Nathalie Verdeille, CEO of Tiffany&Co. “The United States is the land of the American dream, and they’re always looking for more incredible creations.”

For twenty years, designer Nathalie Verdey worked in the shadow of the biggest jewelers on Place Vendôme in Paris (Cartier, Chaumet, Lorenz Bäumer) before flying to New York in September 2021. That year, the new position calls him beyond the Atlantic Ocean. Creative director of high-end jewelry at Tiffany & Co., the legendary American house that had just been bought by French luxury giant LVMH. For her second Blue Book collection (the name of the house’s high jewelry lines since 1945), the esthete took her inspiration from the world of the label’s legendary designer Jean Schlumberger. With Celeste, the christening name of this collection as bright as the stars, he revisits the latter’s heritage, bringing a touch of modernity and a very special craftsmanship. Reflecting on eight themes (Apollo, Constellation, Arrow, Ray of Light, Symbolic Star, Shooting Star, Flames and Wings), each of his exceptional pieces suggests the power of constellations with infinite freedom of expression. Meeting a magician who is as reserved as he is passionate about the art of jewellery.

Madame Figaro: What does the legendary artist Jean Schlumberger remind you of?

Natalie Verdey: I studied his work at the Haute École de Joaillerie in Paris, but also through exhibitions. He is French, born in Mulhouse. As a child, he was engaged in drawing and was already an artist at heart. He joined Tiffany & Co. in 1956 as art director, then was vice president until his death in 1987. He was close to the surrealist movement, he was fascinated by phantasmagoric beings, he had no taboo to create. Anything was possible for him, and the energy of Manhattan fueled his creativity.

How does his legacy inspire you?

Once I arrived at Tiffany & Co., I immersed myself in the archives to understand Jean Schlumberger’s thinking and creativity. In particular, his art of arranging colors stood out. We also had to follow current tastes and evolve the creation of Tiffany & Co. with the innovations of the moment. Because fashion, materials and manufacturing techniques have evolved since the Schlumberger era.

Why did you choose the celestial theme for this collection?

Blue Book 2023 was dedicated to water worlds. After exploring the depths, we wanted to head for the stars. And then, the constellations were one of Jean Schlumberger’s favorite subjects. In the archive of the house, we found works related to the sun, moon, but also asteroids, in a surreal and fantastic style. I was immediately drawn to these pictures. I, for my part, imagined the expansion of his works with a metaphorical but “supernatural” universe. Like the Apollo collection, which gives the impression that the planets are trapped in claws.

With its torque and striking yellow diamonds, what is this Apollo theme all about?

Above all, Apollo is the story of electrons and atoms pulling together in space. We were inspired by an existing brooch that we modernized. We highlighted the stones with a shagreen setting and added striking yellow diamonds, the house’s iconic gems, and white to contrast the material. As for the upper claws, they give the illusion of piercing the diamonds. This is especially true of Tiffany & Co., the first house to create this special engagement ring.

The Wings necklace is the most spectacular of the collection, what was the inspiration for it?

We started with a bodice created by Jean Schlumberger, who was inspired by the wings of Pegasus. We kept the two diamond prongs, but on this new necklace they close on a spectacular 20-carat oval-cut diamond. There’s a lot of detail: gold threads twist, certain gold dots come out of the feathers… We wanted to emphasize the realism with various settings, including the workshop-crafted Feather. The latter, exclusive to Tiffany & Co., is made of platinum and randomly plated to give a miniature feathered effect. A real challenge.

The collection includes some very beautiful stones. How do you find these exceptional gems?

With Victoria Reynolds, head jeweler of the house, we travel to shows around the world and meet suppliers in the four corners of the planet. Before starting this journey, we define a theme with the design studio and then decide on a color palette by choosing the best matching stones. For the Arrow collection, for example, we were fortunate to find many exceptional emeralds. We also fell in love with the aquamarine pebbles integrated into the Iconic Star collection.

As for the latter, isn’t it atypical to use non-faceted stones on high jewelry creations?

In fine jewelry, it’s great to be able to fall in love with a stone and let your imagination run wild. But there, yes, it was really brave.

Which parts present the biggest technical challenge?

The Rainbow Bird collection brooches that we present at the same time, inspired by the famous Bird on the Rock created in 1965, only use all the technical intricacies of high-end jewelry. It was necessary to integrate many skills on the same piece of jewelry at the same time, such as enameling, pearl carving, stone cutting… Everything was designed to enhance Schlumberger’s legacy. It’s a good summary of the innovation and creativity achieved by the house in recent years. We have updated techniques that are no longer used. And for the first time, the bird’s body finally gets color thanks to a collection of enamel or pink sapphires.

How do you work with workshops?

We have our own workshop in Pelham, north of Manhattan, but like all jewelers, we work with other artisans in New York and especially Paris, where most of the world’s high-end jewelry is made. It’s also a way for Tiffany & Co. to renew its historic ties to France. The founder of the house, Charles Lewis Tiffany, already had enamellers and jewelers working in the Place Vendôme. But it’s not enough to design a collection and hand over the samples to the craftsmen, you also need to share, exchange, develop the preliminary canvases… Let’s add that I am also a stickler for details, I always strive for perfection.

How does Tiffany’s fine jewelry fit into today’s world and the expectations of its customers?

Tiffany is one of the oldest and first jewelers in the United States. Established in 1837, the brand has always been open to the world. He notably participated in the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867 and then collaborated with European artists such as Jean Schlumberger and Paloma Picasso. As for its customers, the majority are local, even if our market now extends worldwide. But that the United States is the countryAmerican dreams and the fact that the American customer expects more and more incredible creations constantly pushes us to renew and innovate.