Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery Setter
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Posted
- Mar 16, 2026
About Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is a maison of high jewellery and watches renowned for exceptional craftsmanship and poetic design. As part of the Richemont group, the brand maintains dedicated ateliers where traditional savoir‑faire and rigorous quality standards are combined with contemporary creativity to produce artisanal, limited‑series pieces.
Van Cleef & Arpels is hiring a Jewellery Setter at Les Ateliers in Châteauneuf‑sur‑Isère. Artisan stone setting for high‑jewellery pieces.
Role & Responsibilities
- Execute precise stone setting across a range of techniques (pavé, prong, bezel, flush, invisible) on high‑jewellery pieces to brand quality standards.
- Prepare and finish settings by filing, burnishing and microscopic inspection to ensure secure mounting and flawless visual appearance.
- Carry out detailed quality control of set stones, verifying alignment, tightness, seat integrity and aesthetic uniformity before handover.
- Collaborate with design, polishing and production teams to sequence work and meet production schedules while safeguarding artistic intent.
- Maintain and care for specialised bench tools and optical equipment (loupe, stereomicroscope); report and flag tooling maintenance needs.
- Document production steps and non‑conformities, and participate in continuous improvement and skills transmission within the atelier.
Qualifications
- Vocational qualification in jewellery‑making, gem‑setting, or metalwork, or equivalent certified apprenticeship.
- Excellent manual dexterity, superior hand‑eye coordination and sustained fine‑motor control.
- Acute visual acuity; familiarity with loupe and stereomicroscope inspection techniques.
- Thorough knowledge of gemstone properties (hardness, cleavage, brittleness) and appropriate handling procedures.
- Commitment to meticulous quality standards and respect for heritage craftsmanship methods.
Skills
Experience
Several years (typically 3+ years) of hands‑on experience in high‑jewellery or fine‑jewellery stone setting, with demonstrable work on complex pieces and high standards of finish.
Education
Vocational diploma or apprenticeship in jewellery, gem‑setting or metalwork, or equivalent professional training/experience.
Workplace
This position is based in Châteauneuf‑sur‑Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, within easy reach of Lyon.
Culture
The Maison cultivates a culture of artisanal excellence and meticulous attention to detail, where traditional techniques are preserved and transmitted within collaborative ateliers. Employees are expected to combine technical mastery with discretion and respect for the maison’s creative legacy.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 «Stone Setter», «Gemsetter», «Bench Setter», «Precious‑Stone Setter», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.