French designer Emmanuel Tarpin’s one-liner Instagram bio whimsically reads, “In the vegetable garden.” From acorns and orchids to ladybugs and frogs, nature is a notable inspiration for the 32-year-old wunderkind of high jewelry. But there is life beyond the potager.
When Tarpin started exploring the places his gems originated, he says, it enriched his art. His visits to opal mines in Mexico, emerald sources in Colombia, and — more recently — Paraiba tourmaline sites in Brazil are consistent with his desire to experience firsthand the process behind creating jewelry.
“I worked in the Van Cleef & Arpels workshops before starting my brand, because I wanted to know everything about craftsmanship and how to make jewelry myself,” he shares. “It’s the same with gemstones. I want to know how we extract them and what the human and environmental conditions are. It’s part of my passion and my way of showing respect to all the people working in this industry.”
Immersing in the story
The designer, who appeared on the jewelry scene seven years ago and was instantly hailed as a talent to watch, was able to access the Mexican, Colombian and Brazilian mines thanks to Gem Odyssey. The initiative’s cofounders, gemologists Carlos Torres and Laurent Massi, launched it to offer trade members and private collectors immersive experiences via guided expeditions to colored-gemstone mines. Participants learn about the extraction process and can connect with local miners. If they are industry professionals like Tarpin, they can also join in the work.
Seeing the complexities of the mining process makes it easier to explain the stones’ emotional and monetary value, Tarpin remarks. On site, he saw for himself how rare large stones were.
“Miners are desperate to find a large rough that can be cut into a large gem,” he says. “Spending time with [artisanal miners in Brazil] was a beautiful human experience. They explained how much time they spend per day in the sun just to find little roughs. Even I, who know about gemology, was very impressed by how much time it takes to actually find a nice gemstone. You can find some of low quality, but to find a beautiful one takes a lot of effort.”
Tarpin is enthusiastic about the conversations that his trips spark with his clients. For large stones, collectors request a certificate as an assurance of both provenance and value, Tarpin says, but the stories of how these gems came about capture their imaginations in a way no paperwork could.
His own gemology knowledge has also deepened thanks to the expeditions. He can now identify specific hues as coming from particular mines, citing his trip to Colombia’s Muzo and Chivor mines as pivotal in this learning experience. Linking an Alpine green or greenish-blue color back to the stone’s original spot in the earth makes for a fascinating line to use with clients, too.
Deep blues
It is not just his exclusive collectors who benefit from his commitment to responsible sourcing. His 60,000-plus Instagram followers can join his adventures virtually through on-site videos and ask him questions about gemstone provenance.
For his Lagoon earrings, Tarpin wanted to replicate the hypnotic hues of the French Polynesian waters. He opted for Brazilian Paraibas because the stones were originally discovered in the South American country, and their neon glow was the perfect match for his artistic vision. The circular jewels, which feature an enchanting gradient of blue stones, are in an asymmetric pattern to reflect the unpredictable nature of the lagoon palette.
Although he doesn’t buy rough, as that’s risky for a designer who seeks specific shapes and faceting, Tarpin says his trip with Torres to the Brazilian mines was eye-opening. A striking moment was a deep dive into the Mulungu mine in Rio Grande do Norte, 300 meters below ground. Tarpin didn’t remain a spectator for long; he immersed himself in the process, sifting through ore and evaluating rough. He also visited cutting facilities where stones for future creations might originate.
The Gem Odyssey itinerary included the birthplace of Paraiba, the São José da Batalha mine, where Heitor Barbosa unearthed the vibrant tourmaline in 1989. To offer a comprehensive view of the sourcing process, Torres took Tarpin and the other participants to an alluvial deposit as well, where they worked with artisanal miners.
While Tarpin sourced the tourmalines for the Lagoon earrings independently of the trip, whoever acquires these titanium creations with over 30 carats of Brazilian Paraibas, aquamarines and sapphires will get to hear vivid tales of the mesmerizing stones in their rough state. Learning the challenges of accessing high-quality gems only enhances their desirability and emotional power.
Main image: Emmanuel Tarpin in the Mulungu Mine in Rio Grande do Norte. (Gem Odyssey)
