French tiaras in the Museum. Pushkin

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The love of jewelry knows no bounds, and the nationality of its numerous clients is hardly important for the House of Chaumet. But among them, during the nearly two-century history of the company, there were quite a few Russians. The Romanovs, Orlovs, Sheremetevs, Obolensky, Yusupovs, these famous dynasties were regular customers of Chaumet. House employees tell a legend about how a Russian aristocrat ordered a piece of jewelry for her lover, in the precious stones of which a drop of her blood was enclosed.

The first step towards worldwide recognition was the proposal of the founder of the company, Etienne Nito, made by him to Napoleon Bonaparte: the jeweler dreamed of creating a crown for the future emperor. The offer was accepted and Nito became the court jeweler. In 1875, the firm passed into the hands of Joseph Chaumet, an intelligent man and a successful businessman. He moved the company's Parisian boutique to the famous Place Vendôme and it became an attraction that Parisians and tourists still admire.

Kings and aristocrats have gradually ceased to be the only clients of Chaumet. They were joined by millionaires and movie stars. Since the 50s, actresses have appeared on the covers of magazines, whose beauty is emphasized by Chaumet products, among them Audrey Hepburn and Catherine Deneuve. Mademoiselle Deneuve in the House of Chaumet is considered the embodiment of the style of the 20th century. The collaboration between Deneuve and Chaumet began after the actress starred in the film Place Vendome, which featured the famous brand boutique as the backdrop. In the fall of 1999, Catherine Deneuve came to Moscow with the president of the firm and took part in a press conference and presentation of the new collection as a close friend of the House of Chaumet. The actress spoke about her love for jewelry and told a touching story about how she spent her first money earned on buying a bracelet (by the way, from a Russian emigrant).

Chaumet jewelers continue to create royally luxurious pieces. But they are less and less often flickering on the pages of fashion magazines, time makes its own adjustments to the concept of style. Now, tiaras and necklaces are mostly worn by the queens of small Asian states and the wives of oil sheikhs. The rest of the world prefers modest luxury without excessive pomp and pretentiousness. And Chaumet creates new collections with active women working and traveling in mind. The end of the century was marked by a very important discovery: a woman is beautiful in herself.

Everything else, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry should not overshadow her beauty. What the Chaumet designers have created on the crest of a new wave fully meets the requirements of the time. Beautiful trinkets delight their owners, emphasize their charm, but do not attract undue attention to themselves. This is, for example, the Chaumet Spirit line: laconic shapes, polished white gold, small diamonds. Refined simplicity, a small decoration on a satin collar, a watch on a silk strap …

To participate in advertising campaigns, the company still invites famous models and actresses from posters looking at the face of Claudia Schiffer, Ines Sastre poses in front of photographers of glossy magazines wearing Chaumet jewelry.

The Paris Chaumet Museum in Place Vendome contains models of all tiaras and tiaras ever made by Chaumet. For the first time in history, part of the exhibition will go to Russia. In the Museum. Pushkin, you can see 9 authentic tiaras and 60 models of Chaumet tiaras, included in the world encyclopedia of jewelry craftsmanship and reflecting different historical periods and styles in art.

The greatness of one of the most powerful empires is evidenced by the wedding set of the Empress Marie-Louise;"

Prepared by Victoria Selantieva