—To capture what is found in nature, as it is. CHAUMET's designers have created jewelry using motifs of familiar flowers, plants, and insects. 'As nature is,' however, can be interpreted in many ways, with each jeweler's individual ideas and techniques lending a unique character to their expression.

Kaie Murakami (hereinafter, Murakami)Joséphine herself grew up freely surrounded by nature, and even after moving to Paris, she had a very strong sense of longing for her homeland, a deep affection for it. Perhaps she used natural motifs in her jewelry to remember it. That's why CHAUMET's ears of wheat sway in the wind. It can be said to be an encounter between the emotional feelings of one woman and those with savoir-faire.

Yuka Itoh (hereinafter, Itoh)My work also often features living things like people and nature, and I feel I am putting into words the gifts from nature.

Yuko Okazaki (hereinafter, Okazaki)I feel that 'everyday nature'—like wheat, hydrangeas, flowing water, bees, and spiders—is the naturalism that CHAUMET embodies. My master, a Living National Treasure in lacquerware, once told me, 'If you want to create something new, don't look at others' vessels; the answer lies only in nature.' I myself feel that creation can only spring from the nature I witness daily.

Koichi Futatsumata (hereinafter, Futatsumata)In designs that give form to function and meaning, direct, realistic representations of nature are often avoided. The high level of craftsmanship and exquisite beauty in jewelry that faithfully reproduces plants is a fresh and surprising discovery.

—When naturalism flourishes in jewelry, it often occurs against a backdrop of social unease. For example, after wars end, or when artistic styles and values undergo significant shifts. Perhaps humans find a fundamental sense of healing in it.

Shukou Tsuchiya (hereinafter, Tsuchiya)The artisans in the atelier embody the high-quality 'beauty' sought by the powers of the time, and this is passed down continuously. Within the destiny of such a maison, personal nostalgia and a yearning for nature are likely deeply interwoven. Imagining the background of naturalism is profoundly interesting to me as someone who creates similar things, albeit in different eras.

ItohNature is noble and wild, something humans can never control. Coexistence requires consideration, and the same applies to human relationships. Just as we feel happiness through the touch of a loved one, we must feel, cherish, and sometimes be hurt by nature, yet overcome and heal. Humans have no other path but to live alongside nature.

FutatsumataNaturalism, in any era, provides people with solace and a sense of aesthetic wonder. While indirectly incorporating the surrounding nature, we aim to create spaces and objects that fundamentally engage with nature in a positive way. I believe this is also a way of being, rooted in our existence within nature.

—What signs do you see regarding the future relationship between nature and creativity?

OkazakiCurrently, my work primarily features insects and flowers, but people in urban areas tend to buy my pieces. They are people who want to incorporate natural elements into their lives, so I want to think more about integrating nature going forward. In an environment where we lack daily contact with nature, perhaps holding a piece that imitates nature serves as a point of connection, fulfilling our need for it.

MurakamiI think it would be interesting if lifestyles that incorporate nature into one's living environment, such as having two homes and moving between them, become more common. Nature is not something to be forced; perhaps it's best left as it is. The key would be reducing the cost of movement, the traffic cost. Humans are whimsical, and creativity can arise from the interplay of emotions as we oscillate between worlds of stark black and white.

TsuchiyaLooking back over centuries, the environment that humans perceive as 'comfortable' has continuously changed, both materially and consciously. As science and medical research advance and the environment surrounding humans undergoes significant transformation, the way our ancestors lived in nature, their know-how, and their level of consciousness are being re-examined. Even if the world changes further, the many creations born from past naturalism will likely become important icons symbolizing the spiritual harmony between nature and humanity.

—Since its founding, Chaumet has walked hand-in-hand with natural motifs. While confronting the grandeur of nature, a philosophy and technique of elegantly depicting it as it is, rather than deforming it, has been passed down continuously. Nature is perfect in its own right, and there is no need to embellish it with human ideology. This reverence for nature forms the bedrock of Chaumet's aesthetic sensibility. Through the inherited skills of its artisans, it is magnificently crafted into jewelry, and Chaumet's stance of continuously expressing the wearer's true self alongside the delicate radiance and beauty found in the natural world is precisely what continues to captivate people across generations.

Mariko Ogata
Born in Tokyo in 1978. Joined Hakuhodo in 2001, where she excelled as a copywriter. She has worked on advertisements for LUMINE, Shiseido, Tokio Marine & Nichido Anshin Life Insurance, Kirin Brewery, Nissan Motor Co., and others. She has won numerous awards, including the Grand Prix at the Asahi Advertising Awards. 'If you remember it in the fitting room, it's true love.' (Gentoshya Bunko) is her first novel. She also serves as the editor-in-chief of the magazine 'Kōkoku' (Advertising).