Chaumet unveils 46 haute joaillerie pieces inspired by coffee, tea and spices

Chaumet has unveiled its new high jewelry collection, Journey Through Nature. This French jeweler, with a 246-year history, draws its inspiration this time from the aromas of green tea, coffee, saffron and vanilla. A sensory approach that breaks with the company’s usual figurative botanical representations.

A high jewelry collection that awakens the senses

This 46-piece collection marks the first creation entirely signed by Olga Corsini, director of the creative studio. Rather than reproducing recognizable plant forms, she evokes the invisible sensations of nature. Thus, each chapter of the collection plays on botanical freshness, spicy sweetness or aromatic warmth.

The Tea Field necklace perfectly illustrates this abstract approach. A 23.81-carat Colombian emerald depicts lush vegetation seen from the sky, with no camellia leaves visible. Geometric cascades of white diamonds evoke water, for a total of 43.30 carats.

Coffee Aroma is distinguished by its complete absence of brown tones. White sapphires and diamonds form an abstract scroll of steam around a 12-carat oval center stone. This complex ensemble required 1,200 hours of work.

“We think nature doesn’t have to be so far away from us – it could be so close to us.”

A sumptuous presentation at the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay

The collection was revealed at a gala event held at the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay. This luxury hotel occupies a 12th-century Cistercian abbey on the edge of the Rambouillet forest near Paris. Three-star Michelin chef Frédéric Anton orchestrated the dinner.

Ballet dancers performed in the abbey’s former refectory, carrying the new creations. Mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel, who had sung the French national anthem from the roof of the Grand Palais during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, offered a musical performance.

• Sophie Marceau and Natalia Vodianova among the celebrities present
• Song Hye Kyo (South Korea) and Li Bingbing (China) in first place
• Thai actor Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong as guest of honor
• Chaumet customers adorned with their own jewels
• A selection of tiaras, the house’s historic specialty

A balance of rare stones and craftsmanship

According to Charles Leung, Managing Director of Chaumet, high jewelry customers value precious stones above all else. Gold, despite its rising price, is still perceived as “a material that everyone can buy”. Gem quality therefore takes precedence over metal.

The company is reviving ancient techniques such as grand feu enamel, used for saffron flowers. Charles Leung emphasizes the need to reintroduce these skills and show “the beautiful possibilities of diversity in jewelry-making”. To perpetuate this transmission, the company has been sponsoring the class of 2028 of the Haute École de Joaillerie in Paris since June.

The Mint Leaf set features emerald-cut aquamarines ranging from 10 to 17 carats, depending on the piece. These blue-green stones evoke the icy freshness of mint, combined with dazzling white pearls.

A balance between contemporary creativity and heritage

Olga Corsini’s more abstract artistic direction meets an expectation of surprise and modernity. Yet the collection also incorporates figurative motifs dear to the House, such as its famous bees. This mix satisfies both lovers of daring pieces and collectors attached to historical codes.

The Verbena Bouquet necklace in yellow gold features a 15.11-carat cushion-cut Ceylon yellow sapphire. It is accompanied by 16 colored sapphires from Ceylon and Madagascar for a total of 35.76 carats. Round sapphires and brilliant-cut diamonds complete this vegetal ensemble.

A global strategy with growth markets

The design of medals for the Paris Olympic Games reinforced the company’s appeal to French customers. Charles Leung reports “double-digit growth” in this market. The hexagonal design of the medals resonated with France’s “Hexagone” nickname.

Participation in the Osaka World Expo has produced remarkable results. The company took pride of place in the French Pavilion during the last six weeks of the event. The Japanese market “practically doubled”, driven by local demand that offset the drop in Chinese buyers in Japan.

Greater China “is doing very well” and remains “a very interesting market” for the French jeweller. Southeast Asia is progressing, with Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand leading the way. South Korea is enjoying sustained growth, while the Middle East is “selling very well”.

North America shows growing potential, with “the size of the market expanding”. A boutique is opening in Vancouver in partnership with a distributor that has been present in the territory for ten years. As for the United States, Charles Leung still has “a lot to play for”, as this market represents “the last piece of the puzzle” for Chaumet.

• Chaumet