CHAUMET – THE ART OF CREATING A TIARA
Chaumet, which has made over 2,000 tiaras since 1780 for monarchies and aristocratic families, is constantly reinventing this head jewellery. In the art of the tiara, it all begins with a drawing.
Romanticism, Naturalism, Belle Époque and Art Déco styles have influenced Chaumet’s creations, as demonstrated by the 400,000 archive drawings held by the Maison. Fashion and contemporary collections are sources of inspiration for creating a unique piece of jewellery.
The Salon des Diadèmes
The “Salon des Diadèmes”, showcase of Chaumet’s historic collections Chaumet’s historic collections decorate the walls of the Salon des Diadèmes, where hundreds of “maillechorts” illustrate Chaumet’s prestigious past.
The heritage of Chaumet is exceptional within the history of jewellery: several hundred thousand gouaches and drawings made by winners of the “Grand Prix de Rome”, almost 300,000 photographic prints, 35,000 glass plates, account books and correspondence.
A unique and traditional craftsmanship
Making a tiara requires a special technique: a volume model in nickel silver with which the jeweller adjusts the design to the shape of the head and to the way it will be worn. Chaumet conserves around 700 nickel silver tiara models in its museum, all of which bear witness to the history of the Maison’s creative expertise.
Tiaras and special orders
Today, a special order or unique item requires 500 to 1,500 hours of work, representing a timeframe of 2 to 6 months. Each tiara undergoes many different steps: shaping, dismantling, preparation of the setting, polishing, re-cutting diamonds, setting, applying hallmarks, Chaumet engraving, final assembly and final finishing.
This exclusive expertise belongs to the Chaumet High Jewellery workshop, located 12 place Vendôme.
