Taken on trust: the art of the one-off jewel

What began as a social media photo of a flower in Jordan Roth’s garden in the Hamptons blossomed into a masterful jewel by Emmanuel Tarpin.

“I took a picture of a particularly striking dahlia placed on my hand,” recalls the seven-time Tony Award-winning producer and fashion icon, “and posted it to Instagram saying, ‘This needs to be a ring! Cc: @emmanueltarpin.’ I was half joking, but the next thing I knew, Emmanuel was presenting the most gorgeous sketches that turned into what I think is his greatest masterpiece.”

That spontaneous moment captures the spirit of Roth and Tarpin’s creative collaboration, born out of a common love of nature and art. The two met in 2019 at the Town & Country Jewelry Awards, when Roth presented the then 27-year-old jeweller with the Breakthrough Designer of the Year prize.

Since then, they have co-created several one-of-a-kind pieces, including the intricate dahlia ring in ceramic and gold, set with a Burmese ruby, and a dramatic leather and gold choker featuring a Colombian emerald cabochon, one of Roth’s favourite stones.

Tarpin, a Paris-based jewellery artist, is acclaimed for his sculptural jewels that blur the line between adornment and art. Early in his career, he decided to create only one-of-a-kind pieces and build lasting relationships with his collectors. “I never wanted a shop. I don’t work with retailers. I meet my clients one on one, by appointment only,” he says. “It’s about trust and shared sensitivity.”

Tarpin accepts commissions from a select group of clients — people who already own his work. “Most commissions come from collectors who know my universe. I need to get to know them — their taste, their world — before designing something entirely personal,” he says.

The bond between Roth and Tarpin exemplifies the strength of that relationship. “When a piece of jewellery emerges in the space between designer and performer, it reflects both of us, what we understand and appreciate in one another,” Roth says.

Beyond aesthetics, Tarpin’s work reveals a thoughtful attentiveness to the wearer. “Emmanuel has the sweetest soul and takes great joy in embedding meaningful touches in his work,” Roth shares. “Some of them are deeply personal, like the choker he engraved in memory of my grandmother Sylvia, who he knows was a jewellery connoisseur herself. In others, it’s the mark of sensitive listening and surprises of ingenuity: knowing that I always like to find multiple ways to wear a piece, he will invent brilliant transformations.”

The dahlia ring can twist off its base and become a pendant, while the centrepiece emerald on the leather and gold choker can be detached from the necklace and embedded into a separate ring.

Tarpin calls this his “secret signature”. Whether it is an engraving or an extra hidden diamond, he enjoys adding something unexpected — a detail just for the client.

Tarpin’s high jewellery creations are often poetic renderings of flora and fauna. Born in Annecy in the French Alps, he has a reverence for nature that was on full display during his UK debut in autumn 2024 at the David Gill Gallery in London. The exhibition featured jewels and objets d’art, such as a delicate lily of the valley brooch in hand-carved rock crystal and diamonds, playful ceramic and diamond sunflower earrings, and whimsical ruby- and sapphire-studded frog brooches.

All his pieces are handcrafted in Paris, with Tarpin overseeing each stage. “I follow every step. I choose the patinas, watch the setting, and feel the textures. I don’t just drop off a drawing; I have to be there,” he says.

However extensive the client’s involvement in creating a bespoke jewel — which can take between a few months and a year, depending on technical complexities — the jeweller always imbues the piece with his signature style. “I love precious materials,” he says. “But I like to make them discreet. I’ll cover gold with Japanese lacquer so you don’t even realise it’s there. It’s chic to keep the precious hidden.”

Still, the process involves boundaries. “Sometimes clients propose things I know won’t work,” Tarpin says. “I have to explain gently, but firmly: trust me. And later, they say, ‘You were right.’”

New York-based jewellery adviser Mirta de Gisbert, who works with clients on bespoke commissions, compares the process to visiting a fine-dining establishment. “It’s like going to a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can share your preferences, but ultimately, you’re there to trust the chef. The same goes for jewellery: you might set some parameters, but you choose the designer to let them do their magic,” she notes.

“Key to a jewellery commission is to set a budget, timeline and design preference,” she explains. “You pick a designer because you love their aesthetic. Once that’s settled, the rest follows.”

Gem and jewellery curator Carlos A Torres says collectors are sometimes more interested in the stone than in a specific designer’s style, but when both the jeweller and the gem are exceptional, “the value of the piece increases, like a Picasso”.

De Gisbert emphasises that clarity from the beginning is key. “The worst surprise is a price hike at the last minute. That should never happen. The best surprise? A better stone than you expected,” she says.

For Tarpin, understanding materials extends beyond design. He has visited emerald mines in Colombia and plans to explore pearl farms in Asia later this year. “Designing jewellery isn’t only about aesthetics. It’s about respecting the origin — how the stone was mined, and who mined it. That’s what makes a piece meaningful,” he says.

The jewellery artist says he has become friends with most of his clients, and their exchanges continue even when no jewel is in the making. As for Roth, he has already commissioned the next addition to his collection: a gold rope necklace set with yellow diamonds.