Jewelers from father to son
This set of sculptures, aptly named “Life,” depicts ancient scenes of life.I was inspired by my father’s 90s collectionssays Mathieu Tournaire, current CEO and son of Philippe Tournaire. Initially, I proposed three designs, including one in the Art Deco style, with an upside-down Eiffel Tower..»
Since Philippe Tournaire began making jewelry in his grandparents’ cellar, the company, which has a turnover of 6 million euros, has come a long way. Today, it has around fifty employees, twenty of whom work at the factory in Savigneux (Loire), which has a foundry and a jewelry workshop.
Digitization of sculptor’s work
The house claims to be “one of the few jewelry houses to do everything from A to Z“. Its craftsmen use the technique of “lost wax font». «We create the objects in wax, the wax is cast in the plaster, then we pour the metal into the mold” explains Mathieu Tournaire.
Today, the company uses 3D printers that operate in “depositing layers of wax“In doing so, the sculptor’s work is relegated to digital technology, which requires real know-how.”Half of our artisans come from jewelry schools, and the other half are trained on the job.says the CEO. We are in a fairly remote area, so it is difficult to bring people in.”
The jewelry house also has to deal with rising energy and gold prices. Although for the latter, it manages to be “self-sufficient” thanks to the purchase of jewelry from private customers in its stores, according to Mathieu Tournaire. As for the bronze used for the cooking ranges, it is recycled. If the latter is far too expensive for the average customer – we are talking about a few tens of thousands of euros -, the latter may be able to afford a Bic Cristal, the next partnership object from the Tournaire house.
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
