The definition of high jewellery tends to be limited by certain preconceived parameters: many believe that it refers to jewellery that is anchored by an exceptionally big and flawless stone. This is not wrong, per se, but it is restricting and does not fully encapsulate the broader meaning of the term. 

Yes, high jewellery embodies a jeweller’s repertoire of stunning and rare precious stones, but it is also a showcase of craftsmanship, lapidary skills, artistic know-how, gem-setting innovation and creativity. It delineates the ability of the jeweller to weave a tale of romance and royalty with precious gems and noble metals; it makes a statement not merely with size, but with intricacy and attention to details; and it revives age-old jewellery crafts and techniques. 

It is this multilayered complexity that L’École Van Cleef & Arpels seeks to share with its customers and the wider public. Established in 2012 at Place Vendôme in Paris, the École or school is a platform for the French maison to impart its knowledge of jewellery and jewellery-making to gem lovers. The courses are not self-centric; it is an altruistic platform for the 119-year-old maison to propagate the secrets of jewellery-making, from selecting gems to savoir faire, in order to educate the public on the beauty and challenges of this metier. It lifts a veil on the glitz and glamour of the dazzling pieces, and reveals the unique personalities of different stones. It reveals how deft fingers are trained to work meticulously to craft pieces that are majestic but still fluid and comfortable.  

Walk into a jewellery boutique, and you might see some pretty incredible stones, but how often does one manipulate a diamond lookalike into a pronged setting, and discover the strength needed for the task? We were invited to take part in one of the classes offered at the École during a recent sojourn in Paris. “From the wax project to setting techniques”, part of the savoir faire course umbrella, was conducted by Inezita Gay, aided by her two talented “golden hands”, Van Cleef & Arpels craftsmen Frédéric and Maxime. 

Handcrafting a piece of high jewellery is a test of mental and physical strength: manoeuvring a 2-pointer diamond into a 2mm hole requires stable hands, good eyesight and calmness, while taming the metal to lock the gem into place calls for some measure of brawn. 

Creating the wax mould was a challenge of different proportions. Lost-wax casting is a technique that is used mainly for unique or small-quantity pieces. It involves the creation of wax motifs in the shape of the jewellery. Plaster of Paris is then poured into a cylinder where the motif is placed. It is heated, causing the wax to melt and leave an empty mould, which is subsequently filled with molten gold. Hence, it is imperative that the wax mould is a precise scaled and detailed replica of the intended piece of jewellery. As we tried our hand at filing and sculpting the delicate wax piece, we realised that it is a job that requires patience and control. File too vigorously and you lose the shape; create a wrong-sized hole for the diamonds and the setter will have difficulty keeping them in place. 

Every step is crucial in the creation process, but my biggest takeaway is that a value of a piece of high jewellery is not just determined by the size and provenance of the stones used, but also the intangible grit and talent of craftsmen who have dedicated their lives to this highly specialised vocation.