Cartier | The Jewellery Institute celebrates its 20th anniversary
Since its creation in 1847, Cartier has been committed, as a responsible jeweller, to passing on and perpetuating its know-how while developing new skills in keeping with the traditions of excellence.
In order to meet the need for in-house training and to promote the jewellery professions, the company opened the doors of the Cartier Jewellery Institute in 2002.
Since 2016, the training centre has been housed in an 18th century mansion in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, in the heart of the historical Parisian jewellery district. Today, the Cartier Jewellery Institute is celebrating its 20th anniversary and its commitment to craftsmanship is more relevant than ever.
The institute’s main mission is to support the professional development of the company’s artisans through continuing education. It offers training in the traditional jewellery crafts and enables other rare crafts that do not currently have a course of study to be passed on from one artisan to another, such as pearl threading or animal wax sculpture. Furthermore, as part of the collaboration between crafts, the institute offers cross-training courses that enable artisans to complete their initial training by discovering another craft: for example, a jeweller can follow a gemsetting course, which will enrich his approach and enable him to better understand the constraints linked to each stage in the manufacturing process.
Today, between 150 and 200 employees are trained each year, corresponding to 4,500 hours of training.
The Cartier Jewellery Institute is also committed to promoting the jewellery culture within the Maison and the Richemont Group, thanks to practical training at the bench. These experiences are also offered externally to journalists, friends of the Maison and Haute Joaillerie clients. Nearly 300 people are hosted each year in this unique place.
Cartier considers that it is its duty to promote these artisans that contribute to the creation of exceptional pieces. This traditionally discreet sector represents French excellence and a strong potential for employment. This is a message that the Institute strives to convey through its longstanding relationships with key players in the sector.
The Maison maintains strong partnerships with the best schools in the profession, in Paris as well as in the rest of France. The Institute has forged special ties with the Haute école de joaillerie for over 150 years, strengthened in 2018 by the signing of a commitment charter. This relationship is reflected, among other things, in the hosting of trainees, the training of apprentices on a sandwich course and participation in the school’s reflection and strategy and in the development of the profession. Today, some 20 apprentices are divided among the four main jewellery professions, namely jeweller, gemsetter, polisher and lapidary. In addition, there are about 30 trainees from its network of partner schools, such as the École Boulle, the Edgar Faure high school in Morteau and the Institut de bijouterie in Saumur. The Institute’s ambition is to significantly increase these figures in the years to come.
Anxious to prepare the professions for future developments, Cartier has also developed, in collaboration the Haute école de joaillerie, the digital Bachelor’s degree in jewellery, the first training programme leading to a diploma in this craft.