In 2007 Marie-Dominique Sassin created www.paris-joaillerie.com, an online information website specialising in jewellery and haute joaillerie.
A journalist on a large French daily for nearly thirty years, Marie-Dominique Sassin made a name for herself in the mid-1990s by writing the first articles about jewellery and she became a genuine specialist in this sector.
In the mid 2000s, she thought of providing information on the internet and had the idea of creating the first online magazine dedicated to the very special art of jewellery, falling as it does between fashion and decoration.
Since then other sites on the subject of jewellery have appeared but none has achieved the expertise of Paris Joaillerie whose editorial line consists of highlighting the work and skill that goes into French design; since Paris is the world capital of haute joaillerie. Marie-Dominique Sassin explains however that she does not approach her work with any complacency: “I refuse to heap praise on a brand, whoever it may be. If a collection is unsuccessful, even one by a jeweller from Place Vendôme, I say so”.
Appearing too on social networks Facebook and Twitter, Paris Joaillerie articles are organised into six sections designed to inform professionals and specialists, but they are also aimed at the many people who simply love jewellery. You can of course catch up with all the latest news from the jewellery world, but you can also learn about the historical, technical and even symbolic aspects of this world. The “Trend” section is the one checked out most regularly by internet surfers. In this section Paris Joaillerie showcases new talents and new jewellery artists. “These days, if you don’t know a lot about it, it is not easy to find your way about in the jewellery market. There are ever-increasing numbers of brands but not all of them offer guarantees of quality. Some have no hesitation in using treated gemstones. The role of Paris Joaillerie is to spot upcoming trends, talk about what is happening now but above all provide information on genuine creative design in jewellery,” Marie-Dominique Sassin points out.
Paris Joaillerie can pride itself on having spotted some genuine “gold nuggets”, including Quebecois designer Edéenne, who designs jewellery made in Paris on the theme of the cinema and tales, Belgian designer Thierry Holemans, who designs shape memory jewellery, or Parisian designers Amal and Brigitte Ermel.
With 40,000 pages visited every month, Paris Joaillerie is known in over a hundred countries across the world. At the moment, it is available only in French but an English and a Chinese version, which are being developed with different partners, should be on line soon.
Virginie Oks
