François LE DRUILLENNEC

François LE DRUILLENNEC

Jeweler – Goldsmith

Heraldic engraver

Jeweler – Goldsmith

Heraldic engraver

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Who the hell am I ?

Curious and curious from all walks of life, welcome to my page «About». You will discover my background and my values more intimately than those already mentioned. My story is like many others: full of experiences that have shaped the jeweler-goldsmith engraver that I embody today. Now let’s borrow the conviviality of a discussion and let me introduce myself as I really am: a lover of the beautiful work.

First school visits

After my (distant) schooling, I started studying micromechanics. It is a discipline inherited in particular from the watch industry and in view of its miniaturization (for watches). I obtained my CAP of adjuster, then two BEP micromechanics and optical micromechanics in 1981 and 1982.
The rest makes me cross borders. Geographical, initially, because I am enrolled in the School of Applied Arts of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. I also change my career orientation, since I am training in jewelry.
During these Swiss years, I met many great masters. Engravers, goldsmiths, gem setters, jewelers-jewelers, jewelers-chainer, gemologists, I discover a multitude of skills. All have in common what drives me deeply: the sense of thoroughness at the service of visual beauty.
I know names like Paul-André Grether, Jean-Claude Montandon, Corrado Lafranchi, Jean-Paul Guinand. Among these teachers at the top of their art, another in particular had a major impact on my future.

Under the tutelage of a Swiss grandmaster

The name of the one who «gives me the job», Mr. Édouard Thiébaud, he is jeweler-goldsmith setting.
This man does not only teach me his job, he also leaves me a true philosophy of life. He instills in me the love of the beautiful work and the transmission of knowledge through the teachings acquired or to come. He encourages me to never stop progressing and to continue training. To use my energy to study and invest in knowledge development. The goal is both unattainable and motivating: to go towards perfection while remaining humble, because the best is often the enemy of the beautiful.
Édouard Thiébaud (nicknamed by his peers and apprentices «Doudou») is also a master whose art is well established. He makes the color flow on the paper and uses his chisel with an inspiring frenzy for the student that I am. He shows me his lifelong companions :

  •  Broken lines;
  • Perpetual motion;
  • Geometric shapes;
  • Sets of overlays;
  • Balance between shadow and light.

As a note, “ET” passed away in 2010. I also created an association to promote his work: The Yellow Triangle , (title of a xylogravure of 1983 printed in 20 copies).
But for now, let’s go back to my wide-eyed young student. Thanks to Doudou, I now know what job I want to do. Better yet, I see him as a mentor.
I became an employee as a jeweler, setter and engraver between 1988 and 1994. I start in a workshop in Annecy and finally return to Switzerland (Geneva, then Bern).
However, a stone on the way to my professional career derails the well-oiled machine of the «metro-work-dodo».
This stone takes the appearance of the Gulf War.

From the hands of an employee to those of an entrepreneur

The conflict obviously has international repercussions. A global economic crisis temporarily shuts down the luxury market. I find myself faced with a choice:

  • Wait for the Geneva upscale to restart;
  • Or take the opportunity to start my own business.

I have always considered myself a creator at heart. I believe that we are on Earth to do our part in individual construction. To embody what we are predestined to do. When war breaks out, I feel attracted to entrepreneurship. This possibility echoes my mentor’s teachings: never stop progressing.
I founded my own studio in 1994. Yielding to my persevering side, I do not wait long before passing the certificate of mastery of jeweler-jeweler. I officially became a master craftsman in 1998.
I then decided to specialize in a very specific niche : heraldry.

A fragment of eternity as adornment

For me, signet rings are hereditary witnesses. The first weapons certainly date back to the second crusade.
Those who frequent me know how much I love the transmission of knowledge. If you feel the curious soul, I invite you to discover the history of heraldry and its principles on my site.
My interest in coats of arms is half of my choice of specialization. The other part is explained by the great interest I give to gold jewelry. Long ago, they were worn only by cult representatives and monarchs. They were also the first to use gold as a symbol. The material represented the deity Sun, synonymous with eternity :

  • Spiritual ;
  • And temporal.

These two concepts perfectly embody the essence of dynasties.
The old societies were originally exclusively male. So the jewellery was only worn by men. The arrival of two women in the world of powers changed the situation: the Queen of Sheba and Cleopatra. They opened the use of adornments to the feminine gender.
Why do I suddenly put myself in the place of a teacher? Because having my own workshop allows me to explain to my clients why I do this job. I very often take advantage of human contact to reveal the complexity of the heraldic environment to the uninitiated. I also have this culture of transmission.

Some families collect their signet rings across generations. I can always include a piece of gold attached to a souvenir under the ring tray. I see this metal as something fabulous. Apart from the pleasure of working with it, it embodies the quintessence of heraldry. Gold is a promise of longevity.
Since my very first punches, I work to go to the end of my art.
In 2013 I obtained the EPV label (Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant) for the excellence of French know-how. In 2015, I participated in the competition «One of the best workers of France», heraldic engraver section and modeled, 550 hours to arrive second. In 2017, I obtained the title of expert at the Court of Appeal of Chambéry.
I also want to pass on my expertise. I try to train apprentices in this regard within my company. If I can show the next generation of the craft what makes it all beautiful, then I will have fulfilled my mission. I will also have paid tribute to my mentor whose work continues to inspire me.

This site is not a merchant site (you will not find a purchase link), I do only tailor-made. This site is a presentation of my knowledge and know-how. You have a project of making or repairing heraldic signet ring? Let’s discuss it together to give your weapons of nobility to this iconic ring!
The entrepreneur I am will send you by email, a professional quote with all the data and official references of my company.

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© François LE DRUILLENNEC - 2024 / ALL RIGHT RESERVED