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Lot Essay
Born in 1907 into a prominent family of textile manufactures, Jean Michel Schlumberger exhibited exceptional talent for drawing from a young age. Despite his family’s disapproval of his professional pursuit for the arts, Schlumberger remained loyal to his ardent love for design. Without formal art education, he left for Paris in his early twenties, creating costume jewelry for his friends in fashion circles. In 1937, his work caught the eye of Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who invited him to design for her collections. For Schiaparelli, Schlumberger crafted playful and lively designs of buttons and costume jewelry inspired by nature’s motifs.
Expanding to fine jewelry in 1938, Schlumberger explored ways to manifest his creative visions with various vibrant stones. After serving in the French Army during World War II, he moved to New York where he co-founded a jewelry salon with his longtime business partner, Nicholas Bongard. Schlumberger produced imaginative pieces inspired by tropical landscapes, often portraying marine life and botanical elements, many of which derived from recollections of his frequent travels to Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. He started every production with a hand-drawn rendering featuring fine details of the final piece, then meticulously selected the best gemstones and metals to bring vitality to his embellished jewels.
Schlumberger’s career took a significant turn when Walter Hoving, chairman of Tiffany & Co., invited him to join the company in 1956 as a Senior Vice President. As Tiffany’s first designer to stamp his own name on designs and to own a workshop dedicated to himself, Schlumberger created unparalleled designs for three decades. Over time, he built a robust client list of socialites, royal families and Hollywood icons like Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. His legacy remains to this day, with icons of today frequently showcasing his timeless pieces on the red carpet.
Unlike his contemporaries who favored monochromatic palettes and mechanical designs, Schlumberger was a strong advocate for colors and movement. He seamlessly integrated vibrant stones of various shades into elaborate metalwork, creating fluid shapes reminiscent of nature. Presented together, these stones transformed into captivating depictions of flowers, birds, insects and many more, breathing life into the pieces. In Lot 127, dazzling aquamarines rest beneath an ornate arrangement of diamond-adorned flowers, all interwoven with flowing lines of gold. When worn, the floral motifs come alive with the stones’ perpetual shimmer. Similarly, Lot 128 presents a floral garland of radiant multi-colored sapphires, each carefully set to signify blossoming flowers. Additionally, Lot 126 offers a playful contrast between vivid green and blue of tsavorites and enamel, evoking a whimsical charm. These phenomenal examples commemorate Schlumberger’s craftmanship, offering an opportunity to engage with the allure of his exceptional designs.
Expanding to fine jewelry in 1938, Schlumberger explored ways to manifest his creative visions with various vibrant stones. After serving in the French Army during World War II, he moved to New York where he co-founded a jewelry salon with his longtime business partner, Nicholas Bongard. Schlumberger produced imaginative pieces inspired by tropical landscapes, often portraying marine life and botanical elements, many of which derived from recollections of his frequent travels to Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. He started every production with a hand-drawn rendering featuring fine details of the final piece, then meticulously selected the best gemstones and metals to bring vitality to his embellished jewels.
Schlumberger’s career took a significant turn when Walter Hoving, chairman of Tiffany & Co., invited him to join the company in 1956 as a Senior Vice President. As Tiffany’s first designer to stamp his own name on designs and to own a workshop dedicated to himself, Schlumberger created unparalleled designs for three decades. Over time, he built a robust client list of socialites, royal families and Hollywood icons like Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. His legacy remains to this day, with icons of today frequently showcasing his timeless pieces on the red carpet.
Unlike his contemporaries who favored monochromatic palettes and mechanical designs, Schlumberger was a strong advocate for colors and movement. He seamlessly integrated vibrant stones of various shades into elaborate metalwork, creating fluid shapes reminiscent of nature. Presented together, these stones transformed into captivating depictions of flowers, birds, insects and many more, breathing life into the pieces. In Lot 127, dazzling aquamarines rest beneath an ornate arrangement of diamond-adorned flowers, all interwoven with flowing lines of gold. When worn, the floral motifs come alive with the stones’ perpetual shimmer. Similarly, Lot 128 presents a floral garland of radiant multi-colored sapphires, each carefully set to signify blossoming flowers. Additionally, Lot 126 offers a playful contrast between vivid green and blue of tsavorites and enamel, evoking a whimsical charm. These phenomenal examples commemorate Schlumberger’s craftmanship, offering an opportunity to engage with the allure of his exceptional designs.