In 2022, the Lepage jewelry store celebrates its 100th anniversary. A longevity that can be explained in particular by the passion for stones and watchmaking. Each generation contributes its knowledge so that the house remains a benchmark in the world of jewelry.
In Rouen as well as in Le Havre and Lille, the Lepage house is a benchmark in terms of quality jewelry and watches. 100 years after the opening of the first store in the Cité Océane, it is still the Lepage family who is at the head of the 4 businesses and the group. A family business that reassures customers and suppliers. A look back at the successes of a dynasty passionate about precious stones.
Before the opening of the Le Havre boutique in 1922, the adventure began at the end of the 19th century in a tiny village in the Orne. The great-great-grandparents Lepage opened a shop dedicated to watchmaking and jewelry. The know-how is then transmitted to the two sons Gaston and Raoul who each open their shop in Le Havre and Rouen.
In 1939, the city of a hundred steeples was bombed by the German army and the jewelry store was miraculously and above all symbolically spared.
It was only 10 years later that it took up residence on rue Jeanne D’Arc to become the largest jewelery store in France. It was also at this time that Gaston, the first diamond dealer in the family, was listed on the coveted Antwerp stock exchange. Gaston’s three children, Pierre, Jacques, and Monique joined the family business in the 1950s and 1960s by opening a third establishment in Lille.
The fourth generation, led by Valérie and Jean-Pierre, joined the family business a few years later to take over the stores in Lille, Rouen and Le Havre. Here again the transmission continues: “In the summer of my 10th birthday, my paternal grandfather, Gaston, got into the habit of taking me once a week to accompany him to Paris to visit his favorite stone suppliers and craftsmen. This last job fascinated me, and it seems quite obvious to me that these trips gave me the sole vocation of continuing the family adventure. This irreplaceable heritage was a treasure that I had the immense pleasure and honor of passing on to the next generation, that of my children Sébastien, Julie and Édouard.” Jean-Pierre Lepage
Over the decades, each generation has been able to adapt to the new rules of trade. So in 2010, in the digital age, Sébastien, Julie and Edouard, fifth of the name, will open a whole new chapter in history. They will launch the very first specialized e-commerce site in France. A pioneering position consolidated in 2016 with the development of the creation and printing of 3D jewellery.
“3D ca has a revolutionary way of making our jewelry because you have perfect symmetry between left and right. It fundamentally changes the way we work. We only have one side to do. We no longer go through the “lost wax” technique. We send our file directly to our foundryman then he sends us the metal cast directly » testifies Ludovic Dworaczek, jeweler.
Rich in know-how of excellence, the jewelery house enjoys recognition from specialists: “We are recognized by our colleagues as being diamond connoisseurs. My cousin from Lille Jean-Pierre Lepage and his son Edouard are really references in the business as good diamond buyers. We know how to buy the most beautiful stones at the best price before they are certified. This is a huge gain for our customers and a major asset for us. » says Valérie Lefrançois, manager of the Rouen store.
Today, Lepage continues to write its history thanks to contemporary fashions and developments. The sign is obviously present on the social networks and intends to attract young customers “The particularity of this brand is that more than 80% of the jewelry is made from recycled gold. This is something that is increasingly important for the younger generation who will be our future customers” Franck Lefrançois, store manager in Rouen. The keys to success are therefore well guarded and ready to be passed on to the sixth generation.
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