Dr Barbara Sturm is in high demand all over the world for her expertise and Molecular Cosmetics line of products. But she is also known for her love of fine jewelry. From her LA base, she talks us through her personal style, life in lockdown and her highlights from the upcoming Fine Jewels sale, which is open for bidding from 28 May until 4 June.
Sotheby's: You have a background in science, and have built one of the most sought-after, iconic beauty brands in the world. How did you arrive where you are today?
Barbara Sturm: Persistence, belief, tenacity, hard work, risk taking and taking things step-by-step. I never think too far into the future and try to always stay in the present and set only realistic goals for myself.
What is your relationship to jewelry?
I worship every piece of jewelry I have because every piece has a story to it. I had to save up a lot of money for some of my pieces, so they are very meaningful to me because they required hard work to own them. Other pieces are special because they were given to me by people I love. I take very good care of them – some of them I have already handed down to my daughter.
What is the one piece of jewelry you couldn’t live without?
I love to always wear my diamond studs which I bought for myself and aside from this, of course I love to wear my wedding ring.
How would you describe your personal style? Is it important for you to portray a certain image all times, or are you free to experiment?
I would say it’s both simple and classic. I might be wearing a white t-shirt and jeans but I like to wear nice jewelry with it, along with a cool purse and shoes. For evenings I like to wear effortless, classy but still sexy pieces like slips from Galvan London, which always leaves a little space for some nice jewelry without ever feeling like it’s too much.
Most people are working from home currently and adjusting to life in lockdown. What has been your routine over this unusual period?
I wake up super early in the morning because I am in LA right now and Europe is way ahead of us. My team is spread across New York, London and Germany so I need to get in touch with everyone in the morning. Meanwhile, I also have my morning coffee and try to fit in a quick work out, usually while I am on calls. I am doing a lot of lives and masterclasses, mostly in my mornings up until 3pm. We are in touch with our NYC, London and German offices for most of the morning and then after, I create a lot of content for magazine interviews and our own channels. Then I play with my five-year-old daughter, Pepper, and we always have a family dinner. I go to bed early with Pepper, between 8pm and 9pm and try to get a lot of sleep.
What is your favourite piece from the sale, and how would you style it?
The Cartier Ruby ear clips are my favourite. I would style them with a very simple outfit, like some jeans and a white t-shirt, to ensure the attention is not taken away from the jewelry.
