EditorsNov 22, 2024
Out & About: Inside the CD Peacock MansionStep inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
TrendsOct 26, 2016
James Taffin de Givenchy has a Dedicated Coffee-Table Book
After 20 years of creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces, the work of the famed jeweler has been aggregated into a luxurious volume.
Sapphire crystal, diamond, silver, and platinum "wings" pin, 2006 © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
New York--While one might assume that coming from a family as artistically lauded as the Givenchys would have its benefits, “there exists an unsaid rule that forbids the transfer of talent and fame,” writes Stephanie LaCava in Taffin, The Jewelry of James de Givenchy, out this week from Rizzoli.
LaCava’s assertion serves to highlight just how spectacular Taffin’s success has proven over his 20-year career in fine jewelry. His is a quiet success; he’s earned universal, industry-wide respect while running a business that caters to a private clientele via one-of-a-kind pieces.
Taffin is the nephew of Hubert de Givenchy, the founder of the fashion house and contributor of one of the forwards for Taffin.
Taffin studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York before landing a job at Christie’s, where he hoped to work in the furniture division. Instead, he was placed in the jewelry department.
Six years later, he left Christie’s to work at Verdura before launching his own designs in 1996, inspired by the works of legends like Suzanne Belperron and JAR.
Taffin gathers more than 300 images of some of the jeweler’s greatest works produced in the past 20 years, accompanied by drawings, images of the designer’s atelier, and collages of inspirational images that lend a sort of visual pattern to the jewels, extending a piece’s narrative.
A pair of ceramic and inverted gemstone earrings sit opposite an image of a hedgehog, which serves to heighten the prickly texture of the jewelry. On another page, a collar that incorporates diamonds with strings becomes provocative placed next to a close-up photograph of a woman’s form in a corset.
An Australian opal, multicolor gemstone and platinum ring created in 1999 is juxtaposed with its inspiration, an image of molecules, continuing the narrative of the piece in Taffin. © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
20161026_Taffin-2: 166.38 carats of pear-shaped kunzite set in a copper and gold pin, 2013 © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
Fire opal, green tourmaline, gold, and platinum pin, 2011 © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
Peridot, American freshwater pearl, and gold "flower" pin, 2000 © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
Topaz, Montana sapphire, ceramic, and gold ear pendants, 2015 © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
Sapphire crystal, diamond, silver, and platinum "wings" pin, 2006 © Taffin - photograph by Philippe de Givenchy for Taffin
This embrace of non-traditional materials, such as ceramic, wood, and even recycled metal from AK-47s, coupled with impressive gemstones is one of Taffin’s signatures, as is his embrace of color. His vividly hued ceramic bands, only created within the last year, have also developed into a Taffin trademark.
Ultimately, Taffin is an important career milestone, but far from a retrospective. The artist’s highly original imagination and quiet work ethic can be counted on to conjure up many more masterful works of jewelry.
Taffin, The Jewelry of James de Givenchy is written by the jeweler and
features words by Stephanie LaCava and forewords by Tobias Meyer, Hamilton South and Hubert de Givenchy. For more information, visit Rizzoliusa.com.
More on Trends
The Latest
CollectionsNov 22, 2024
Piece of the Week: Xander Jane’s ‘Spiked’ Pearl StudsThese punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.
SourcingNov 22, 2024
Facets of Fire Expands to Include Pear, Marquise DiamondsThe company brings its nanotechnology to two new fancy cuts for diamonds that feature its signature color and brilliance.
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry CatalogSponsored by Tasha R
Weekly QuizNov 21, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2MThree Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund RequestsA federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYCThis fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ CollectionCynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San FranciscoThe new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
IndependentsNov 21, 2024
Mary Moses Kinney Is Now Part of The Edge’s Team Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax FraudThe auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability FocusThe four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New CollectionThe “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation EffortsThe money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship ApplicationsThe event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry StoreLocal reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry SaleA collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
MajorsNov 19, 2024
Trove Opens First US Flagship in NYCThe Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
CollectionsNov 19, 2024
Snoop Dogg’s New Jewelry Collection Is All About Love“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
EditorsNov 18, 2024
Q&A: Helzberg CEO Brad Hampton on the Jeweler’s RebrandHampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
Policies & IssuesNov 18, 2024
Reciprocity Jewels Returns to NYC Jewelry WeekThe group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
CollectionsNov 18, 2024
Dolly Parton Shines in Collaboration with Kendra ScottThe collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2024
IGI Jewelry Design Competition ReturnsThis year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
EditorsNov 15, 2024
Why Fine Jewelry Belongs at New York Comic ConSenior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
CollectionsNov 15, 2024
Marie Lichtenberg Battles Counterfeits with New ‘Raiz’in Scapular’ DesignsThe latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
WatchesNov 15, 2024
Piece of the Week: Citizen’s Commemorative Pocket WatchNo. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
