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On the occasion of his 60^e anniversary, the jewelry house celebrates the iconoclastic visionary spirit of its founder. On the program of festivities? A book and ultra-desirable reissues.

"With a few friends, we wanted to make our mark on our era," Jean Dinh Van confided in the Swiss newspaper. Le Temps in 2006. To mark an era is to imprint it with one's vision. A challenge met for this iconoclastic and avant-garde spirit! Her jewelry inspired by everyday objects, her pearls that stand out from the crowd or her wild links are, even today, incredibly modern. It is this creativity that jewelry historian Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter tells us about on the occasion of the 60th anniversary^e anniversary of the house, through a beautiful book, in French and English, Dinh Van – Sculptor-jeweler (Flammarion editions).

Effervescence of the 60s

Delving into Dinh Van's archives is, above all, immersing yourself in a period of excitement, that of the sixties. The son of a Breton mother and a Vietnamese lacquer artisan father, he learned his trade at Cartier before taking off on his own. "At that time, the world of fashion, furniture, and architecture was in the midst of a revolution. New names had appeared, and in jewelry: nothing! I wanted to bring jewelry to the streets. Women were beginning to become emancipated, and I wanted them to be able to buy their own rings and bracelets," Dinh Van continued in Le Temps. 

This was his state of mind when he founded his brand in 1965, blowing a wind of freedom into the jewelry boxes with graphic jewelry. Clean and modern. Easy to wear. Nonconformist. The opposite of the little flowers of Place Vendôme. By transforming everyday objects into jewelry—razor blades, locks, or thumbtacks—he seduced a free woman. One who wore miniskirts, danced all night, and took the pill. His visionary spirit was in tune with the times, and his star designers were André Courrèges, Paco Rabanne, and Pierre Cardin—he collaborated with the latter two.

Aesthetic Manifesto

In 1976, he made his mark again. After designing square rings, he broke away from convention, making the clasp the main motif of his jewelry. From then on, the Dinh Van Handcuffs became a symbol of attachment between two people. Initially visible on the front of a necklace, the motif then rose to iconic status, available in different styles, in mini or XXL versions. Stars fell for it. From Diane Kruger to Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lopez, and more recently, Lily Collins, who wore them in the hit series Emily in Paris. 

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of this freedom of tone, the house unveils two capsule collections, reinterpreting two emblematic creations that translated sociological revolutions into an aesthetic manifesto: Serrure and Pavé. Crystallizing the desires of a generation that wants to free itself from ancestral constraints, the latter has constantly renewed itself. In addition to the limited edition reissues of the ring and pendant in yellow gold and silver, there are new variations of the large model Pavé necklace in yellow gold, now available in small and medium models on a cable chain as well as a bracelet version. Precious amulets to wear every day.