The story of Laura Gallon Joaillerie started more than a hundred years ago with jewelry designer Laura Gallon’s great grandparents, a pair of Art Deco diamond earrings and a family legacy rich with fine jewelry design and craftsmanship.
Gallon’s eponymous fine jewelry brand, which debuted in 2022, is her way of honoring the Gallon family’s distinguished jewelry heritage while also making her own distinctive mark on the world of fine jewelry. With an emphasis on savoir faire and jewelry handcraftsmanship, Laura Gallon Joaillerie offers superbly contemporary pieces that carry a rich legacy in their soul.
Gallon’s fine jewelry pieces set apart by their eclectic designs and superb craftsmanship. And like a breath of fresh air, the brand’s wholehearted embrace of color and choice of stunning colored gems, both charm and enchant.
Traveling between Los Angeles and Paris, Gallon has created a fine jewelry brand with a timeless and global appeal. “My pieces are feminine and elegant at the same time. These are pieces that are designed to be worn years from now.”
Gallon’s Jewelry Journey
Jewelry design, however, was not where Gallon started her jewelry journey. Her early career was defined by her work in fashion marketing in Paris. However, it was Gallon’s move to New York City to study at the prestigious Parsons School of Design that brought design into her life. “My time at Parsons was extremely inspiring. I was surrounded by creative individuals from all over the world who came together to explore their common passion for the arts. Although I majored in Fashion Marketing, I also did design classes which broadened my vision and gave me more tools to express my creativity,” Gallon reminisces.
But it wasn’t until Gallon received her GIA graduate gemologist certificate that she seriously started considering a career pivot into jewelry design. “My GIA certificate confirmed my initial interest in the world of gemstones and jewelry and gave me the knowledge I was lacking to enter the industry and to use gemstones correctly in my work,” observes Gallon. As a certified gemologist, Gallon hand selects only top quality gems for all her pieces.
Entering the Jewelry Industry
While working in LA in jewelry design and manufacture, Gallon launched her first jewelry brand, Aura Fine Gems in 2020. The brand featured two fine jewelry collections inspired by her work in the fashion industry.
But everything changed in 2021 when Gallon visited Orléans. Standing in front of the actual building where her great grandparents had run their jewelry store and workshop, Gallon realised how important jewelry as well as the Gallon name was for her. “Something magical happened and I thought to myself, wait a second, this is the reason why I decided to get into jewelry, it’s because I have this rich family heritage that I wanted to revive,” muses Gallon, thinking of the moment when she decided to continue her family legacy of making fine jewelry.
And so, Laura Gallon Joaillerie came to be established.
Laura Gallon Joaillerie – Family History and a Passion for Jewelry
The brand’s first collection is called Alice after Gallon’s great-grandmother. The collection is based on a pair of fan-shaped diamond earrings that were given to Gallon’s great grandmother Alice, by her husband Georges Gallon in 1920. “These beautiful Art Deco earrings were passed down to my father who in turn passed them down to me,” explains Gallon.
Using the design of these earrings as a creative springboard, Gallon created the Alice collection. The collection, in spirit, is very Art Deco but it also has a definite contemporary quality to it. In essence, with her jewelry brand, Gallon is writing a brand new chapter of what started as a love story between her great grandparents more than a hundred years ago.
One of the biggest challenges Gallon faced when she first began working in the jewelry industry was finding a jewelry workshop that would faithfully create the pieces she designed. “I had terrible experiences with people who didn’t have the same work ethic as me or who didn’t have the same quality standards and it was very stressful,” remembers Gallon.
Today, all Laura Gallon Joaillerie pieces are handcrafted in France at ateliers that are renowned for their artisanal jewelry craftsmanship skills, and which specialize in intricate gem setting techniques and mother-of-pearl and hardstone inlay. Talking about the use of mother-of-pearl in many of her jewelry pieces, Gallon enthuses, “I absolutely love mother-of-pearl! I think it’s a very feminine and elegant material and I also feel like the iridescence conveys a magical aspect.”
Looking to the Future
The brand currently offers a large selection of fine jewelry pieces crafted in 18k yellow, white and rose gold, available online at their website. In addition, the brand’s bespoke jewelry services allow jewelry lovers to create their own pieces in consultation with Gallon.
Laura Gallon Joaillerie is a perfect fusion of the bright, elegance of the past and the unmistakable energy of today. Every creation by Laura Gallon Joaillerie carries a story within it. As Gallon explains, “Jewelry is a storyteller. From its design to the person wearing it, it weaves a narrative that may evolve over time but remains an investment in legacy.”
Featured Image: Iris earrings with Akoya Pearls, Mandarin Garnets and Diamonds
