PHILIPPE TOURNAIRE

A passionate jewellery designer and builder, Philippe Tournaire links the world of precious stones and metals with the worlds of art history and science.

A STORY... Baffie, Montbrison, Paris

A dream craftsman for 50 years, Philippe Tournaire establishes his rules of harmony. He is one of those whose job is not to tirelessly apply what he has learned, but to create and invent new jewels by adapting to the most diverse techniques.

FAMILY VACATION

As a child, he used to take alarm clocks apart, to understand why they ticked so magically, and to have the pleasure of putting them back together again. His great-grandmother, Marthe, was very fond of this little genius, and always had a kindly eye for him. When she saw him tinkering with the alarm clocks, she liked to say, to anyone who would listen: "This one, he's a future jeweller"...
Philippe Tournaire learned discipline at boarding school during his years at collège, where there were many rules to respect: "We couldn't have our hair touching our ears when we wanted to go out"(...) "if we wanted to go out, we had to stick together and all come home at the same time". explains the creator.

He had a passion for science, and his father was a great contributor.

At the age of 16, this artist at heart dropped out of high school and began an apprenticeship alongside his father. In the weeks and months he spent with him, I can now say that I met my father for the second time. His fascination led him to understand how early man could fashion objects using primitive methods, and transform them into ornaments and other ornaments. It fuelled his imagination and his jewelry design.
Philippe Tournaire When he began his apprenticeship, he was already creating jewelry. "My parents, who were rather modest, had taught me that if you wanted something, you had to make it yourself. In the radio electrician's trade, you have to be versatile, "which led me to work with copper".

A jeweller in the making

"I didn't think jewelry could become a profession [...] I started out as a precious metal sculptor". After several months of waiting, Philippe Tournaire obtains his "first Master and Responsibility hallmark".
" Self-taught, I groped my way for a long time, based on knowledge acquired in the family or during travels." (...). Philippe Tournaire was completely unfamiliar with the world of Jewellery and gemstones. He was fortunate to be helped by people who knew the business well, such as Jacques Secretan and Jean Grosfilley. "These men were very important people in my apprenticeship at Jewellery because they helped me understand gemology and forge my own vision of stones."

All the people Philippe Tournaire to meet, stubbornness and hours spent at the workbench taught him how to work. This gave him the opportunity to build an identity, a style that is reflected in his jewelry creations.

From 1973 onwards, Philippe Tournaire devoted himself entirely to jewelry. He built his own workshop in a cellar in Baffie, near Saint-Germain-Laval. I have very fond memories of my cellar," he says, "I learned a lot there, and not just about my craft. What's more, being in the countryside, Philippe Tournaire had no profitability problems, so this young designer was able to express himself as he saw fit, with a great deal of freedom.

A jewellery artist

"At the age of 15-16, I didn't work with precious stones. In fact, my first creations were in pebbles. Then an oil company came up with an original idea. Every time you filled up with petrol, you received a fine stone. That's when I started using precious stones in my creations. I used these stones in my first jewelry pieces, designed for friends. Finally, word-of-mouth started to spread. Friends of friends asked me to make wedding rings, medals, engagement rings... Orders were coming in regularly and were beginning to exceed my production capacity. Logically, I wanted to exhibit my jewelry, to have a real showcase so that more people could have access to my creations."
In 1984, this young jeweler opened his first boutique in Montbrison.

In 1999, "we opened a second boutique" in Lyon, on rue Edouard Herriot, a stone's throw from Place Bellecour. "You had to have confidence in your work to invest in another city"(...)". What contributed to this confidence, and what also taught me a lot, were the salons". For Philippe Tournaire the trade shows were a real challenge: there's a deadline to meet, you have to be ready on the day and be proud of what you're presenting. "The shows were an opportunity for us to get noticed among the other Maisons of Jewellery, but only thanks to the jewelry we presented." Philippe Tournaire likes to create unique pieces; he's an artist at heart. "In the boutique on rue Tupinerie in Montbrison, there was a real half-Jaguar cut lengthwise that I had fitted out as a window display.

An international success

A third boutique opened in Paris in 2004 on the Place Vendôme. For Philippe Tournaire , Place Vendôme is the place to be if you want to exhibit. This store has brought us an international clientele, a demanding clientele, always on the lookout for novelty, rarity and perfection.
Philippe Tournaire has forged several exceptional partnerships, notably with S.T Dupont, Focal, Obut, Les skis Lacroix...

In 2006, Philippe Tournaire confronted its artistic qualities with international competition for the first time by exhibiting at the Salon de Bâle in Switzerland, the world's largest jewelry show-Jewellery. Poetry also exists at Jewellery. Philippe Tournaire The jeweler-creator's work is the finest proof of this.

"I'd like to thank all my customers and friends, from the most modest to the most affluent, who have placed their trust in me... and enabled me to make this story come true." Philippe Tournaire

PHILIPPE TOURNAIRE