At the crossroads of paleontology, fine craftsmanship and aesthetic refinement, Palemoove Laboratory offers a unique perspective on the natural world’s oldest treasures. Here, fragments of prehistoric life are not merely restored, they are revealed. Every fossil, every mineral, every curve of a bone is treated as a rare, precious object. As one would handle a sculpture. A relic. A memory. A work of art.
Founded by Nicolas Tourment, a European reference in the field of authentic dinosaur skeletons and fossil restoration, Paleomoove Laboratory brings together scientific accuracy and artistic sensibility, a rare blend that elevates the ancient into the exceptional.
A life-long calling, born of earth and passion
From an early age, Nicolas Tourment explored fossil-rich terrains across Provence, gathering ammonites, exchanging specimens in mineral fairs, and travelling the globe in search of ancient secrets buried in stone.
But it wasn’t just about collecting. It was about understanding form, material and legacy. Alongside his passion for paleontology, he trained as a cabinetmaker and restorer of antique furniture, mastering the art of working with wood and stone, disciplines that demand precision, patience, and intuition.
This dual expertise led him naturally to the preparation and mounting of large vertebrate skeletons, dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, cave bears, rhinoceroses, whose remains he would treat with the meticulous care of a sculptor. For Nicolas, restoring a fossil is not only a scientific act, it is an act of sublimation: of extracting timeless beauty from the silence of stone.
A recognised expertise at the European level
Since 2004, Nicolas Tourment has been recognised as an expert by the CECOA (European Chamber of Art Experts), a rare distinction in the field of palaeontology applied to the art market. This title crowns nearly 30 years of hands-on experience—in the field, in the workshop, in galleries, and behind the scenes of major international auctions.
His know-how is distinguished by:
- Impeccable preparation: each specimen is cleaned, stabilised, and restored with absolute respect for its original fossil structure;
- Masterful aesthetics: dinosaur skeletons are mounted with both anatomical accuracy and visual elegance in mind, ensuring a refined and expressive display;
- Sophisticated mounting techniques: bases in patinated steel, precious woods, polished brass, or raw stone—each chosen not merely as a stand, but as a sculptural complement to the specimen itself.
This uncompromising level of quality has attracted a prestigious clientele: private collectors, renowned interior designers, design galleries, and major auction houses such as Christie’s and Sotheby’s, where several of his restored pieces have featured among the top lots.
A signature of excellence
The Laboratory’s work speaks for itself, and for millions of years of Earth’s history. Recent high-profile projects include the monumental “Vulcain”, Europe’s largest dinosaur ever offered at auction, restored and mounted at the Château de Dampierre-en-Yvelines; a majestic mammoth skeleton brought back to life for Strasbourg’s Industrie Magnifique festival; and multiple dinosaur skeletons for Prague’s world-class Dinosauria Museum.
Each intervention is executed with the same philosophy: museum-grade preparation, minimalist and elegant support structures, scientific accuracy, and visual balance. At Paleomoove, mounting a fossil is closer to goldsmithing than mechanics, every curve is measured, every support discreet, every line designed to highlight the natural grace of the specimen.
A refined approach to paleontology
Unlike mass-produced replicas, Paleomoove Laboratory works exclusively with authentic specimens. Every piece in the workshop is a one-of-a-kind, with full provenance, expertly restored and mounted to reveal its inherent elegance.
The Laboratory holds particular expertise in the purchase and sale of fossils and minerals, offering rare ammonites, dinosaur teeth and claws, marine reptile fossils, and decorative mineral pieces to a discerning international clientele.
From authentic dinosaur skeletons to ammonites and mineral concretions, each item is treated as an objet d’art, often mounted on bespoke bases in steel, rare wood, or stone — minimalist pedestals that mirror the restraint and discretion of a private gallery.
Clients with a collector’s eye
Paleomoove Laboratory’s creations now inhabit private collections, architect-designed interiors, cultural institutions and luxury galleries worldwide. The Laboratory’s clientele includes art collectors, interior designers, architects, natural history connoisseurs, and family offices with a taste for the exceptional.
For them, acquiring a fossil is not only a matter of science, it’s a matter of presence. A way of integrating timelessness into contemporary living spaces. A conversation piece. A legacy.
A new generation, a continuing vision
Today, Nicolas Tourment’s son Paul has joined the Laboratory, bringing with him the same commitment to precision, beauty and authenticity. Together, they uphold an uncompromising standard of quality and share a vision of modern paleontology rooted in art, ethics, and emotional resonance.
Each project, whether it’s restoring a dinosaur skeleton, preparing a rare ammonite, or advising a collector, is handled with discretion, diligence and care.
Paleontology as a language of rarity
In a world saturated with the ephemeral, Paleomoove Laboratory offers something rare: objects shaped by time itself, elevated by the hand of man. Their work redefines paleontology as an aesthetic practice, not merely a scientific one, and brings to the fore a new way of seeing fossils: not as relics of the past, but as timeless sculptures of nature, ready to inspire.
In brief
Paleomoove Laboratory offers:
- Expertise in the preparation, restoration, and mounting of authentic dinosaur skeletons
- Curated purchase and sale of fossils and minerals, with an emphasis on rarity, provenance and presentation
- A unique dialogue between natural history and fine aesthetics
- Discreet service for collectors, curators, decorators and institutions
- An approach rooted in paleontology,refined through craftsmanship, and dedicated to the beauty of ancient life
