Credits: Ecostylia Media edit; photo Anne-Catherine Dufour-Genneson.
Meet Anne-Catherine Dufour-Genneson, a talented jeweler whose creations are extraordinarily refined. She exceptionally opened the doors of her workshop to Pierre-Antoine Tsady. She reveals the secrets of her unusual profession, little known to the general public, from her academic background to her travels to the ends of the earth. Discover how her love of stones, her passion, and her respect for tradition come together to create singular, timeless pieces of jewelry.
Interview
Pierre-Antoine Tsady: Can you tell us how you became a jeweler and what initially drew you to this profession?
Anne-Catherine Dufour-Genneson: As an archaeologist and art historian, I first became interested in the origins of major creative movements and the beginnings of the know-how we inherit today. To me, the two subjects are inseparable, because they enrich each other. Where do ideas come from? How did they reach us? How have techniques evolved, and what do they teach us about those who developed them, and about ourselves?
Human beings have always wanted to master these things that come from the depths of the earth, yet bring us closer to the stars. Light and heat evoke a form of transcendence. This call toward the infinite, in my view, explains both the fascination and the importance of ornament: a symbol of kings, gods, and priests.
Jewelry is at once perfectly unnecessary and absolutely essential, indispensable in every human society. This need to elevate mortals through jewelry can be found in every civilization and in every era. Even today, we feel this need for elevation: in engraved medals, academicians’ swords, or the adornments of movie stars, but also on the fingers of brides-to-be, around the necks of baptized babies, or in a bracelet passed down from a grandmother, carrying the family’s history. Fine jewelry is also part of a family’s heritage.
P.-A. T.: Can you share a turning point in your career that strengthened your passion for this profession?
A.-C. D.-G.: I was lucky, after the comfort of the Sorbonne and the École du Louvre, to put that body of knowledge to the test in other countries and cultures, especially West Africa, Central America, and Asia, where I worked and studied for many years. The variety and diversity of techniques and styles continue to inspire and enrich my work through their mastery and influence. But I also discovered many common threads there: in every civilization and every era, we find the same fascination with adornment. We all wear jewelry, we are all amazed by crystals and metal, and we have all wanted to master fire and matter.
When I returned to France, I wanted to build on those years of experience by focusing on jewelry. To be able to master every aspect of the profession, I completed my training: apprenticeship in workshops, and I became a gemologist.
P.-A. T.: How do you ensure that each piece remains unique and personal for your clients?
A.-C. D.-G.: I always begin, whether for an appraisal, a redesign, or a creation, with a long conversation. I want to understand my client, what drives them, what they want, and get a sense of their personality. Any work involving jewelry is generally tied to an important life event—usually a happy one, but not always—and it is essential to honor that moment and allow the client who trusts me to feel respected, understood, and heard.
P.-A. T.: How do you work to make jewelry accessible to a broader audience, beyond the elitist clichés often associated with the industry?
A.-C. D.-G.: Elegance is not a matter of money, but of education and style.
Nature offers us an endless selection of stones and resources for every budget and every stage of life. It is up to me to transform them and bring dreams to life. I give the same consideration and devote the same energy to all my clients. I have very fond memories of young couples on a “student” budget marveling at their engagement ring, or of a client treating herself to a piece of jewelry with her first paycheck.
I echo the words of the great chef Thierry Marx: "Luxury is not an insult to poverty, but an insult to mediocrity. This standard must be shared by many people. We need to help them come back to luxury in order to build their skills and say that everyone has a place in this world."
P.-A. T.: How Do Your Creations Challenge The Gender Stereotypes Traditionally Associated With Jewelry?
A.-C. D.-G.: It’s a question I’ve never asked myself, because I only create one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect my clients’ desires, personality, and identity, with no other considerations.
P.-A. T.: How Would You Define The Concept Of Quiet Luxury In The Context Of Your Work, And Why Is It Important To You?
[Quiet luxury—discreet luxury in French—refers to understated luxury goods, often without logos. You don’t necessarily see that they are luxury products, editor’s note.]
A.-C. D.-G.: I discovered that I had been doing quiet luxury for more than 35 years! For my clients, it reflects a commitment to quality, originality, and timelessness: wanting to stand out without the brand name. For me, it means being especially attentive at every stage of the design process, to every detail of the making process.
From the very beginning, I have been able to build a network of top-tier service providers. My designers, lapidaries, manufacturers, pearl stringers… are exceptional independent master artisans, all based in France, who work in keeping with high jewelry techniques using the finest materials. It is sometimes a demanding choice, when it would be so easy to do slightly worse and much cheaper by outsourcing, but I am very proud of it. Judging by my clients’ loyalty, it was a very good choice; I now make engagement rings for the children of my first engaged couples!
Over the years, my methods and standards have attracted a clientele with refined taste, seeking originality and quality—guarantees of timelessness—rather than fashion. So I am fortunate to have a diverse, cultured clientele in search of excellence and craftsmanship rather than recognition.
P.-A. T.: What Has Been Your Proudest Achievement In Your Career, And How Did It Influence Your Vision Of Jewelry?
A.-C. D.-G.: Saving, with my teams, a very old and badly damaged family heirloom that had been considered impossible to restore. We were able to bring it back to life for future generations. Unlike trends, our profession is one of continuity and the long term.
P.-A. T.: Can You Share A Particular Experience Where Creating A Piece Of Jewelry Brought You Personal Satisfaction, Regardless Of Its Market Value?
A.-C. D.-G.: I restored, for a very elderly woman, her late son’s ID bracelet so she could wear it. I will never forget her face when I slipped it onto her wrist… she was carrying her son with her. I was happy to give it back to her.
P.-A. T.: What Is The Biggest Advantage Of Being An Independent Jeweler?
A.-C. D.-G.: I’m not constrained by the dictates of fashion: I can either bring new character to an antique ring with an unconventional stone or create a one-of-a-kind piece unlike any other, with an almost endless choice of shapes and colors.
P.-A. T.: What Is Your Favorite Stone?
A.-C. D.-G.: That’s an excellent question for a gemologist. Obviously, precious stones are a constant source of wonder, but fine stones—tourmaline, spinel, jade, etc.—have long suffered from the term “semi-precious stones,” even though some of them, because of their beauty and rarity, can be more valuable than diamonds. In fact, I love them all; the life I observe inside them through my analysis instruments fascinates me, and I find in them the history of the earth.
P.-A. T.: How Do You Handle Ethical And Responsibility Issues, Such As The Origin Of Stones And The Use Of Lab-Grown Diamonds, In Your Jewelry Creation?
A.-C. D.-G.: I have always been committed to delivering timeless pieces of the highest quality to my clients. That can only be done with high-quality raw materials, worked on by artisans—and not factories—who are respected and respectful.
The entire profession and the geological and gemological scholarly community have taken an interest in the issue of synthetic stones, which is far from new.
History shows us that with every manufacturing revolution of this kind of stone, it is the buyers who suffered, because these stones have no resale value, which goes against my criterion of timelessness. In addition, their production is terribly energy-intensive and has a heavy carbon footprint.
The materials we work with are sourced with the utmost care, with respect for people and the planet, both through my network of carefully selected partners and, above all, thanks to my frequent trips to mines around the world. I also work extensively with antique stones, which I acquire myself or which my clients bring me.
P.-A. T.: What Are Your Plans Or Ambitions For The Future Of Your Workshop?
A.-C. D.-G.: I hope to help sustain and pass on the skills of the craft professions that make up jewelry by helping the next generation of talent grow.
Jewelry is the link between the past and the future: it carries the memory of its owners and the promise of carrying on family tradition for those who will wear it. When I appraise a piece of jewelry in an estate settlement, or when I design an engagement ring, my clients entrust me with part of their story that they are trying to preserve. Far more than a symbol of wealth or success, jewelry, like the altar among the ancients, represents victories and transmission.
