Van Cleef & Arpels Head of Workshop (Chef d'Atelier)

Location
Employment Full-Time
Seniority Manager
Department Manufacturing, Artisanal & Industrial Operations
Industry High Jewelry
Posted ✦ Today
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Van Cleef & Arpels — Biarritz: Head of Workshop (Chef d'Atelier). Permanent role overseeing haute-joaillerie production and artisan teams.

Overview

Van Cleef & Arpels is a storied maison of haute joaillerie renowned for exceptional craftsmanship, poetic design and meticulous attention to detail. As part of an international luxury group, the brand combines artisanal ateliers with global retail and creative teams, offering a workplace where traditional techniques and couture-level quality are preserved and developed.

Role & Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage daily operations of the jewellery atelier, ensuring production schedules and bespoke order deadlines are met with uncompromising quality.
  • Supervise, mentor and develop a team of skilled artisans (goldsmiths, setters, polishers, finishers), including recruitment, performance management and training.
  • Guarantee technical excellence through hands-on quality control, inspection of work at every stage and final sign-off on pieces before delivery.
  • Coordinate closely with design, prototyping and client service teams to translate creative intent into manufacturable, high-value pieces.
  • Manage workshop planning, tooling and equipment maintenance, safety procedures and compliance with security and handling protocols for precious materials.
  • Control material usage and atelier inventory (precious metals, gemstones, components), working with purchasing to optimise costs and traceability.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives to increase productivity, consistency of finish and preservation of traditional techniques.

Qualifications

  • Proven experience in haute joaillerie or high-end jewellery production, with a minimum of several years in a supervisory or lead artisan role.
  • Deep technical expertise in goldsmithing, stone setting, soldering, finishing and jewellery assembly, with demonstrable portfolio of work.
  • Strong leadership and people-management skills, including coaching, team organisation and conflict resolution.
  • High standards for quality control and attention to detail; ability to read technical drawings and translate prototypes into production.
  • Knowledge of workshop health & safety, security procedures for precious materials and basic cost-control practices.

Skills

Goldsmithing Stone setting Micro-soldering Polishing and finishing Prototype development Quality control (haute joaillerie standards) Team leadership and staff development Inventory and precious-materials management Technical drawing interpretation Workshop safety and equipment maintenance

Experience

Extensive hands-on experience in high-jewellery workshops, typically 7+ years in jewellery-making with several years in a supervisory or head-of-workshop capacity overseeing bespoke and small-series production.

Education

Vocational or technical qualification in jewellery-making or metalwork (e.g., CAP/BEP/BTM or equivalent); advanced training or certifications in jewellery techniques desirable.

Workplace

The successful candidate will be located in Biarritz, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, with easy access to Bordeaux. 4 luxury roles are listed in Biarritz on Cerulean, 2 posted in the last 48 hours. Across the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Cerulean lists 28 open positions — 2 listed in the past two days. Cerulean currently advertises 4.476 open roles in France, including 106 added in the last 48 hours.

Culture

The maison cultivates a culture of artisanship and discretion, valuing heritage techniques, creative collaboration and exacting standards. Teams operate in a studio-like environment where mentorship and the transmission of know-how are prioritised alongside innovation.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A.

The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Van Cleef & Arpels, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Atelier Manager», «Workshop Manager — Haute Joaillerie», «Head Goldsmithing Workshop», «Production Manager — Atelier», «Lead Jeweller/Workshop Supervisor», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.