Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

An 18ct gold heart pendant on chain, retailed by Fred, the bicolour pendant with plain polished border and reeded ground, signed ‘FRED’, French import mark for ‘750’ standard, Italian assay marks, additional maker’s mark ‘SF’, the 18ct gold belcher-link chain with French eagle head assay mark, pendant length 33mm.
£800-£1,200

Fred Samuel was born in Buenos Aires in 1908, the son of Alsatian parents who emigrated to Argentina during the 19th century.

After arriving in France aged 16, he followed in his father’s footsteps and trained in the jewellery industry as a gemstone and pearl dealer.
In 1936 he opened his own firm on the Rue Royale, Paris, creating statement pieces of jewellery and accessories.
During World War II he was forced by the General Commissariat for Jewish Affairs to place the yellow Star of David in his shop window and drop his surname, Samuel, from all signage. He fled Paris in 1942 and after being arrested would not return for three years. Now trading simply as ‘Fred’, the business continued to produce bold and striking jewellery, attracting celebrity clientele such as Marlene Dietrich and Mary Pickford. In 1976 Princess Grace of Monaco attended the opening of the Monte Carlo store, and Fred became an official supplier to the Royal House of Monaco.
By the 1990’s Fred had become one of the world’s most prominent jewellery houses, with stores in New York, Beverly Hills, Cannes, Geneva and Tokyo.