CHAUMET

Chaumet is a French jewelry and watchmaking house founded in 1780 by Marie-Etienne Nitot. The brand has a rich history of creating exquisite jewelry pieces for royalty, celebrities, and other notable figures.

Chaumet is known for its exceptional workmanship and craftsmanship, and many of their pieces feature intricate details and exquisite gemstones. Throughout its history, the brand has created a wide range of jewelry pieces, including tiaras, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings.

One of Chaumet's most famous works is the tiara, which has been a staple of the brand since the early 19th century. Chaumet has created tiaras for many notable figures, including Empress Josephine, Queen Victoria, and the Duchess of Windsor. Each tiara is crafted using traditional techniques, and many are adorned with diamonds, pearls, and other precious stones.

Chaumet is also known for its use of innovative techniques and materials. In the 1970s, the brand began incorporating unconventional materials, such as wood, leather, and crystal, into its jewelry designs. This approach was a departure from traditional luxury jewelry and helped to establish Chaumet as a forward-thinking brand.

Today, Chaumet continues to create exquisite jewelry pieces using the finest materials and traditional techniques. The brand's collections include both classic and contemporary designs, and its pieces are sought after by collectors and jewelry enthusiasts around the world.

History of Chaumet :

Marie-Étienne Nitot founded his own jewelry business in Paris in 1780, working successfully for Aubert, the jeweler to Queen Marie-Antoinette. The business grew steadily, and Nitot was eventually joined by his son, Francois, becoming the official jewelers to Napoleon in 1802. The Nitot family created a number of notable pieces, including the wedding jewels for Empresses Josephine and Marie-Louise, as well as Napoleon's coronation crown, the Consular sword, and the tiara of Pius VII.

After Napoleon's downfall, the Nitot firm was sold to Jean-Baptiste Fossin, who had worked for Nitot and continued the business with his son, Jules. They succeeded in capturing the spirit of Romanticism in jewelry just as Nitot & Fils had done for the Empire.

In 1848, Jules Fossin partnered with the talented jeweler J.V. Morel, who had previously managed the Fossin & Fils workshop. Morel moved to London and enjoyed success at the 1851 Great Exhibition, and the following year Queen Victoria granted them her Royal Warrant after purchasing many of their pieces. Prosper Morel eventually returned to Paris in 1854 to join Jules Fossin, whom he succeeded in 1868.

A few years later, Joseph Chaumet, who had started his jewelry career at the age of fifteen working for his relatives'business in Bordeaux, met and fell in love with Marie Morel. Upon moving to Paris, Chaumet was hired by his future father-in-law, and in June 1875, he married Marie, securing his future with the firm that would eventually bear his name. By 1885, Chaumet had assumed management of the business, and four years later, in 1889, he bought the company outright and changed its name.

Joseph Chaumet was a passionate lover of pearls and precious stones, and his jewelry designs were inspired by the aesthetic of his time. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and personally oversaw every stage of the design and manufacturing process. To ensure the highest quality, Chaumet set up specialized workshops for various craftsmen, including box-makers, leather-workers, and diamond cutters.

Chaumet's dedication to excellence and innovation led him to establish his own laboratory to study pearls and precious stones. His jewelry designs were highly regarded, and he exhibited them at many of the great exhibitions of his era, including the Paris Exhibition of 1900, where he was awarded a gold medal. He also showcased his work at the St. Petersburg Exhibition of 1902, the Milan Exhibition of 1906, and the Buenos Aires Exhibition of 1910.

At the start of the 1900s, Joseph Chaumet realized the importance of relocating his business to a more prominent location. He chose the fashionable Place Vendome, where the Maison Chaumet still maintains its flagship boutique at number 12, opposite the Ritz Hotel.

The Maison Chaumet was famous for their naturalistic jewelry designs that incorporated motifs of flora and fauna, such as flowers, insects, and birds. They had a particular reputation for creating imaginative and beautiful headpieces, including some of the most important aigrettes, tiaras, and bandeaux of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Their jewelry creations were exhibited in the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, where they showcased a wonderful collection of Art Deco designs that emphasized geometric shapes set with either starkly contrasting black and white gems or bold, bright colors. After Joseph Chaumet passed away in 1928, his son Marcel took over the business and continued to operate with the same ethos and passion as his father.

Jacques and Pierre, Marcel's sons, were appointed executive directors of the Maison in 1958 and oversaw the company throughout the 1960s and 1970s. However, in 1987, the Maison Chaumet filed for bankruptcy and was subsequently purchased by an investment group. In 1999, LVMH acquired the Maison.