That’s Haute: The Wellendorff Golden Belt

According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, wore a magical belt that made her irresistible. Modern-day beauties hoping to channel her charm with a properly luxurious girdle can have it in Wellendorff’s glamorous golden belt. The 33-inch-long belt is made with four miles of 18-karat gold filament by two specialist goldsmiths, using precision engineering. One person weaves the belt while the other goldsmith constantly disentangles the 40 gold threads that make up the entire piece. The resulting accessory feels silken like fabric. “We have established a third dimension in the making of jewelry,” explained Christoph Wellendorff, the fourth-generation managing director of the brand, speaking at the May 31 opening of Wellendorff’s first North American boutique, located inside The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. “The first two dimensions are design and value, and the third is feel. It’s all about the feel. Wellendorff is the only jewelry in the world you can recognize with your eyes closed,” he said. Thanks to its unique, patented gold-weaving technique, gold lovers will definitely be able to distinguish the smooth, soft touch of this golden belt with their eyes closed. Wellendorff’s supremacy in the field is unequivocal: The company, like Porsche, has consistently been named one of Germany’s top luxury brands. The Pforzheim, Germany-based jeweler’s first U.S. shop also displays an assortment of signature liquid-silk, ropelike necklaces, and enamel and diamond rings with swirling colors. To make a true fashion statement, PYTs and social swans could gracefully wrap the stunning golden belt around their waists. For a cool $272,300, the treasured belt, a symbol of strength, mastery, and true love, can be yours.