Chaumet is one of the oldest and most prestigious Parisian high jewellery houses, founded in 1780 by Marie-Étienne Nitot. The maison rose to prominence as the official jeweller to Napoleon Bonaparte, creating pieces for his coronation in 1804 as well as tiaras and parures for Empress Joséphine and later Empress Marie-Louise. This imperial patronage established Chaumet’s enduring reputation as the “jeweller of empresses” and cemented the tiara as the house’s defining signature — it has produced more than 3,500 tiara designs over its history.
The house takes its name from Joseph Chaumet, who took over the business in 1885 after a succession of family stewardships (Nitot, Fossin, Morel). Since 1812, Chaumet has been headquartered at 12 Place Vendôme in Paris, the historic epicentre of French haute joaillerie, where its salons and museum-like archive of tiaras remain today.
Stylistically, Chaumet is known for naturalistic and romantic motifs — wheat sheaves (a symbol of Joséphine and of prosperity), laurel leaves, bees (a Napoleonic emblem), and hydrangeas — executed with a distinctly graceful, feminine sensibility. Key contemporary collections include Joséphine (aigrette-inspired, tiara-like rings and pendants), Liens (the “links” motif symbolising connection), Bee My Love (honeycomb-patterned stacking jewellery), and Hortensia. The house also produces watches and offers high jewellery commissions.
Chaumet has been owned by LVMH since 1999, positioning it alongside sister maisons such as Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. within the luxury conglomerate, while retaining a comparatively discreet, heritage-led identity. Its global visibility rose notably after designing the medals for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
For a bespoke jeweller’s perspective, Chaumet is a useful reference point for heritage storytelling, motif-driven collections, and the marketing power of provenance — themes that translate well to vintage and heirloom content angles.