Throughout his life, Jean Schlumberger has been associated with many famous fashion brands such as Lucien Lelong and Schiaparelli, opened jewellery brands exclusively for the elite in Paris and New York, and served in the army during World War II, but what made his name and left his legacy the most was his time working at Tiffany &amp; Co., when he carved small wonders from colourful nature.

Jean Schlumberger (1907&ndash;1987) ushered in an unprecedented era of jewellery design when he began his legendary partnership with <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/fashion/camille-cottin-announced-as-the-latest-ambassador-for-tiffany-co" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiffany &amp; Co.</a> in 1956. At that time, Walter Hoving, president of Tiffany &amp; Co., asked Schlumberger to join the company as vice president. Since then, in the design studio and reception room on the mezzanine of the Tiffany &amp; Co. flagship store. at Fifth Avenue, Schlumberger rewrote the American jeweller's legacy with Bird on a Rock brooches, paillonn&eacute; enamel bracelets, pop-coloured rings, Cooper bracelets and the Sixteen Stone diamond ring.

From the guy who abandoned 5 centuries of family tradition

Born into a family with a textile tradition in Mulhouse, France, which was still part of Germany's Alsace, Schulumberger showed a talent for drawing from a very early age. The Schulumberger family, which has a weaving tradition spanning five centuries and is even a banker, soon expected its grandson to study Finance to inherit the family business. Jean Schlumberger, at this time rekindled his passion for fashion and art, voluntarily dropped out of school and moved to Paris. He was hired by <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/portraits/jeanne-damas-rouje-nyc-store-opening-french-girl-style-fashion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French fashion</a> designer Lucien Lelong, then worked at an art publisher.
In Paris, he was fascinated by the vibrant and eccentric modernism here, attracted by the uniqueness and novelty that permeated the culture of the 30s. Loved design but did not have enough money to Buying materials, on weekends he often strolls through the Marche des Puces, a flea market in Paris, looking for Victorian antiques. One day, Schlumberger found Meissen porcelain flowers decorating an old chandelier and turned them into elegant brooches for his close-knit group of artistic friends. Schlumberger's ceramic tongs were an instant hit. Design orders were coming in more and more, enough to make him decide to quit his job and focus on jewellery design.

Opening a atelier on rue de la Boetie, Jean Schlumberger quickly became a jewellery supplier especially sought after by the Parisian elite. His designs quickly caught the eye of designer <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/fashion/schiaparelli-haute-couture-spring-summer-2024-collection-photo-look" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schiaparelli</a>, who appointed him as head of the button and jewelry design team for the brand's costumes in 1937.
Joining the brand of Schiaparelli, a rising fashion designer known for his stylized accessories, brought Schlumberger immediate success, not only in Paris, but around the world. Schlumberger's imaginative buttons on Schiaparelli's suits evoke embossed images of animals, seashells, angels, fruits and insects, which continue to make a spectacular return in jewelry design at Tiffany &amp; Co.. He became a successful designer in his own right, the name behind Madame Suzy's hat pin, Delman's wedge-heeled sandals, and was praised in both on both sides of the Atlantic for unique creations that have never appeared before.

During World War II, Jean Schlumberger served in the French Army. He survived Dunkirk, a battle that changed the entire face of the war. When the war was over, Schlumberger moved to New York, USA. In Manhattan, he ran into his childhood friend, Nicolas Bongard, who was designing handmade buttons. In 1947, the duo opened a small shop together; and soon, Schlumberger&#39;s bejeweled brooches of birds and sea creatures appeared on the most fashionable women of the time.

Jean Schlumberger's creative genius creates magical works. He brings the beauty of nature into each design, making jewellery come alive and colourful. In New York, the Frenchman conquered Walter Hoving, Chairman of Tiffany &amp; Co.. Appreciating his talent, Hoving invited Schlumberger to work for Tiffany &amp; Co. in 1956. In his workshop and reception room on the mezzanine level of the brand's iconic Fifth Avenue store, Schlumberger sketched out the jewelry creations that would usher in a whole new era for the brand.

To the jewellery legends that redefined the name of Tiffany &amp; Co.

Schulumberger is famous for sketching out all his jewellery designs on drawings, and what is most impressive is that he had no formal training in art and was completely self-taught. Using ultra-fine tracing paper, pen and India ink as his medium, the artist applied the gouache technique with seamless, fluid lines, shaping imaginative shapes and elegant patterns , boldly sculptural.

Seeing drawing as the sole link between the trinity of client, creator and craftsman, and the only means of expression he had, Schulumberger often traveled to Indonesia, India and Thailand to paint. The designer sketched some of his most famous designs at his home on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, where he drew inspiration from the natural themes observed everywhere. This is also where he created the Oiseau de Paradis brooch with the image of a mythical bird emitting colourful light like a kaleidoscope, with yellow beryl, amethyst, emerald and jade, illustrating testifies to the unparalleled ability to infuse imagination into existing images of nature.

“I try to make everything look as if it is growing, uneven, random, organic, in motion. —JEAN SCHLUMBERGER

Schlumberger often claims the origin of his works in flora and fauna, architecture and memories of travels to exotic places. He has collected many memories of the sea from his frequent visits to Guadeloupe and trips to Indonesia and the Antilles. Drawing from seashells, starfish, and seahorses, he turns them into &quot;characters&quot; containing mythical elements, from a world that is constantly moving: flower buds are blooming into brilliant flowers. , life flowing on tree branches, or a fish swimming freely... Rejecting flat, &quot;two-dimensional&quot; jewelry, Schlumberger loves roundness and unexpected discoveries in nature, beautifully capturing the uniqueness and dynamism of the natural world in design. Jean Schlumberger&#39;s sublime creations are timeless icons that reflect both the artist&#39;s craftsmanship and the mastery of Tiffany &amp; Co.&#39;s craftsmanship. With a unique ability to balance ostentatious luxury with tasteful restraint, Schlumberger creates transcendent jewelry, wearable works of art. Today, a series of designs from Schlumberger by Tiffany &amp; Co. remains unchanged by its exquisite beauty, where each creation represents his innovation and unlimited imagination. Schlumberger&#39;s legacy lives on, just at Tiffany &amp; Co.

Classic jewellery creations by Jean Schlumberger

<h4>Bird on a Rock brooch</h4>

Inspired by beautiful nature and his family's fabric business heritage, Jean Schlumberger created the Bird on a Rock brooch in 1965. The brooch with the image of a bird perched on a gem has become an icon.&nbsp;

Originally, Bird on a Rock was designed for the yellow diamond; but then the brand transformed this design with many types of gemstones. In 1995, the brand placed its signature yellow diamond in Bird on a Rock, as a way of paying tribute and honoring his design legacy.<h4 style="text-align: justify;"> Paillonné enameled Croisillon ring</h4> Schlumberger&#39;s craftsmanship talent is also evident in the paillonné enameled Croisillon bracelet. Paillonné enamel requires extremely high technical skills and is a guarantee of high-end jewelry design. The paillonné enameling technique was at a stage when it was almost lost, because the manufacturing process is extremely complex and requires superior craftsmanship. This is a surface finishing technique with base enamel. Then, the artist places golden patterns (called paillons) on the base layer of enamel. Then, they continue to coat the paillons with a layer of clear glaze.

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Gold jewellery</h4>

Schlumberger is known for its innovative use of 18k rose gold in its designs. Arranged lyrically and poetically, Schlumberger's iconic golden elements echo ropes, tassels and ribbons, capturing the dynamism found in nature as well as reflecting heritage. family textile production.

Whether it's drops of gold like rain, gold family heritage and his relationship with the natural world.
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Combine multiple gems</h4>

Schlumberger's love for the wonderful colours in nature is expressed through rich yellow metalwork, bright enamels and the use of vividly coloured gemstones. At Tiffany &amp; Co., the artist revived the public's trend toward a bolder, brighter, stronger colour palette by incorporating a variety of coloured gemstones. Schlumberger used surprising color combinations - yellow next to pink, mauve surrounded by turquoise - in a surprisingly diverse way.

The genius here is that there is an alchemical harmony in the contrasts of traditional stones such as amethyst, peridot and topaz. Interwoven around and accentuated by vivid stones, Schlumberger's signature 18k rose gold tassels, vines, ropes and curtains add warmth to the artist's striking collection of colors . Schlumberger is especially attracted to precious stones such as amethyst, turquoise, jade, pink tourmaline, emerald and aquamarine. Perfectly harmonious, his unique choice of different cuts and colours is essential to expressing the aesthetic that has made the brand famous.
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Diamond</h4>

When Schlumberger began his tenure at Tiffany &amp; Co. in 1956, one of his first artistic moves was to mount the famous Tiffany diamond on a high jewelry design. Tiffany &amp; Co. commissioned the young designer to create the 128.54-carat Fancy Yellow diamond—the largest and most beautiful yellow diamond in the world at the time—a bold move that solidified the artist&#39;s role as an artist. Schlumberger brand. Initially, the designer proposed three arrangements for the legendary yellow diamond: wrapping the diamond ribbons into a necklace to highlight the central position, holding the diamond with attached wings. diamonds into a brooch, or frame it with other diamonds on a bracelet. Archived sketches of these designs are testament to the craftsmanship and class his talent demonstrated. However, finally in 1961, Jean Schlumberger&#39;s iconic Ribbon Rosette necklace became the final design that Tiffany commissioned for the setting of the Tiffany diamond. In 1995, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs&#39; Jean Schlumberger retrospective in Paris, the diamond was embedded in one of his most beloved works – the Bird on a Rock clasp. The surviving Tiffany diamond - the most important gemstone in the world - honors the vision of Charles Lewis Tiffany and the design legacy of Jean Schlumberger.

"For me, jewellery art is first and foremost a means of expression, bringing pure and enduring beauty beyond the usual framework of fashion." &mdash; JEAN SCHLUMBERGER

Jean Schlumberger: The legendary life of the jewellery designer who shaped Tiffany

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