Watch & Jewelry
November 28, 2016
An unbreakable bond of love. "SALON de CHAUMET" | CHAUMET
CHAUMET | SALON de CHAUMET
An unbreakable bond of love. "SALON de CHAUMET"
"Salon" is French for "drawing room." It originated in the early 17th century when aristocrats would invite artists and intellectuals to their homes to stimulate each other's intellect and creativity. Napoleon I's Empress, Joséphine, Chaumet's first client, also hosted many salons, fostering new culture. Born in Martinique in the Caribbean, she was a woman of refined and bright creativity. Inheriting Joséphine's spirit, "SALON de CHAUMET" will be held in Tokyo. The theme for this third iteration is "Love." Creators, each shining in their own field, have gathered.
Photographs by TANAKA TsutomuText by OGATA Mariko
CHICO SHIGETA
SHIGETA, Holistic Beauty Consultant
Currently, she works as a personal coach for celebrities and artists in Paris, as well as a consultant and brand spokesperson for major cosmetics and beauty equipment companies. Her recent publications include "Let's Start with 'Reset Juice' - The Diet of Parisian Beauties" (Kodansha), among many others.
HIRAO Kaori
Illustrator & Author
Born in Kobe in 1972. Graduated from Sagano Junior College of Art. After working at an advertising production company and as a part-time assistant, she became a freelance illustrator. She has created cover art for the Japanese translations of Paulo Coelho's global bestsellers such as "The Alchemist" and "Veronika Decides to Die" (Kadokawa Shoten).
AOKI Karen
Jazz Vocalist
She moved between Japan and overseas from a young age and began her professional artistic activities while attending Keio University. She has been a main cast member on a TV program specializing in jazz and a radio MC. In September of this year, she released her best-of album "The Story of Karen Aoki - 10th Anniversary Best" to commemorate her 10th anniversary.
YAGI Takahiro
6th Generation Head of Kaikado
Born in 1974. After graduating from the Department of English and American Studies at Kyoto Sangyo University, he worked for a company for three years before succeeding his father as the 6th generation head of "Kaikado." He is a craftsman specializing in handmade tea caddies, a tradition passed down through six generations.
KAMEISHI Takamasa
Representative of REBIRTH PROJECT, Screenwriter
Born in Tokyo in 1971. While aspiring to be a screenwriter from his student days, he also worked as an actor, appearing in films such as Takeshi Kitano's "Sonatine." He directed films including "Kakuto" (2002), "Boku no Obaachan" (2008), and "Seiji: Riku no Uo" (2012). In 2009, he co-founded REBIRTH PROJECT with Yusuke Iseya, based on the philosophy of "How humanity can survive on Earth."
—From the era of Napoleon and Joséphine, Chaumet has walked as a jeweler conveying sentiments. It has expressed these intangible emotions through jewelry, carrying the role of transporting that love from person to person.
CHICO SHIGETA (hereinafter, Shigeta)The moment I saw the jewelry, I felt "love," "connection," and "bonds" between people. This wasn't just from the motifs, but from the masterful craftsmanship behind them. I feel that without this skill, such a narrative could not have been born.
Kaori Hirao (hereinafter, Hirao)Hearing about the incredibly detailed work of the artisans, I realized that from the workshop, or rather from the person who mined the stones, to when it's displayed in stores, and finally reaches an individual's hands, it's a long journey. I feel that various people's emotions are entrusted to jewelry.
Takamasa Kameishi (hereinafter, Kameishi)I feel that through jewelry created by human hands, people can exchange love. Understanding love is an eternal theme.
YAGI TakahiroWhen I think about "love," I often think of "family love." Jewelry centered on the love between two people endures. I was moved by the idea of it continuing through generations within a family.
—Chaumet's "Liens d'Or," created in 1977, was the maison's first boutique collection. "Liens" means "bond" in French.
The overlapping cross motifs symbolize affection and connection between people—a bond.
Karen Aoki (hereinafter, Aoki)For me, I feel love in the moments when my heart synchronizes with the audience during a live performance. Those moments when I feel people's hearts coming together. Although the heart is invisible, it can be undeniably felt.
KameishiI feel love through encounters with people. When we share a future, share a vision, and a project begins to take shape, it's deeply moving. This isn't limited to work; I believe love is fundamental to achieving anything with others. Considering the other person's feelings is crucial. If you try to power it all by yourself, you'll burn out quickly. We are greatly supported by others.
HiraoWhile the forms and types of love expressed may change over time, I want to cherish creating works that I love and having them be loved. It's something that can't be done unless you cherish what you create as much as you cherish the encounters and connections with people.
—Chaumet has a saying: "Craftsmanship is revealed in the side stones." Craftsmanship is an expression of the artisan's love. The artisan lovingly and meticulously sets the supporting side stones, making them beautiful. This serves as proof of how much love went into creating the jewelry.
YagiWith tea caddies, you hold them by the top rim to open them. Modern people are used to opening bottles by pinching the sides, so they try to open them that way. If they do, the old ones won't open. We've made them slightly looser. My role, I believe, isn't to do something new in my generation, but to create a foundation so that the next generation can do what they want. There's value in continuity.
ShigetaEven when creating cosmetics, it feels like a difficult birth every time. When we release them into the world, we present them as our best possible creations, one by one. Creating a product is like creating a person. We consider every detail, down to the packaging, and they are incredibly precious to us.
AokiRather than love between two individuals, I want to sing about a more universal love now. There was a time when I injured my ear and thought about quitting. A person with terminal cancer came to Billboard. They told me that everything is about progress, not success. I want to put unchanging love into music. To that end, I decided to keep building upon it.
CHAUMET continues to express the bonds with loved ones, reminding us of the connections with lovers, family, those around us, or even ourselves. As history unfolds, the jewelry, which embraces unchanging love, makes people's bonds shine brighter.
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, Tokyo Marine & Nichido Anshin Life, Kirin Beer, and Nissan Motor, among others. She has received numerous awards, including the Grand Prix at the Asahi Advertising Awards. "When I remembered in the fitting room, I knew it was true love." (Gentosha Bunko) is her first novel. She also serves as the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Koukoku."
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