1920
The story of the Maison Piat begins in the Jura, a region with a watchmaking and lapidary tradition dating back to the 17th century. At that time, the persecution of Protestants compelled watchmakers and gem cutters to settle in this French region near Switzerland. In 1920, an estimated 8,000 gem cutters were working in the heart of the mountains.
René Grospiron, a war orphan, is one of the most outstanding gem cutter in the Jura. He learned the trade from his stepfather and was only 18 when he won an award at the Meilleurs Ouvriers (France’s Best Craftsmen Competition) exhibition in France. Ten years later, he moved to Paris and founded his company in the semi-precious and synthetic gems trade, which were very fashionable after the war.
