Hélène Courtaigne Delalande, a designer worth gold

The jewels of Hélène Courtaigne Delalande have a particular singularity; they are immediately recognizable and can be associated to works of art. Her signature lies in her approach to gold work, mixing mat and polished finishing, ornate in fine and precious gems selected with care. We have been following this designer for years, admiring her work and singularity – she is worth gold.

Initially she was the artistic director for ad campaigns of big brands. In 1990 she oriented herself towards her passion and started creating her own jewels after a workshop internship and graduated from the ING school of Paris (Institut National de Gemmologie). Her style asserts itself; she shapes and brings to life true sculptures that she will ornate with gems as rare as they are precious. This jewelry is for women with an affirmed character, to the image of their creator.

As a recognized artist, she was chosen by De Beers to create rings for the « Trilogy » series, to conceive and create for the French Committee of Perfume the trophy for the « Prix Jasmin 2003 » and more recently, she was rewarded by the Public Awards at the Salon des Joailliers Créateurs 2004. In 2006, she is nominated at the « Talents du luxe et de la création ».

In order for you to discover her, we met Hélène on a beautiful sunny afternoon in her workshop veranda, west of Paris. She has confided in us and revealed a few of her secrets.

An Inspired Creator Worth Gold

Hello Hélène, where does your passion for jewelry come from?

It pretty much started when I was born! As a child I always had rings, I remember wearing a ring with a ladybird and had a small box with a mirror that contained many plastic rings inside. However, it is essentially drawing that drew my path to jewelry. I drew a lot when I was small and many of them were about jewels. I didn’t limit myself to just drawing; I quickly had the urge to create and materialize what I was drawing. First by rolling out paper strips and threading pearls to gift to my mother but starting 1990 I made them for real! Between drawing and jewelry making I really feel in sync with my life, as if completely aligned.

You have a very personal style, unique, has it evolved since you started?

Yes of course! I have a style that enables me to perpetually develop new shapes because it is what is going to define the jewel, the way it is made; that is the technique. I evolve by exploring techniques like granulation. I just created new rings using this technique that amuses me tremendously. I also explore shapes like my ring New York, which is not at all like what I used to do in the beginning, it is rather architectural. The stones inspire me but most of the time it is the reoccurring themes like the pyramids or scrolls. You recognize my signature by the gold color used and the way it is worked, a mix of mat and polished but I incessantly explore new creative dimensions.

What are your principal sources of inspiration?

I do not have a source of inspiration here say. My work is very intuitive and I follow my instinct, I rarely draw up my jewelry beforehand. I start with an idea, often inspired from the stones, that I allow to develop naturally during the making.

Obviously, I have always loved medieval and Greco-Roman jewels, you can feel this inspiration in my work because it is something that I profoundly love and instinctively it comes out in my work. For example, the gold work combining the matt and polished look is typical of antique jewels.

An inspiring gold designer

You use a very specific color of gold for your jewelry, can you tell us more about that?

I find that by definition gold is yellow and not white. I use a 2N gold, which is an alloy and a very specific color that is not often asked for and therefor difficult to obtain. White gold in its natural state is slightly yellowish, it is often plated with rhodium to have more of a shine, which gives it a very cold color… too cold. I prefer working platinum. With yellow gold I have fun, this very pale and fresh yellow is very particular, its radiance is different depending if it is matt or polished. I love playing with these contrasts so that each jewel becomes unique. Even if I work on a small series every piece will be unique because each are hand made in a different way. I usually work on the gold straight out of the foundry. These gold casts are flat, which I will then solder and bend to obtain an initial mock-up. The first model is in gold and after I make a mold. I also use a lot of different techniques such as hammered gold wires.

At the request of my customers, I do more and more jewelry in platinum because I can understand that by personal taste or because of the skin carnation, you have to also offer this option. This leaded me to offer for my latest creations an association of platinum with grey spinelles that I find magnificent.

In regards to the stones, you privilege gems that are rarely exploited, atypical, for your jewelry designs; how do you choose them and which are your musts?

I am a gemologist so I really love all gems: garnets, tourmalines, spinelles, etc. I have a very important collection of stones that I have sourced myself over the years. It’s true that I love rather atypical stones such as this recently acquired stone: an aquamarine that has the color of a tourmaline – this, for me, is fascinating. One of my favorite stones is the Peruvian opal. Gems are mesmerizing, they talk to me.

In my designs, I love to play with their color shades and push the notion of harmony up until it’s rupture.

When my customers bring stones to create a custom made design and the colors really do not go together I say stop, because we can be playful, but you really need to keep a balance, you can’t just do whatever.

Your pieces are sculptures, who are your customers?

It’s true that I love to play with volumes and the stones to make a very singular and unique jewel. I do a lot of engagement rings for customers who do not follow the beaten paths and have a strong personality and charisma. I also make jewelry for men for this very reason. Sometimes, I even make jewelry for men that I sell to women! It’s very amusing.

I essentially have customers that are connoisseurs, collectors, gem lovers and, obviously people who love my jewelry style. Americans really like my designs but my production being entirely self-made does not enable me to extend myself in selling in America. I encourage Americans visiting Paris to come and see me in my workshop.

Thank you Hélène and congratulations for your work!

We have been following Hélène’s work for years and I am proud to wear one of Hélène Courtaigne Delalande’s New York rings with a rhodolite garnet, tourmalines and rubies. When I wear it, I feel the empowerment it brings. Every time I lay my eyes on it, I measure all the artistic and manual technicity it required in the making. To know that it has been entirely hand made, in France, by an artist of such talent, it’s a fabulous feeling and I am proud so have such a unique piece that resembles my personality.

For me Hélène is not only a designer worth gold, she is an artist.

She has also created very accessible jewels for a casual treat as well as master pieces such as this imposing cuff bracelet set with a variety of her beloved gems, a truly collectable work of art.

What is incredible with designer jewelry is often they are one-of-a-kind pieces entirely made by hand in France and they often have more charm than jewels manufactured in large quantities. Finally, for an equivalent quality, designer jewelry prices are often a lot more affordable because there are no or little running costs to cover. Obviously, you have to make the choice of being different and singular.