Like the ice in the Arctic, phytoplankton plays a vital role in the balance of our world. What's more, it's a vital element, at the origin of all life on Earth, and it's essential to preserve it.

So it was only natural that I chose it as the basis for my second collection, Téthys.

Raising awareness of the fragility of our planet by magnifying its greatest wealth and most vital resources is for me a vocation intimately linked to that of designer.

This is why the jewels I create have the dual vocation of sublimating human feelings, and engaging in dialogue about environmental preservation, a theme that is dear to my heart.

From ice to phytoplankton

So, after the ice that inspired my Wahlenbergbreen Mementos collection, I turned to the ocean and more specifically to phytoplankton, with a view to bringing it to the fore.

Phytoplankton is the group of micro-organisms, often invisible to the naked eye, that inhabit the surface of seas and oceans, capturing solar energy through photosynthesis. The first trace of life on Earth to appear 3.5 billion years ago, it has contributed and continues to contribute to the evolution of our planet, feeding the underwater world, forming clouds... It is nothing less than the lungs of our Earth.

Capucine H - Maison Desrues @Alix Marnat

The birth of Téthys

What was then just an idea turned into a very concrete project in October 2021, when I had the honor of receiving the Grand Prix du Jury at the 36th Hyères International Festival for Wahlenbergbreen mementos.

In receiving it, I was also offered the opportunity to collaborate with Chanel's Métiers d'Art, and more particularly with Maison Desrues, for whom I fell in love.

After extensive research and discussions with renowned marine biologists and scientists such as Marina Lévy and Françoise Gaill, and drawing inspiration from the photographs of CNRS research director Christian Sardet and the drawings of biologist Ernst Haeckel, I had my first creations in mind and on paper.

Their realization subsequently presented many technical challenges that the workshop and I had to face to fashion innovative pieces that evoke all the richness of phytoplankton.

But with patience, determination and shared know-how, prototypes were born.

Foraminifera brooch - Capucine H @Daragh Soden

A story to share

Drawing on these and the extensive knowledge I'd acquired from the artisans who surrounded me over many months, I was then able to put my pieces into production with my own network of craftsmen. At the same time, I added the soul of Téthys, the Greek goddess of marine fertility and the name I wished to give to this second collection.

From the choice of metal to the name given to each creation, to the assembly and setting, every detail that makes up my jewelry has its own story.

It's a story I'm delighted to be able to tell here, and one that I'd like to invite everyone who wears these jewels to make their own!

Capucine Huguet