History of Charriol Jewelry
In 1983 Philippe Charriol, then an executive with the luxury jeweler Cartier, launched his own brand. His signature style, introduced first in watches and then in other jewelry items, is based on a twisted cable design used by the ancient Celts. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand has expanded throughout Asia, the United States and Europe. By mid-2009, the Charriol line could be found in 3,200 retailers, 485 upscale "Charriol Corners" stores, and 71 Charriol boutiques. Does this Spark an idea?
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Early History
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Following the success of his initial Celtic Collection, Charriol introduced a line of writing instruments and leather goods in 1989. In 1990, he opened the first Philippe Charriol boutiques in Hong Kong and Singapore. In 1994, the company opened its U.S. headquarters in La Jolla, Calif. Charriol continued to expand throughout the decade, opening the company's first U.S. boutique in 1994 and its first boutique in China in 1995. In 1999, the brand changed its name from Philippe Charriol to simply Charriol.
The Brand
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According to Luxury Bazaar, "The 'Celtic' concept and the brand owner's philosophy toward life, 'L'art de vivre la différence,' translated as 'the art of living the difference,' were embraced by people who wanted to share the same experience and philosophy of life."
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Trademark Battle
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Charriol has aggressively fought to protect his brand and threatened to sue anyone who used the Celtic twisted cable in their jewelry designs for trademark infringement. In June 2001, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York ruled that the cable design was ineligible for trademark protection. "That a 'metallic nautical rope design as an integral feature of the goods' could be a trademark to identify the source of bracelets, earrings and the like staggers the imagination," wrote Judge Charles L. Brieant as he ruled in favor of plaintiffs Paul Morelli Design, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. The plaintiffs had filed the suit in 1999 after receiving "cease and desist" letters from Charriol.
Expansion
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Even though he lost the trademark lawsuit, Charriol continued to expand his line. In 2002, Charriol celebrated the brand's 20th anniversary by launching three new collections. In 2007, Charriol expanded his market again by debuting the Celtic Classique collection, a less expensive line that ranges in price from $295 to $795.
Charriol Fragrances
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In 2008, Charriol entered the fragrance market with Pour Femme Eau de Toilette for women and Charriol Pour Homme for men. The Charriol website describes Pour Femme as having the fragrance of "Calabrese bergamot, passion fruit, freesia, datura, teak wood and musk" and Pour Homme as the "fragrance of fresh fern...composed of Tuscany lemon with a harmony of green leaves, marigolds, lavender, cedar and amber." The fragrances were initially released in Asia and the Middle East.
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