PLACE Vendome, in the first arrondissement of Paris, is home to some of the world's most luxurious jewellery brands. As early as the late 1800s and early 1900s, names such as Boucheron, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels opened their boutiques in the famed square, where today they sit alongside the likes of Fred, Damiani and De Beers.
But above the glittering boutiques and chic awnings you'll find the heart and soul of jewellery making. Here lie the high jewellery workshops where one-of-a-kind and specially commissioned pieces are designed and made by hand to every last detail by artisans who have been working in the trade for decades.
Like fashion couturiers, each craftsperson hones and perfects their skill until the time comes to pass on their knowledge to a new generation. Each workshop is different, with every brand developing a signature style or technique that is part of an art form known as haute joaillerie.
Haute joaillerie is special in that each item takes up to several months to complete and features rare precious stones. No item is ever reproduced and the out-of-reach prices reflect that. As such, visits to these workshops are a rare privilege and by invitation only.
The house of Boucheron, founded by Frederic Boucheron in 1858, was the first jeweller to move into Place Vendome in 1893. The workshop was founded several years later on the sixth floor above the boutique where it remains today, creating special orders and producing about 300 pieces a year.
Clients wanting to create a unique piece of jewellery will first meet with a team of designers to discuss their needs. A professional artist - the current artist has worked for the brand for 10 years - then creates three sketches or paintings based on this request. The drawings are done to scale and can take anywhere from one day to four weeks.