Jeweler: Tournis
My "Tour de France of jewelers" continues and today I present a new jeweler who is based in Aquitaine. During my stay in Bordeaux, I met Pierre-Frédéric Tournis. It belongs to the fourth generation of a family of artisan jewelers settled in Bordeaux since 1896.
Pierre-Frédéric Tournis à l'atelier © Tournis
25 years of experience, including 10 spent in the workshops of the Place Vendôme, nourish his creations today. He made his "ranges", in the 80's, in the family workshop before realizing his mastership of companion in Paris. During this long stay of ten years, he discovers the size and the study of gemstones, and gives himself time to obtain the diploma of the National Institute of Gemology. Although he was offered a good Parisian career as a workshop manager, he preferred to return to Chartronnaise firm, where he took over in 1997. In 2005, he transferred his workshop and boutique to the city center, Cours de l'Intendance.
During my visit Sophie Tournis presented me the latest creations of the house. Within the shop, which has become a place of confidences where everyone is at ease, customers exchange their desires for unique pieces. Very beautiful rings, pendants and necklaces with precious stones are made in the workshop which has known little evolution since 120 years. The house accepts all the desires of a custom creation according to the budgets of its customers.
"Each jewel is unique. I seek the marriage of the stone and the metal from which will emerge the jewel that my clients dream, a jewel that will truly be theirs. It is a kind of alchemy that starts from a simple sheet of paper. I have to move from emotion to reality and seduce you. A jewel is developed step by step to form a true union with the one who will wear it. That's what I'm looking for with all the team in my workshop."
Pierre-Frédéric Tournis
The house also gives life to old jewelry with the same techniques of yesteryear. I discovered some creations that are being made. These molds offer an opportunity to imagine a final jewel to the customer who sometimes hesitates between differenst options.
In order to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the house, the Tournis family presented its customers with a beautiful range of gems, which were then set into jewelery. If you pass through Bordeaux, don't hesitate to visit the shop, you may find your jewelery crush.
