Paris' High-Wire Act

Taher Chemirik, 51, is one of those fashion-world secrets whispered from one chic ear to another for years before the rest of us catch on. But in the past six months, word of the Algerian-born jeweler's signature bold style has leaked out. Now in-the-know editors and jewelry fanatics alike are sporting his large link necklaces, wide cuffs and diamond-cut wooden rings. Bottega Veneta's Thomas Maier describes Chemirik as having "great talent and design integrity," while retailer Janet Brown says that "clients who buy Taher end up collecting him."

Chemirik's work—handcrafted in Paris—is for "women with character" who "are looking for something out of the ordinary." He's pleased if a client likes a piece. "If not, I've gleaned enough about women's taste to know that someone else will," he says.

Jewels played a crucial role in Chemirik's childhood. There was his family's gold belt, scattered with diamonds and emeralds, traditionally worn at weddings. And his mother was "crazy about rings," naming each one after the city it came from ("It was, 'Give me Paris. Hand over Istanbul.'")

But it was while working for Paris' Comédie Française that Chemirik learned about "the effect of jewels from a distance." After making necklaces for Karl Lagerfeld at Chloé, he designed "Marie Antoinette--like wedding dresses" in Dubai and returned to Paris to join the interior-design team at Ralph Lauren. Chemirik then left and paid a jeweler to teach him his craft. He spent 10 years designing necklaces for Chanel; next, he created prototypes for Tom Ford at Yves Saint Laurent.

Chemirik certainly stirs enthusiasm. "He's re-created the new link necklace—making it cool and groovy so that anyone can wear it," says retailer Jeffrey Kalinsky. There's also Chemirik's study in shape and his subtlety of volume. "I like giving the impression of a necklace being heavy when it's actually light," he says with a twinkle in his eye.