René Morin (French, b. 1932), designer, Chaumet (French, est. 1780), manufacturer, Necklace, circa 1970, gold

Audio Description

Designed around 1970 by René Morin, this necklace was manufactured by French jewelry house Chaumet, established in 1780. Morin was a French jewelry designer, born in 1932.

A rigid necklace, this piece does not connect at the center front. It is a textured tube of yellow gold that extends down on its left side. The extension becomes a more amorphous and textured yet linear shape.

Label Copy

Designed around 1970 by René Morin, this necklace was manufactured by French jewelry house Chaumet, established in 1780. Morin was a French jewelry designer, born in 1932.

René Morin, who designed this necklace, joined Chaumet in 1962. Having studied sculpture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, France, he set out to breathe new life into this established firm; to embrace the unconventional and initiate an era of experimentation. Familiar themes such as nature, remained prominent but with a new boldness in Morin’s hands.

In the late 1960s, Chaumet introduced or sauvage (wild gold) into their designs—a roughly textured treatment of which this torque-style or rigid necklace is an excellent example. Such pieces were featured in the firm’s newly opened, innovatively decorated boutique, the Arcade. While the main establishment retained its formal ambiance, the new annex was sleekly decorated and offered modern jewelry. Greeted by contemporary electronic music, clients were assisted by female associates, and the ‘barbaric’ designs included four-inch-long earrings, jagged bracelets, and geometric necklaces. Chaumet saw the value in serving both the daring and the conservative shopper.

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