Ateliers SP: Mentorship in Craftsmanship from Frédéric Hamel to Audrey Legeay

Ateliers SP is known for sustaining French craftsmanship through active transmission of rare skills between artisans. The current partnership between Frédéric Hamel, master tablemaker and guilloché specialist, and Audrey Legeay, conservation-restoration expert, embodies this mission.

Frédéric Hamel’s artistry is rooted in cabinetmaking, wood and marquetry, but his distinctive expertise lies in tabletterie – the creation of small decorative objects using turning, milling, and lapidary work across diverse materials including wood, metal, ivory, and mother-of-pearl. Using custom-made tools and historical techniques, Hamel crafts unique pieces such as the Box Tatsumaki: an ebony jewellery box featuring black and blue mother-of-pearl, hand-turned brass, and fine guilloché engraving, all executed in his Normandy workshop.

The guilloché technique – a detailed lathe-engraving process once emblematic of French watchmaking – has almost disappeared in France. Today, very few artisans still practice it outside Switzerland. By passing on this expertise, Frédéric and Ateliers SP aim to revive the art for use in objects and, increasingly, for luxury watch dials, positioning the atelier at the forefront of a renewed market demand.

The transmission process is systematic and immersive:

On-the-job mentoring: Audrey participates daily in the atelier, gradually mastering turning, milling, and the guilloché lathe under Frédéric’s guidance.

Research and development: At least one day per week is devoted to exploring guilloché techniques and tools, including the creation and maintenance of specialized parts.

Technical drawing and applied science: Audrey learns technical plans, material science, object design, and finishing techniques.

Professional skills: Training also includes estimating work hours, costs, and pricing for bespoke and catalogue pieces.

Transmission at Ateliers SP is not just a matter of technique, but of ethos – embedding rare expertise within a wider ecosystem. Through its participation in associations like Ateliers d’Art du Perche and collaborative projects such as the Sulla Project, Ateliers SP fosters intergenerational learning, ethical standards, and visibility for exceptional artisans.

In this way, the atelier ensures that rare French techniques not only survive, but find new life and global relevance in collaboration, mentorship, and innovation.