Nikki
ETERNAL ELEGANCE
The Yuki collection celebrates the union between past and present
tradition and innovation, while evoking the timeless beauty of
the timeless beauty of Saint-Gingolph pearls. Its
name, "Yuki", meaning "snow" in Japanese, evokes both
the dazzling purity of the eternal snows of Mount Fuji and the
the tranquility of the snow-capped mountains lining the shores of Lac
Lake Geneva.
Like the pearls of Saint-Gingolph, born of a centuries-old
age-old heritage and crafted with meticulous
meticulous precision, the immaculate snows of Mount Fuji
symbolize perfection and eternity. They inspire
contemplation and meditation, while captivating with their
timeless brilliance.
Likewise, the snow-capped mountains overlooking the peaceful
shores of Lac Léman recall the beauty and tranquillity
the beauty and tranquility of nature, offering a majestic backdrop
calm and grandeur. It is in this enchanting
that the pearls of Saint-Gingolph come to life,
reflecting the purity and splendor of their natural environment.
natural environment.
"I COULDN'T WEAR MY OWN PEARLS WITHOUT BEING MOCKED IN THE STREET, SO SO I STARTED THE TREND BY WEARING FAKE ONES."
A little
HISTORY...
The Larousse des pierres précieuses tells us that around 1600, during the reign of Henri IV
IV's reign, a certain Jaquin perfected the famous "Essence d'Orient", based on ancient recipes.
to imitate the orient of pearls, using the brilliance of a layer found under fish scales
under fish scales, guanine. At the time, cultured pearls did not exist.
cultured pearls did not exist.
Cultured pearls, a technique that consists of introducing a nucleus into an oyster
to coat it with mother-of-pearl, was not really perfected until the early
1900s. The Japanese were pioneers in this field, notably the house of
Mikimoto, a jewellery benchmark whose founder was among the first to market
market this type of pearl. Called an imitation by his detractors, Mr. Mikimoto defended himself
Mr. Mikimoto defended himself and made history by winning his case, now known as the
"Paris Trial".
Until the advent of cultured pearls, only fine pearls were available on the market,
i.e. naturally produced by the oyster. Knowing that in nature, the probability of an oyster
of an oyster producing a jewellery-quality pearl is 1 in 10,000, this rarity was
this rarity was highly prized, and imitations had their place.
THE BELLE ÉPOQUE
1920, Saint-Gingolph, tourists arrive by train train and boat. Shuttles crossed Lake Geneva Lake Geneva several times a day to bring customers directly from Montreux. There are no less no fewer than 4 artisanal pearl factories, small small boutiques with long queues and dozens where dozens of saleswomen welcomed of all nationalities.
photo credit, J.-L. Seilo
LA FABRIQUE
The workers were upstairs, and in winter, jewelry was
jewelry was made at home. The
fishermen supplied the bleak scales,
the lake's sardines, needed to make the pearls
pearls according to the methods described in the
numerous patents. The fish were
were scaled using specially adapted machines
and the precious scales were sold to the
factory.
This craft continued until around 1974.
photo credit, J.-L. Seilo
LA FABRIQUE
The workers were upstairs, and in winter, jewelry was
jewelry was made at home. The
fishermen supplied the bleak scales,
the lake's sardines, needed to make the pearls
pearls according to the methods described in the
numerous patents. The fish were
were scaled using specially adapted machines
and the precious scales were sold to the
factory.
This craft continued until around 1974.
... PASSION,
TO REVIVE
TRADITION...
2019 sees the rebirth of the artisan pearl tradition. Nostalgic for the
nostalgia for the good old days and a passion for fine craftsmanship
for 50 years will be revived and improved.
This process will then be perfected, resulting in a superior
quality. Indeed, one of the treasures of Saint-Gingolph pearls,
was that they were renowned for their exceptional quality.
Today, not only is the tradition revived, but the durability of these pearls
pearls is superior.
What's more, eco-responsibility takes on a whole new meaning with this type of production.
On pearl farms, the balance sheet is rather negative: 10% of the oysters
die immediately, 10% within two years, and 30% reject the nucleus.
nucleus. Of the 30% that produce usable pearls, only 1% are perfect.
perfect pearls.
TRIPTYCH RING
A ring in 18-carat gold with a delicate setting to give full expression to the 8mm pearl enhanced by 9 cultured diamonds*.
EPILOGUE
Yuki is the realization of a desire that was born after seeing a about this tradition of handmade pearls in 2019. It's the know-how and the desire to breathe new life into the tradition that brought these creations to life.
It's not so much the value of the material that's important, but the human the human value behind each of these pearls, giving meaning meaning to the object. For today, as in the past, they are made by hand. by hand. The beauty and precision of the gesture, repeated over and over, until a perfect perfect orient that reflects the light and brings the pearl to life. A priceless craftsmanship, but offer the guarantee of unique and unparalleled quality thanks to Essence d'Orient, whose formula is still kept secret.
My sincere thanks go to Jean-Loïc Seilo, without whom this collection would never have seen the light of day. Thanks to him for having had the will this crazy project of reviving this craft. Thank you for availability of photographic documents and the history of the the history of Les Perles de Saint-Gingolph.