Courbet (company)

Courbet is a French jewelry maison founded in 2018 by Manuel Mallen and Marie-Ann Wachtmeister.

Courbet
TypeSociété par actions simplifiée
IndustryJewelry
Founded2018
FounderManuel Mallen
Marie-Ann Wachtmeister
Headquarters
Paris
,
France
Revenue2 million euros (2019)[1]
Number of employees
20 (2020)[2]
Websitehttps://www.en.courbet.com/

Concept

Courbet only uses lab-grown diamonds and recycled gold mainly from old smartphones and laptops, in order to create their jewels.[3]

The firm’s providers are manufacturing sites running on sustainable energy, located in Russia and in the United States. Since November 2019, Courbet also buys diamonds produced in France to the French start-up Diam Concept.[4][5]

In that respect, Courbet offers an eco-responsible alternative to traditional diamonds with an equivalent quality and a price saving of 30 to 40 %.[6][7]

The firm defines itself as a Digitally Native Vertical Brand, targeting Millennials and focusing on Internet sales.[8]

History

Courbet was founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Manuel Mallen and designer Marie-Ann Wachtmeister, and has Chanel among its shareholders.[9]

The Courbet showroom is established Place Vendôme. It is named after the French painter Gustave Courbet who participated to the Vendôme column’s destruction in 1871.[10]

In May 2019 the firm opened a corner in the Printemps Haussmann department store.[11]

In June 2019, Courbet sold an adorned ring with a 9 carats diamond, detaining, at the time, the record of the biggest lab-grown round shape diamond ever created.[12]

In November 2019, Courbet started the « Ponts des Arts » collection made of French made diamonds, in collaboration with the startup Diam Concept founded by Alix Gicquel.[13][14] Each piece of the collection has a lock on it, referring to the love locks on the pont des Arts in Paris.[15]

In May 2020, the company raised 8 million euros thanks to the farm investment firm Raise Ventures, and the Chinese communication agency Hylink. This fund raising aimed to develop online sales, research and diamonds manufacturing in France.[16] It also supported the firm’s development in China, in particular, the opening of a subsidiary in Shanghai in May 2021.[9]

Since September 2020, Courbet allows bitcoins payments and other cryptocurrencies.[17]

As of December 2020, Courbet offers an insurance on engagement rings thanks to a blockchain based process.[18]

Courbet also received the Butterfly Mark from the independent organisation Positive Luxury, certifying that the brand is operating in line with the highest standards of sustainability across the entire value chain.[19]

In 2021, Courbet asked for a carbon report, and obtained a result of 20 kg CO2 per carat for diamonds cut and produced in France.[20]

References
  1. (in French) Manuel Mallen, joaillier 2.0, Les Echos, September 3, 2020
  2. (in French) Manuel Mallen (courbet): « Sans le bien, le beau n'est rien », Stratégies, July 10, 2020
  3. (in French) Des diamants de laboratoire et de l'or recyclé débarquent place Vendôme, BFMTV, June 23, 2018
  4. (in French) Un joaillier parisien lance une première collection avec des diamants de laboratoire français, Nouvel Obs, November 5, 2019
  5. (in French) Joaillerie - Le filon des diamants de synthèse, Le Point, December 11, 2019
  6. (in French) Rencontre Avec Manuel Mallen, Fondateur De Courbet, Joaillerie Ethique Et Eco-Responsable, Forbes, June 5, 2018
  7. (in French) Le joaillier Courbet mise sur les diamants de synthèse et la vente en ligne, Les Echos, June 19, 2020
  8. (in French) Les diamants synthétiques s'invitent Place Vendôme, Les Echos, April 27, 2018
  9. (in French) Soutenu par Chanel, Courbet lance ses diamants de synthèse à la conquête de la Chine, Les Echos, March 17, 2021
  10. (in French) La bonne mine des diamants synthétiques, Libération, November 29, 2018
  11. (in French) Courbet : le diamant de synthèse comme « Alter-native », Guide joailliers, May 16, 2019
  12. (in French) La vérité sur les diamants de synthèse qui bousculent la joaillerie, Challenges, June 20, 2019
  13. (in French) Courbet signe le tout premier diamant français, Madame Figaro, November 6, 2019
  14. (in French) Bijoux: ce joaillier crée la première collection à base de diamants de synthèse made in France, Challenges, November 7, 2019
  15. (in French) Les Diamants De Culture De Courbet S’Invitent Dans La Joaillerie Française, Forbes, December 8, 2019
  16. (in French) Le joaillier Courbet mise sur les diamants de synthèse et la vente en ligne, Les Échos, June 19, 2020
  17. (in French) Acheter de l’or et des bijoux en bitcoins – Ce géant de la joaillerie s’est converti, Journal du coin, September 30, 2020
  18. (in French) Le joailliers Courbet adopte l'assurance embarquée, CB News, December 3, 2020
  19. Courbet, Positive Luxury
  20. (in French) La bonne mine du diamant de synthèse, L'Opinion, December 1, 2021
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