Chaumet jewelry takes us on a journey with the Trésors d’Afrique collection

After the splendor and purity of the jewels of the Promenades Impériales collection, sprinkled with Russian snow, and the lightness and grace of the jewels inspired by Japan of the Chant du Printemps collection, it is the turn of the African continent to be honored by Chaumet. The sub-collection Trésors d'Afrique is the last stop of the 3-stage journey proposed by the collection Les Mondes de Chaumet. This is further proof of the Parisian house's openness to other cultures, but also of its adventurous spirit.

Following the meeting with the Kenyan artist Evans Mbugua , whose colorful and joyful plexiglass paintings reflect the energy and vitality of contemporary African art, Chaumet immersed itself in sub-Saharan Africa. The Parisian house had already been inspired in the past by Egypt and the Maghreb. It was passionate about a continent where the art of adornment has reached an incredible level of sophistication and creativity, where people dare. It is not surprising that Africa has inspired artists such as Picasso , Braque or Apollinaire, legends of very varied movements, from cubism to surrealism and fauvism. It is therefore no surprise that Chaumet discovered many similarities between its jewelry and African adornments.

The place of jewelry in Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, jewelry plays many roles. It can be an object of superstition, belief, or an accessory that establishes one's social rank. Accessory is actually a misnomer, because jewelry often takes center stage in an individual's home, especially on special occasions . It is a talisman, an emblem of seduction or power. Despite their sophistication, nothing is superfluous, since every detail of these ornate jewels has a particular meaning. For example, the pearls that a groom wears at his wedding symbolize the number of cattle he owns.

Treasures of Africa: the contribution of Evans Mbugua

Playing with light, transparency and colours to communicate joy and fantasy, it is to Evans Mbugua that we owe the Chaumet brooches from the Espiègleries series. This is a collection of 6 luxury brooches featuring famous African creatures staged in improbable situations. Among these brooches, we find in particular a lazy monkey crossing the savannah on the back of a zebra. This enamel brooch is covered with pink sapphires . This collection even includes a brooch that can be transformed into a pair of earrings : these are yellow gold ants carrying fruit balls made of lapis lazuli, sapphires and red spinels.

The menagerie offered by the Espiègleries collection is completed with 4 Chaumet watches . These are 2 complication watches and 2 tourbillon watches that once again put the spotlight on the savannah and its inhabitants. They are made of white gold set with diamonds.

Chaumet “Terres d'Or” necklaces

Chaumet jewels from the Terres d'Or collection are inspired by the desert, as well as the ochre earth of the African continent. These necklaces offer a magnificent contrast between red and yellow, which are reminiscent of the patterns of Kente fabrics from Ghana or the silks of the Kasai of Congo.

Reinventing the art of ornamentation with the beads of the Dinka of Sudan, or even Masai adornments, the Ronde de Pierres bib necklace, in yellow gold, is a symphony of colors. It is accompanied by a whole range of matching jewelry, namely a bracelet , rings and a pair of earrings.

With its precious and qualitative creations that offer us a real journey into the cultural diversity of Africa, the 2018 world tour of the Les Mondes de Chaumet exhibition comes to an end with Trésors d'Afrique. And as we can see once again, the Parisian house is more open to the world than ever and attentive to trends.