Blue, green, pink, silver, and gold: These and other radiant colours immediately catch the eye when viewing – or even marvelling at – the Köchert pieces displayed throughout the hall.

The Zurich-based wealth advisory firm FINAD opened the evening with a speech that introduced the theme of the event and bridged to the central question that connects the two houses: How can values be preserved across generations while still embracing change?

Viennese Tradition in the Sixth Generation

La Maison A.E. Köchert, founded in 1814 by Emmanuel Pioté and Jacob Heinrich Köchert, is considered the oldest and most traditional jewellery house in Vienna. Today, Christoph, Wolfgang, and Florian Köchert continue the family business in its sixth generation, driven by a passion for handcrafted jewellery.

Köchert’s creations dazzle not only with their vibrant colours but also with their frequent floral motifs, pearls, and gemstones. Every preference finds its expression here. Viennese jewellery radiates style and elegance while also revealing a subtle playfulness through its flower and heart designs.

Selection of Köchert jewellery (Image: zVg)

The Empress’s Legacy

The legendary Sisi Stars are especially famous: those shimmering diamond stars that court jeweller Alexander Emanuel Köchert (whose initials still form the company’s name today) once designed for Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Queen Sisi owned 27 of these stars, which she could wear as a necklace, tiara, pendant, or brooch.

The assortment ranges from necklaces and bracelets to rings, earrings, and even elaborate collier and tiara pieces. To craft these jewels, Köchert uses real diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and brilliants. Prices therefore vary widely – starting at around 1'000 euro and reaching beyond 26'000 euro.

The iconic Sisi Stars (Image: zVg)

Discretion and Foresight Since 1976

FINAD, led by CEO Holger Hohgardt, also looks back on a long tradition. Founded in 1976, the company today operates in Zurich, Vienna, and Hamburg. As an independent family office, it serves wealthy families, entrepreneurs, and foundations. Discretion, leading by example, and humility form the guiding principles of its work.

The firm advises clients on all financial matters, such as strategic wealth planning, asset management, and private-market investments.

Preserving Values, Shaping Change

Köchert and FINAD both symbolize the tension between tradition and modernity. For Köchert, with more than 200 years of history, the future of jewellery is closely tied to the question of authenticity: How can genuine craftsmanship assert itself in a world increasingly filled with lab-grown diamonds?

For FINAD, which has been active as a financial advisor for almost fifty years, the greatest challenge lies in advancing digitalisation. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robot banking are fundamentally reshaping the financial sector and opening new pathways to generate wealth. As a result, new ways must also be found to secure values over the long term.

Continuity and change at the Mandarin Oriental Savoy in Zurich (Image: zVg)

A Firm Core Amid the Dance of Time

Despite the different types of transformation they face, both houses share a commitment to staying true to their core principles and vision. Throughout the evening, it was repeatedly emphasised that this mindset is key to long-term stability. Companies that wish to endure must adapt to the zeitgeist and current trends without losing their identity. Köchert, for example, is exploring investment in a start-up to gain new perspectives, while remaining committed to traditional craftsmanship and genuine gemstones. FINAD, meanwhile, has integrated technological innovation into its advisory approach yet maintains its personal and discreet client service.

What connects Köchert and FINAD is their confident ability to navigate change without losing themselves in the process. In this sense, their gathering at the Mandarin Oriental Savoy felt both fitting and harmonious.