How Chaumet’s Precious Symbols Were Reimagined This Year

For 240 years, Chaumet has crafted its jewelry creations with emblems of the Maison, whose patronage included that of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, and her husband, Napoleon Bonaparte. The 12 emblems that have imbued each unique piece with timeless meaning and symbolism have been re-imagined throughout 2020 to fit the modern woman who is at once sophisticated as well as stylish and contemporary.

The iconic number 12, representing the historic address and location of the Maison‘s current home at number 12 Vendôme, symbolizes harmony and perfection. It comes to life in the ‘Mirage’ tiara – the tiara being the signature of Chaumet and yet another emblem which represents the stature of a woman and self-realization – from the Perspectives de Chaumet collection with its traditional yet transformational nature of diamonds and sapphires.

Likewise, the emblem of the Vendôme Column situated in the heart of the first address of the Maison after royal appointment by Napoleon and Joséphine, stands tall, displayed at its most advantageous in the form of the brilliant tiara ring, ‘Splendeur Impériale,‘ which crowns the finger with a majestic femininity. Naturally, the J for Joséphine emblem honoring the elegant yet affectionate Empress who celebrated and encouraged the arts in France appears throughout the Joséphine collection to represent the attributes most prized by the empress herself: self assertion, confidence, and absolute choices.

The emblems which appear in nature – like the bee, wheat, laurel, and lily – also hold symbolic meaning for Chaumet, and were revisited and reinterpreted in the popular ‘Bee My Love,’ ‘Jardins,’ ‘Laurier Precious Jewerly,’ and the ‘Liens Evidénce‘ collections. From the geometric jollity of the bee and honeycomb, to the virginal purity of the lily, each collection took a unique and special emblem of Chaumet and imbued their exceptional pieces with meaning, craft, and precision.

Delicate, avant-garde, alluring, and sacred are wrapped up in one in Chaumet’s effortless creations. Regal and feminine, these pieces stand the test of time and are cherished by women who have the poise, confidence, and astuteness of the empress who meant so much to Chaumet.