HISTORY

There was nothing to suggest that Jacques Moniquet could one day become a jewellery designer. In fact he worked originally as a cinema cameraman. He came to the Camargue while working on a film and, charmed by the beauty of the landscapes, the climate and the exceptional light, he decided to settle in Les Baux de Provence, where he set about teaching himself to make jewellery. Working alone, he tried creating a number of kinds of items, but very soon came to dedicate all his imaginative powers to silver jewellery.

It all begins with a mere silver wire a few millimetres in diameter, which is then hammered on an anvil, shaped, filed, sanded and polished to produce the astonishingly sumptuous finished product. A group of artist friends was quick to appreciate the originality and technical quality of his creations, and he had soon extended the range to combine gold, silver and other metals and achieve subtle colour effects. What is quite remarkable is that when you look at close-up photographs of his rings, bracelets and pendants without any reference to show their scale, they have the force and presence of genuine sculptures.

He has invented and perfected his own tools and tricks of the trade, and now boasts his own, very personal studio. One invention of his is the folded metal jewel - a difficult technique that took many years to perfect because metal does not lend itself naturally to draped, folded shapes in the way a supple material such as a fabric does.

Each item is unique, in contrast with moulding techniques where the same model is reproduced time and time again, and each of his jewels is timeless and made to last.

SKILLS

Each jewel is made individually by the hand of the designer himself, using 925/000 solid sterling silver, and receives his mark and signature only once it has undergone his careful scrutiny. All the items that do not pass his examination are scrapped.

In the beginning, the raw materials give little away, and are dull and grey. Under the repeated blows of the hammer on the anvil, they begin to spring to life, taking shape and becoming supple as they start, little by little, to look like what they will eventually become - a jewel that fits itself perfectly to the shape of an arm, a finger or a neck. But it does not end there, and the work must be patiently fine-tuned using a file to give it is final shape. After polishing, the surface takes on its matt, brilliant or satin finish. The silver has at last found its true radiance. Its life can now begin.

Moniquet necklaces and bracelets are often all in a single piece without any hinges, joints or welds. They are always made of solid sterling silver shaped on the anvil, making them very strong, but supple.

Moniquet jewels are genuine sculptures - individual works of art that are as beautiful worn as displayed on their own.

His bracelets are pure in form with their sinuous lines weaving to and fro and playing on the shape of the wrist as they make their way round to their common starting point. The impression is one of movement as the item, thanks to the talent of Jacques Moniquet, becomes an integral part of its bearer, complementing and highlighting her beauty.

The purest lines, most elegant shapes and deepest folds…

To perfect his art and his jewels, Jacques Moniquet has invented a metal folding technique without heating which places industrial methods at the service of handicrafts and of his unique items. Thanks to this, he can create genuine movements in the precious metal which is then polished, and sometimes oxidised, to create the desired effect.

Genuine objets d'art in polished silver, with pure, sobre lines delicately set off by the effects of the metal surface.

In his studio, the hammer and anvil seem rather rudimentary tools to create such fine, precious items. And yet it is with them that he works each day, crafting his pure silver in an alliance between talent and chance.

Imagine a silver bracelet draped like a silk scarf around your wrist, the touch of impossibly supple metal on your skin, as apparent opposites are reconciled.

The Moebius Strip has always been a favourite of the artist, this uniquely incomprehensible shape in which the outside joins the inside in a movement that appears perfectly natural. This is the inspiration he develops in infinite directions in his studio each day.

We would be delighted to answer any questions you might have. Of course, you can also come in person to see our creations for yourself.