THE ART OF PARISIAN JEWELLERY SINCE 1780
The history of Chaumet has been entwined with the History of France ever since its founding in 1780, in Paris. Indeed, the Maison very quickly became the official jeweller to Empress Josephine.
The High Jewellery savoir-faire of the Maison has been passed down through generations of jewellers for almost 240 years. Crafted at the very heart of the place VendĂ´me, the jewellery and watchmaking creations reflect these exceptional skills and pay tribute to the Parisian style.
The heart of Chaumet
LE 12 VENDÔME
In 1907, Joseph Chaumet chose to establish his Maison at 12 Place Vendôme – the centre of the mythical Paris square.
Today, this exceptional address continues to comprise the High Jewellery workshop, a boutique and historic grand salons.
1804 - 1815
JEWELLER OF THE EMPIRE
Napoleon's taste for jewellery was predominantly political. He wanted to make France the centre for luxury and fashion design once again.Â
After completing the commission for Napoleon's coronation sword and the papal tiara for Pope Pius VII, Marie-Étienne Nitot became the jeweller to the Imperial court and personal jeweller to the Empress JosĂ©phine. He also become the most sought-after jeweller in the whole of Europe.Â
In 1812, he was succeeded by his son, François-Regnault who moved the workshops. The Maison then became the first business to move into the Place Vendôme, at number 15, which is now the Ritz Paris.
1879 - 1914
THE BELLE ÉPOQUE, OPULENT AND DARING
Joseph Chaumet, who gave the Maison his name, was its Director from 1885 to 1928. A visionary and undisputed master of the Belle Époque, he was inspired by the re-enchantment of nature. Through his creativity, aigrettes and tiaras, as social symbols and fashion accessories, became a Chaumet speciality.
In 1907, the Maison moved to 12, Place Vendôme, turning the Hotel Baudard de Sainte-James into Chaumet’s iconic address.
1890 - 1920
THE WORLDS OF CHAUMET
With developing transport links, Chaumet’s customers became more diverse.
Indian princes, including the Maharajahs of Baroda and Indore, developed a taste for European pleasures and placed lavish commissions. As avid jewellery collectors, they would bring their stones to Place VendĂ´me to have them set into light, flexible platinum settings.Â
The finest stones were often reserved for men, as was the case with the pair of pear diamonds that Chaumet supplied to the Maharajah of Indore in 1911.
1950-1980
THE ART OF STYLE
Maison Chaumet entered a new phase of artistic proposals. It used the advent of its collections to increase the variety of its styles and appeal to a much broader clientèle. It also diversified its business by creating a dedicated watchmaking department.Â
The Maison’s great designers and jewellers such as Pierre Sterlé and René Morin perpetuated the Chaumet style, while bringing a new modernity. In 1970, Chaumet rewrote the codes of jewellery and launched the Arcade, a new store concept.
1999 - 2010
THE MAISON’S SIGNATURE COLLECTIONS
The Maison was purchased by the LVMH Group in 1999.
In the wake of the iconic Liens collection, created in 1977, which celebrates the bond between two people, Chaumet created two new signature collections.Â
In 2010, Chaumet’s Joséphine collection pays tribute to the Empress Joséphine, the Maison's first major client and inspiration. Aesthetically, it was inspired by the tiara, a Chaumet speciality, and its creations crowned the femininity of those who wore them.
2017 - 2024
CHAUMET EXHIBITS WORLDWIDE
Chaumet exhibits worldwide, in exceptional settings such as the Forbidden City in Beijing in 2017, Tokyo's Mitsubishi Ichigokan museum in 2018 and even Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum in 2019. Focusing on the Maison’s various flagship themes, each exhibition presented over 300 pieces of jewellery and artworks reflecting Chaumet’s heritage, on loan from major museums and private collectors.Â
Illustrating this craft of jewellery specific to Chaumet, these exhibition events explore the Maison’s centuries-old heritage, its history, its creations of yesterday and today, drawing the outlines of a style, in a constant dialogue with main artistic trends.
In 2020
CHAUMET CELEBRATES ITS 240TH ANNIVERSARY
Maison Chaumet is celebrating its 240th anniversary in style, by unveiling the new dĂ©cor at its historic address of 12 VendĂ´me, on the legendary Place VendĂ´me, where it was the first jeweller to be established in 1812.Â
Today the Hotel Baudard de Sainte-James houses a store with spaces that have been entirely redesigned, salons dedicated to culture where part of the Maison’s heritage is revealed, as well as the High Jewellery workshop. A triple purpose that was intended for this exceptional place from the beginning.
The iconic collections
