Crowned Best Craftsman of France 2023
I collected the jacket and medal at La Sorbonne. It was impressive. Behind this collar with national colors lie years of preparation, seven days a week. With other winners, we talked about it: from the moment you register for the contest, everything revolves around it. Like in sports, when I practiced high-level ju-jitsu, we are always competing with ourselves. My goal: always go beyond, it’s a mindset.
It is also known in physics as a wormhole. The specifications were detailed, and I spent 416 hours working on this piece in my workshop. It is made with precision to one-tenth and one-fiftieth of a millimeter. More than the turning time, the preparation is what takes the longest.
While working on this project, I created six arches corresponding to the six modules. These arches represent planets. I designed a frieze equipped with a ball bearing system that allows smooth rotation. The sun rays are represented by pebbles placed at precise angles.
The main crown, or vortex spiral, is made in segmented openwork and also rotates.
The woods used are sycamore maple, amaranth, cherry, boxwood, and ebony. The finials are made of ebony.
The contest takes place every three years. I registered in May 2020. I was selected for the final phase of the 27th class in February 2022. The topic was given to us in June 2022. The contest officially started in January 2023. My piece was presented in the final on March 24 at the Versailles campus, then I had the interview before the jury.
