Trianon Jewelry

Trianon Jewelry (Est. 1979) In a May 2016 article by Kelly Laffey that appeared in Avenue Magazine, Laffey writes, “Trianon’s line of original cuff links [are designed] by Anthony Hopenhajm, who is also the president and CEO of renowned jewelers Seaman Schepps. Trianon cuff links celebrate handcrafted traditions and the intrinsic beauty of natural materials.”

“What really inspires us are the materials that we work with,” says Hopenhajm of his company’s cuff links, all of which are made with 18 karat gold. Like the Seaman Schepps lines, the cuff links are handmade in a New York City studio on 46th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues ensuring that all of the cuff links are original. Jewelers work with each individual stone, and they’re able to cut, treat and carve pieces in a way that can’t be done in mass production. Handcrafted in Trianon’s New York workshop, each piece is also individually numbered and stamped.

“Because of the nature of each stone, every pair will look slightly different,” says Hopenhajm. “We find that alluring.”

Creating original jewels with unusual combinations of precious and exotic materials has been the hallmark of Trianon Jewelry for over 30 years. Whether made from ebony wood with baroque pearls and diamonds or caramel colored cowrie shells with aquamarine, Trianon jewelry has been worn by royalty, politicians, and successful, stylish women worldwide.

Trianon’s renowned cufflinks and evening sets – ranging from Deco inspired classic links of black onyx, mother of pearl, and diamonds to natural shells accented with gems – are designed for men whose wardrobes run to the more formal. Trianon jewels are especially cherished for their wearability and flattering designs and can become a regular part of any man or woman’s wardrobe rather than just for special occasions.

Trianon’s signature style is the shell cuff links with care taken to match each stone to its mate. “What makes Trianon unique,” continues Hopenhajm in the article, “is that they don’t adapt their line to flash-in-the-pan, seasonal trends. In keeping with the tradition of the brand, Trianon creates classic pieces designed to remain in style. Our cuff links are always made to be cuff links,” noted Hopenhajm, adding that cuff links are often created initially as earrings or other pieces of jewelry.

The handmade nature of the pieces allows Hopenhajm to create new lines that are different from what other jewelers are able to do, because artisans can truly work with a stone to allow its natural beauty to shine.

“Our newest group [in May 2016 was] the Canton collection,” said Hopenhajm. ”The hand-carved pieces come in jade, turquoise and lapis.”

While Trianon’s jewelry is set almost exclusively in 18K gold, there is an astonishing diversity in the semi-precious stones and the striking shells — including, tooth, paristernia, cowrie, nautilus, conus ebraus, imperialis, magpie, and spidermoon — used for earrings and cufflinks. When embellished with stones, such as topaz, citrine, rock crystal, Labradorite, and other colorful combinations, each pair of earrings becomes a memorable example of haute design.

The same is true of the cufflinks, which are crafted from ebony, pearls, exotic burled and burnished woods, and colorful stones. The designs are endlessly ingenious considering all are variations on a theme.

Trianon was founded by Anthony Hopenhajm and his partner Jay Bauer in 1979. More than a decade later, they purchased the Seaman Schepps firm from daughter, Patricia Schepps Vaill who had continued to make jewelry in her father’s style after his death in 1972. She often used elements from pieces he had designed. Vaill developed a new look in jewelry aimed at appealing to a younger clientele.

After twenty years at the helm of her father’s company, Vaill retired and passed the baton to Bauer and Hopenhajm who continued to produce jewelry in the unique Schepps’ style. Over sixteen years, Bauer and Hopenhajm added new pieces to the classic collection and opened new shops in Palm Beach and Nantucket, bringing Schepps’ characteristic whimsy to a new generation of admirers.

When Schepps died in 1972, he left behind a legacy of truly innovative design concepts. Many renowned art collectors, notably Andy Warhol, became aficionados of Schepps’ work, collecting it as works of art. The rebirth of the Seaman Schepps atelier, on 58th Street and Park Avenue in New York City, insured that the splendor and singular style of the jewelry and art would continue to be appreciated by collectors and clients, old and new.

In the 1950s, Maxine Cheshire, the longtime Washington Post society columnist, dubbed Seaman Schepps, “America’s Court Jeweler.” The firm Schepps established in 1912 became known as one of America’s most avant-garde jewelry companies.

The company’s reputation peaked in the 1940s and 1950s when bold animal-themed designs graced the wardrobes of multiple celebrities and high society figures including the Rockefellers, the British Royal Family, and Marlene Dietrich.

“We started to do jewelry that was different than the way people do jewelry,” says Trianon’s Hopenhajm. “There was a synergy between us and Seaman Schepps.” Trianon purchased Seaman Schepps in 1992 with that line of cuff links sold at the Seaman Schepps Park Avenue location.

Trianon has been continuously evolving new designs using exotic stones, precious materials, natural shells, and woods, thus, remaining one of the cutting edge original jewelers in the world today.

Current offerings include cuff links, tuxedo sets, earrings, one necklace (67 inches with Pearl and gemstone beads spotted with Pearl and 18 Karat Yellow Gold. Signed Trianon.)

The Trianon Collection, which also operates under the name Trianon, is located in New York City. The organization primarily operates in the Jewelry, Precious Metal business / industry within the Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries sector. The Trianon Collection is estimated to generate $3.1 million in annual revenues, and employs approximately 24 people at this single location. It also conducts manufacturing and importing activities at this facility.

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