CHARRIOL : 5 Reasons of Why We Will Love This Brand
Have you ever heard about Charriol? Some of you haven't, but for the rest us who knew the brand, the title of this article will likely be sound like "5 Reasons of Why We Will Love This Brand MORE". I remember as a child, my grandmother and my mother used to invest on this brand - they will pick the signature watch or bangles, and sometimes my little self will try these gems on my small wrist as I walk to see myself in the mirror. It's been quite a long time since that moment until I finally encountered with Charriol again - this time, by their friendly invitation for a personal preview at their newly opened store in Plaza Senayan, Jakarta. Let's take a look at the Charriol corner, below:
In the heart of SOGO Department Store, and right across the entrance of Jakarta's most favorite cafe UNION, lies the new Charriol Boutique. Dominated with royal purple and dark copper tones, this new boutique run at full service, providing wide range of collections for the customers. I got a wonderful chance to talk with Antoine Lecomte - the director of Charriol Indonesia's official distributor, PT Jamasia Infinite Luxury (whom appearance will not be in form of picture but only through his words, here). We chatted about stories around Charriol's history and its presence in Indonesia, and he also helped me to pick some favorite pieces to bring home with. Based on the experience, here are the top 5 reasons of why we will love Charriol:
1. SHE'S A CLASSY LADY.
For me, Charriol is always "a woman" - the brand's design holds a strong feminity embodied through every detail of their piece. Even though Charriol is also combined with elements of modernity, the bloodline is always classic, with its simplicity and practical lines. This factor brings Charriol as one of the timeless brands that can travel through decades, but still looking as fits as it was back then. The fact that Charriol has been around for decades is also giving me a comforting nostalgic feeling: knowing that there were grandmothers who passed the jewelry to their daughters, and their daughter shall pass on the gems to the granddaughters. It's a whole package of love and affection, symbolized in beautiful form of jewelry.
2. THERE'S A STORY BEHIND EVERY JEWELRY
Phillip Carriol, the founder of Charriol, is a French entrepreneur who's known for his devotion to history and art. So during my talk with Antoine, he spilled some stories behind each collection. The Celtic line was inspired by the old Celtic soldier's bangles, which originally was a heavy ornament. Phillip twisted the original design into something closer to the modern life, without leaving the original Celtic-inspired structure. There's also another collection named Forever Young, who came up from a conversation between Phillip and his children when they told him that his designs are getting older. He told the kids, "I might be old, but I'm forever young!", and soo after he designs a whole collection for the young adult who wish to wear modern-looking fashion accessories. Knowing that each batch was inspired by many intimate stories is another precious value that automatically added during every purchase. I love hearing stories and comparing the concept with the final executions is something that I enjoy very much.
3. IT TRANSFORMS STEEL INTO PERFECT DELICACY
I was in complete surprise when I heard that Charriol's signature details, the twisted wires, are made from steel. Yes, Phillip Charriol was a man who uses steel cable to create such a delicate jewelry pieces. If you look closely, you will spot the thin twisted bundle of steel cable in every of Charriol's jewelry - in the bangle and watches, from necklace to rings. Using a high technology processor, Charriol is made from the finest quality of materials that doesn't weight at all (trust me, they're very light-weighted). It's amazing to know they were made from steel. Kudos for the original idea!
4. PRICE-WISE, THEY'RE WISE.
Talking about a luxurious brand and we'd think about how expensive they must get. But for my surprise, Charriol is apparently not as unapproachable as I imagined before. For us who often spent some bucks to buy accessories in most high-end fashion boutiques (that are not actually specialized in jewelries and watches), Charriol offers a great investment rate by ranging in $90-130 for rings and $500-$700 for necklaces/bangles. With that pricing, Charriol piece can make a wonderful gift and collection, without being too far from the millennial's general expense rate.
5. THEY LOOK COMPLICATED, BUT EASY TO WEAR.
We love complexities, right? We appreciate details, difficult patterns, unique composition - yet we don't want the hassle of wearing them during our vast daily living. I usually find myself avoiding complicated designs because I prefer something simple and easy to wear. With Charriol, we can see how detailed every design is - from the cable to the other ensembles. But I figure out that even though their details are highly interlaced, all of them are made in neat order. The opening and closing of the watch, for example, are easy to do - no need for long adjustments. The Celtic rings are also easy to wear and it fits to your fingers just like that. The flexible combination of sophisticated details and simplicity in wear completes my favorite list to love Charriol.
To sum the experience, here I attached my three favorite collections from them that I finally bring home with me: The Celtic bangle and rings, Forever Young set (necklace, bangle, ring, and earrings) and not to forget, the precious Mini St-Tropez watch in gold. However, there's one thing more important than wrapping these pieces home: knowing that I'm loaded with the sentimental nostalgia of a timeless piece that I can exchange either with my mother or grandmother...
Because Charriol beauty surpasses age barrier, and only aging gracefully.
For more information about Charriol, please visit:
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Charriol is a Swiss manufacturer of jewellery, watches, leather goods and fashion accessories. The company was founded in Geneva by Philippe Charriol, a French entrepreneur. Founded in 1983 by Philippe Charriol in Geneva, CHARRIOL is an international luxury brand that specializes in fine Swiss timepieces, jewelry, and accessories. It is currently distributed through a global network of 185 Boutiques and 3800 sales outlets around the World. {source: www.charriol.com}
