The Art of Jewelry Painting
Jewelry designer Estelle Lagarde is a master of her craft, from the first sketch to the final high jewelry painting.
How does high jewelry come to life? It's, of course, about craftsmanship and gemstones, but let's go back and focus on the very first step: imagination. Every piece of jewelry begins in the artist's mind and heart, whose skill brings their dream to life, starting with a sketch and followed by a gouache painting.
French artist Estelle Lagarde, while listening to the latest song by the rock band Placebo, draws, mixes pigments, creates shadows, and brings life to her painting. Precision and care are essential: a single drop of water can ruin an entire piece. Estelle, who transitioned from pencils to brushes from a young age, always had an artist's touch for creation and design. As a teenager, Estelle made jewelry using Swarovski crystals, which she sold at a village market in her hometown of Haute Savoie, France, in a region close to the Swiss border. Her passion for jewelry blossomed at the age of 15 during a brief stint at a jewelry store, where she fell in love with gemstones and admired the extraordinary skill and techniques used in jewelry making.
After graduating with a diploma in Métiers d’Art in Paris, Estelle was hired by Van Cleef & Arpels. Here, she refined her gouache techniques and painted some of the most beautiful high jewelry pieces that appeared on Place Vendôme, such as the famous Zip Necklace and the Snowflake collection. A year and a half later, the artist returned to her hometown, where she continued to work for Van Cleef & Arpels as an enameller, mastering this painting technique. She worked on intricate watch dials, such as the iconic Pont des Amoureux, a complex watch from the Parisian maison.
The Veblen Dilemma Watch with a tourbillon complication. Painting by Estelle Lagarde for the BA111OD watch concept.
In pursuit of her dream, Estelle created Studio Lagarde in 2018, her own company dedicated to designing and painting gouaches. She expresses herself through her paintings, drawing inspiration from the architecture around her as well as the wonders of nature. Her free spirit leads her to play with textures and colors. Her creativity matches her perfectionism, and this conscientious and detail-oriented approach is key to her masterpieces, giving her the ability to represent depth, transparency, and brilliance in her astonishingly realistic gouache paintings. Her skills soon became apparent on her social media channels, and she began designing for various international brands. Her sketches not only guide the production of jewelry but also serve marketing purposes, and they are even given to clients upon request.
Her love for this meticulous craft led Estelle to share her savoir-faire online. In 2019, Estelle and her brother Thibaud Lagarde began uploading painting courses to their website: a series of videos and exercises aimed at amateurs and professionals alike. Four programs guide you through the steps of painting various materials, such as metal, enamel, leather, and inlays, as well as stones and their various cuts. These online courses reveal all her trade secrets and painting techniques, helping students progress at their own pace.
In addition to numerous design commissions, Estelle is busy working on her own jewelry brand, set to officially launch in 2023. In the meantime, a collection of high jewelry made from colored gemstones is taking shape. Her first ring, Espoir, is an exciting preview of her future designs. This cocktail ring combines cabochon, oval, and pear-cut gemstones, including sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds, all set in white gold. As the name suggests, the colors are a mix of blue and green hues, reflecting calm and hope. Estelle's jewelry is handcrafted in France with a focus on traditional craftsmanship and natural gemstones.
The Espoir ring, part of Estelle Lagarde's first jewelry collection, is made of white gold set with emeralds, sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines, topazes, aquamarines, and diamonds.
Estelle made her first appearance at GemGenève in May 2022. She used this international jewelry fair to showcase her artwork and held several painting courses. The artist also demonstrates her art so that everyone can witness her talent firsthand.