l’Ecole des Arts Joailliers / Maison Van Cleef & Arpels Summer School: de dessin de Haute Joaillerie <<Oiseau>> 1st Place Winner 2019

I had the great opportunity to be selected of 1 of 8 candidates to attend a 5 day workshop at the L’École des Art Joaillerie lead by VC&A Studio Director and Designers. It was an experience of a lifetime, to see how the maison creates it's thematic collections, speak with their creatives and see pieces first hand.

Known for their animal thematic pieces, before leaving for Paris, we were given "homework" to come up with a design and concept to fit the theme of "Oiseau" or "Bird".

My design concept was developed around the symbolism of crows. Across many cultures they signify many things, but I chose the symbolism of "death" or rather the acceptance of our limited time. The brooch is made up of rich colored blue sapphires in the Maison's iconic invisible setting which shows a crow in a midflight position, as if they are readying to land at a place of rest. The accompanying watch brooch adorn by intaglio carved cover and diamond halo represents our constant observation of time passing by us. The watch face detail of wheat and floral engravings are a reminder that even after death there is life, while the backplate hidden from the wearer represents the inevitable end.