THE ENCHANTER OF BLOOMING LIGHT: THE LEGEND OF CLAIRE CHOISNE

The legend began in 2011 when Claire Choisne arrived at Boucheron as its Creative Director. The house had long been known for its innovative spirit, but under Claire's unique leadership, it became something else entirely. Jewelers accustomed to gold and diamonds were soon handling rock crystal, holographic elements, and rattan, with Claire banishing the boundaries between high jewelry and material possibility. Under her direction, Boucheron has incorporated aerogel, carbon nanotubes, rock crystal, ceramic, and even sand into high jewelry. 

Her use of lightness and transparency allows for pieces that feel almost weightless, creating an illusion of jewelry merging with the body rather than simply resting on it. She has also championed multiwear designs, like a necklace that can be wrapped around the neck, coiled around the wrist, styled as a belt, or even worn in the hair, allowing pieces to be deconstructed and worn in various ways, offering wearers a more interactive experience.

They say she doesn’t design jewelry – she distills light, bends time, and conjures matter from the intangible. 

In the refined workshops of Boucheron’s Parisian atelier, Claire Choisne is spoken of not just as a creative director, but as an architect of transformation, shaping precious metals, stones and the most unexpected materials into visions never seen before.

For years, collectors and critics alike have struggled to define the nature of her creations. They do not obey the rules of weight or structure; they hover, shimmer, disappear and reappear depending on the angle of light. Claire’s gorgeous brainchildren blend cutting-edge materials and technology with a deep respect for Boucheron’s legacy.

Since its founding in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron, the Maison has maintained a fascination with nature, which Claire continues to explore in her designs. The Boucheron archives are filled with botanical and zoological motifs – ivy, thistles, ferns, and insects – reflections of Frédéric Boucheron's belief in capturing nature in its raw beauty. Claire, however, does not simply replicate these historic pieces; she reinterprets them, giving them movement, adaptability, and an almost ethereal quality.

In 2025, Boucheron's collection Histoire de Style takes a step further into the Maison’s fascination with nature, reinforcing the idea of nature as a living, breathing entity. 

This collection highlights Claire Choisne’s mastery of Boucheron's signature aesthetic: a balance of opulence and organicism, precision and spontaneity. The intricate craftsmanship behind each piece, from multi-layered engraving to the illusion of transparency created with rock crystal, showcases her commitment to technical brilliance.

I have met many remarkable designers and artists, but leading a historic jewelry house as its Creative Director is an entirely different challenge. It requires crafting a distinctive high jewelry collection that seamlessly aligns with the house’s legacy. Claire, however, does not follow fleeting market trends or conform to external expectations – she sets her own rules while remaining true to Boucheron’s values. She draws from the archives, revitalising them with modern technology, redefining the boundaries of high jewelry without ever compromising its heritage.

For over a decade, she has led Boucheron into a new era of high jewelry, seamlessly blending avant-garde materials with heritage craftsmanship. Her approach is both deeply conceptual and highly technical, ensuring that each collection resonates with the past while embracing the future.

Claire Choisne has reconceptualised what high jewelry can be, introducing movement, multi-functionality, and material experimentation while respecting the legacy of Place Vendôme’s oldest jewelry house. By merging heritage with groundbreaking techniques, she ensures that Boucheron remains at the forefront of contemporary haute joaillerie. 

Whether magic, science, or something in between, Claire Choisne continues to rewrite the language of high jewelry. Each collection is another chapter in unfolding the fantasy, one where light is sculpted, weight is defied, and luxury is no longer about what is owned, but what is felt. And so, the legend grows.