French jeweler Jean Dinh Van

French jeweler Jean Dinh Van

Born 11 September 1927 in Paris, Jean Dinh Van is a renowned French jeweler of Vietnamese origin. He studied silversmithing at school and joined Cartier in the early 1960s. There he continued to study jewelry making, first as an apprentice and then as a craftsman, working for the company for 10 years. While working at Cartier, he met Pierre Cardin and made pieces for him that are still a symbol of his work, such as the Two Pearls ring.

Noteworthy, Dinh Van first used his name in jewelry marking in 1965, although he did not open his workshop until 1972. In the late 1960s, he immersed himself in the world of the Bauhaus masters and created exquisite jewels of great restraint. He also made friends with young designers, in particular with Claude Pelletier, who wanted to take jewelry out of its traditional “straight-line”. His products became popular both in France and Europe, as well as in the USA.
In order to sell his products in the US, he applied for an eponymous jewelry trademark on October 12, 1976. According to the United States federal trademark registration, the Jean Dinh Van trademark ceased to exist in 1985.
All of his minimalist designs, even those created 50 years ago, are very modern and highly collectible.

French jeweler Jean Dinh Van