DINH VAN

Jean Dinh Van was born in Paris in 1927 to a father who was an artisan lacquerer, a harbinger of his future and flourishing career as a jeweller. Originally intending to become a sailor, the designer eventually took the path of apprenticeship to the craft of jewellery making, under the positive influence of his father. After studying at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, he completed his training at the prestigious Maison Cartier, where he began his career. This experience allowed him to refine his notion of beauty and his taste in luxury, and he finally spent 10 years with this company, before the desire to create his own brand became too strong, and he left to found his own Maison in 1965.

In the mid-sixties, Dinh Van grew tired of creating the same jewellery designs for the same audience. He dreamed of modernising luxury jewellery by making it more accessible and personal with a more discreet, sensual and feminine look. He thinks more about the women who are going to wear the jewellery rather than those who want to be seen wearing voluminous jewellery. Inspired by his surroundings, he drew the very essence of his brand from the creations of Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin until the May 68 revolt. 

This gave birth to pieces that were totally out of step with the standards of the time, classic pieces that were generally voluminous and very stacked. At the time, Jean Dinh Van was reputed by the professional press to be one of the most creative French jewellers of his time, and he took great pleasure in proposing completely original jewellery, which broke the codes of jewellery and stood out from everything else that existed. The clasp is at the heart of her creations, and everyday objects are an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Playing with fullness and emptiness, he breathes a spirit of freedom into his creations, designed to be worn on a daily basis. 

"At that time, decoration, couture and even gastronomy had undergone a revolution, all taking a big step towards a certain simplicity. Jewellery, on the other hand, was still in the era of elaborate jewellery from the last century. We had a vague feeling that women were expecting us to make jewellery that was easier to wear. We had to invent them.

Quote from Jean Dinh Van (1970).

Dinh van invented contemporary jewellery with one idea in mind: true luxury is simplicity, it is a jewel that women wear themselves and not for those who look at them.

Dinh van invented contemporaryewellery with only one idea in mind: true luxury is simplicity, it is a jewel that women wear themselves and not for those who look at them...

The know-how of the Maison dinh van

Even today, nothing is automated in the brand's workshops, which work according to traditional jewellery-making know-how. The craftsmen make the jewellery from gold, shaping it and giving it its form by hammering it, combining technique with a passion for working with beautiful materials.

Discover in video the techniques of dinh van work, and the meticulousness with which the master jewellers give life to the precious creations of the brand!

The famous Menottes dinh van design

The "Menottes dinh van" jewel is one of the signature pieces of the Maison dinh van, and has become a real must-have. Symbolising love, bonding and friendship in the spirit of the 1970s, this original motif is inspired by the shape of a key head. Designed as a key ring that easily separates two keys, the motif serves as a clasp and is positioned in the centre of the jewel for the first time. This resolutely modern approach to jewellery design completely overturned the jewellery codes of the time, where the clasp was intended to be as discreet as possible, and even invisible if possible.

The Menottes dinh van quickly became a collection in its own right, earning the approval of the general public, before becoming a best-selling fashion item and a real must-have.

Today, the Menottes dinh van collection continues to be regularly enriched with new pieces, available in precious versions: white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, platinum, silver..., adorned with diamonds, slipped onto a chain or a pretty cord, for a rendering that is as contemporary as ever and representative of the know-how and creativity that drive the Maison dinh van!

Find all the dinh van jewels on our online shop, and let yourself be seduced by the strong pieces that will perfect your daily outfit!