Jean Schlumberger was a French jewelry designer especially well-known for his work at Tiffany & Co. He was born in Mulhouse, France a well-to-do family involved in textile manufacturing. He sketched constantly during his youth, but his parents tried to discourage his artistic interest by refusing to allow him to undertake formal training. Schlumberger began his career creating buttons for Elsa Schiapearlli in the 1930s. Schiaparelli later commissioned him to design costume jewelry for her firm. During Word II, Schlumberger was in the French Army and survived Dunkirk. He also served under General Charles de Gaulle in England and the Middle East with the Free French Forces. After the war, Schlumberger came to New York and began to design clothing for Chez Ninon. In 1946, he opened a jewelry salon with partner Nicolas Bongard (1908-2000).
In 1956, the president of Tiffany & Co., Walter Hoving, asked Schlumberger to begin designing for the firm. He had his own workshop at the company until his retirement in the late 1970s and was eventually made a Vice-President.Schlumberger’s designs at Tiffany & Co. were remarkable for their whimsical interpretations of natural forms. He was especially inspired by sea creatures and other animals. Diana Vreeland wrote that Schlumberger “appreciates the miracle of jewels.
One of the most famous pieces that Schlumberger created was the mounting for the famed Tiffany Diamond, which was in the firm’s collection since the nineteenth century. The brooch, entitled “Bird on a Rock”, incorporates the impressive 128.54 carats (25.71 g) yellow diamond in a fanciful setting typical of Schlumberger’s style.