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Marie-Etienne Nitot founded his company in 1780 in Paris, and became the favourite jeweller of Napoleon, designing imperial swords and creating all the tiaras and parures for Empresses Josephine and Marie-Louise.
After the fall of Napoleon's regime, Jean Baptiste Fossin, Nitot's successor, took on the business with his son Jules Fossin and, later, Prosper Morel. In 1875, Morel's daughter married Joseph Chaumet who had begun his jewellery career in his own family's business at fifteen. He was hired by his father-in-law and, by 1885, had become the manager before taking over the firm in 1889 and changing its name to Chaumet.
From then on, Chaumet participated in international exhibitions where the company won several prizes. Chaumet's refined and modern creations became famous among European royalty and aristocracy and among affluent clienteles across the Atlantic. Chaumet's new techniques of designing, making and setting jewellery truly differentiated the company and positioned it as one of the most eminent jewellers for generations.