Fortunato Pia CASTELLANI 1794 to 1865 by the age of 20 he had developed a career as a manufacturing goldsmith in the Via del Corso. He made ornaments in precious metals and was also a fine arts dealer. His early pieces were influenced by a Russian craftsman called Zwerner and was in the contemporary Swiss, French and English taste, displaying precious stones in openwork settings. In 1851 Castellani concentrated on antique themes and the revival of Italian and Greek jewellery was named Italian archaeological jewellery. In 1860 he moved to Paris and opened premises on the Champs Elysees. In 1862 he displayed at the International Exhibition in London. Alessandro made jewellery decorated with early Christian symbols or Byzantine style mosaics which were very popular with visitors to Rome.

CARLO GIULIANO 1831 to1895 accompanied Alessandro Castellani to London in 1860 and settled there. He made a number of Revivalist jewels in the style of Castellani in his Frith street premises and these were offered for sale in notable West End shops. By 1874 he opened his own shop at 115 Piccadilly and used Renaissance styles which the English seemed to appreciate.

BOUCHERON The firm started in 1858 when extremely ornate styles were in demand. Frederic Boucheron changed allthis by using nature as his theme. He used flowers, leaves, bouquets and translucent enamels in his designs, he combined unusual materials to create his jewels. Rare precious stones were used with rock crystal or even with wood. He opened branches in New York and Moscow and promoted the Art Nouveau style using bronze, ivory, gold and precious stones to make jewellery and objets'd'art. He was inspired by the Japanese and sought to make settings invisible. His son Louis followed in his footsteps and created Art Deco jewellery, using new stone cuts, the baguette cut, table cut, prisms and trapeziums. He also used blocks of material such as jade, amber, coral, lapis lazuli, onyx, turquoise and malachite along with precious gems. He earned the epithet jeweller of one thousand and one nights. In 1931 he was asked by the Shah to value Irans treasures. He designed and built a museum in which to house them. Before the outbreak of war he designed watches of all shapes and forms. He also used pink, red, white,grey and green gold with different finishes. In 1949 he designed diamond sprays which quivered with every move, they were known as En Tremblent. Boucheron to this day are remembered for their fine quality jewellery and are renowned for their watches and for being leaders of fashion.

RENE LALIQUE 1860 to 1945 was famous for his Art Nouveau jewellery, he caused a stir at the Exposition Universalle in Paris when he exhibited his winged jewels, bronze figures and flowing lines of the Art Nouveau movement. Lalique was apprenticed to a Paris jeweller and later studied in south London. He returned to Paris and worked for various manufacturers before becoming a freelance designer. From the mid 1890s his work showed a strength towards the sculptural element using nature for his inspiration. He became involved with glass making and incorporated glass into his work with jewellery alongside his adventurous use of enamels.In the mid 1890s he began working with Sarah Bernhardt who commissioned many pieces from him. In the 1900s he exhibited all over the world and was flooded with orders. In 1910, tired of being copied by less inspired goldsmiths, Lalique concentrated entirely on glassmaking. 

FOUQUET Founded in 1860 by Alphonse Fouquet and later managed by his son George it was recognised as one of the leading Paris jewellers. Georges son Jean later joined the business and was very innovative. Alphonse created pieces decorated with delicate interlaced motifs and set with gems miniatures and cameos. He also used painting or enamel. Later he produced pieces of onyx set with rose diamonds, turquoise and pearls.In his later work he used mythical animals in his designs. George designed unusual jewels. He did not imitate nature but used it for inspiration in his stylised creations, including a famous serpent bracelet set with opal mosaics, enamel, diamonds and rubies which he made for Saah Bernhardt. Jean Fouquet designed pieces of marked originality. He liked pieces with bold designs and favoured white gold. He believed you should be able to see a piece of jewellery from a distance and therefore it must be a bold design. In 1936 the shop was forced into bankruptcy and closed but the Fouquets held an important position in Paris from 1878 to 1930 and Jean Fouquet continued to take private commissions into the 1950s.

VAN CLEEF AND ARPELS In 1906 Alfred Van Cleef and Charles and Julen Arpels opened a small shop in Paris. In 1919 they were joined by Louis Arpels. Throughout the 1920s their designs reflected contemporary fashion. In 1922 their designs were inspired by an Egyptian theme, due to the discovery of Tutankhamuns tomb. This was replaced two years later by an oriental theme and in 1925 the Art Deco theme was shown in the geometric patterns of their designs. During the 30s and the 40s Juliens 3 sons joined the business and later his grandson Philippe. In 1938 the firm was commissioned to make the jewellery for the wedding of the Shah of Iran and Princess Fawzia. In 1921 they opened a branch in Cannes and in Deauville, Vichy and Nice. They later expanded all over the world from Monte Carlo to Hong Kong and in 1940 in Palm Beach in 1942 they opened on 5th Avenue and in 1969 on Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills. During the 1950s the firm began to produce simpler jewellery for day time wear. In 1954 they opened a boutique specifically for the sale of this casual more affordable jewellery.

BULGARI was a silversmith originally from Greece who came to Italy in 1881 and opened a shop in Rome in1884. His two sons joined the business and in 1932 it was thriving. Bulgari introduced a new concept in place of the French style diamond with its surround of precious stones. He produced a coloured stone in a rub over setting in a frame of tapered baguettes, the centre being held around the neck by a heavy gold chain. He also introduced the use of antique coins and hand made gold chains in jewellery. In 1970 they opened a store in New York and in 1974 Geneva, in 1977 Monte Carlo, in 1979 Paris, in 1986 Milan, in 1987 Tokyo, in 1988 Hong Kong, Osaka, Singapore and London. In 1988 they opened in Munich and 1989 New York and in 1990 St Moritz.

EUGENE FONTENAY 1824 to 1887 He was born in Paris where his father made costume jewellery chains. When he was 24 he set up on his own and was commissioned to make a fan for the Queen of Portugal and an elegant diadem for the Empress Eugenie. In 1867 he had a flood of commissions from wealthy Eastern clientele and so began to change his style. His talents were very diverse, he made sabres, betel nut boxes, pipes, swordbelts, mirrors, parasols, fly whisks, parade weapons a dinner service and jewelled saddlery.

LUCIEN FALIZE 1839 to 1897 Following in his fathers footsteps he was famous for his enamelling work. His first cloisonne enamels were made in 1868 and were exhibited at the Union Centrale des Arts Decoratifs along with some of his fathers works of art, which were inspired by Japanese and Chinese examples. The high price of his enamels made them unaffordable to most people.

CARL FABERGE In 1870 at the age of 24 he took on his fathers jewellery firm. He was a revolutionary in his ideas and put craftsmanship and design before everything. He employed 500 people working from 7am to 11pm and 8am to 1pm on Sundays. He encouraged his workforce to pursue new ideas and techniques and the Russian aristocracy loved his jewellery. Faberge made a great deal of small brooches which were used by the Edwardians as jabot pins. The firm also made a large collection of belt buckles in many designs.Faberge worked in precious metals enamels and stones, They made hair combs, stick pins, buttons,objects of vertu and of course the famous Faberge eggs.

VEVER In 1874 Paul and Henry Vever became the 4th generation of jewellers as they joined their father in the family business and in 1889 Vever was awarded a Grand Prix for design along with Boucheron. He designed classic settings and floral themes using nature for his inspiration. The house of Vever became famous for using new techniques and different enamels. Their inspiration was taken from many different areas from the classical to the middle ages and eastern influence In 1891 he exhibited in Russia and his collection aroused great interest. Perhaps his best works were from 1900 where he linked the female form with flowers and fauna to produce excellent examples of Art Nouveau. in 1907 the brothers presented a new range of jewellery in the Art Deco style using simpler more geometric designs often set in platinum.

TIFFANY opened their first shop on Broadway in New York in 1837 it was called Tiffany and Young. In 1841 it changed from a fancy goods store to a curiosity and jewellery store, selling imitation jewellery at first and then in 1844 selling gold jewellery. In 1848 Tiffany began manufacturing and in 1850 opened a shop in Paris and another one in London in 1868, later he opened a third shop in Geneva. In1872 Tiffany started producing watches. Tiffany was commissioned by Queen Victoria, The Emperor of Germany, The Grand Duke Sergius, Alexis and Paul of Russia and the Khedire of Egypt. In 1886 Tiffany produced a setting which is used in most engagement rings, it was a claw set which lifted the stone to allow light underneath the stone. It was called the Tiffany setting. After 1907 all jewellery made by Tiffany is stamped Tiffany and co. In 1940 the Tiffany store moved to 5th avenue. In 1987 a branch opened in Munich and in 1988 branches opened in Zurich and Hong Kong. In 1980 Tiffany introduced a collection designed by Paloma Picasso.

CARTIER From 1900 to 1940 the 3 brothers Louis, Pierre and Jacques maintained a high standard of excellence, whilst their Grand father Louis Francois Cartier ran a successful but ordinary shop from 1847. It was only in 1870 when he was joined by his son Alfred, that he exhibited in London and attracted a wider clientele. In 1899 the shop moved to Rue de la Paix and in 1906 Jacques moved to London where in 1909 he opened Cartier in New Bond St. Pierre moved to New York and opened a store on 5th Avenue. Each brother managed his own store in London, Paris and New York. In 1904 and 1905 Pierre met new clients in Russia and commissioned pieces to be made in Russian workshops. In 1909 he opened a branch of Cartier in St Petersburg, but this shop closed down in 1914 at the onset of war. From 1911 to 1935 eleven Paris designers worked on converting Oriental images into Western Art Deco designs. In 1914 the panther was used as Cartiers symbol. Throughout the 20s and 30s the panther was incorporated in jewellery and articles in a stylish Art Deco form but by the late 1940s the panthers appearance became more naturalised. The Duke of Windsor ordered several panther pieces for the Duchess. In 1942 both Louis and Jacques died leaving Pierre in charge throughout the war years. The New York store was sold in 1962 and the Paris store and London branch were sold in 1965 and 1972. In 1973 Pierre Cartier articles were mass marketed and sold in concessions throughout the world.

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