Noble Ring By Philippe Tournaire

For a decade or so, he worked alone in an abandoned cellar that he converted into an atelier. As he modestly says, “I wasn’t looking to make any profit, thus I was able to create with complete freedom of expression, just the way I felt like doing it.”
His solo voyages to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the US, brought him a great deal of traditional savoir faire along with an understanding of modernity, thus allowing his audience to better comprehend the originality of his jewellery, the roots of which go back some 38 years.
"In the beginning, I did not want to work in gold or in noble metals. My first creations were made of pebbles. Then an oil company came up with the idea of an original promotion. Each time the tank was filled, the driver would receive a fine stone. I used these stones in the first pieces of jewellery that I designed for friends. Eventually, by word of mouth, friends of friends began asking me to make wedding rings, medals, engagement rings... Orders came in on a regular basis and soon exceeded my production capacity. Understandably I wanted to exhibit my work, to have a real window display, so that more people could have access to my creations. So, in 1984, I decided to open a boutique in Montbrison, which is near my home town. During this period, I also exhibited in contemporary art shows, especially in Paris, Belgium, and Germany. I benefited greatly from meeting other artists. It forced me to stop being a lonely creator and to move on."