An exclusive interview with Audrey Tcherkoff CEO and Artistic Director at Robert Wan

  |   25-10-2015

By Hershey Pascual

The house of Robert Wan have been developing their work with Tahitian pearls and improving the quality of their gems for over 40 years.  Audrey Tcherkoff is their CEO and artistic director. She talks exclusively to a&e about the beauty of her job, her rise to directorship, her struggles and the success along the way.

Where are you from and what led you to work at Robert Wan in the Middle East?

I am French. Being from an entrepreneurial background, I have worked up the ranks of Robert Wan House where I am now the CEO for the Middle East. My passion for pearls began in 2007 when I submerged myself in the stories of the underwater world of the Tahitian Lagoons.

My business background has been instrumental in complimenting my love and enthusiasm for building an empire. It was my privilege to accept the invitation for being a member of the Robert Wan Family when Mr. Wan approached me to share his passion for embracing the raw way of life and teach me everything about pearl farming’s secrets. I haven’t looked back since.

What kind of relationship do you have with jewellery? What does fashion mean to you?

I have an ever-evolving mix of both classic and eclectic styles. I love high-end and high street  pieces with a bohemian twist. I like to incorporate some trends to keep things modern and relevant. I am a huge fan of using accessories to pull my look together mostly using my own pearl jewellery.

What makes jewellery in the Middle East stand out or different from the rest of the world?

As far as pearls are concerned, the pearl industry in the Middle East has a long history but sadly it’s lost its lustre with the advent of the oil sector over the last thirty years. It is nevertheless an exciting market with a lot of room for growth, which allows us to play a significant role in shaping the local pearl industry going forward.

We have made it our mission to perpetuate the history of pearls from these naturally and culturally rich countries across the region. Our aim is to tell its story embracing both cultural and educational integrity as well as maximising its commercial potential. My strategic objective is to revive, relive and share a national identity originally born from a love and passion for pearls. The Middle East is rich with culture and heritage and we will strive to showcase its history through enriching the public through cultural and educational programs.

What do you think makes Robert Wan’s collections so unique and special?

At Robert Wan, we promote nature and try to pay tribute to it. In the last 40 years, we have been growing some of the most wonderful treasures in the underwater world in our Tahitian lagoon with a constant goal of improving the quality of its gems and finding perfection.

The pearl is the oldest gem known to man, for centuries a symbol of beauty. The main beauty of our pearls lies in the fact that they glow and therefore reflect their beauty on the wearer. Through our hard work we take the most beautiful aspects of nature and use this as a starting point to craft exquisite items of jewellery, using Tahitian pearls that exemplify an incredible array of natural colours, shades and shapes.

The Robert Wan House is the largest producer of Tahitian pearls, producing across the strand of islands owned by Mr. Wan. As such we are in full control of our supply chain from the date of birth of each pearl,

to the day our artisans mount them on gold and transform nature into high jewellery distributed through our own jewellery brand. This allows us to stay true to our core values and not compromise on any quality control along the way.

What do people need to know about pearls before buying any?

People should know that entering the Robert Wan world is making their dreams come true. The beauty of our industry is that we depend on nature. We are continuously busy finding the perfect match for our unique strand. A private customer placed an order for 17 mm round cherry pearls with a pink overtone. This strand took us almost two years to complete and it was finally delivered to our client this summer.

Do you have a favourite and why?

We recommend that clients choose the size of their pearls according to their own personal style.  The choice of colour will depends on taste but also complexion, eye colour and even the colour of their wardrobe.

What makes our pearls stand out from the rest are the colours that reflect the natural wonders of the Marutea Island such as the lagoons, sunsets, flora and birds of paradise. The colours range from the purest snow to rose, subtle green, royal gold, cherry, peacock, purple, silver and dark grey – we wanted to take the new line to another level.

Pearls are grown in nature by nature. They come in amazing variety of hues and each of them have a meaning. I love all of them but the overtones that suit me best according to my skin type are champagne and pistachio. Each shade has a symbol: Tahitian snow is a symbol of purity, gold is a symbol of wealth, cherry is a symbol of love, pistachio symbolises luck, champagne is prosperity, peacock means success, ocean symbolises eternity, Tahitian silver highlights protection and black means power.

How do you find the UAE pearl industry today?

It has a long history but sadly lost its lustre with the advent of the oil sector over the last 30 years. It is nevertheless an exciting market with a lot of room for growth, which allows us to play a significant role in shaping the UAE pearl industry going forward. It is missing structure and budget support from central institutions. We hope to see a strong drive to push the industry forward by all players over the next three years.

What are the highlights in your career? 

Meeting with some of the most inspiring people in the world. I met Mr. Robert Wan in March 2007 and that day changed my life. He saw the potential in the young and bold but very inexperienced 25-year-old woman that I was as that time and decided to take me under his wing and  became my mentor. I then met the head of state of the region in Tahiti in 2009 and understood the potential of their countries. That’s what took me in the Middle East. And finally I met Dr. Jacques Attali who belongs to the top 100 public intellectuals in the world, we are working together on his international NGO.

Life is made up of meetings and what you do with those meetings is crucial. People come into your life everyday, some stay for a few minutes, some stay for a whole lifetime. I’m so glad I met these inspiring people; I always thank my lucky stars for that.

Any low points and how did you over come them?

I have to say no one in the Robert Wan Group wanted me to lead the pearl farming project in Qatar and take over the MENA. Everyone thought I was too young and not experienced enough. As a woman I had to prove to all the men in the industry that I was strong enough to be part of their circle. When there is a will there is a way. I was so passionate and adamant on reviving the pearl heritage of the Gulf countries, this was my chance to build on my own project. Obstacles are meant to be overcome!

How important is your work to you?

I always try to remember Robin Sharma’s quote: “Work hard. But build an exceptional family life. What’s the point of reaching the mountaintop but getting there alone”.

What inspires you? 

Everything. Inspiration is where you find it and that it can be anywhere if you remain open to it.

If you can give advice to your younger self what would it be?

Life is short, be bold, take risks, work hard and use your connections. Which is actually what I did! So I would probably tell my younger self: “Don’t worry, enjoy the journey, everything is going according to the plan.”

What’s next for you in terms of your personal life and your career at Robert Wan? 

I am always working on many projects. To be a real entrepreneur you always have to be looking forward. The moment you rest is the moment where your competition overtakes you!

I have built the Robert Wan brand from scratch in the Middle East and I opened the first pearl farm in Qatar which is one of my main priorities at the moment as I want to make a success of my venture in Qatar. We are working on the commercial aspect of the project as well as developing cultural and educational entities. It’s a very exciting time.

Last year, I also joined the board of directors of Planet Finance, the largest global microcredit organisation, and I find it extremely rewarding to dedicate time to nonprofit organisations.  We have created a think tank to share innovative visions, reflect on the positive economy and initiate actions to orient decision makers toward long-term goals. Our happiness depends on others and we will be able to create a better world only if the rich and the poor work together.

Life is not only about your own success but also about helping others when you can and making a difference to other people’s lives. I also had a baby two months ago which is probably my biggest project ever!

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