Nicely Made in China

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NICOLAS FAVARD-JEWELLER

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This post is also available in: Chinese (Simplified), French

Nicolas Favard, a 30-year old Frenchman and an extremely gifted craftsman, has lived in China since 2004. He opened recently a new shop in a quiet street just on the West side of Sanlitun North Village. Nicely Made in China had a conversation with him on how he became a jeweller, what inspires him and the meaning of jewels.

Nicolas, when did  you decide to become a jeweller?

I got the bug when I was 12.  Our teacher told us it was time for us to think about what we wanted to do later in life and I found an article about becoming a jeweller in a book.  The bug hasn’t left me since. Later, at 16 I left school and became an apprentice.  For 5 years I was at a professional college as well working as an apprentice with Francis Lecutiez a master jeweller in my home town of La Rochelle.  I then did another year at l’AFEDAP a school in Paris.  I am now a qualified silversmith / goldsmith as well as a jeweller and a stone setter.

Nowadays I keep learning by training with Chinese craftsmen outside Beijing and in Yunnan.  They teach me new techniques that I am now using for my own creations like chasing also called repoussé for instance.

When did you open your shop in Sanlitun?

I opened that shop on June 16th 2010. Before that I had another shop in Nali Patio which I opened in September 2008 and closed just before opening here.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I get my ideas discussing with the clients who come to the shop to order a custom-made jewel.  We talk about what they would like and I observe the way they are, what kind of clothes they wear, if they are timid or extraverts etc…  They sometime show me a picture of something they’ve seen in a magazine and I work around ideas -I refuse to do copies- that we discuss together. All this will help me decide if I choose to set a pearl on a ring if it will be worn on the outside of the hand or on the inside for instance.  Jewellery can represent so many different things: symbolism, esthetics, fashion, art, it also shows that you belong to a group or not -if you wear a Catholic cross you most likely belong to the Christian faith and if you choose to wear your wedding band on a chain around your neck may mean that you have an unconventional approach to life- so I am inspired by all these different meanings that a jewel can convey.

What are the metals that you like using?

I use all the various metals that are usually used in jewellery: gold, silver, titanium, platinum, copper sometime.  It varies.

Where can NMiC readers buy your jewellery?

They have to come to the Sanlitun shop in Beijing. I do not yet sell through my website. In the Sanlitun shop they can either order a jewel which will be created for them personally or they can choose from our collection which I create all year long: earrings, cuff-bracelets, rings or necklaces.

How much does a Nicolas Favard creation cost?

It depends of course on the type of materials that I use: the folded silver bracelet and the silver and galuchat or shagreen (skate skin) bracelet both cost 1800 Rmb (US$ 265 / 201 € / AU$ 290 / £ 167) and the ring with a black Tahiti pearl costs 12,500 Rmb (US$ 1845 / 1400 € / AU$ 2015 / £ 1163).

 

Contact details La Rochelle (France):

Atelier Favard

80 b Rue de la Muse

17000 La Rochelle

Tel:  +33 5 46 31 23 47

Contact details Beijing (China):

Address: Sanlitun bar street, North 28.

三里屯北路, 28号

Opening hours: 11.00 / 20.00 every day.

Tel: +86 10 6413 0818

Email: contact@nicolasfavard.com

http://www.nicolasfavard.com

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