CHAUMET is renowned as one of the five major French jewelry brands. The brand’s wristwatches, equipped with a sense of luxury that is typical of jewelers, give off an original atmosphere that is not found in pure watchmakers. In this issue, we introduce the charm of Chaumet, a representative of luxury watches! chrono24
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About Chaumet
Chaumet is a jewelry brand founded in 1780. Chaumet is one of the five major French jewelers and is known as ” Les Grand Cinq ” with Mellerio di Mellerie founded in 1613, Mauboussin founded in 1827, Boucheron founded in 1858, and Van Cleef & Arpels founded in 1906. The brand is known as “Les Grand Cinq. Since 1999, when it became a member of the LVMH Group, it has focused on high-end watchmaking. Since becoming a member of the LVMH Group in 1999, Chaumet has focused on high-level watchmaking and has gained popularity for its collections that combine Swiss-like functionality with a French sense of luxury.
History of Chaumet
Chaumet was founded in 1780 in Paris, a place of exceptional jewelers for over 500 years. The brand was founded by Marie-Etienne Nitot, a jeweler who frequented the homes of the nobility and opened a store on rue Saint-Honoré in Paris. Already a renowned Parisian craftsman, Mr. Nitot soon became the jeweler to Queen Marie Antoinette, and was favored by the aristocracy.
Founder Marie-Etienne Nitot
Jewelry of Chaumet that charmed Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France, is a figure closely associated with Chaumet’s history. Shortly after Chaumet opened for business, a carriage horse passing in front of the store suddenly began to run amok. Mr. Nitot, the owner of the store, took the reins to calm the horse and rescued the young Napoleon I, who was still one of the young officers at the time. Napoleon I was invited to Nitot’s store to rest and was fascinated by the beautiful jewelry. This led to his recognition as the official jeweler of the first emperor and a royal warrant brand in 1802. Mr. Nitot created a regent’s sword for Napoleon’s regent, using a 140-carat “regent’s diamond” from the French royal family.
Jewelry is a sign of political power, and Napoleon wanted to make France once again the center of luxury goods and fashion. Mr. Nitot, who was full of creative talent, contributed greatly to the emperor’s vision. In addition to the sword, he created the crown for the coronation of Napoleon and his queen, Josephine. He also created many luxurious jewelry pieces that symbolized authority, such as the betrothal jewelry given to the future Empress Marie-Louise on their wedding day. The first wristwatch ever made by Chaumet was also created for Empress Josephine’s daughter-in-law, Princess Auguste of Bavaria.
Chaumet’s first wristwatch. Equipped with a Breguet movement, this luxurious pair of watches is composed of gold, emeralds and pearls. (Created by Mr. Nitot circa 1811)
The honeybee adorned Napoleon’s robes and was one of the emblems of the emperor. One cannot help but feel a sense of causality, as the honeybee frequently appears in Chaumet’s collections and is a motif that symbolizes the brand.
Origin of the Chaumet brand name
After Napoleon’s downfall and the end of the imperial era, Nico’s successors continued to make the Maison one of France’s leading jeweler’s with jewelry pieces that reflected the times. Place Vendôme in Paris. The building on this square, which continues to this day, is famous as the apartment where the Polish musician Chopin composed his mazurkas and ended his short life. A plaque still hangs above the entrance to Chaumet’s, telling the story of Chopin’s death in this house.
Joseph Chaumet also named the brand after himself when he moved the store. While many prestigious, long-established brands are named after their founders, it is rare to see the name of a person who is now in the seventh generation of his or her family being used.
Joseph Chaumet, the seventh-generation proprietor. He was also known as ” the master of the tiara.”
The “Art Deco” style established by Chaumet
The “Art Deco” decorative style was popular worldwide from the mid-1920s to the 1930s. Chaumet is credited with establishing this style. Marcel Chaumet, who took over from his father Joseph Chaumet, was an unprecedented jewelry designer. He incorporated boyish looks, feminine silhouettes, and simple geometric patterns into his jewelry. Marcel’s unprecedented style won him great acclaim at the 1925 Paris Universal Exposition of Decorative Arts. His exotic Art Deco style, characterized by the use of precious and semi-precious stones, black and white colors, and bold contrasts in materials, quickly spread from Europe to the rest of the world and gave rise to the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and other New York City skyscrapers. Even today, it continues to inspire brilliant designers, such as Franck Muller’s tonneau-shaped case.
Chaumet entered the watch market with the entry into the LVHM Group
Chaumet has been producing luxury timepieces since the Napoleonic era, when it created the first wristwatch. Its collections were original, combining innovations such as tactile watches, jumping hours, and chronographs with diamonds, mother-of-pearl, and enamel decorations.
Presentation watch with Napoleon’s monogram (made by Mr. Nitot in 1813)
It was not until 1995 that Chaumet began to focus on the production of contemporary wristwatches. After introducing the decorative cuff watch “Caisis,” the following year, in 1996, the company released the ” Still de Chaumet” for men. The modern sports watch “Class One,” which is still highly popular today, was created in 1998. In 1999, Chaumet became part of the ” LVHM Group “, a huge conglomerate that also includes TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith. With the LVHM Group as its backbone, Chaumet, which has great power in watchmaking and marketing, entered the watch market in earnest in 2003 with the launch of the “Dandy” series of men’s collections.
Chaumet’s “Dandy” men’s watch
Since its creation in 2003, the ” Dandy ” series has reigned as the mainstay of the men’s collection. It features a cushion-shaped case that combines traditional watchmaking expertise with bold style. The basic model features a dial inspired by Regent diamonds combined with a pattern of 1920s-style Bayadere stripes.
There are also models equipped with complications that rival Swiss watches. The “Jumping Hour,” which instantly switches the time display, is mounted in a small window at the 12 o’clock position.
A model that pays homage to Chopin, a musician with whom the brand has a close relationship, is equipped with a “metronomic seconds. The small seconds hand oscillates back and forth like a metronome, as if in response to the melody played by Chopin. The movement with this highly sophisticated complication was created by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, a renowned Swiss master watchmaker. The collaboration of a master craftsman of exceptional skill and Chaumet is a true work of art.
chaumet
Beautiful blued-steel hands move back and forth at one-second intervals
The “Class One”, a fusion of luxury and dynamism
Unfortunately, the “Class One” series is now mainly a ladies’ line, and the men’s model is only available through parallel imports. However, this watch is an extremely attractive sports watch as a piece of jewelry that a man can wear with pride. The powerful bezel and chronograph display a masculinity that is not typical of jewelry brands. Yet, it is also studded with luxurious elements. This is a wristwatch that Emperor Napoleon would have carried with him to the battlefield if he had lived in this era.
Chaumet watchmaking with the pride of a jewelry brand
As one of the world’s leading jewelry brands, the brand’s commitment to watch design is extraordinary. Chaumet’s designers conceive various models in their creation studio in Place Vendôme. They pursue the form, the characteristics of the materials, the smoothness of the three-dimensionality, and the light intensity, in order to evoke an emotional response in the wearer. These designs, drawn by talented designers, are sent to a Swiss atelier, where prototypes are created using state-of-the-art modeling technology. It takes more than a year to create a new model.
All the movements used in Chaumet watches are manufactured by a first-class Swiss manufacture (it is said that they are made by ETA, but this has not been stated). The high-precision movements are made in Switzerland, the home of watchmaking, and are given Chaumet’s signature attention to detail in terms of appearance. The blued-steel screws are a distinctive feature of Chaumet watches.
The volume of the case and bracelet, the dial workmanship, and the cutting of the hands are the result of the pride of the jewelers. The meticulous and infinitely delicate techniques of a first-class jeweler complete Chaumet’s jewelry timepieces.
Introducing Chaumet’s classic models
Chaumet ” Dandy Chronograph
The flagship model of the men’s collection, the ” Dandy ” series. The dial with the Bayadere stripe pattern has an antique atmosphere. The sunray satin finish gives it a luxurious shine. The hour and minute hands are coated with luminescent paint for luminous indication. The blue chronograph seconds hand is a perfect accent.
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Chaumet “Dandy GMT
This model has a GMT function with two time zones. The inner bezel showing the world time and the major cities are both functional and designed. With a 42-hour power reserve and 50-meter water resistance, the watch is well within the standards of mechanical watches.
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Chaumet “Dandy Edition Arty Limited Edition
An original model introduced in 2011. Unlike the conventional Dandy, the highly artistic dial and onyx cabochon crown give it a luxurious look. The enamelled black leather and blue satin tuxedo strap, which matches the case design, are also luxurious. The see-through back of the watch allows the wearer to admire the beautifully designed movement. This is a gem that offers a glimpse of the true essence of the five major French jewelry brands.
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Chaumet “Class One Chronograph
Chaumet’s masterpiece diver’s watch, the ” Class One ” series. The large and thick 45mm size case has a form with a strong presence due to the black-colored PVD coating. The dial, based on a wave pattern, is a fine art. The blue color of the small seconds is a perfect complement to the jet-black body, giving the watch a deep-sea beauty.
Chaumet “Class One
A basic white model. The dial has a moist luster, giving it a sporty yet gorgeous and elegant impression. The rubber strap, which is typical of divers’ models, creates a gap with the luxurious case. The back of the watch has an unusual design with a half see-through back. The watch is water resistant to 100 meters, which is perfect for everyday use.
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