Lunu x Courbet: A Partnership in Luxury and Technology
Courbet, the maison de joaillerie avant-gardiste, has partnered with Lunu in a transformative move to enhance customer experiences, promote sustainability, and set a new standard in the luxury market.
For those not in the know, Lunu is a cutting-edge fintech company specializing in providing advanced cryptocurrency payment solutions for luxury retailers.
Lunu’s mission is to redefine global interconnectivity by offering seamless and secure payment options, bridging the gap between traditional luxury markets and the burgeoning world of digital currencies.
That’s what makes this partnership so interesting – it’s a perfect example of how Lunu’s vision is being realized, demonstrating the powerful synergy between technology and sustainability.
“Recently, Lunu’s CMO, Vadim Grigoryan, invited Courbet’s founder Manuel Mallenfor an interview to discuss their exciting collaboration. This partnership highlights how two avant-garde entities can come together to revolutionize the luxury industry by integrating sustainability with the latest technological advancements.”
Tell us about the situation in Courbet before the start of the project. What exactly prompted you to introduce a crypto payment service?
Courbet has always aimed to bring a fresh perspective to the jewelry industry since its inception in 2018. This began with innovative sourcing using lab-created diamonds and recycled gold from urban mining.
The founders, Marie-Ann Wachtmeister and Manuel Mallen, wanted to push innovation further by introducing new practices at every stage of the value chain.
The first step was digitalizing the sales process with an advanced website and an enhanced digital customer experience.
The second step was to enable new types of customers to purchase jewelry through modern means, leading to the introduction of cryptocurrency payments at Courbet in 2020 through a partnership with Lunu.
How often do you use high-tech solutions in your business in general?
Technology is integral to Courbet’s identity. This is evident not only in a symbolic way—recycled gold comes from obsolete tech materials—but also through the lab-created diamonds, which are a product of high-tech research and machinery.
Courbet also initiated CO Genesis, a hybrid project bridging Web2 and Web3, aimed at building a community around the brand’s ethical and ecological values through gamified adventures centered on diamonds.
Generally, Courbet remains open and interested in new technological frontiers, rarely limiting itself to traditional jewelry-making expertise.
How technologically advanced is the jewelry industry as a whole? Is this a recent trend or has it always been like this in the industry?
The success of lab-created diamonds is no longer just a trend; it’s a significant historical shift. As natural diamond resources dwindle and environmental considerations become increasingly important in the luxury sector, Courbet’s decision to champion this extraordinary stone has proven wise.
Technology will continue to play a larger role in the jewelry industry, though the exploration of new techniques and materials through technology has always been a hallmark of luxury and artisanal crafts.
The constant drive to push physical and aesthetic boundaries inspires innovations such as lab-created diamonds with new colors and shapes, all made possible by technological advancements. While we’re not there yet, these possibilities are entirely feasible.
How has the implementation of crypto affected your business? Have you seen changes in the audience (e.g., new tech-savvy buyers)?
Introducing crypto payments has attracted a new customer base to our jewelry offerings.
Given the brand’s positioning, our clientele was already young and open to innovation, and the adoption of cryptocurrency has further confirmed this trend.
Can you share some numbers on crypto purchases? For example, are shoppers making larger purchases this way? What percentage of sales is in crypto? Are there particular trends or specifics you can share?
Crypto purchases remain a minority, but we have observed that foreign customers are more inclined to pay with crypto than French customers.
Approximately 70% of crypto purchases have been made by international clients.
Tell us about your future plans for the development of crypto and technological solutions in Courbet’s business in general.
We continue to stay alert to technological advancements, particularly in 3D technology, which we already use in our software to create many bespoke pieces for our clients.
We are also exploring “virtual try-on” solutions. Regarding crypto, we will keep promoting it as a payment method.
