Know Your Jewels: 5 Historical Jewellers With Distinctive Style

The 20th Century was a prolific time for jewellery design as accessories became an essential in one’s wardrobe. Moreover, women of a high societal standing preferred not to be seen wearing the same jewel twice, which also created a hunger for a variety of designs that would allow one to stand out. Among all the jewellers who adorned their discerning clientele with precious stones during the post-war period, only a few developed their personal style that was instantly recognisable. In this article, I want to take a look at five of the most iconic jewellery designers who continue to be an inspiration and reference point even for contemporary jewellers.

Suzanne Belperron

Famously, Suzanne Belperron understood that unique aesthetics were necessary to differentiate yourself from other designers when she coined the phrase “my style is my signature,” refusing to see the need to sign her jewels, as they were so clearly created by her. Belperron began her career with Boivin in 1919, where she pioneered a modernist aesthetic in jewellery; achieved through bold, voluminous shapes and playful use of unconventional materials like rock crystal. Through stylish famous clients such as Elsa Schiaparelli, the Duchess of Windsor and Diana Vreeland, Belperron quickly gained worldwide recognition for her unapologetically singular designs. Some of her most well-known jewels are her sizable cuffs – which remain highly coveted pieces. Today, the Belperron collection consists of the archive of over 9,300 of Suzanne Belperron’s gouache paintings and designs, and President of Verdura and Belperron Nico Landrigan continues her legacy by producing these archival jewels for a new generation of jewellery fanatics.