The demands of the exceptional
High jewellery quality control
In high jewellery, time stretches. I spend on a single piece the time I would spend elsewhere on a whole tray. The reading it calls for is of another nature.
Examining the unique piece
Every piece is a case of its own. I inspect the metal, the setting, the finishing, the mechanisms, and every stone, one by one. An emerald, an opal or a natural pearl is not looked at the way a diamond pavé is.
Gemmological expertise
A chip on the girdle, a surface-reaching inclusion that weakens the setting, the condition of a treated stone, a stone that stands out in a lot. These defects call for a gemmologist’s eye.
They are also the costliest. If they leave for the client, the piece comes back. My role is to see them before shipping.
The condition report and traceability
A high jewellery piece travels between a boutique, an event and the workshop. Before each departure, I draw up a condition report, written and photographed. If a chip appears on its return, we know at which stage it happened.
Assessing reworks and controlling lead times
To give a client a date, the maison needs to know how long the piece takes to be restored, and at what cost. My report sets out precisely what needs reworking. The workshop can then commit to a lead time.