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Diamants ou pierres de couleur, quelles seraient les conséquences sur l’industrie de la bijouterie et de la haute joaillerie si demain les pierres précieuses venaient à manquer ? 

C’est une question qui fait peur, pourtant aujourd’hui l’approvisionnement en gemmes est une problématique complexe à laquelle tous les professionnels de la joaillerie doivent être sensibilisés, à commencer par les designers et les créateurs. 

Comment imaginer un bijou sans s’assurer au préalable que les pierres nécessaires à sa réalisation sont disponibles sur le marché ? L’accessibilité aux gemmes conditionne tout processus de création, car un béryl rouge ou une opale noire qui serait introuvable, c’est un retard de production ou un surcoût de fabrication à envisager… Le pire scénario serait bien sûr celui d’un bijou qui ne verrait jamais le jour faute d’approvisionnement. 

 

Appréhender les problématiques de l’approvisionnement

Volatilité des ressources  

La découverte d’un gisement, qu’il s’agisse de diamants ou de pierres de couleur, se fait toujours de manière inopinée. Et de la même manière que sa découverte est aléatoire, son exploitation l’est tout autant. La quantité et la qualité des gemmes étant liée à la géologie des sols, l’approvisionnement est intrinsèquement instable. Il fluctue inévitablement en fonction des nouveaux gisements mis à jour, et du rythme auquel se fait l’extraction. Ainsi, l’appauvrissement des ressources est variable d’une mine à une autre, certaines s’épuisant en quelques semaines lorsque d’autres alimentent des filières d’approvisionnement durant plusieurs mois ou pendant de nombreuses années.  

 

Géopolitique et fragilité des filières d’approvisionnement

Designers, gemmologues, négociants ou importateurs, tous les professionnels doivent être conscients que la géopolitique est inhérente aux problématiques d’approvisionnement. Aujourd’hui, l’éclatement d’un conflit peut provoquer l’arrêt immédiat d’une activité minière ou déclencher des mesures de restrictions commerciales à l’encontre de certains pays. L’actuel embargo sur les diamants russes illustre très pertinemment ce risque. Pour le négociant Raj Mehta, représentant de la firme Rosy Blue, l’un des plus gros acteurs de référence dans l’industrie du diamant – l’enjeu le plus important est d’être capable de faire face à ce type de situation soudaine en s’adaptant immédiatement. D’ailleurs, en 2022, de nombreux professionnels ont dû réorganiser leurs réseaux d’exploitation et se tourner vers de nouveaux partenaires pour continuer à s’approvisionner en diamants. Les filières d’approvisionnement se sont majoritairement recentrées vers le Canada et le Botswana pour répondre à la demande du marché.

 

Stock, qualité et intuition…  

Embargo politique ou épuisement des gisements, le plus grand risque concernant l’approvisionnement en gemmes est inévitablement celui de la rupture des chaînes de production et de distribution. Alors comment éviter la pénurie et prévenir ses conséquences dramatiques ? Pour le négociant en pierres précieuses Mathieu Tharin, la solution est évidente et tient en un mot : stocker.

Constituer des réserves de pierres est la seule option pour pouvoir répondre positivement à la demande du marché si demain tous les réseaux d’extraction et d’exportation devaient être hors service. Cependant le risque de ne pas parvenir à écouler son stock est une menace réelle. Pour éviter ce danger et constituer un stock à forte valeur ajoutée, le négociant parisien préconise de privilégier la qualité avant tout. Une pierre de bonne qualité, c’est une pierre qui valorisera forcément avec les années.

Un bon négociant doit aussi être un visionnaire. Investir avant l’heure sur de nouveaux gisements peut s’avérer être une stratégie gagnante pour constituer un stock. Pour preuve, au début des années 2000, le grenat spessartite du Nigeria fait son apparition sur le marché. Pourtant à ses débuts, cette nouvelle gemme suscite peu d’enthousiasme auprès des joailliers et négociants, malgré un index réfringent supérieur à celui du saphir et un prix accessible oscillant entre 100$ et 150$ le carat. C’est seulement vers la fin des années 2000, lorsque sa couleur brun / orange connaît un regain d’intérêt, que sa côte s’envole. Cet exemple n’est pas un cas à part, mais une véritable tendance, puisque l’analyse des gisements de pierres de couleurs découverts durant les 20 dernières années, a permis de démontrer que la valeur de ces gemmes n’a fait qu’augmenter avec les années.

 

Vers une  durabilité de l’approvisionnement

Changer notre regard sur les pierres traitées

Si stocker est une alternative efficace pour garantir l’approvisionnement en gemmes, cette pratique fait émerger de nouveaux challenges, car toutes les pierres ne résistent pas de la même manière aux affres du temps. À la différence du diamant qui est impérissable, certaines gemmes comme l’opale ou le saphir peuvent se dégrader avec les années, le risque majeur pour l’investisseur est alors de voir son stock se déprécier. Si le stock doit être pensé comme un investissement à forte valeur ajoutée, comment y parvenir lorsque l’on prend le risque de conserver des pierres dites « fragiles » ? L’une des alternatives proposées par la gemmologue Chloé Picard est le recours aux traitements. Si cette pratique divise aujourd’hui les acteurs du marché, pour l’experte elle représente une possibilité de réguler l’approvisionnement en optimisant l’offre. Certaines techniques, comme les traitements dits  « basse température » permettent de renforcer la solidité d’une pierre sans en modifier l’apparence, et ainsi la rendre plus durable. Et si faire évoluer notre regard sur les traitements permettait de créer des chaînes d’approvisionnement viables ? C’est une piste de réflexion que Chloé Picard suggère d’explorer.  

 

Créer de la désidérabilité sur les matériaux atypiques

Saviez-vous que seulement 1% de la production d’une mine compte parmi les pierres « les plus recherchées du marché » ? Les 99% de pierres restantes sont malheureusement difficilement commercialisables, car mal connues du grand public. Pourtant, la plupart d’entre elles possèdent des propriétés intéressantes qui mériteraient d’être valorisées par un storytelling puissant. Un marketing efficace pourrait permettre de séduire davantage les consommateurs, et de créer une demande plus forte sur certaines pierres. Susciter de la désidérabilité sur ces matériaux atypiques peut être une manière de réguler les filières d’approvisionnement, c’est en tout cas la voie que préconise la géologue Lauriane Pinsault, fondatrice du cabinet d’expertise GeoGems.

 

Repenser l’économie des gemmes  

Développer des chaînes d’approvisionnement plus durables, c’est aussi envisager de nouveaux modèles économiques. Si aujourd’hui l’activité d’une mine se résume essentiellement à extraire des gemmes et les vendre, peut-être faudrait-il demain envisager de les stocker ? C’est la question que pose Lauriane Pinsault. En effet, en vendant immédiatement la totalité de leur production, les exploitants de mines s’exposent à une cessation brutale d’activité lorsque le gisement est épuisé. Or, en stockant une partie des ressources extraites, la vente de la production pourrait se poursuivre après la fin de la période d’extraction, assurant alors à la mine, et à son personnel, une continuité financière. Pour la géologue, repenser le rôle des sociétés d’exploitation minière peut permettre de faire émerger de nouveaux modèles économiques capables de pérenniser les chaînes d’approvisionnement. 

 

Pour conclure  

À ce jour, la seule manière de réguler et de maîtriser efficacement l’approvisionnement en gemmes est de s’informer continuellement sur la découverte de nouveaux gisements, l’état d’épuisement des mines et l'évolution des cours. Toutes ces informations permettent d’appréhender avec discernement les enjeux à venir en matière d’approvisionnement. 

Les technologies capables d’anticiper les futures tendances du marché ne cessent de performer. Contribuant à réguler la production, et donc in fine à préserver les ressources, c’est un outil puissant qui permet de tendre vers un approvisionnement plus durable.

 

 

 

   

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Speaker: Mme Brigitte Serre-Bouret

 

La conférence "Bijoux : l'orfèvre et le peintre" explore la valeur symbolique des gemmes à travers l'histoire, représentant le pouvoir, la protection et l'expression des émotions. Ces pierres précieuses sont associées aux bijoux et aux portraits, portant des significations au-delà de la simple parure. L'orfèvre comprend le langage des pierres, que le peintre représente symboliquement ou conventionnellement sur toile. La conférence est organisée en trois thèmes principaux :

 

1. Le langage des gemmes dans les sources écrites et leur symbolique en peinture.

2. Les civilisations antiques (Égypte, Grèce, Rome) : les pierres pour l'éternité.

3. L'art du portrait, du gothique tardif au début du XXe siècle : le bijou témoin de la mode et de son époque.

 

La conférencière, Mme Brigitte Serre-Bouret, est présentée comme une historienne de l'art et conservatrice réputée, spécialisée en gemmologie. La conférence s'appuie sur son livre et vise à explorer le rôle et la signification des gemmes tant dans les textes écrits que dans les représentations artistiques.

 

La conférencière évoque la croyance universelle dans les propriétés mystiques et protectrices des gemmes dans différentes cultures, telles que l'Inde et la tradition judéo-chrétienne. En Inde, des textes anciens suggèrent que le port de certaines pierres peut apporter protection et pouvoir, et les astrologues et les joailliers déterminent quelles pierres conviennent aux individus en fonction de leurs chakras personnels et de considérations astrologiques.

 

Dans la tradition judéo-chrétienne, les pierres précieuses sont associées à la divinité et sont mentionnées dans la Bible, notamment dans la description de la Jérusalem céleste aux murs constitués de différentes pierres précieuses. La conférencière met en évidence l'utilisation des gemmes dans des symboles religieux, tels que le Pectoral d'Aaron, qui comportait 12 pierres précieuses représentant les 12 tribus d'Israël.

 

Le rôle de l'orfèvre au Moyen Âge est souligné, car ils sont devenus des figures importantes pour créer des objets religieux et travailler avec des reliques. En revanche, les peintres de la Renaissance ont dû relever le défi de représenter symboliquement les gemmes dans leurs œuvres, en s'appuyant souvent sur des ouvrages comme le traité de Cesare Ripa pour les guider dans la représentation de vertus et de symboles spécifiques.

 

La conférence explore également les significations symboliques de pierres précieuses spécifiques représentées dans les peintures. Par exemple, le diamant représente le pouvoir et est souvent représenté sur des figures religieuses telles que les papes. Les rubis symbolisent l'amour divin et la protection, tandis que les émeraudes sont associées au renouveau et au printemps.

 

La conférencière mentionne également les perles en tant que symboles de pureté et de chasteté, ainsi que le corail en tant que représentation du sang de la mythique Méduse. Ces deux gemmes sont souvent présentées dans des peintures aux côtés de figures religieuses, transmettant des significations spécifiques liées à leurs histoires.

 

L'histoire des bijoux remonte à des milliers d'années, et au fil des siècles, ces accessoires ont évolué pour devenir des symboles de statut social, de pouvoir, de spiritualité, et d'expression artistique. Une représentation récurrente dans l'histoire de l'art est celle des peintres italiens qui aimaient représenter les enfants Jésus portant des petites branches de corail autour du cou. Au début, cela symbolisait le sacrifice expiatoire du Christ, mais avec le temps, le corail est devenu un symbole de protection pour l'enfant, devenant ainsi un glissement populaire.

 

Dans les pays anglo-saxons, les colliers de petites perles de corail et les boules de corail étaient offerts pour protéger les nouveau-nés, une pratique qui était également présente en France jusqu'entre les deux guerres mondiales. Le hochet avec un manche en corail était également un cadeau courant pour les bébés pour apaiser leurs douleurs dentaires.

 

Un autre symbole intéressant issu de la Renaissance est la collaboration entre Brueghel et Rubens. Un tableau de cette collaboration montre Vénus et Cupidon se regardant dans un miroir. Outre la scène, cet artwork est remarquable pour les bijoux représentés sur la table. Ces bijoux, typiques du début du XVIIe siècle, nous montrent l'évolution des styles de l'époque.

 

Les civilisations antiques, comme l'Égypte ancienne, ont également laissé des témoignages archéologiques intéressants sur les bijoux. Des bijoux en lapis-lazuli, en cornaline, et en turquoise étaient couramment utilisés, avec des significations liées à la régénération et à la vie dans l'au-delà. Les portraits du Fayoum, des représentations de personnes réalisées du vivant, offrent également des détails sur les bijoux portés à l'époque.

 

En Grèce, la céramique est une source importante d'informations sur les bijoux portés par les Grecs anciens. Les couronnes à feuilles d'or étaient populaires, et les représentations d'échange amoureux étaient fréquentes, montrant des couples en train de s'échanger des bagues pour sceller leur amour.

 

Le Moyen Âge voit l'émergence des enseignes, de petits bijoux portés sur les chapeaux pour identifier son statut social et appartenir à un groupe spécifique. L'amour courtois est également illustré dans les bijoux de l'époque, avec des pendentifs en or émaillé représentant des symboles amoureux tels que Cupidon et des motifs romantiques.

 

La Renaissance marque un tournant dans l'histoire des bijoux avec l'émergence d'une véritable bijouterie. Les grands insignes d'ordres chevaleresques, tels que la Toison d'or, deviennent des accessoires de distinction sociale. Les tailleurs de gemmes en pointe et les cabochons sont fréquemment utilisés dans les bijoux de l'époque.

 

Les bijoux à cette période sont également influencés par la symbolique religieuse, les vertus, et les motifs marins. Des perles baroques sont utilisées de manière créative, ornées d'êtres imaginaires tels que des tritons et des dauphins. Les peintures de l'époque, ainsi que les écrits et les traités sur la bijouterie, fournissent une riche documentation sur les styles et les tendances de l'époque.

 

La conférence décrit aussi de manière détaillée l'évolution de la mode des bijoux à travers les différentes époques de l'histoire. Elle met en évidence l'évolution des goûts, des matériaux utilisés, des techniques de fabrication et des symboles associés aux bijoux au fil du temps.

 

On débute en évoquant l'importance du navire comme moyen de transport des pierres précieuses, des épices et des matières précieuses, soulignant ainsi l'influence du commerce maritime sur la mode des bijoux. Aussi, les bijoux tels que les bagues gémellaires, qui s'ouvrent en deux, sont très prisés à une époque anglo-saxonne. On mentionne également les zibellinos, des bijoux en fourrure qui étaient populaires dans les cours européennes aux XVe et XVIe siècles, ainsi que les pomanders, de petites boules contenant des herbes et des écorces confites, portées pour protéger des odeurs.

 

Mme Serre-Bouret met ensuite en avant l'importance des personnalités telles que Madame de Sévigné et Joséphine de Beauharnais dans l'initiation de tendances en matière de bijoux. Madame de Sévigné a popularisé les bijoux en forme de nœuds, tandis que Joséphine de Beauharnais a lancé la mode des bijoux étrusques et des peignes-diadèmes. Les bijoux de sentiments et de deuil sont également évoqués, soulignant leur signification et leur utilisation dans la société de l'époque.

 

L'évolution de la mode des bijoux au XVIIIe siècle est marquée par l'arrivée du strass, qui rend les bijoux plus accessibles. Les bijoux de nuit, tels que les aigrettes et les girandoles, deviennent très populaires, reflétant les lumières des chandelles. L'éclectisme est également important, avec des bijoux s'inspirant de différentes époques et styles.

 

L'influence de la peinture sur la représentation des bijoux est également discutée. Mme Serre-Bouret souligne que la peinture peut être un témoin important de l'histoire des bijoux, illustrant leur utilisation et leur signification dans la société. Des exemples de portraits de personnages célèbres portant des bijoux sont donnés pour illustrer cette idée.

 

Enfin, Mme Serre-Bouret raconte l'histoire du diamant bleu "Bleu de France", depuis son achat par Louis XIV jusqu'à sa présence actuelle au Smithsonian Muséum à Washington. Il évoque la superstition entourant ce diamant et les différents propriétaires qui l'ont possédé au fil des siècles.

 

Dans l'ensemble, cette conférence offre un aperçu complet et détaillé de l'évolution de la mode et des bijoux à travers les siècles et la peinture, en soulignant les influences historiques et culturelles qui ont façonné cet univers fascinant.

 

 

 

   

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In this intriguing talk, Joanna Hardy takes the audience on a captivating journey through the history of sapphires, spanning from ancient times to the contemporary era. She begins by discussing the talismanic powers ascribed to sapphires during the Middle Ages, during which the gem was believed to possess magical properties and was treated with reverence and caution in various parts of the world. These mystical attributes of sapphires made them highly coveted by those seeking protection and divine favour.

 

Mrs Hardy highlights the significance of sapphire as the stone of choice for British royalty, particularly for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. This popularity continued among subsequent royal family members, further enhancing the gem's allure and prestige, as seen in the Imperial State Crown, set with St Edward’s Sapphire and the Stuart Sapphire.

 

The talk delves into the fascination surrounding sapphire jewellery collections owned by influential socialites, including Daisy Fellowes, the Duchess of Windsor, and Elizabeth Taylor. These glitterati figures wore sapphires to symbolise wealth, status, and elegance, contributing to the stone's desirability and cultural significance.

 

The speaker then introduces her book, 'Sapphire,' part of a trilogy which took over a decade to write and explores sapphire's history and impact on human culture. Mrs Hardy seeks to transport the audience through time, much like a tea ceremony used by a gem dealer to prepare individuals for the enchanting experience of viewing gemstone collections.

 

Colour emerges as a key theme in the presentation, with Mrs Hardy emphasising that red, green, and blue represent the colours of passion, hope, and the heavens, respectively. Sapphire's blue hue is linked to intangible elements like the sky and the sea, evoking a sense of wonder and mystery.

 

The talk also sheds light on the significance of colour in gemstones before the importance of cut and clarity became equally prominent factors in evaluating gem quality. In ancient times, the richness and intensity of colour were highly prized, and gemstones were valued for their natural form, durability, and enchanting hues.

 

Mrs Hardy shares insights into the magical process of gem formation within the Earth, emphasising the importance of chromium, iron, and titanium ingredients in producing the vibrant colours seen in sapphires. This natural alchemy, orchestrated by the planet itself, results in the creation of captivating gemstones.

 

Addressing the challenges of determining sapphire origins, the speaker highlights the difficulties in distinguishing sapphires from different regions due to ancient landmasses, like Gondwana, which were once interconnected and had complex geological histories.

 

The presentation also explores sapphire's metaphysical and symbolic aspects, revealing its association with tranquillity, trust, faithfulness, protection, and healing. Sapphires were considered potent tools to combat the unknown, control fate, and safeguard against illness.

 

Moving on to the historical significance of sapphires, Mrs Hardy shares intriguing details about ancient trade routes, where gemstones were exchanged between continents for thousands of years. Sri Lanka, a source of sapphires for over two millennia, played a central role in these ancient trade networks.

 

The talk focuses on early sapphire artefacts, revealing that many of these stones exhibited a unique dimpling effect due to carving out surface-reaching imperfections to create subtle surface patterns through cutting. Sapphires were often drilled for various purposes, like being worn as amulets or talismans.

 

The historical significance of sapphire in ecclesiastical jewellery is also explored. Sapphire rings, worn by bishops, symbolised their vows to serve the Church faithfully and align themselves with divine powers. The talk highlights an exceptional relic jewel, the Middleham Jewel, which carried religious symbolism and was possibly associated with assisting in childbirth during the Middle Ages.

 

Mrs Hardy then highlights the enduring allure of sapphires throughout history, reflecting their physical beauty and the beliefs, myths, and superstitions surrounding them for centuries. Surviving historical jewels, like the Metaphysical Prophylactic Jewel, offer invaluable insights into the metaphysical beliefs of the past, showing how sapphires were treasured as potent talismans offering protection and reassurance in a tumultuous world.

 

Continuing this captivating talk on sapphires, Joanna Hardy delves deeper into the cultural significance of these mesmerising gemstones, taking us on a journey beyond Europe to explore their unique roles in various societies.

 

She starts by shedding light on the special place sapphires hold in Indian culture. Decking deities with exquisite jewellery in India has been integral to Hindu rituals for centuries. Jewellery with images or figures of deities is presented in temples as offerings, signifying the return of riches bestowed upon the gods, who, in turn, gave these precious gifts to humankind. One intriguing highlight is the depiction of a Hindu processional figure adorned with sapphires, an unusual choice considering sapphires are typically associated with the planet Saturn, believed to bring bad luck or bad omens. However, the fact that these gems are offered to the deity implies that good fortune or health has been granted to the worshipper despite the astrological challenges.

 

The talk then delves into the captivating world of sapphire carvings. These intricate artworks serve as windows into a metaphysical realm, conveying myths and legends through art when few could understand the written word. One enigmatic portrayal features a Roman Empress with a child's face behind her head, symbolising themes of infertility or references to the past and future. The audience is also treated to the stunning sight of a deity carving, meticulously crafted from a single sapphire crystal, standing 2.9 centimetres tall. Another delightful highlight includes a photograph of the Maharaja of Indore wearing an unusual sapphire, believed to bring him good luck upon the advice of his guru.

 

The talk then moves to discuss the allure of sapphires in royal circles. From Queen Victoria's cherished wedding brooch gifted by Prince Albert to her versatile Sapphire Coronet, an exquisite bandeau tiara cherished by the Queen even in mourning, sapphires have always featured prominently in regal jewellery collections. The magnificent St. Edward Sapphire, the oldest gem in the Royal Collection, and the Stuart Sapphire, both set in the Imperial State Crown, are also showcased.

 

As Mrs Hardy continues to take the audience on a beguiling journey, she explores gemstone-producing regions, including Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Australia. Each region boasts its own rich history and unique sapphire offerings. Sri Lanka, with its illustrious gemstone history dating back 2,500 years, remains an important source of stunning sapphires. Madagascar's sapphire discoveries in the 1990s have brought forth an impressive array of gems, while Burma's Mogok region is renowned for its exceptional sapphires. Meanwhile, Australia's sapphires have seen a resurgence, with a renewed appreciation for their natural colours and distinctive qualities.

 

Throughout the talk, Mrs Hardy brings forth the beauty of these exquisite gems and the passion of those who cut and design jewellery, creating a harmonious synergy in the world of gemstones. The enduring fascination of sapphires continues to captivate collectors to this day, connecting them through history, culture, and the timeless allure of these precious treasures.

 

 

 

 

 

   

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GemGenève, the prestigious jewellery exhibition, was set to host a captivating educational-promotional session last May that provided a unique opportunity for exhibitors to share their favourite Art Deco jewels with the audience. This session aimed to delve into the experts' minds behind these remarkable pieces and uncover the stories that have shaped their expertise. Amanda Triossi, a renowned jewellery historian, guided attendees through a journey of discovery, revealing the hidden gems of GemGenève.

 

To set the stage for this enlightening session, it is important to understand the origins of the term "Art Deco." Derived from the famous exhibition of 1925, the Exposition Universelle des Arts Décoratifs, Art Deco became the name of an entire artistic movement. Although initially scheduled for 1916, the exhibition took place in 1925, showcasing truly modern 20th-century jewels. The key features of Art Deco jewellery include geometric designs and, at times, vibrant colours. The movement drew inspiration from various artistic currents, such as Cubism and the use of bold colours in the fine arts. However, what became evident is that Art Deco was not a sudden departure but rather a gradual transition from earlier styles.

 

The first exhibitor to share their insights is Welsley Aframian, a jewellery expert from L.A. Welsley has chosen three diamond platinum brooches to present. Each piece represents a different stage in the evolution from Edwardian to Art Deco style. The first brooch displays a transitional design, retaining Edwardian elements while incorporating geometric shapes that hint at the emerging Art Deco aesthetic. The second brooch introduces vibrant colours with a square-cut emerald and diamonds, sharp edges, and rigid lines, characteristic of Art Deco. The final brooch showcases a square shape with sharp edges, emphasising the Art Deco geometric style while retaining traces of Edwardian craftsmanship in the detailed platinum work. These pieces exemplify the gradual transition between artistic periods and highlight the expertise of the curators in selecting such representative and wearable jewels.

 

Next is Elli Abramov from Morelle Davidson, an esteemed figure in the jewellery world. Elli's passion for jewellery and expertise have been honed over many years of careful observation and continuous learning. He has chosen Bulgari's stunning late 1920s Art Deco bracelet to share with the audience. This piece stands out for its rarity, exquisite craftsmanship, and use of design elements borrowed from Indian Mogul art. Interestingly, it deviates from the typical Bulgari style seen today, as it was manufactured and retailed in Paris during that period. Elli emphasises the importance of understanding a particular era's historical context and design choices. This bracelet represents the broader spectrum of Art Deco, encompassing the early 1920s to the mid-1930s, and showcases the evolving trends within the movement.

 

Garance Brandely from the Faerber Collection in Geneva introduces a unique selection of vanities from Thomas Faerber's private collection. These vanities, dating back to the mid-1920s, exemplify women's liberation during the Art Deco period, particularly in makeup and fashion. The vanities were an essential luxury accessory, symbolising the changing societal norms that allowed women to wear bolder makeup and express their style. Garance highlights a Van Cleef & Arpels vanity case crafted by Strauss Allard and Meyer, a renowned workshop in Paris. This case features clever design elements such as multiple compartments for different cosmetic items and showcases the collaboration between the workshop and major jewellery houses. Another vanity case, by Boucheron, incorporates vibrant enamel work and draws inspiration from the Japanese inro boxes. These vanities epitomise the allure and status associated with Art Deco accessories during the 1920s.

 

Christine Fisher from the Paul Fisher family business in New York concludes the session with Cartier's selection of a magnificent diamond, platinum, and gold bangle from the 1930s. This iconic piece stands for the exuberance and energy of the Art Deco era. Christine emphasises how this bangle exemplifies the craftsmanship of Cartier and the influence of design trends of the period. The piece's detachable clips showcase the advancements in jewellery-making technology, specifically the patented clip mechanism introduced in 1927. Christine also shares her journey, recounting how she found herself drawn to the family business despite initially pursuing a medical career. She reflects on the family's rich history in the jewellery industry, dating back to Vienna in 1850, and their focus on one-of-a-kind treasures.

 

The stories behind these experts and their chosen jewels illustrate the intricate connection between passion, expertise, and the evolution of jewellery throughout history. From Welsley's unexpected path into the world of jewellery to Elli's exploration of rare pieces, Garance's appreciation for the cultural shifts represented by vanities, and Christine's fusion of family legacy and personal calling, the session provides a glimpse into the diverse journeys of these knowledgeable individuals.

 

GemGenève's educational-promotional session offered attendees a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating world of Art Deco jewellery. Behind each remarkable jewel lies an expert with an exceptional eye whose passion and knowledge bring these hidden gems to light. The gradual transition from earlier styles to the Art Deco movement becomes evident through the carefully chosen pieces presented by the experts. These jewels showcase exquisite craftsmanship and embody the spirit of a transformative era.

 

As GemGenève continues to captivate jewellery enthusiasts and collectors worldwide, it still is a testament to these timeless treasures' enduring allure and significance.
 

 

 

 

   

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« Sans fermoir, un collier ou un bracelet ça n’existe pas. »

La citation est d’Anna Tabakhova et elle résume parfaitement la démarche dans laquelle cette créatrice de bijoux s’est engagée en 2004. Fascinée par les systèmes d’ouverture et de fermeture des bijoux, ces mécanismes qui révèlent toute l’ingéniosité et la créativité des artisans bijoutiers du monde entier, la bijoutière entreprend un projet ambitieux : retracer la grande histoire du fermoir en bijouterie.

En 2013, le Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris l’invite à partager ses recherches le temps d’une conférence inédite. Face à l’immense curiosité du public pour ce thème trop peu exploré, Anna Tabakova décide d’éditer ses découvertes et publie en 2016 Le fermoir en bijouterie, 4 000 ans d’histoires. Ce livre, qui connaît un succès international lors de sa parution, reste à ce jour le seul ouvrage de référence sur le sujet.

4 000 ans d’ingéniosité 

Incluant toutes les époques et toutes les civilisations, le travail de recherche d’Anna Tabakhova a permis de mettre en lumière toutes les techniques de créations développées autour de l’art du fermoir.

Si les premiers bijoux équipés d’un système de fermeture apparaissent il y a 4 000 ans, les bijoux réalisés par les Égyptiens durant la période antique permettent déjà d’observer que les premiers exemples de fermoirs sont extrêmement élaborés et que l’esthétique ne vient jamais après la fonctionnalité. Dès les premières expérimentations, les joailliers développent des mécanismes qui conjuguent beauté et praticité. Le fermoir n’a pas vocation à être seulement pratique, il doit s’inscrire dans la ligne esthétique du bijou. 

S’offrent alors aux bijoutiers deux possibilités : réaliser des fermoirs qui se dissimulent parfaitement dans le bijou, ou à l’inverse imaginer des fermoirs visibles et décoratifs. Les bracelets découverts dans le sarcophage du Pharaon Toutânkhamon illustrent à merveille la seconde tendance, le fermoir prend des allures de scarabée de lapis-lazuli et constitue même la partie centrale du bijou. Délicatement travaillé, orné de pierres semi-précieuses, le fermoir a vocation à être montré et porté sur le dessus du bras.

 

Une multitude de styles, de mécanismes et de typologies d’usage

Originalité, technicité ou encore simplicité, depuis 4 millénaires la pluralité des démarches créatives a donné vie à une multitude de fermoirs. Ainsi, il n’y a pas une histoire du fermoir, mais une histoire des fermoirs. Inspirant les créateurs de bijoux de toutes les époques, de nombreux joailliers ont fait preuve d’une étonnante inventivité dans la manière d’aborder le fermoir.

Qu’il se ferme dans le cou ou prenne la forme d’un pendentif, qu’il soit amovible, interchangeable ou transformable, le fermoir se décline en différents styles et mécanismes.

Survolant tous les univers créatifs, de la joaillerie à la bijouterie fantaisie sans oublier les bijoux régionaux et traditionnels ou encore les bijoux d’artistes, Anna Tabakova a répertorié à ce jour une trentaine de systèmes existants qu’elle a classifiés par « typologies d’usage ».

L’historienne s’est aussi penchée sur l’étude de bijoux dépourvus de fermoirs, comme le mythique collier Comète imaginé par Gabrielle Chanel en 1932 pour la collection Bijoux de diamants. La créatrice de mode, qui « détestait » les fermoirs, imagine un collier rigide qui épouse la nuque et dont les filaments de diamants habillent le décolleté. Aucun dispositif de fermeture n’est nécessaire, car c'est le corps qui fait office de fermoir.

Si certains systèmes de fermeture sont extrêmement conceptuels, d’autres sont en revanche simples et rudimentaires, à l’image du nœud coulissant que l’on retrouve dès la période antique sur certains bracelets ou colliers.

 

La révolution de la boîte-cliquet

À l’inverse, d’autres mécanismes témoignent d’une technicité particulièrement surprenante, comme la boîte-cliquet, système qu’Anna Tabakova n’hésite pas désigner comme « le roi des fermoirs ».

Ce système, que l’on peut qualifier de « contemporain », car couramment utilisé dans l’univers de la bijouterie aujourd’hui, est le dispositif d’ouverture le plus abouti et celui qui a connu le plus 
grand succès depuis son invention.

Avant l’apparition de la boîte-cliquet, et jusqu’au 17ᵉ siècle, la plupart des colliers et bracelets ne possèdent pas de fermoirs, ils se nouent délicatement à l’aide de rubans, ou bien sont cousus à même le vêtement. Incontournable, la boîte-cliquet signe une véritable révolution dans l’histoire de la bijouterie.

Probablement apparu au 16ᵉ siècle, les premiers modèles sont constitués d’un boîtier de forme carré dans lequel s’insère une lame de métal repliée sur elle-même. L’une des plus belles illustrations connues fut peinte par François Clouët en 1571. Dans un tableau réalisé par le peintre français, Diane de Poitiers est représentée portant un bracelet équipé de ce célèbre fermoir.

Une fois que la lame est contenue dans le boîtier, elle ne peut ressortir et maintient ainsi le bijou fermé. Système rapidement apprécié, la boîte-cliquet connaît plusieurs améliorations, comme notamment l’apparition d’une perforation au-dessus du boîtier qui permet, grâce à une aiguille, d’exercer une pression sur la lame et ainsi la faire ressortir plus facilement.

Sans cesse perfectionné, ce système a permis de faciliter et de « démocratiser » le port des bijoux. Largement utilisé, ce fermoir équipé d’un poussoir fut décliné en plusieurs versions, le poussoir se situant parfois sur le côté ou au milieu de la boîte. Se retrouvant autrefois sur les bijoux les plus délicats et raffinés, le fermoir à cliquet est aujourd’hui utilisé dans l’univers de la haute-joaillerie, comme dans la bijouterie fantaisie.

 

Réinterpréter le fermoir…

Au fur et à mesure de ses recherches, Anna Tabakova a constitué l’une des plus belles collections de fermoirs anciens et modernes. Composé de près de 130 modèles, cet ensemble — malheureusement visible dans aucun musée à ce jour — offre un panorama sur toutes les possibilités créatives qu’offre l’art du fermoir aux designers et créateurs de bijoux contemporains.

C’est d’ailleurs en regardant la manière dont s’ouvre et se ferme chaque bijou, qu'Anna Tabakova ose en 2007 faire du fermoir l'axe de création de sa ligne de bijoux et développe toute une collection équipée de fermoirs interchangeables. 

 

 

 

   

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The interview between Mrs Melanie Grant, Executive Director of the Responsible Jewellery Council, and Mr Alan Adler, CEO of Adler Jewellers, delves into the intricacies of the jewellery business and explores the key elements that contribute to a brand's success and longevity. Mrs Grant, an economist specialising in jewellery, expresses her interest in what sets successful and desirable companies apart. Intrigued by Mr Adler's relatively low-profile status, she invites him to discuss the economics of the jewellery industry and the requirements for a brand to survive across generations.

 

The conversation begins by delving into the history of Adler Jewellers, tracing its roots back to its founder, Jack Adler. Jack started as a goldsmith apprentice in Vienna during the 1800s. After training in Vienna, he returned to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and opened a boutique. Istanbul was a hub for luxury items sourced from Europe, making it a natural choice for Jack to establish his business. The boutique attracted customers not only from Ottoman families but also from Russian and European backgrounds. The Adler brand distinguished itself by bringing European-inspired styles, influenced by the emerging Art Deco and Art Nouveau trends, to Istanbul while incorporating local customs and aesthetics.

 

Mrs. Grant then explores the influence of different cultures on Adler Jewellers' business and aesthetics. Mr Adler explains that the business progressively incorporated Ottoman motifs, such as tulips and designs seen in palaces and mosques, into their style. The ability to blend styles from various cultures and integrate them into their designs has become a hallmark of the Adler brand.

 

The conversation shifts to the upsides and downsides of working in a family business. Mr Adler acknowledges that family-owned businesses have a special quality due to their continuity and the visibility of having a family member at the forefront. However, he also highlights the challenges they face, particularly in succession planning and navigating external factors such as political tensions or changes in management. The competitive nature of relationships within a family business is discussed. Mr Adler notes that it varies among families, but trust and love are crucial for productive discussions, decision-making, and conflict resolution.

 

The interview then explores the international aspects of Adler Jewellers' business. Mr Adler explains that the company has historically served foreign customers, whether in Istanbul or Switzerland, regardless of location. Even in Switzerland, a significant portion of their annual revenue comes from foreign buyers travelling to Switzerland or the Adler team travelling worldwide to meet clients.

 

Mrs Grant inquires about the decision to venture into different materials like aluminium and titanium and how it has impacted the business. Mr Adler reveals that the company shifted to a subcontracting model for production, working with four different workshops with which they have maintained long-standing relationships. While not owning their workshops may present challenges, it allows for collaboration and exchanging ideas and innovations with other artisans. He also highlights the contributions of Aurelio Balestreri, an Italian collaborator, and his daughters, who have played a significant role in integrating innovative materials into Adler Jewellers' designs.

 

The discussion moves on to the family's decision to establish themselves in Geneva. Mr Adler explains that they chose Switzerland for its stability, respect for property rights, and favourable business environment. Additionally, the influx of customers from the Middle East in the 1970s further solidified Switzerland, specifically Geneva, as an ideal location for their business. The Adler family's warm and welcoming approach to customers has been instrumental in their success, and they strive to maintain this personalised service.

 

Mr Adler shares his vision for the future of Adler Jewellers, considering the evolving landscape of the jewellery industry. He acknowledges the competition from larger luxury brands entering the market and emphasises the importance of offering services these brands may not excel at. Customisation and co-creation with customers are key focuses, as well as remodelling existing jewellery to breathe new life into inherited pieces. Sustainability is also a priority, committed to reusing existing elements to create new jewellery.

 

Mrs Grant brings up Mr Adler's educational background and diverse career experiences before joining the family business. Mr Adler stresses the importance of gaining different perspectives and mental models to make informed decisions. While specific technical knowledge is necessary for the jewellery industry, he encourages individuals to broaden their understanding through experiences in various fields.

 

The interview concludes with a discussion of the impact of globalisation on the jewellery business. Mr Adler acknowledges that Adler Jewellers serves customers at the higher end of the wealth spectrum, and global competition is a reality. Staying relevant requires meeting different people, engaging in deep conversations, and considering diverse perspectives. Mr Adler encourages the exploration of productive disagreements, as they can provide valuable insights and broaden one's understanding of the world.

 

In summary, the interview with Mr Alan Adler provides in-depth insights into the history, evolution, and future vision of Adler Jewellers. It highlights the significance of cultural integration, trust within a family business, global competition, personalised services, sustainability, and the importance of gaining diverse perspectives in the jewellery industry. The success of Adler Jewellers can be attributed to its ability to adapt and blend styles from different cultures, its focus on personalised services and customisation, and its commitment to sustainability. The interview showcases a family-owned business's unique dynamics and challenges, emphasising the importance of trust and love in navigating discussions and decisions. Mr Adler's vision for the future involves co-creating jewellery with customers, remodelling existing pieces, and staying relevant in a globalised industry through engagement with diverse perspectives.
 

 

 

 

 

   

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Introduction

 

In this captivating interview, Melanie Grant, Executive Director of the Responsible Jewellery Council and renowned writer, sits down with Benoît Repellin to explore his journey from growing up with an art appraiser father to becoming the Worldwide Head of Jewellery at Phillips, a prestigious auction house. Their conversation delves into the artistry of jewellery, its impact on the auction world, the evolving trends, and the importance of attracting younger clients. Benoît shared valuable insights and experiences that shed light on this mesmerising world as they discuss jewellery auctions' past, present, and future.

 

Childhood and the Artistic Influence

 

Benoît's childhood was immersed in art and history due to his father's profession as an art appraiser. His interest in art and history grew naturally, with auction catalogues filling their home and frequent selling exhibitions. This exposure not only shaped his perception of the world but also ignited a passion for the study of history and art history at university. Throughout his upbringing, Benoît recognised jewellery as an art form, considering three vital factors: the quality of gemstones (nature), craftsmanship (era-specific), and provenance (historical significance).

 

Discovering His Calling

 

At the tender age of 12, Benoît Repellin’s fascination with jewellery auctions sparked. He would closely analyse the jewellery in auction catalogues, sketching his imaginative designs. This unyielding passion for creating art using gemstones set him on a path towards becoming a jewellery specialist. With his studies in history and art history and completion of a gemmological course, he laid the foundation for a successful career in the auction world.

 

Ascending in the Auction World

 

Benoît Repellin's career journey led him to Phillips, where he started as the Head of Europe and later became the Worldwide Head of Jewellery. With over a decade of experience in the auction industry, he has consistently thrived in his roles. His work involved developing and investing in various departments, achieving outstanding results, and attracting both trade buyers and private clients. His experiences highlight the challenges and rewards of working in the auction world, where passion, knowledge, and dedication are vital for success.

 

Jewellery in the Auction World

 

Throughout the interview, Mr Repellin emphasises the significance of jewellery in the auction world. While Phillips is primarily known for its focus on 20th and 21st-century contemporary art, it equally values jewellery as a collectable category. The auction house maintains separate departments for luxury items, including jewellery, recognising its impact on the market.

 

Jewellery as an Investment

 

The interview delves into the perception of jewellery as an investment. Benoît Repellin suggests that while buying jewellery can be a promising investment, it is essential to purchase pieces one genuinely admires and enjoys. He highlights the robust market for signed pieces, coloured diamonds, and historical jewels, indicating that jewellery continues to attract both art collectors and those looking to invest.

 

Challenges and Opportunities

 

With the growing interest in jewellery as a collectable category, younger clients, and the influence of technology, the auction world has transformed. The interview explores how COVID-19 further accelerated the adoption of digital platforms in auctions, making them accessible to a wider audience. Mr Repellin envisions a future where technology coexists with traditional auction experiences, catering to diverse clients.

 

Trends and Prospects

 

The conversation touches upon the current and emerging trends in jewellery auctions. While coloured stones, especially coloured diamonds, continue to achieve exceptional results, period jewels from renowned Maisons and unique designs are also gaining traction. Benoît Repellin expresses optimism for the future and anticipates the return of popularity for 60s and 70s jewellery, as well as the potential resurgence of 80s and 90s pieces.

 

The Joy of Auctions

 

The interview concludes with Benoît Repellin sharing his joy of conducting auctions and engaging with clients. He highlights the accessibility of auctions for the public, encouraging potential buyers to experience the thrill of participating in auctions first-hand. Mr Repellin's passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the auction world have made him an invaluable asset in the jewellery industry.

 

Conclusion

 

Benoît Repellin's journey from a childhood immersed in art and history to the pinnacle of the auction world showcases the profound connection between jewellery and the art of storytelling. His insights reveal the enduring allure of jewellery auctions, the evolving market, and the importance of inspiring a new generation of collectors. As the Worldwide Head of Jewellery at Phillips, he continues to shape the future of jewellery auctions, preserving the essence of artistry and beauty in every precious piece.

 

 

 

   

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Si les arts mécaniques signaient le renouveau de la joaillerie d’exception ?
Délaissés depuis plusieurs décennies par les créateurs contemporains, les automates reviennent aujourd’hui sur le devant de la scène. De Mauboussin à Van Cleef & Arpels, les plus belles maisons de joaillerie n’hésitent plus à s’entourer des plus grands-maîtres automatiers pour donner vie à leurs créations, signant ainsi le renouveau d’un art majestueux.

 

L’art de l'automate

 

Créature mécanique qui fascine autant qu’elle intrique, pour François Junod, l’automate est un être mystérieux et magique à la fois. Véritable concentré de technique et de poésie, son seul but est de « faire rêver » celui qui le regarde. Pour l’automatier mondialement reconnu, et installé à Sainte-Croix depuis 1984, il est possible de distinguer deux catégories d’automates : ceux qui étonnent par leur technique, et ceux qui fascinent par la poésie qu’ils exhalent. Persuadé, que les réalisations les plus spectaculaires sont celles qui conjuguent avec justesse mécanique et féerie, c’est en respectant ce principe que François Junod donne vie à des objets qui nous « transportent dans un autre monde ».

Si les premiers automates apparaissent dans la Grèce antique, c’est véritablement au 18ᵉ siècle, en résonance avec le développement de l’horlogerie, que le métier d’automatier se codifie. Artisan mécanicien qui maîtrise la science des rouages et des engrenages, l’automatier programme des objets pour qu’ils exécutent en parfaite autonomie un mouvement déterminé, il est pour ainsi dire l’inventeur des premiers robots modernes. Ses productions, qu’elles soient zooïdes ou humanoïdes, se miniaturisent vers la fin du 18ᵉ siècle pour être dissimulées à l’intérieur d’une boîte à musique ou d’une montre. Objets extraordinaires ayant vocation à amuser, les automates fascinent et créent l’émulation dans toutes les cours royales et dans tous les salons de l’aristocratie.

 

Depuis plus de 200 ans, l’automate se décline en une multitude d’objets d’art, allant des œufs à musique de Fabergé aux poupées animées de Jacquet Droz. Inspirant les plus grands artistes de l’après-guerre, il prend au 20ᵉ siècle des allures de sculptures cinétiques, comme celles réalisées par l’artiste suisse Jean Tinguely. À notre époque contemporaine, ce qui semble définir le mieux l’automate, c’est son mouvement, un point de vue partagé par les restauratrices Aline Michel et Zoé Snijders, pour qui chaque automate incarne un savoir-faire rare : retranscrire et mettre en scène le mouvement de la vie.  

 

Art mécanique et Haute Joaillerie 

Depuis quelques années, il n’est plus rare que de grandes maisons de joaillerie fassent appel au talent d’artisans automatiers renommés pour développer des créations inédites. François Junod a ainsi collaboré avec des maisons historiques comme Mauboussin ou encore Vacheron Constantin, pour concevoir des pièces uniques et des commandes particulières pour de prestigieux clients.
Depuis 15 ans, celui qui est considéré comme le plus grand automatier du monde, réalise des pièces remarquables pour le joaillier Van Cleef & Arpels. Parmi ces objets extraordinaires, La fée Ondine, réalisée en 2006, est l’une des créations qui illustre le mieux cette fusion entre art mécanique et joaillerie. Fruit de sept années de travail, cette réalisation excessivement poétique est l’une des pièces joaillières les plus complexes, toutes catégories confondues. Mettant en scène une fée, un papillon et une fleur de nénuphar, cet automate offre un panorama sur les nouvelles possibilités créatives que permet l’introduction des arts mécaniques dans l’univers de la haute joaillerie.

Si ces œuvres collaboratives offrent une visibilité hors pair au travail de l’automatier, elles lui permettent aussi d’expérimenter de nouveaux matériaux comme l’or, le platine, la nacre ou les pierres précieuses. Des matériaux « durs » qui contrastent avec ceux habituellement utilisés, car les automates « traditionnels » ne sont jamais totalement livrés au regard des spectateurs. Mains et visages sont souvent les seules parties visibles, les vêtements ayant pour fonction de dissimuler les mécanismes. Mais, dans l’univers de la joaillerie, ce tissu qui laisse justement une liberté incroyable à l’automatier, n’existe pas. Pour reprendre l’expression de la gemmologue et historienne Nathalie Marielloni, la gemme n’offre « rien pour cacher ». Intransigeantes, les pierres précieuses ne laissent pas de place à l’erreur : la qualité, la taille ou encore les inclusions doivent être parfaitement appréhendées.

La Fée Ondine, dont le visage est matérialisé par une aigue-marine facettée, témoigne de cette exigence, car c’est précisément la pierre, et la manière dont celle-ci est travaillée, qui permet de créer les expressions du visage. Ainsi, tout ce qui ne peut être retranscrit par le mouvement est suggéré par un travail de joaillerie. Cette connivence entre le gemmologue et l'automatier devient alors la condition sine qua non pour réaliser des joyaux animés.

De la préservation à la conservation

Comme toute production qui relève de la sphère de l’horlogerie, un mécanisme qui n’est pas en mouvement est un mécanisme qui se dégrade inévitablement. Tout automate exige un entretien et un travail de maintenance perpétuel, or, il n’y a que deux manières de préserver un automate : le faire fonctionner régulièrement ou renoncer à le faire fonctionner. Lorsque la seconde option devient la seule manière de préserver la matérialité de l’œuvre, l’objet de curiosité devient objet de musée. Mais, quel serait l’intérêt ou la fonction d’un automate qui ne serait jamais en mouvement ? C’est certainement la problématique la plus brûlante que devront résoudre ensemble joailliers et automatiers pour continuer à produire des pièces toujours aussi merveilleuses. 

 

Avec :

Laurence Bodenmann

Nathalie Marielloni

Aline Michel

Zoé Snijders

François Junod

 

 

   

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In this conversation with Andrea Machalova, Gaetano Cavalieri, the President of CIBJO (Confédération Internationale de la Bijouterie, Joaillerie, Orfèvrerie des Diamants, Perles et Pierres), focuses on various aspects of the jewellery industry. CIBJO is a World Confederation representing the interests of national jewellery and gemstone associations, major international corporations, and international representative associations from over 40 countries.

 

Cavalieri explains that CIBJO's primary goal is to prioritize consumer confidence in the industry. While CIBJO does not directly engage with consumers, it represents associations and commercial members globally, setting rules and standards through its blue books. These blue books cover different segments of the industry, including diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, coral, precious metals, and gemmology. The aim is to give consumers full disclosure and transparency, ensuring they are well-informed about the origin and components of the jewellery they purchase.

 

The conversation then delves into the challenges faced by the industry, with a specific focus on traceability, working conditions, and the availability of jewellery pieces in the market. Cavalieri emphasises the importance of responsible sourcing and ensuring that every element in the jewellery supply chain is fully declared and transparent. The blue books CIBJO issued serve as recommendations adopted as national laws in many countries, providing an objective standard for the industry.

 

Andrea Machalova raises the topic of consumer sensitivity to the provenance of jewellery pieces and whether consumers are interested in knowing where the jewellery comes from. Cavalieri responds that consumer sentiment has evolved over time, and today, consumers are more aware and conscious of the sourcing and origins of the products they purchase. This awareness has been further heightened by recent events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, influencing consumer behaviour and preferences.

 

The conversation shifts to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the industry. Cavalieri shares his experience travelling during the pandemic and witnessing the drastic changes and restrictions implemented worldwide. He explains that the industry had to adapt quickly, and CIBJO organised webinars to help industry professionals navigate the challenges and explore new business models. The shortage of jewellery pieces in the market is acknowledged, and Cavalieri attributes it to the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

 

Cavalieri also addresses the resilience and proactiveness of the industry in response to COVID-19. He highlights how businesses have become more consumer-centric, striving to provide additional information and make the jewellery industry more appealing and accessible to consumers. He mentions the desire for self-satisfaction and the emotional significance of jewellery, particularly when other pleasures, such as travel or dining out, are restricted.

 

Andrea Machalova then asks Cavalieri about the biggest challenges the industry faces, to which he responds that CIBJO stays vigilant and alert to global events and political decisions. The organisation's role includes exercising political leadership, monitoring international relations, and addressing issues like sanctions and human rights concerns. Cavalieri highlights that the individuals working within CIBJO do so voluntarily, driven by their passion for the industry.

 

The conversation concludes with a discussion on improving traceability, specifically in the gemstone industry, which involves more independent miners and artisans than the diamond industry, dominated by major corporations. Cavalieri explains that CIBJO has engaged in discussions and research with corporations in the diamond industry to address the social and environmental aspects of mining. However, he recognises the need for further efforts in promoting responsible practices and traceability in the gemstone sector.

 

In conclusion, CIBJO, the World Confederation representing jewellery and gemstone associations, is dedicated to consumer confidence and transparency within the industry. Through their blue books and standards, they aim to inform consumers about the origin and components of jewellery, ensuring full disclosure and transparency throughout the supply chain. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges for the industry, with companies adapting their business models and finding innovative ways to connect with consumers. The industry's focus on self-satisfaction and providing pleasure to consumers through jewellery has remained strong, even in challenging times. CIBJO acknowledges the importance of political decisions, international relations, and human rights in shaping the industry and remains alert and proactive. Improving traceability is a key goal, particularly in the gemstone industry, where independent miners and artisans play a significant role. While big corporations primarily control the diamond segment, efforts are being made to address working conditions and ensure the well-being of miners. Overall, CIBJO's mission is to govern the industry properly, fostering love, passion, satisfaction, and emotional connections through the art of jewellery.
 

 

 

 

 

   

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What if mechanical arts signalled the revival of exceptional jewellery-making?
Cast aside for many decades by contemporary creators, automatons are again taking centre stage. 
From Mauboussin to Van Cleef & Arpels, the finest jewellery creators no longer have any hesitation in calling upon the greatest master automaton-makers to breathe life into their creations, thus confirming the revival of this majestic art form.

 

The art of the automaton

 

To François Junod, the automaton is a mechanical creature as fascinating as it is intriguing, and at once mysterious and magical. Potently combining technology with poetry, its only goal is to “spark wonder” in its beholder. For this world-renowned automaton-maker based in Sainte-Croix since 1984, there are two distinguishable types of automatons: those with bewildering technology, and those which fascinate through the poetry they express. François Junod, in his certainty that the most spectacular productions are those which aptly combine mechanics with enchantment, follows this principle to bring to life objects which “carry us into another world.”

 

While the first automatons appeared in Ancient Greece, it was only in the 18th century, at the same time as horology came into prominence, that the automaton maker trade would be codified. The automaton maker is an artisan of mechanics, well-versed in the science of cogs and gears, who programs objects so that they perform a particular movement completely on their own. The automaton maker was therefore, so to speak, the inventor of the first modern robots. Automaton-maker creations, taking either animal or human forms, would be miniaturised towards the end of the eighteenth century, and would be hidden inside a music box or watch. Automatons, as extraordinary objects intended to amuse, would fascinate and be emulated across all the royal courts and in all aristocratic salons.

 

For over two hundred years, the automaton has taken many forms as an objet d’art, from Fabergé’s musical eggs to Jacquet Droz’s animated dolls. In the twentieth century, inspiring the greatest artists of the post-war era, it would manifest itself as kinetic sculptures, such as those created by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely. In our contemporary age, movement seems to be what best defines the automaton. This is the point of view held by restorers Aline Michel and Zoé Snijders. To them, each automaton is the incarnation of a rare form of expertise: the re-transcribing and staging of the movement of life.

 

Mechanical arts and Luxury Jewellery

 

For the past few years, great jewellery creators have increasingly drawn from the talents of artisan automaton makers of renown, to produce ground-breaking creations. Accordingly, François Junod has collaborated with historic creators such as Mauboussin and Vacheron Constantin, to design unique pieces and special commissions for prestigious clients.

For the past fifteen years, the automaton maker deemed to be the world’s finest, has produced remarkable pieces for jewellery maker Van Cleef & Arpels. Among these extraordinary pieces La fée Ondine, created in 2006, is one piece which best exemplifies this fusion between mechanical arts and jewellery making. This utterly poetic creation was seven years in the making. It is one of the most complex jewellery pieces, of any kind, to have been created.

Depicting a scene Laurence Bodenmann, Heritage Director, Zénith with a fairy, a butterfly and a water lily, this automaton provides an overview of new creative opportunities arising from integrating mechanical arts into the world of luxury jewellery.

 

While these collaborative works offer unrivalled visibility to the work of the automaton maker, they also enable the automaton maker to experiment with new materials such as gold, platinum, mother-of-pearl or gemstones. These are “hard” materials, contrasting with those typically used, as “traditional” automatons are never fully revealed to their viewers. Hands and faces are often the only visible parts of the automatons, clothes being used to hide the machinery. However, in the world of jewellery, this fabric, which afforded the automaton maker extraordinary freedom, does not exist. To use the expression of gemmologist and historian Nathalie Marielloni, gems offer “nothing to hide behind.” Gemstones are intransigent and tolerate no errors: quality, size and inclusions must be perfectly judged.

 

La Fée Ondine, with a faceted aquamarine for a face, bears testimony to this demanding nature, as it is the stone, and how the stone is worked, which allow for facial expressions to be created. In other words, all that cannot be re-transcribed through movement is suggested through jewellery craft. This collusion between the gemmologist and the automaton maker is thus the sine qua non requirement for animated jewels to be created.

 

From preservation to conservation

 

As with any horology creation, a mechanism which does not move is a mechanism which inevitably deteriorates. All automatons require constant care and maintenance. Yet, there are only two ways of preserving an automaton: making it work regularly or accepting that it can no longer be worked. When the second option is the only means of preserving the materials used in the work, the object of curiosity becomes a museum piece. But what would be the point or the purpose of an automaton that never moved? This, to be sure, is the most pressing issue to be resolved by jewellers and automaton makers together, to continue to make pieces which remain this breathtaking.

 

With:

Laurence Bodenmann

Nathalie Marielloni

Aline Michel

Zoé Snijders

François Junod

 

 

   

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Entrer dans une mythique maison de la place Vendôme, s’installer en tant que créateur indépendant, ou intégrer le département joaillerie d’une prestigieuse maison de ventes aux enchères… Pour tous les étudiants qui entament aujourd’hui un cycle de formation dans l’univers de la joaillerie, les possibilités de carrière sont multiples.

Se former aux métiers de la joaillerie

Négociateur de pierres, sertisseur, designer, directeur artistique, responsable de la stratégie digitale… Faisant appel à une multitude de savoir-faire et de compétences, l’univers de la joaillerie et de la haute joaillerie rassemble des professionnels aux profils variés.

Que l’on soit attiré par l’aspect création, commercialisation ou valorisation du bijou, plusieurs cursus permettent de découvrir, de tester et de se confronter au milieu professionnel.

Pour s’initier aux techniques joaillières et acquérir un socle de connaissances, un apprentissage de 3 ou 4 ans, équivalent à un Certificat Fédéral de Capacité (CFC) ou à un brevet professionnel, suffit. Alternant enseignement académique et période d’immersion en entreprise, ce premier cycle permet de s’essayer rapidement aux techniques joaillières, et d’expérimenter par exemple l’art du sertissage ou le travail des métaux précieux.

Parmi les écoles les plus réputées, l’ASMEBI (Association des Métiers de la Bijouterie de la Romandie) est une institution incontournable. Comptant 3 écoles spécialisées à Genève, dans La Vallée de Joux et à La Chaux-de-Fonds, l’ASMEBI propose une formation axée sur la technique tout en donnant une ouverture sur les métiers de la création.

À l’issue de ce premier cycle d’apprentissage, le niveau de compétence acquis permet d’être directement employable par une manufacture, un atelier ou une marque. 

En fonction de son projet, de ses envies et de ses aptitudes, il est aussi possible de se spécialiser et de s’engager dans un cycle de formation plus long. Plusieurs écoles supérieures accueillent les étudiants qui ont déjà acquis de solides bases et veulent s’orienter davantage vers le design ou la création artistique. L’enseignement, assuré par des professionnels renommés et dispensé sous forme d’ateliers, permet de développer son propre langage créatif, d’apprendre à travailler à partir d’un brief, ou encore de conceptualiser un bijou en adéquation avec l’ADN d’une marque.

Et puisque créer implique forcément de savoir valoriser ses créations via une stratégie de communication, de marketing ou de merchandising, apprendre à s’entourer de talents complémentaires et à constituer son équipe de création est l’un des axes majeurs de l’enseignement.

De nombreuses formations sont accessibles en Suisse et à l’étranger. Parmi les plus prestigieuses, la Haute École d’Art et de Design de Genève (HEAD), Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design située à Londres et L’École du Louvre à Paris sont particulièrement réputées pour la qualité de leur enseignement.

De nouveaux enjeux pour le secteur de la joaillerie

Si de grands changements ont marqué le secteur de la joaillerie ces dernières années, l’un des plus marquants est certainement la montée en puissance des grandes marques de luxe. Les créateurs indépendants sont désormais minoritaires sur le marché.

Une nouvelle conscience éthique, encourageant les pratiques plus respectueuses de l’homme et de l’environnement, a également fait son apparition. De nouvelles initiatives, comme le programme « Mine to Market » qui vise à privilégier les circuits courts, se multiplient et l’exploitation des mines, les conditions de travail du personnel ou les techniques d’extraction font aujourd’hui l’objet d’une surveillance particulière.

Le récent conflit entre la Russie et l’Ukraine a également démontré que les questions de géopolitique peuvent provoquer la rupture de certaines chaines d’approvisionnement. Ainsi, plusieurs grandes marques de luxe ont annoncé en 2022 cesser les importions de diamants et d’or en provenance de Russie (plus gros producteur mondial).

Pour accompagner ce mouvement, de plus en plus d’organisations à but non lucratif, comme le Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), s’engagent dans l’industrie de la joaillerie.

Digital et nouvelles technologies

Depuis la pandémie de Covid-19, le digital et les nouvelles technologies se sont affirmés comme l’une des clefs de croissance du marché de la joaillerie. Outils essentiels de référencement, ils font évoluer certains métiers et en émerger de nouveaux. .

Permettant aux designers de gagner en efficacité, la 3D est un outil de conception révolutionnaire pour tout créateur. Facilitant la conceptualisation, grâce à la modélisation des volumes, la 3D permet aussi d’estimer le coût de production d’un bijou avec une précision jusqu’alors inégalée. Optimisant la rentabilité des produits, la maîtrise de cette technologie de pointe sera probablement exigée à l’avenir.

Les environnements virtuels, et leur fort potentiel créatif, sont également une nouvelle composante du marché. Permettant aux marques de séduire une nouvelle clientèle connectée, joaillerie et nouvelles technologies sont désormais indissociables.

Les talents de demain

Parce que l’une des grandes tendances actuelles est la création de pièces uniques ou de collections « exclusives », les profils « experts », bénéficiant d’une solide formation en joaillerie et d’une expertise pointue sont privilégiés. Se spécialiser ou s’engager dans une formation complémentaire peut donc être un réel atout.

Parmi les grands noms de la joaillerie, si certaines marques historiques revendiquent une place de premier choix sur le marché et bénéficient d’un savoir-faire reconnu, il n’est pas rare de voir des marques de mode, de maroquinerie ou de haute couture s’introduire dans le secteur et lancer leur propre collection de joaillerie. 

Cette mixité se retrouve également dans les équipes créatives. Composées de talents venant de différents horizons, elles collaborent désormais directement avec les équipes de production, du marketing ou des ventes. Cette approche transversale oblige aujourd’hui tous les professionnels du luxe à savoir être à l’écoute pour dialoguer entre eux.

Enfin, parce que toute spécialité artistique exige un solide bagage culturel, connaître l’histoire de la joaillerie, les différents styles, mais aussi les références, les joailliers et les modèles incontournables est indispensable. 

Face à un niveau d’exigence nettement plus élevé, un diplôme de gemmologie devient également de plus en plus utile, voire indispensable.

Pour conclure

Chaque parcours de formation est avant tout un cheminement personnel qui doit permettre de découvrir un ou plusieurs métiers, de l’expérimenter, mais aussi de s’interroger « ce métier est-il fait pour moi ? »

L’Agilité semble être aujourd’hui le nouveau pré-requis pour entamer une carrière dans les métiers de la joaillerie. L’écoute et la capacité à collaborer avec des cultures, des personnalités et des caractères différents semble être un impératif en devenir.

Enfin, allier techniques traditionnelles et nouvelles technologies, de manière à conjuguer ce qui se faisait de mieux dans le passé avec ce qui se fera de nouveau dans le futur, semble être l’un des plus beaux défis que devront relever demain tous les métiers de la joaillerie.

 

Avec :

Donatella Zappieri (Consultant Industrie du Luxe et de la Joaillerie)

Elizabeth Fischer (Professeure HES associée, Design bijou et accessoires, Design mode)

Emmanuelle Garcia-Gavillet (Vice-Présidente ASMEBI)

Catherine de Vincenti (Journaliste et consultant)

Allen Adler (CEO Adler Joaillerie)

 

 

   

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The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert collection is one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of micro-mosaics. Arthur Gilbert coined the term ‘micro-mosaic’ himself and supported the pioneering publications and exhibitions on the subject. During this lecture, Alice Minter, Curator of the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert, will present renowned highlights from the collection and the latest information uncovered for these finest pieces.

 

Speakers: Alice Minter, Senior Curator, The Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert Collection

 

Without the Gilbert collection, there will be no micro-mosaic. The Gilbert collection is one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of micromosaics in the world, and indeed Arthur Gilbert coined the term ‘micro-mosaic’ himself. Mosaic in miniature existed since ancient times, but the Roman technique that flourished in the 18th century used to be called “mosaici minuti”. Arthur Gilbert knew something was different; it was not simply about small miniatures. This is why he coined the word ‘micro-mosaic’ – this word describes real art and a revival of the art market, which has been happening over the last few decades from the 20th century.

 

Arthur Gilbert & the making of a collection

 

In London, Rosalind and Arthur Gilbert were both born in 1913 to Jewish families. Just before WWII, they started with a successful business of ready-to-wear, which continued until 1948.

In their early 30s, in 1948, they decided they had made enough money and moved and settled in Los Angeles. In the post-war era, everything was there to be created, and the Gilberts had plenty of possibilities, thanks to their fortune, to live the American dream to the fullest.

Arthur Gilbert started to invest in real estate, partnering with Hollywood actors, and in the early 1960s, he commissioned a villa on top of the hills of Beverly Hills. He wanted to furbish this new villa, so they started looking through auction houses and art dealers for pieces of furniture. This is when he found two crack paintings.

He bought these two cracked paintings, but after close analysis, he understood there was more to them – they were not cracked oils on canvas.

Instead, they were made of tiny, minute pieces of coloured glass of different shapes, rendering colours and shades in such a fascinating way that Arthur Gilbert started asking art dealers and auction houses, and everybody was saying that it was another form of Roman mosaic.

But Arthur was not satisfied, and he also discovered that so many similar objects existed: large panels, tables, and jewellery – Arthur Gilbert started browsing and purchasing everything he could find on the art market.

By the mid-1970s, Arthur Gilbert came to be known as “the maniac that collects micromosaic” – his way of collecting was also maniacal because he wanted to build a comprehensive collection for everyone to enjoy.

People started to acknowledge him and his collection. Christie’s, Sotheby’s and other art dealers were coming to see his collection. However, he remained convinced that his collection had to be dedicated to the public.

 

In 1975 the Victoria & Albert Museum hosted the first exhibition featuring highlights from the Gilbert collection. A pioneering publication on the subject accompanied the show. Once finished, the exhibition moved to Los Angeles, and from there, it then built a partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum so that almost the entirety of the Gilbert collection (which also includes gold and silver boxes and portrait enamels) stayed for 20 years at the Los Angeles County Museum.

In 1995 Arthur Gilbert decided to withdraw the entire collection and give it back to the UK because this is where he was from.

The collection found a new home at Somerset House for eight years, with seventeen galleries. Since 2008 it has been on permanent loan at the Victorian & Albert Museum, with four galleries dedicated to presenting most objects.

 

Therefore, Arthur Gilbert and his collection are of enormous importance because, without his insisting on having a name attached to that precise technique, without him buying absolutely everything that he could find on the art market, and without him supporting a pioneering exhibition and publication, the knowledge about micro-mosaic would have gone.

 

The Micro-mosaics

 

Objects in the micro-mosaic technique can range from a panel two meters wide to fabulous tables, gold boxes and jewellery; from gold boxes to every single form of the micro-mosaic one could find: he bought them all. Arthur Gilbert also enjoyed buying the same subject in different formats.

The Colosseum is one of them, and in the collection, there is the same scene in different formats: from a 5-centimetre brooch to a 120-centimetre panel. This allows comparing various artists to know more but also compare the quality, understanding the evolution of the craft and the technique of the micro-mosaic.

 

The tesserae forming micro-mosaics at the beginning came square. The micro-mosaic ‘sfilati’ technique consists of melting the coloured glass elements to create, at first, a huge block which is just then pulled into a cane the diameter of a hair. The result depends on the work of the wrist and its speed.

 

This also influences the colours, which are never the same because one extra second of work will create a different shade. The tesserae resulting from this manual work measure half a millimetre and are one to two millimetre high.

 

Despite witnessing the technique, so many questions remain unanswered as they are artisanal secrets: about polishing, about the type of mastic used. The micro-mosaic is art; nothing is written on the subject, and the only way to understand this art is by going through the masterpieces themselves. Some creations have more than 5,000 tesserae per square inch (5 centimetres by five centimetres). While collecting, Gilbert carefully and purposefully chose every item that would reflect that technique’s history and the art’s evolution.

 

Micro-mosaics: a chronological history

 

Initially, it was not about micro-mosaic but mosaic in miniature. One object dating 1566 clearly shows this aspect.

The tesserae are still square but tiny, and there is already a mastery in colour shades. For the time, it was a remarkable object, which won the first prize at a competition organized in Venice.

 

The mosaic technique started in Rome and, from the 7th century, very quickly moved to Venice, where there are beautiful examples in Byzantine churches, like Ravenna. Finally, after two centuries of stopping, the mosaic returned with the works at the San Marc’s Basilica in Venice. In 1566 a competition was organized to declare the best mosaicist in Venice. The task was to render a painting (probably by Titian himself) with all its details into a refined mosaic.

The Duke of Savoy, fascinated by the result, asked Venice to send him some mosaicists to create their workshop. The Venice Authority refused, but they sent him the mosaic that won the competition. So that mosaic went into the collection of the Duke of Savoy, and somehow it was inherited by the Cardinal de Richelieu and stayed until the French Revolution in the collection of the Richelieu family. Unfortunately, the mosaic went lost after the French Revolution until one day, Arthur Gilbert acquired it in 1976.

 

When discussing the technique, it is essential to remember that it all started in the 13th-14th century in Venice, where there was a workshop to build all the mosaic decorations of Saint Marc’s Basilica. Then, in the 16th century, the Pope decided they would do the same with Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, so he invited some Venetian artists to set up their mosaics workshop. This is how it started: first to decorate San Peter’s Basilica with some mosaics, and then to begin replacing the paintings which were fading with mosaics. This continued from the late 16th century to the mid-18th century. In the meantime, they constantly tried to improve their art and technique, so the late 1770s was an important date for micro-mosaic because the method was fully developed.

 

One prominent name in the history of the micro-mosaic is the name of Giacomo Raffaelli. Giacomo Raffaelli is considered the inventor of the micro-mosaic technique. He was also the first to organize private sales of micro-mosaics to a private clientele of non-religious subjects. His key themes were birds and little butterflies in small pieces – some measuring six centimetres, which is quite remarkable.

Raffaelli’s name became a sort of ‘brand’ for micro-mosaic in Rome and beyond because his reputation reached even the Russian court. So, not only clients belonging to the aristocratic and bourgeois classes, but even Napoleon and the Russian Tzars knew about him. Raffaelli started a fashion that would last for a hundred years and fade immediately after.

He not only used square tesserae, but also tesserae of different forms, and in addition, he started working with hard stones, such as agate, jade, amethyst and some marbles.

He was so advanced in the technique that he created vases which, still today, do not reveal how Raffaelli managed to have the mosaic tesserae curve follow the structure of the vase itself – knowing that the mosaic is on a flat surface, this technical achievement remains a mystery.

These vases might have been a creation for Napoleon – a gift of the Pope to the newly crowned Emperor.

Another essential creation by Raffaelli today in the Gilbert collection is a clock – one of four, dating 1804, clock movement by Abraham-Louis Breguet – thought to be a gift from Eugene de Beauharnais to his mother, Josephine. The clock follows the neoclassic style; it looks like a Greek temple, with front amethyst columns and micro-mosaic panels between the columns. This clock disappeared. Vincenzo, Giacomo Raffaelli’s nephew, went to Saint Petersburg in the early 1850s but could not find it. Eventually, despite the blank on the clock’s whereabouts – which might have ended up at the Swedish Court – Gilbert managed to acquire it in 1979.

 

Following Raffaelli’s commercial success, more micro-mosaicists followed his example and started producing luxury souvenirs.

At that time, journeys around Europe would take a long time to complete; in the 19th century, the Grand Tour was fashionable among young aristocrats to polish their education, and these travellers wanted tokens to bring back home, to show the places they had visited – especially in Italy and Rome. The so-called “souvenir jewels” became fashionable: in gold and micro-mosaics, there were portable views of the places these ladies and gentlemen had visited in the fashion that was in style at the time.

Another luxury souvenir was the snuffbox. The Gilbert Collection has a few snuffboxes, which were used from the 18th century onwards and would be carried around – just like the fans for ladies. So, the practice would be to purchase a micro-mosaic panel with a specific scene and mount it once back home in gold or silver boxes.

 

These luxury souvenirs, produced in large quantities, are handy to keep deepening the knowledge of micro-mosaic art. As stated earlier, it was an art not only for affluent travellers but also for Kings and Emperors, who commissioned large panels and tables for their residences.

 

Another prominent micro-mosaic artist Michelangelo Barberi developed his art in the second half of the 19th century.

Giacomo Raffaelli started in 1775, followed by his son and his nephew, so the business continued up to the 1830s. He also trained a new generation of mosaicists in the second half of the 18th century. The first portrait we know by Michelangelo Barberi was from the late 1820s because it was for the future Tzar Nicolas I.

Barbieri also produced tables that can be dated to the late 1860s: one was called “The Beautiful Sky of Italy”; the original one was commissioned by Tsar Nicholas I to Michelangelo Barberi directly, and it is at the Hermitage Museum. The second table was for an English aristocrat and was presented at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Arthur Gilbert acquired this second table. Another table was called “Flora of Two Sicilies”, belonged to and was commissioned directly by Tzar Nicolas I after 1844 – he did a tour of Italy. In the table, he chose to illustrate the different sites he had visited with their names and little personal details, like the profile of one of his daughters. While Barberi was working for the Russian Court, Russian artists were going to Italy to be trained, and the Tsar managed to have Italian artists come and open their workshop in Saint Petersburg – one of these being Domenico Moglia. Moglia discovered a local talent who, at the time, was painting Easter eggs. His name was George Ferdinand Wekler. Wekler, trained by Moglia, started producing his micromosaics and soon became a Tsar’s favourite, who was very proud of having a Russian artist mastering the art of micro-mosaics.

 

These objects are precious because they also amplify the span of the collection: the focus is not only or simply on the Roman mosaic art but on all the subsequent developments through time and space.

 

By the 1880s, the market started to flatten and lose interest. There were different reasons, one probably being a lack of creativity, which didn’t evolve with time. As a result, subjects that were once very popular at the beginning of the 20th century (dominated by the Art Nouveau and the Art Deco movements) went entirely out of fashion.

Another possible reason for the falling out of the grace of micro-mosaics could be the enormous amount of time needed to create a panel. With the beginning of the 20th century, fashion, art, and the very same notions of time and space changed. Times were perceived differently, and an idea developed to be quicker, to go faster. And micro-mosaics were not in the scope.

Last but not least, photography developed supplanting luxury souvenirs with ultra-realistic vistas in the micro-mosaic that were so fashionable to bring back home from long European tours. In addition, photography became more portable and cheaper, which might have been another cause of the death of the art of micro-mosaic.

 

Micromosaic: art or craft?

 

Ten years after Giacomo Raffaelli started his activity, Goethe went to Italy from 1786 to 1788 and published his work, Italian Journey, in 1816-17. While walking through, he wrote: “our times are worse than we think the art of Mosaic which once gave the ancient their paved flaws and the Christian the vaulted Heaven of their churches has now been degraded to Snuff boxes and bracelets”.

Indeed, the objects produced in the 1810s-1820s do not have the same quality. A lot of these objects are mere copies. There is nothing as for the art of reinterpreting a painting, for example, that there used to be. The effort of making the art perfect has disappeared, as well as the study of the tesserae, in different shapes and forms, to render shades and volumes to perfection, to the point that they resemble a brush stroke.

In its glory days, the micro-mosaic had become an entire philosophical art. Michelangelo Barberi said: “This art form at first appears so easy if undertaken commercially but it proves to be difficult, indeed extremely so, if one aims to practice it as an artist and a philosopher. I want to urge you, to not limit yourself to the purely mechanical aspect of mosaic-making, but to also learn about drawing, the brush and the humanities. If you do so, it will be a great service indeed to yourself and to Rome with its already significant trade in mosaics.”

Objects in micro-mosaics became a testament to the highest in execution and carried deep meanings. By looking at them, one could ask oneself: do I see a mosaic or a painting? Do I see art or a craft? Does this object have a philosophical meaning, or is it simply decorative? All these readings are possible, and thanks to the richness and variety of the Arthur Gilbert collection, today we can try and find all the answers to questions about a savoir-faire that is coming back and being appreciated by the public worldwide.

 

 

   

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Speakers: Jewellery historian Vivienne Becker and Helen Molesworth, Dr Geneviève Davies, Senior Curator of Jewellery, Victoria & Albert Museum, London

 

Together, Vivienne Becker and Helen Molesworth discuss the role of the Victoria & Albert Museum Collection, as both education and inspiration, in our jewellery world today. They will talk about the relevance of jewellery history to contemporary design, the importance of looking back to look forward, of understanding what has gone before to be genuinely innovative. Finally, they will discuss today’s fast-growing appreciation of antique and 20th-century jewellery.

 

Helen Molesworth has an exciting profile. She started as a classicist student at Oxford, and while studying ancient art and archaeology, she realised she loved jewellery. This was the beginning of a fascinating journey that took Helen to Sotheby’s and Christie’s in London, knowing and dealing with antique pieces. Ten years of experience led her to set up an international academy to form students in Switzerland and Asia and to the sale, in 2006, of Princess Margaret’s jewels in London. Through this sale, Helen met the Victoria & Albert Museum curator, with whom she stayed in touch all these years. Today, Helen has the job of a lifetime: senior curator of jewellery at the V&A Museum in London.

 

The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery at the V&A Museum is one of the world’s finest and most spectacular jewellery collections. Over 3,000 jewels tell the story of European jewellery from ancient times to today: an authentic treasure trove for jewellery lovers. In addition, this gallery is a significant example of discussing museum collections and their impact on the public and collectors.

 

Historically, museum collections were just sort of places to put objects and things, a way to go and look at historically and culturally significant items. Today, a museum collection can be seen, following Roy Strong, as “an extremely capacious handbag”. This comparison offers a fascinating way of looking at museum collections: a place one can delve into to discover something meaningful.

 

Walking through a collection in a museum offers endless surprises, with superb objects popping up from behind the corner. So today, a museum collection is no longer a repository for things. It is not about a place to be formally educated. Instead, it is a place of joy. There are, of course, both educational and intellectual elements. Also, there is the cultural element: we learn about history. We can understand where we are today by looking at museum collections because we investigate the past of jewellery design and creativity. Andrew Prince, who made all the jewellery for Downton Abbey, said that people no longer go to museums to be educated. Instead, they go to be entertained. This is a fascinating mix: the educational element becomes more holistic. This is how a museum should be today.

 

Knowing the past to understand the present and future of jewellery is equally important. If you know what has happened before, you can make sense of where you are today and have a chance to understand what is coming next.

And that is also important for museum collections because we look at cultural and historical collections. So, if one understands where we come from through an ensemble of objects, we know ourselves and understand the world better.

 

Amazing collections have been donated to the V&A Museum through time, including pieces from Castellani, and the fantastic Campana collection, created by the Marquess of Campana in Italy. But why do people collect?

 

One remarkable example of a gems collection is the impressive “gem wheel” that visitors encounter when entering the jewellery gallery at the V&A. This collection was amassed by Reverend Chancy Hair Townsend, a cleric and a poet who created this fantastic collection in the 1800s, including pink diamonds, huge aquamarine, spinels and engraved emeralds.

 

There are 154 stones that Townsend donated to the museum. And some of them came out of the Henry Philip Hope collection (Philip Hope is the gentleman who gave his name to the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC). A significant provenance that elevates this collection even more.

 

Collections are a way of continuing jewellery. Jewellery collections can be built very quickly, not financially, but physically. And something remarkable is when you have a collector that adds to the collection’s value, which can then have an added history that adds to their interest.

 

The 1800s was a time when there was massive interest in the natural world. People began understanding how our planet was formed and the gemstone’s role in it.

Therefore, history and mineralogy are an excellent combination. So, for example, the Victoria & Albert and the Natural Science Museums (one in front of the other) were building their collections hand in hand as part of the 19th-century collecting movement. Therefore, in this period, naturalism is a combination of interest in the gemstones as a scientific, chemical, and physical interest and in jewellery as a design. Therefore, naturalism fits in very much with the revival of antiquity as a style. So, they developed simultaneously.

Consequently, a massive wave of naturalism in the 19th century moved away from 18thcentury floral ornaments towards absolute realism.

 

The 19th century was also a period when families with “new money” started collecting, which is interesting from the perspective of collecting antique jewellery and the view of the collection.

When we think, for example, of the collection of Lady Cory, we know it is about new money. But other collections at the V&A are significant historic aristocratic collections. So we then have a combination of the 19th-century tradition of noble collection and the new cash from industrialization.

 

Another excellent example of a jewellery collection at the V&A is thanks to Lord Londonderry and the trustees of the Londonderry Estate. Frances Anne Vane Tempest was a very wealthy woman in her own right but married the third Marquess of Londonderry. She was so rich, and he respected her so much that he changed his name to take hers. She not only brought in her jewellery, but she also bought and inherited it, too. With the Marchioness, we see all aspects of collecting gifts, purchases, and inheritance. She also received unique pieces from Tsar Alexander I, who fell in love with her through a portrait and sent her jewels – among which, a superb Siberian amethyst that we can admire in the Marchioness of Londonderry 1831 portrait. This portrait was painted to commemorate the coronation of King William IV. It welcomes the visitors at the entrance of the Jewellery Gallery at the V&A. This painting is an example of how aristocrats enjoyed their jewellery collections – by wearing more (or all) pieces together, by sewing them to their robes and by re-wearing again and again.

This attitude is quite different from those collectors who build sorts of “cabinets de curiosités” containing pieces that are not meant to be worn.

Several jewellery collections came to the V&A museum through donations or loans – Lady Cory’s, for example, or the Londonderry jewels and the same William and Judith Bollinger donations. These are attractive opportunities to show treasures to the world instead of keeping them locked away in a safe.

 

Today there is a surge in interest in collecting antique and vintage jewels – books and exhibitions testify of this revival, and people are starting to recognise how fabulous antique treasures are.

For example, there is a point to mention about engraved gemstones. These were all the rage in the 18th and 19th centuries. At that time, the Grand Tour was fashionable among the young aristocrats, who would tour Europe and Italy to learn – it was part of their formation as cultured gentlemen.

So, when these mosaics were discovered in the 1800s, especially 1860s and up to the 1890s, it created a massive fascination, a bit like the Egyptian revival of the 1920s following the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The classical revival of the 19th century made, at the time, a lot of sense. But what about today?

 

There seem to be three main theories about the revival of antique jewels, the first one linked to escapism and nostalgia as the main factors directing collectors and connoisseurs to antique treasures.

We are going through challenging times, surrounded by pandemics and wars. This generates uncertainty about our future and our planet. It is equally hard to look ahead and be optimistic. It comes then quite naturally to look backwards to what was in our eyes “golden ages”, in which you felt safe and secure, living a happy and perfect life. Antique jewels then testify of these golden ages, reassure us, and take us back to a peaceful, solid and safe past – that is known, in opposition to the future, that is unknown and can be unforeseeable. Therefore, today revivalism could mean bringing back a lost golden age.

A second reason for the coming back of antique jewels could lie in the globalisation of social media information. The Internet has made getting information more accessible, so antique jewels can instantly be recognised and appreciated, with information about periods and styles at your fingertips.

 

The third theory is the search for a unique object on the part of collectors and connoisseurs. Nothing is more special than a piece of ancient jewellery – it came from somewhere and has not been made twice. Buying antique jewels shows people’s ability to understand style, craftsmanship and uniqueness, which matters more and more, especially with specific groups of clients, such as the Chinese ones.

The Chinese public is very akin to appreciating the value of antique craftsmanship. But unfortunately, this art is slowly disappearing, and Asian clients are showing a deep interest and education in valuing the antique savoir-faire – this is why they are so much into purchasing antiques in general.

 

Antique jewels have powerful storytelling. By looking at them, we discover so many stories, ancient myths, and legends recreated in the designs and carving of gems, which are truly enchanting, and people feel this fascination.

An interesting example is the Devonshire Parure which includes a tiara, a massive stomacher, and a necklace, created in the 19th century for the Duchess of Devonshire by using ancient gems – some of these dating back to the 16th century. The concept of using ancient gemstones for jewels is a statement of power and status, something that is no longer valid today but still reflects an intellectual direction to understand life in a specific epoch. The same goes for Napoleon Bonaparte, whose crown was created and modelled following the Ancient Roman designs. This crown screams, “I am your new Emperor”, and legitimates his role as ruler by recalling a glorious past of power and domination to our memory.

 

Knowing and studying antique jewels is a never-ending affair with beauty and pleasure: the more you look at them, the more you want to know about them, and the more you are amazed by all the cultural layers and references (historical, cultural) they offer, and the relationship between the ancient and the contemporary worlds.

 

Understanding antique jewels is like understanding a poetic language, and collecting them is like composing your personal poem to Beauty and Grace.

 

 

   

Blog

Speaker: Gislain Aucremanne

 

Introduction

 

This article is about Tutankhamun and the legacy he had in the history of jewellery. Howard Carter discovered the tomb in 1922. Since that moment, this discovery started a revolution in Egyptology, and in the interest called Egyptomania, the passion for Egypt. The notion of Egyptomania leads to understanding and deciphering the hieroglyphic language of Tutankhamun’s jewels and how these treasures influenced the creation of the 20th and even the early 21st century.

 

Why did this historic discovery have such a significant impact on the world of jewellery? The answer can be given through four main chapters.

 

The first chapter will give a general context of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, of who he was in history and how a great moment it was for Howard Carter, the archaeologist who made the discovery.

The second chapter will review key pieces from the tomb’s treasure. The third chapter will be about the symbols and the meanings linked to the jewels inside the tomb, and, finally, the fourth chapter will conclude with how the Egyptian revival through the ages proves vital and meaningful today.

 

1 – Who was King Tutankhamun?

 

One century ago, the discovery of King Tut’s tomb quickly became known as the “discovery of the century”. It was the discovery of the only one intact tomb of a pharaoh who went down in history as completely forgotten.

The erasing of the figure of Tutankhamun from history appears to be intentional.

Egyptologists have evidence of this through the statues found in the tomb.

The Egyptian religious system included several gods. Among these gods there was Rah, the God of the Sun. Amun is the god of air. They became crucial God protectors of the Pharaoh in the second millennium BC. Amun is related to air and the sky. There was a statue in the tomb, but its arms and hands had been destroyed. The head of the Pharaoh was chopped out of the figure itself; the arms, and part of the names, had been destroyed to make sure all the body parts that could help the Pharaoh to survive in the afterlife, and his name, would never last forever.

 

This cancellation process is called “damnatio memoriae”. This process condemns the memory of the person forever, and it makes sure this person will be forgotten entirely. That was the idea, and this is what happened to King Tut. But why?

Tutankhamun was the son of Akhenaten, one of the most famous and controversial pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He refused the traditional polytheistic religion, in particular the cult of Amun-Ra, preferring the Sun as a disc to be worshipped on its own and directly revered by the Pharaoh without using the clergy. Akhenaten transformed the religious system, alienating his priests.

When Akhenaten died, his son, the young Tutankhaten (as he was called after the new religion), nine years old, following the advice of his counsellors, reinstated the ancient polytheistic religion.

 

Aton then became Tutankh-Amon, related to Amon, the ancient God. But despite this, his officials decided to make sure that, as the son of the heretic king, he was cancelled from history, and everything related to the boy-king disappeared.

Following traces, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon decided together to make researchers. It took Howard Carter 15 years to understand the name of Tutankhamun properly, to understand the exact location in the Kings’ Valley and try to find him. When he found the tomb in November 1922, it was such a glorious time for him because he would revolutionise the world of Egyptology.

 

However, King Tut’s tomb was quite small, with a chaotic pile of splendid objects. Why was that?

Let us imagine finding the treasure of Ramses II (or Ramses the Great); his tomb would have been ten times longer and probably the treasure ten times bigger compared to Tutankhamun. Howard Carter, instead of a magnificent royal shrine, found the little tomb of a little Pharaoh who ruled very shortly, with everyone around him trying to make sure no one would remember him. This is a crucial aspect of the discovery, because the treasure we have in mind is little compared to what existed. As all the royal treasures have been stolen by thieves, Tutankhamun’s treasure is a good indication of the magnificence and importance of royal funerary treasures.

 

All the objects found in the tomb have one element in common: gold. Howard Carter, answering Lord Carnarvon, who was asking him what he could see, famously replied while peeking at the inside of the tomb: “Gold, gold everywhere!”.

Gold was an important metal, not only because it was precious but also because it was considered a divine material. At the tomb’s entrance, Howard Carter found two blackskinned guardians with eyes painted in gold. These two guards represented the Pharaoh, they had his features, they wore his jewels and amulets. In this instance, the gold on statues resembling the Pharaoh was used to link the man to the divinity.

 

Gold is diffusely used in the funerary chamber and for the coffin containing the mummy of the Pharaoh. Tutankhamun’s golden mask is today a true icon of Egyptian funerary art, and the mummy itself was covered in jewels. In addition, they found layers of necklaces made of stones or glass beads. These objects were highly fascinating for Carter, who took them off and documented them, one by one.

The presence of the jewels was significant because they were a protection for the Pharaoh. Because of their importance and value, today these jewels are all displayed at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

 

2 – Tutankhamun’s Treasure

 

The giant golden shrine was covered with engraved scenes of the young Tutankhamun and his queen, protecting him, or giving him some presents, some objects.

 

Among these objects, Tutankhamun’s wife, Ankhesenamun, is depicted giving the boy-king a necklace with the attribute of Hathor, the goddess who would eventually protect the young Pharaoh in the afterlife. So, every single jewel in the tomb’s decorations or on the body of the Pharaoh was chosen not by chance, but for specific meanings.

 

The first piece worth examining is King Tut’s golden mask, one of the most acclaimed and famous Egyptian artefacts. The mask weighs an impressive 11 kilos and is in 24k gold. This is an object of extraordinary intensity because one can appreciate the use of various tones of the metal, and the piercing power of the eyes of the Pharaoh – one feels like he is still looking at you, that in those eyes there is life.

Fascinating details in the mask offer a glimpse of how the Pharaoh was in real life. For example, one can notice that its ears are pierced, the same as in the mummy. So, the makers paid great attention to mirroring the natural aspect of Tutankhamun while working on the mask. Besides, there is a humanity in this detail: only women and children had their ears pierced in Ancient Egypt. This testifies of the Pharaoh’s young age when he died.

 

Another study involves the reconstruction of the body from when it was first discovered. Howard Carter and his team found about two hundred amulets in gold or other metals, and precious stones, covering the body among layers and layers of linen drenched in oils and resins.

The items are golden because gold would give the pharaoh divine protection. These objects are also inscribed with the hieroglyphic language, reporting quotations from the Book of the Dead. These inscriptions would protect the Pharaoh in the afterlife. All these golden amulets would function as a “shield” for the king, protecting him from all the dangers he would have to face during his journey to eternal life. This is why they were positioned on the body among the bandages.

Howard Carter, who started drawing to document his excavations and adventures in Egypt, was a good illustrator. He went on to locate every single amulet found on the body. His precious work allows today to match amulets to their protective function and role and to state that each amulet was chosen for a specific reason.

 

As we know, Tutankhamun was buried quickly, with objects that, in some instance, were not his own. In Ancient Egypt it would take a few months to make sure all that is necessary to go with the Pharaoh is there for his journey, because what was considered “necessary” was an impressive number of items.

So, in the case of Tutankhamun, and having no time for preparation, priests took objects for the burial to compose the Pharaoh’s funerary equipment from someone else’s funerary set. Evidence of this process can be seen in a pectoral necklace found on the mummy. A pectoral is a rectangular ornament, laced like a necklace, covering the chest. It is a crucial piece of jewellery worn by the Egyptians in everyday life and a burial treasure, too. The pectoral found on the King’s mummy shows Neftis, one of the goddesses protecting the body.

The jewel displays a sharp contrast between the depiction of Neftis and her hieroglyphs, and another cartouche, very poorly executed – the colours are not bright, and the engraving is not refined. Egyptologists then think that this pectoral was not destined for Tutankhamun. Perhaps it was for someone else; it was grabbed and quickly modified by inscribing the name of Tutankhamun on it. Because they were working with haste, the engraving was badly executed. And the same happened with other objects discovered in the tomb – belonging to someone else and “recycled” for King Tut’s hastened burial.

 

The King’s coffin is another fantastic object. It is made up of more sarcophagi: the mummy had its golden mask, then it was put in a pure gold coffin encrusted with precious stones, then in a golden wood one, with more precious stones, and a final bigger golden wooden sarcophagus, again with precious stones on it. Finally, this ensemble was put in a large stone shrine.

So, there are layers and layers of protection for the Pharaoh, all made of gold. The first golden sarcophagus, where the mummy rests, has the same design as the mask. The artisans replicated and referred to the same symbols multiple times to make sure the Pharaoh was protected.

 

3 – The meanings and symbols of jewels

 

Jewels in the Egyptian culture have meanings. Let us go back to the pectoral mentioned earlier. Its design recalls the facade of a temple: wearing a pectoral, is wearing something divine. A divine presence that is always associated with the cartouche containing the name of the Pharaoh – thus stressing the link between the terrestrial and the sacred dimensions.

 

Another interesting object is the throne. It offers lovely depictions of family scenes between Tutankhamun and his wife, Queen Ankhesenamun. In these scenes, they wear fabulous jewels, represented in every detail. Their skin is in red carnelian, an important ornament stone at the time. Their hair is of lapis-lazuli, the back in gold. It could be that the white textile of the young queen was made from silver, gold, silver lapis and cornelian. King Tut and his wife wear the same necklaces: their design is not differentiated by their gender, and both are decorated with turquoise.

 

All these materials are the most sacred at the time. Gold was the skin of the gods. Silver was the bones of the gods. Lapis-lazuli was the hair of the gods; even if we all know the pharaohs and the aristocracy had wigs at the time, they considered this blue colour, the intense colour of the sky, related to the divine.

The carnelian is often compared to the burning fire of the sun. When you have so much desert, burning fire is a crucial word to understand both the power and the danger of the sun.

Colour was essential in the Egyptian culture, and it is all that matters – what was important in an object was to render its colour, either with precious stones or with humble materials such as glass beads. No matter what, the power of the item, of the amulet, would remain the same – conveyed by its colours, not by the materials they are made with.

Therefore, knowing the Egyptian culture, symbols, and meanings are essential in analysing the jewels and understanding their messages.

Incredibly, no one found this tomb before 1922, with all its jewels and riches. Archaeologists like Howard Carter have been dreaming of such a discovery for many years, and this dream came true in 1922 when the tomb was discovered and unsealed.

 

Since the 1920s, lots of Egyptologists decided to publish documents about Egyptian ornaments, and of course, jewellers took these documents and chose to make their design reinterpretations.

Egypt inspired the contemporary world, and the Egyptomania started.

The jewellery production of the 1920s is very rich in examples of ‘Egyptian revival’ jewels. The Neiger Brothers’ Gablonz is today famous for representing the Egyptomaniac inspiration. In one of their famous brooches, one can see the pyramid, the sphynx, you have the obelisk – it is considered a cliché today, but it became a hit at the time. And it is precisely what people wanted to have, with “fake” hieroglyphs on it, because every Egyptologist would testify of the original provenance of them.

 

4 – Egyptomania and the Egyptian-revival Jewels

 

The Egyptian revival jewels of the 1920s were reinterpretations to show interest in Ancient Egypt. But this interest had started quite long before, with Napoleon. His Egyptian campaigns started the scientific study of Egypt. Many scholars came with him taking notes, illustrating what they found, understanding archaeology at the time as a science, and taking some objects away with them.

 

When Napoleon returned to France, despite losing the war, decided to launch an Egyptianinspired sort of culture which spread across Europe. Many example testify of this cultural spread.

The first one is the entrance of what is today the German embassy in Paris – the front part of the facade looks like an Egyptian temple.

Another example of Egyptomania can be found in Percier, Jacob-Desmalter and Biennais. They were designers and architects who worked together to produce Egypt-inspired objects. A famous one is a metal cabinet which looks like a temple.

The British went on with Wedgewood, a manufacturer of porcelain that created an incredible tea service with the Egyptian crocodile and hieroglyphic motives with scarabs and open wings. As for jewels, there is a souvenir from the Dresden battle, during which Napoleon was shot but survived. He took the cannonball that hit him to make a little scarab out of it. He gave it to his lover, Marie Walewska, as a talismanic Egyptomaniac object. The little scarab comes as a ring, which is still in the Walewska family today, thus proving the sentimental connection to this piece.

 

Then in the second half of the 19th-century archaeological revival, the excavations continued, and jewellers kept producing their jewellery reinterpretations.

An interesting comparison could be between Gustave Baugrand, the prominent jeweller during Napoleon III (the 1860s) and Georges Clairin.

Baugrand made a profile illustration of a queen of Egypt. At the time, the most famous figure in Egypt was Cleopatra. Baugrand created the profile of an Egyptian queen with precious stones according to the French design of the 1860s. A couple of decades later, Georges Clairin portrayed the French actress Sarah Bernhardt impersonating Cleopatra showing her best profile – according to the “Egyptian way”. Egypt became a way of thinking, a real obsession.

 

So much so that after Tutankhamun’s tomb’s discovery, people started talking of “Tut Mania” – Tutankhamun became “Tut”, easier to remember. And instead of Egyptomania, people started talking of “Tut Mania”.

This Tut mania was a passion in all creations, and in the 1920s, these had tremendous success. During the Art Deco period, jewellers used platinum as a metal, diamonds for white, onyx for black, emeralds for green, and rubies for red. On jewels there are Egyptian scenes taken from the discovered tombs (Chaumet), with figurines moving and walking, hunting birds, or hieroglyphic elements like in some Van Cleef pieces – a sautoir following this style was recently sold at Christie’s in Geneva.

The Tut Mania reached Great Britain, too. They wanted to feel this passion for Egypt, and textiles to be placed in living rooms or bedrooms were printed with hieroglyphs. These textiles were a tangible sign of the passion for Egypt that developed in the U.K. and overseas in that period.

 

In France, one man in Paris crossed the street and went to an ancient artefact dealer trying to buy Egyptian objects. His name was Louis Cartier, and he developed a crucial creative relationship with Ancient Egypt. Cartier differed in comparison to Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels: while these Maisons perfectly mimicked hieroglyphs, Cartier went a step further by including proper archaeological pieces into his creations. These pieces came from other excavations that dealers of antiquity would have available.

Louis Cartier would buy them and would include them in his jewels. A perfect Art Deco piece, and typical of Cartier, one of the most iconic pieces, is a scarab brooch designed in 1924, in platinum and diamonds. Cartier also took some parts of the blue faience to make the wings. The faience is ancient, from a foregone era, and they just introduced it to make the scarab fly as they saw in the hieroglyphic illustrations.

 

One could imagine that after the twenties and thirties, the passion for Tutankhamun and Egypt could have gone down. However, that was not the case, thanks to the cinema, which constantly inspired by presenting the stories, splendour, and legends of Ancient Egypt.

 

For example, in New York in the sixties, David Webb designed the “Eye of Horus” brooch, which has an Egyptian twist and inspiration thanks to the use of lapis lazuli in the Egyptian style. Cartier also returned to Egypt in the 1980s with a golden collar necklace featuring a massive scarab at the front – now in Cartier’s Heritage Collection.

Today, we have contemporary designers like Lydia Courteille, who, in the early 2000s, created a stunning piece called “Gala Ma Muse”, designed inside an Egyptian eye – Gala was Salvador Dali’s muse, and this jewel is a fusion of Egyptomania and Surrealism.

Hemmerle, in 2018, designed a collection called “Revived Treasures”. The solid Egyptian inspiration comes from family ties because the heir to the Hemmerle family is married to Yasmin Hamal, who was born in Egypt. So, they designed art objects meant to be worn, such as Egyptian scarabs and old amulets that can transform into earrings.

Finally, a few months ago, in 2022, Messika decided to design the “Akh-Ba-Ko” asymmetrical earrings that would have the shape of long wings, with the power of the scarab that could fly away.

 

Egyptomania is not dead, and our passion and fascination for Egypt will continue in the years to come.

 

 

   

Blog

Panel discussion moderated by Katerina Perez (influencer), with David Roux-Fouillet (Head of the Department of Product Design, Jewellery and Accessories, HEAD Geneva), Olivier Bachet (expert), Vivienne Becker (jewellery historian, author) and Alix Dumas (Designer)

 

Sometimes we look at a piece of jewellery and we fall in love with it instantly and sometimes, you have to heavily market a design or a collection in order for it to sell. What is that “magic formula” that makes the jewellery design exceptional?

 

Jewellery that makes your heart beating faster

 

It is a jewel that really captures its moment in time, which reflects what is going on in the world around it. A jewel that combines the design expression with superb craftsmanship and wonderful materials. And a jewel able to combine a certain “newness” to echoes of the past – which make it even more fascinating.

 

For example, Modernism in jewellery reflected the world as it was evolving. Today, Fabio Salini stands for the Modernist style. He is considered a modern head of “new Modernism” thanks to his very graphic simple compositions of colours, lines and forms. Another example is Alexandra Jefford: her jewels have something original to say. So, it is not so much about some kind of surface stylism, but more about a meaningful message.

 

Another trait of Modernism is the ability of reinterpreting old motifs, like Philippe Loras and his ribbon bows, or again Elena Okutova, who has been able to revive Russian jewellery art to tell stories that combine history and modernity.

 

Modernism today is not only about themes, but also about techniques, as with Boghossian. They indeed took very traditional skills and techniques and modernized them to propose beautifully crafted pieces.

 

Jewels can make our hearts beating faster when the convey an emotion, a poetic vision, as in the example of JAR, who derives his inspiration from nature and translates it into an emotional, poetic vision of jewellery.

 

One this is for sure: exceptional design does not always have to be overly complex; it doesn’t have to be a huge flower with tons of pave and a big gemstone in the centre. It can be something simple but at the same time when unusual techniques are used, these make it truly exceptional.

 

What does us make falling in love with a jewel?

 

When we see a piece of jewellery, do we fall in love with it because of emotions or because of other factors, like an important gem or the investment side of it?

 

For many, the first factor at work to fall in love with a jewel is the emotion.

 

Jewellery is not something we need; it is something we want. In that sense designing a piece of jewellery is like drafting a poem. The jeweller has all sorts of different tools that he can use: the choice of materials, of curves, shapes, details, colours, and stones. All these are like words that a writer uses to create a sentence that hopefully will touch not just for its technicality and the beauty of its structure, but for the emotions it evokes.

 

There is an element of magic in jewellery which relates to its origins as a magical, amuletic object. We fall in love with a jewel because we respond to jewellery on a very atavistic level, responding to the storytelling and the emotion that jewel generates in us.

 

One thing to notice is that we could fall in love with a jewel, but not wanting to wear it. We could, for example, admire Lalique and his Art Nouveau marvellous jewels, but we could never see ourselves as wearing any of these. Also, there might be a jewel we loved in the past, and that do not like so much at present – our taste keeps evolving in time, and our love with jewels goes with it.

 

Taste is something personal, and in front of two jewels interpreting the same motif, the reactions, the preferences could be each time different. There is no right or wrong when it comes to liking a jewel according to one’s personal preference.

 

What contributes to the beauty of a jewel?

 

There are several aspects to consider.

 

Oscar Wilde famously said that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. The beauty of a jewel is made up of many elements, such as the pure emotion it elicits, its craftmanship, the proportions, colours, the volume and all the details of the design.

 

Colour is the emotional trigger; everyone responds to distinct colours in diverse ways. Everyone also respond to a gem’s inner light – this is something that has captivated humankind for thousands of years, so colours and light are an emotional key to the beauty of a piece of jewellery.

 

When we speak about proportions, if a jewel is designed and worked as a piece of art, as a sculpture, the jeweller becomes an artist who, through his/her sensitive eye will re-adjust volumes and proportions. It is an artistic instinct that helps the jeweller-artist to reach a golden ration that makes the jewel perfect.

 

We all are still sensitive to the way jewels are made. Artisanship makes the difference: even if colours and proportions are nice, at the end it is the way the piece is made that counts, and this is also why some brands are known for the quality of their craftsmanship. It is part of jewellery emotion: a beautiful piece of jewellery must also be well made.

 

The excellence can then be reached when craftsmanship disappears, so that you don’t notice it at all. This happens when craftsmanship is at the service of the design, the concept, the little details, and the comfort in wearing the jewel. All these qualities are there, but you do not see the craftsmanship and the savoir-faire beneath it.

 

Jewels we love & storytelling

 

Does storytelling contribute to making us fall in love with a jewel? Is it important, when we buy a piece of jewellery, to know about the inspiration behind it, how the designer produced that idea?

 

The story behind a jewel helps to connect with the jewel itself. In many instances people would buy a piece of jewellery because the story speaks to them – for example, it might happen that they buy a ring which is inspired by the sea and they love surfing; or maybe they have travelled to a destination which is in their memory and the piece of jewellery is inspired by such location.

 

Storytelling, to connect to the jewel, should be authentic. The story, the theme or the inspiration should be authentic to the designer. This will create that sense of harmony that will make this connection between the person and the jewel click – because we instinctively know when a story is authentic, and when it is not.

 

Jewels contribute to self-expression, today as in the past – this has not changed. Some of us will choose classic or antique pieces, while other will go for avant-garde and contemporary designs.

 

The expressive power of a jewel goes through the body of the wearer. There is a tactile element attached to the jewel, a jewel should be felt. This is as important as the storytelling and the technical elements behind the creation.

 

Designer DNA or brand to define an exceptional design?

 

One big question when it comes to jewellery design is the following: is it important to be different and show your own personality in what you create, or is it better to think of what the client wants and create something that will fit his/her taste?

 

There is not only one answer. If you choose to be an artist, you have a view for each single creation, you communicate through pieces which may be very organic, others that may be very geometrical. It is not about being included in a closed cycle, sticking to “style guidelines”. It is more about the ability of expressing a message. The DNA of the artist can of course be present through a sort of “red line” that defines the artist’s personality, its evolution in time.

 

One specific DNA imprint can reveal the jewellery designer to the eyes of customers. It is not only about techniques and languages, but it is also about a way of thinking about the world. It is a journey for the jeweller to find him/herself, his/her true voice and to express a vision of the world, a message, through jewels – this is an aspect that keeps evolving together with the evolution of the designer’s inner world. An aspect that is not easy to define and streamline.

 

For example, a designer might fall in love with the theme of the wave. Being an artist means to interpret the theme in different ways, producing pieces that refer to the theme having a uniquely different look and personality. An artist rarely works on collections – they are repetitive and work in series, something a jewellery artist could never do.

 

Another crucial difference is on budget. A jewellery artist would start with the design and then would assess the budget to produce it. A brand would go the other way round: they would often start from a given budget and would try and produce the collection.

 

The goal is, of course, sales. Whether a jewellery designer is guided by a strong inspiration, or by brand collections, the final objective is to sell amazing jewels through the right channels to the final consumers.

 

Where does exceptional design start from?

 

It is not only a strong idea to guide the creative process. In many cases, the intricate beauty of a stone commands the entire design of a jewel. It can take sometimes months, or even years, before that gem finds its place in a jewel, but it is for sure worth the wait – a gem has its story to tell, and it cannot be dispersed in an undistinguished design.

 

An exceptional design can also start from the material – metals, or a piece of wood have their own story. In this case it is about experimenting, working around them to understand their language and translate it into the body of the jewel. From here a new storytelling starts.

 

Therefore, no matter where you start from, linking the creation to a meaningful idea, to an exceptional stone, to unusual materials (or all of these at the same time) will let the world admire an exceptional jewellery design.