Expert knowledge
Manufacturing exceptional pieces since 1833
The Ateliers Pichard-Balme have been designing and making luxury items from precious and base metals in the small town of Saumur for many generations.
Medalists, Jewellers, Goldsmiths and Engineers closely share their expert knowledge in the heart of contemporary workshops. Our company bears witness to a bold blend of ancestral techniques and high-tech equipment.
Design
Creative Studio
The creative studio’s main activity is to define and formalise the project in relation to our client.
Midway between the commercial and artistic sectors, the objective is to produce a prototype while optimising costs and know-how.
Design
Design Office
The design office is the interface between the production workshops and the different commercial entities. The aim of this department is to determine how and with what to manufacture an exceptional piece.
Design
Sculpture and Pavilions
The sculpture workshop is one of the oldest skills of Ateliers Pichard-Balme. Necessary for the creation of religious, traditional or souvenir medals, it allows for the creation of personalised likenesses.
Creation
Jewellery
In the jewellery workshop, the craftsmen perform various actions necessary for jewellery making such as shaping, grinding, assembling, setting and some other additional operations.
Creation
Tools
The tooling workshop is intended for the creation and manufacture of tools necessary for producing parts.
It is an integral part of our “turnkey” offer.
Creation
Machining
Jewellery machining is a manufacturing technique that consists of carving into the mass using cutting tools.
We have a number of 4 and 5 axis machining centres.
Creation
Stamping
Stamping is the workshops’ historical expertise, it allows cold forming of bronze, copper, brass, aluminium, silver and gold. The stamper’s mission is to produce shapes in relief or in hollow on the material using a previously engraved or machined die.
Creation
Grand Feu Enamel
The technique of grand feu enamel is a historical technique which consists of applying a mixture of enamel powder and water to a gold, silver or copper piece and then firing it in a furnace.
Creation
Precious lacquer
The process of applying precious lacquer makes it possible to colour parts on different surfaces.
This colouring is considered to be a thermosetting liquid polymer consisting of different components.
Surface Treatment
Vibratory finishing
Vibratory finishing or tribofinishing is a method of surface treatment.
The aim of this process is to improve the surface condition of a metal piece through physical and chemical friction and vibration.
Surface Treatment
Electroplating
Electroplating is a generic term for all techniques used to apply coatings to a substrate by electrochemistry.
Surface Treatment
Sandblasting
Sandblasting is one of the various methods of surface treatment. The purpose of this operation is to texture the surface by means of percussion.
Surface Treatment
Hand polishing
This procedure consists of finishing precious metal pieces without compromising the quality of the product. This final stage allows us to obtain a sparkling piece with a surface finish of exceptional quality.
Innovation
Laser decoration
Laser decoration is a new feature at Pichard-Balme. We opened this workshop at the beginning of 2021 with the aim of permanently personalising our exceptional pieces. The aim is to inscribe unalterable characters on a product using a laser beam or to change its colouring.
Innovation
Additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing is a process that makes it possible to manufacture jewellery using 3D printing.