From the Jumanji collection is a gold ring featuring a scaffolding of tourmalines. Satellite ring set with pearl and diamonds. Jean Christophe Parisian jewellery designer Jean Christophe loves paradoxes. His avant garde designs demonstrate a blissful union of opposites where sharp lines meet sensuous forms, structured shapes house fluid patterns, matte finish marries gloss textures, and negative and positive spaces create poetry. In short, they are superlative feats of engineering. Take a walk through the world of Jean Christophe, who was bestowed the title Master of Art by the French ministry of culture and communication in 2010, for his unique jewellerymaking skills. By Shanoo Bijlani 78 india s first Luxury jewellery magazine may-june 2013
I like working with negative and positive spaces
Black rhodium silver and red gold have been used to fashion this ring set with blue sapphires, and Paraiba tourmalines from the Excessive collection. White gold whorl ring set with pave diamonds with a sapphire centre. arisian jewellery designer Jean Christophe s jewellery will never cease to amaze you. The shapes of the jewels look familiar, but they have an uncommon touch to it they are at once intriguing and playful. Clearly, metal becomes putty in his hands! Christophe comes from a family of artists, and has a rich lineage and the unique distinction of working with the giants of the jewellery world from Cartier and Bulgari to Chaumet and Poiray. At one glance, Christophe, who is a member of the prestigious Grands Ateliers de France, an association founded in 1993 by a clutch of famed craftsmen to produce monuments or works of art, may seem like an adept engineer who accidentally veered into the field of jewellery. But this maestro reveals that he used to nurture a dream of becoming a surgeon or a manufacturer of planes or cars. He, however, went on to train at the school Nicolas Flamel (now the École Boulle), and transformed metals and stones into quixotic constructions. He entered Ecole at 15, and at 19, he joined Van Cleef & Arpels, then 80 india s first Luxury jewellery magazine may-june 2013
Heart ring created with diamonds and white gold. White gold ring made up of interlinked circles with one circle studded with pave diamonds. A black rhodium silver and red gold ring from the Excessive collection outlined with tsavorites. Bulgari and finally, Fred workshops. Seven years on, he joined Poiray. Two years later he was responsible for integrating Chaumet and its high jewellery workshop. Those were the days when he learnt to breathe life into a jewel by enhancing them with gemstones. In 1996, Christophe opened his first boutique in Paris. By the year 2000, fame kissed him, and his name was taken along with top jewellers of the world. Later, he opened his second shop at 18 rue des Capucines, located just steps away from Place Vendome, the mecca of the finest jewellery destinations in the world. How do ideas strike him? Shapes intrigue me, says Christophe. From the very beginning I liked working with negative and positive spaces. My aim has always been to create jewels by using less gold, Today, he is recognised for his sharp lines, structured patterns and architectural splendour. What is it that sets him apart from the rest of the recognised designers? Christophe is a great advocate of light jewellery. Jewellery should be voluminous but should not shout or show off, he believes. It must have a generous structure or shape, but without superfluous or excessive elements. india s first Luxury jewellery magazine may-june 2013 81
White gold earrings outfitted with tourmalines and amethyst. Summery citrine and onyx diamond earrings. I was good at designing since childhood. And my approach is more architectural. I would say, my jewellery from drawing to the finished product is made in my workshop, says Christophe. Two collections are produced each year from this atelier s studio. What inspires him the most? I guess it is urban shapes. So, one gets to see soap bubbles immortalised in the Soap Bubble line. The idea struck him when he was bathing his young son. The explosion of multicoloured sapphires in the collection denotes the colours that are reflected on the bubbles. His famous Jumanji ring encapsulates magic and fairy-tale lore and is populated with swirling tourmalines, inspired by a tangle of matchsticks. An uninhibited expression of ideas is packed into the unique Excessive collection that has several rings shaped like sculptures. Christophe was inspired by the cardboard, which is seen in the form of cut metal. It took him six months of study to create the collection as he had to figure out the balance and momentum in each piece. Rings are his forte and the best-sellers in his boutiques. Of all his jewellery collections, which piece does he think every woman 82 india s first Luxury jewellery magazine may-june 2013
From the Miss Pop collection, the gold ring is set with pink and green tourmalines. Rhodium-plated silver earrings garnished with black diamonds, sapphires, and garnets. Black rhodium silver and red gold ring ornamented with yellow sapphires, garnets, and diamonds. should possess and why? The Mirror ring. For me it is a basic ring, and every woman should have a paved diamond ring in her jewel box, notes Christophe. The Miroir collection looks simple with pave diamonds on a white gold ring. But a closer inspection shows the technique to create the sparkle by setting diamonds during the crimping of the metal and finding the perfect balance between metal and stone. Is he inclined to use a particular gemstone often? Yes, it is tourmaline. It is my favourite as it has different colours. The tiny ripples and waves are the focus in the Round O collection. Each piece in this collection celebrates the non-geometry of the round shape, The Miss Pop collection was inspired by the heap of tourmalines Christophe found by chance during a sale. The essence of Christophe s work can be summarised in two words: achieving excellence. For him, creativity must always take into account the criteria of quality of construction and follow the rules of traditional jewellery flawless jewellery that is aesthetic and is compliant with the laws of anatomy so that it can be wearable. india s first Luxury jewellery magazine may-june 2013 83