The “Tiffany Céleste” collection reimagines designer Jean Schlumberger’s interpretations of the universe.
Two days in Paris
I recently spent 48 hours in the City of Light with Mauboussin, visiting several of the brand’s stores, attending a launch party for its new collections and squeezing in a little sightseeing on the side.
So, why not make a trip to the city where the brand got its start?
Mauboussin is a French heritage brand that traces its beginnings back 186, years, to 1827, and is the second oldest of the “big five” jewelers with shops on Paris’ famed Place Vendôme. The only one of the big five that has had a shop on the plaza longer is Chaumet, which opened there around 1800, followed by Mauboussin, Cartier (1847), Boucheron (around 1853) and Van Cleef & Arpels (around 1900).
The brand still has a store on this historic square today, and that was our first stop Monday morning. The Place Vendôme, as the brand’s North American CEO Thierry Chaunu (who should consider a second career as a tour guide in Paris) told me, was erected during the reign of Louis XIV.
Napoleon later built the large column, fittingly named the Vendôme Column, in the middle, crafting it from the cannons of armies he conquered, and topping it off with a likeness of none other than himself.
Thierry Chaunu takes a peek at the window displays at the Mauboussin store on the Place Vendôme, left; a view of the plaza from the shop.
Each Mauboussin store, Chaunu said, has a completely different look and feel. The inside of the store on the Place Vendôme was very urban-chic, with exposed brick that reminded me of the all the cool Brooklyn apartments I can’t afford, with graffiti on one of the walls.
The store also had a display case that ran the length of a single room and was outfitted with sliding magnifying glasses (pictured above left) that allow shoppers to get a close-up look at diamonds of varying sizes, colors and clarities, from around a half-carat to about 2 carats.
The next stop on our tour, so to speak, was the Mauboussin store on the Champs-Élysées, one of the most well-known streets in the world.
At the western end of the avenue stands the Arc de Triomphe, which honors those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars and underneath, Chaunu told
Selfie, Paris-style
The brand is attempting to take a bit of a step down from the pedestal of high joailliere to create pieces that appeal to, and are affordable for, female self-purchasers. I have to say, I liked what I saw.
These Premier Jour rings and station necklace in 18-karat white gold (above, as seen in the window of the Mauboussin store on the Champs-Élysées) are well-priced and fashionable. I could see them selling here in the U.S. market.
After leaving the store, a couple of us headed to Boulevard Saint-Germaine for lunch at Café de Flore, a popular hangout (that’s now more of a tourist trap) for a number of late writers, including Ernest Hemingway.
Hemingway wrote about Café de Flore in A Moveable Feast, his memoir of his time in Paris with his first wife, Hadley Richardson, and his then-young son, whom they called Bumby.
I had a little time to myself after lunch and strolled along the Seine, perusing the used book and art stalls, before heading back to the hotel for the Mauboussin launch party that evening at Le Grand Rex, a circa 1932 theater.
The party began with the screening of the brand’s new commercial followed by a presentation of new collections by Mauboussin President Alain Nemarq.
Nemarq showed new pieces from a number of lines, including one called First Madams, which was inspired by an American friend of the designer’s.
Following the presentation was a surprise screening of Blue Jasmine. Though I was sad to leave the City of Light, watching a Woody Allen movie was the perfect sendoff for my return trip to New York.
Jusqu’à la prochaine fois, Paris.
The Latest
The brand also created a 100-carat lab-grown diamond necklace in honor of its centennial.
Tim Schlick has been promoted from his previous position as COO.
Meet Ben Claus—grand prize winner of For the Love of Jewelers 2023 Fall Design Challenge.
It’s the second year for the event, slated to take place in October in Toronto.
Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
Sales will be paused while the relocation takes place over the next few months.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
“SIS x MISA Denim and Diamonds” is a collaboration between the designer and celebrity stylist Misa Hylton.
The retailer is moving to a newly designed space in the same shopping center.
Gifts that are unique and thoughtful are top of mind this year, according to the annual survey.
The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
The two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
A double-digit drop in the number of in-store crimes was offset by a jump in off-premises attacks, JSA’s 2023 crime report shows.
Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.