Jean Michel Schlumberger (June 24, 1907 – August 29, 1987) was a French

jewelry designer Jewellery design is the art or profession of designing and creating jewellery. This is one of civilization's earliest forms of decoration, dating back at least 7,000 years to the oldest known human societies in Indus Valley Civilization, Mesopo ...

especially well known for his work at Tiffany & Co.

Family and early life

Schlumberger was born in then-German

Mulhouse Mulhouse (; Alsatian: or , ; ; meaning '' mill house'') is a city of the Haut-Rhin department, in the Grand Est region, eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. It is the largest city in Haut-Rhin and second largest in Alsace a ...

, France, to a well-to-do family involved in textile manufacturing. His father was Paul Albert Edouard Schlumberger (1877-1952) and his mother was Elisabeth Schoen (1884-1942). He had four siblings; Daniel Schlumberger (1904-1972), Pascal Alfred (1911-1986), Isabelle Françoise Elisabeth and Jacqueline. He sketched constantly during his youth, but his parents tried to discourage his artistic interest by refusing to allow him to undertake formal training. Schlumberger began his career creating buttons for

Elsa Schiaparelli Elsa Schiaparelli ( , also , ; 10 September 1890 – 13 November 1973) was a fashion designer from an Italian nobility, Italian aristocratic background. She created the Schiaparelli (fashion house), house of Schiaparelli in Paris in 1927, w ...

in the 1930s. Schiaparelli later commissioned him to design costume jewelry for her firm. During World War II, Schlumberger was in the

French Army History Early history The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...

and survived the Battle of Dunkirk. He also served under General

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Governm ...

in England and the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

with the Free French Forces. After the war, Schlumberger came to New York and began to design clothing for Chez Ninon. In 1946, he opened a jewelry salon with his business partner Nicolas Bongard (1908–2000). Also, during the war Schlumberger met Lucien “Luc” Bouchage, a talented photographer and kindred spirit who would become his life partner.

Career at Tiffany & Co.

In 1956, the president of Tiffany & Co., Walter Hoving, asked Schlumberger to begin designing for the firm. He had his own workshop at the company until his retirement in the late 1970s and was eventually made a Vice-President. Schlumberger's designs at Tiffany & Co. were known for their whimsical interpretations of natural forms. He was especially inspired by sea creatures and other animals. Diana Vreeland wrote that Schlumberger "appreciates the miracle of jewels. For him, they are the ways and means to the realization of his dreams." He quickly built an impressive client base that included the Duchess of Windsor, Babe Paley,

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, Mona von Bismarck, Rachel Lambert Mellon,

Jayne Wrightsman Jayne Kirkman Wrightsman (née Larkin; October 21, 1919 – April 20, 2019) was an American philanthropist, arts collector and widow of Charles B. Wrightsman (1895–1986). She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in ...

C.Z. Guest Lucy Douglas "C. Z." Guest (''née'' Cochrane; February 19, 1920 – November 8, 2003) was an American stage actress, author, columnist, horsewoman, fashion designer, and socialite who achieved a degree of fame as a fashion icon. She was fre ...

, Gloria Guinness,

Françoise de Langlade Françoise de Langlade (1921 – June 17, 1983) was a magazine editor with Conde Nast Publications and the wife of fashion designer Oscar de la Renta.Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, Lyn Revson,

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, Elizabeth Taylor and

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. For his wife, Jacqueline, John F. Kennedy purchased the Two Fruit clip in rubies and diamonds, which is in the permanent collection of the

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wore so many of Schlumberger's bracelets that the press dubbed them "Jackie bracelets". Schlumberger remains one of only four jewelers that Tiffany & Co. has allowed to sign their work: the others are Paloma Picasso, Elsa Peretti and

Frank Gehry Frank Owen Gehry, , FAIA (; ; born ) is a Canadian-born American architect and designer. A number of his buildings, including his private residence in Santa Monica, California, have become world-renowned attractions. His works are considered ...

. Schlumberger was a very private person but liked to socialize among friends like Cristóbal Balenciaga,

Emilio Terry Emilio Rene Terry y Sánchez (1890–1969), known as Emilio Terry was a French architect, artist, interior decorator and landscape designer of Cuban-Irish ancestry. Creating furniture, tapestries and objets d'art, he was influenced by the château ...

, Diana Vreeland and Hubert de Givenchy. Schlumberger died in Paris aged 80 and is buried at

Isola di San Michele The Island of San Michele ( it, isola di San Michele, ; vec, ìxoła de San Michièl) is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, Veneto, northern Italy. It is associated with the sestiere of Cannaregio, from which it lies a short distance northeas ...

Tiffany Yellow Diamond

One of the most famous pieces that Schlumberger created was the mounting for the famed Tiffany Diamond, which was in the firm's collection since the nineteenth century. The brooch, entitled "Bird on a Rock", incorporates the impressive yellow diamond in a fanciful setting typical of Schlumberger's style.

Awards

He was the first jewelry designer to win the coveted Fashion Critics’

Coty Award The Coty American Fashion Critics' Awards (awarded 1943–1984) were created in 1942 by the cosmetics and perfume company Coty, Inc. to promote and celebrate American fashion, and encourage design during the Second World War. In 1985, the Coty Aw ...

in 1958. In 1977, the French Government made him a Knight / Chevalier of Ordre national du Mérite.

References

External links

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Voguepedia - Designers - Jean Schlumberger
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schlumberger, Jean French jewellery designers Artists from Mulhouse 1907 births French Army personnel of World War II 1987 deaths Burials at Isola di San Michele Tiffany & Co. Free French military personnel of World War II Gay artists LGBT designers LGBT artists from France Gay military personnel 20th-century LGBT people