【Paris, Franc】Paris Jewelry – Creativity as a Legacy

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Editor’s Note

This piece offers a rare glimpse into the discreet world of Paris’s independent jewelry ateliers, the hidden artisans whose skill and discretion support the famed houses of Place Vendôme.

Les ateliers de Nouvel Héritage.
The Workshops of Nouvel Héritage

Just steps away from the prestigious establishments of Place Vendôme, behind the seemingly calm facades of the majestic Rue de la Paix, a secret life thrives, nurtured by independent jewelry workshops. Secret by nature – transactions and clients demand total discretion – but also by necessity – here, high-value elements are handled: precious stones in abundance, noble metals in quantity. These independent workshops maintain long-standing relationships with the great Parisian houses, based on common roots, patiently acquired trust, and a proximity conducive to daily exchanges.
The MCGP workshop is one of them. The word “workshop” is reductive as it poorly depicts the effervescence it houses, or the diversity and richness of the trades it unfolds along a dizzying labyrinth of vestibules and rooms on several levels: a city within a city. All of this, of course, under very high security. On the walls, the multiple certificates (RJC, Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, BREEAM) stand out, attesting to the rigorous compliance of activities with the most demanding quality standards. It is here that Camille Parruitte, founder and artistic director of the jewelry house Nouvel Héritage, receives us. It must be said that she is at home here.

“My mother founded this group in 2004: it was focused at the time on jewelry brand development consulting activities. Between 2010 and 2012, we acquired several workshops, including one located on Rue de la Paix, which led us to focus on manufacturing as well as design activities for emerging brands. Nouvel Héritage, which I founded in 2015, is the group’s first brand.”
A Franco-American Launch

A launch conducted simultaneously in France and the United States.

“At the time, I lived in Boston and, despite the reputation of the US market being difficult to access due to its size and regional differences, I felt I needed to first focus on the country where I lived. Our sales took off fairly quickly. I do not regret this choice, which became a strength for my brand: I consider Nouvel Héritage to be a Franco-American brand, capable of taking the best from each of its cultures.”
Innovation and Tradition: The Latch Collection

Innovation and tradition: the Latch collection draws inspiration from sneaker laces and sweatshirt drawstring toggles. The result: chains that coil to form bracelets and necklaces suitable for both men and women.
A house solidly embodied, whose identity shines through creations studded with technical finds, visibly chiseled after long research. Thus, the Latch collection openly draws inspiration from the streetwear universe: on 18-carat yellow or rose gold chains of prodigious fluidity, realistically depicting sneaker laces, slide pave-set pendants at will that resemble sweatshirt drawstring toggles. The whole is handled with disconcerting ease to be worn as bracelets or necklaces depending on the mood.

“Innovation is paramount. It is necessary to combine the traditional know-how of jewelry with new technologies. When I create a new collection, I am constantly searching for new elements that will infuse modernity into the piece, while also making it wearable in different ways in daily life. I also believe that expectations in terms of quality are higher today: the clientele needs to be surprised by creativity but also by ingenuity.”

Launched in France after an initial deployment in the United States, the Nouvel Héritage collections are available on the website https://nouvelheritage.com

Fondée par Camille Parruitte en 2015, la marque Nouvel Heritage s’appuie sur le savoir-faire d’exception du groupe familial MCGP, fondé par Marie Grocq-Parruitte, qui a fait ses armes chez Cartier.
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⏰ Published on: May 26, 2022