Van Cleef & Arpels Lapidaire CFAO Usinage

Overview

Van Cleef & Arpels is a renowned Parisian maison of high jewellery celebrated for artisanal excellence and refined creativity. The maison operates specialized ateliers — including Les Ateliers de Lyon — and is part of the Richemont group, offering careers that combine traditional savoir‑faire with advanced manufacturing technologies.

Role & Responsibilities

• Program, set up and operate CFAO/CAM machining equipment for shaping and preforming precious stones in accordance with technical specifications.
• Perform precise lapidary operations — cutting, faceting and polishing — to achieve required optics, symmetry and finish.
• Interpret technical drawings and gemstone specifications to translate design intent into machining and finishing processes.
• Conduct in‑process and final quality inspections using metrology instruments; document tolerances and quality results.
• Execute manual finishing and hand‑polishing operations to meet maison standards of surface quality and aesthetic fidelity.
• Maintain tools, fixtures and CNC setups; collaborate with maintenance to ensure machine calibration and uptime.
• Work closely with gemologists, setters and design teams to resolve material‑specific challenges and optimise yield.
• Respect strict health, safety and clean‑room protocols; ensure traceability and production documentation for each piece.

Qualifications

• Vocational qualification in lapidary, jewellery making, precision machining or equivalent apprenticeship experience.
• Proven experience in gemstone cutting, polishing or precision CAM/CFAO machining within a jewellery or luxury environment.
• Strong manual dexterity, excellent visual acuity and a meticulous attention to surface quality and symmetry.
• Ability to read technical drawings and apply tight dimensional tolerances.
• Familiarity with workshop health & safety standards and handling of precious stones and sensitive materials.

Skills

Experience

Proven hands‑on experience in gemstone cutting, polishing or precision machining, ideally within a high‑jewellery atelier or a similar luxury manufacturing setting. Experience programming or operating CAM/CFAO equipment is required.

Education

Vocational diploma or apprenticeship in lapidary, jewellery techniques, precision machining or equivalent professional training.

Workplace

Culture

The maison cultivates a workshop culture that blends historic artisanal savoir‑faire with modern technical innovation. Employees at Les Ateliers de Lyon work in a collaborative, detail‑driven environment where craftsmanship, discretion and continuous skill development are prized.

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.