the story
a two-century-old family Maison
Independent in spirit and style since 1821
For more than two centuries, Vever has been writing a singular chapter in the history of French jewellery.
A story of family, heritage and craftsmanship. But also a story of independence: that of a Maison which, generation after generation, has cultivated its creative freedom and a particular vision of jewellery — inspired, exacting and free from convention.
La Belle Otero wearing a Vever jewellery set - circa 1900
A story of family and heritage
The story begins in Metz in 1821, when Pierre-Paul Vever founds the Maison and creates his first pieces of jewellery.
His son Ernest carries the story forward, establishing Vever on rue de la Paix in Paris in 1872, which then becomes the global epicentre of high jewellery. In 1881, Ernest passes the Maison on to his sons, Paul and Henri Vever. Their talents complement each other: Paul leads, Henri creates. Together, the brothers take Vever to new heights.
An artist, historian, collector and distinguished connoisseur of the arts, Henri Vever brings exceptional cultural depth to the Maison. He is notably the author of French Jewellery in the Nineteenth Century, a work that has become a reference in the history of jewellery.
From its beginnings, Vever has thus been shaped by what is passed down: a name, of course, but above all a vision, a culture and exceptional skills.
Art Nouveau, or the freedom to create
At the end of the 19th century, Vever established itself among the great Parisian jewellery Maisons and played a full part in the emergence of Art Nouveau.
Nature became an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Flowers, foliage, insects and female figures came to life in flowing creations where asymmetry and colour took precedence over convention. At a time when a jewel’s value was still largely measured by that of its stones, Vever dared to combine precious materials with unexpected ones, making design, craftsmanship and creativity the true luxury.
This freedom was recognised at major international exhibitions, from Paris to Brussels and London. The Maison received five Grands Prix between 1889 and 1925, and its creations captivated collectors, sovereigns and prominent figures around the world. Yet beyond the awards, this period established what would remain at Vever’s heart: a taste for individuality and a refusal to conform.
"Thistle" belt buckle, 1900. Gouache by Eugène Grasset for Vever. Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
Inspiration from Japanese Art
This creative freedom also draws on a perspective reaching far beyond France. At the end of the 19th century, Japan captivated European artists. Its prints, its relationship with nature, its asymmetrical compositions and its extraordinary sense of line helped renew the decorative arts.
Henri Vever developed a passion for Japanese art and assembled a significant collection over the years. His collector’s eye naturally informed his aesthetic vision, and many of the Maison’s creations bear direct witness to this inspiration.
The Cyclamens comb, presented at the 1900 Paris Exposition, is a remarkable example: a Japanese-inspired creation in which plique-à-jour enamel, gold, opal and botanical lines come together in a piece of jewellery of striking modernity.
At Vever, nature was already more than something to depict. It was observed, stylised and reinvented.
More than a century later, it remains at the heart of the Maison’s creative universe.
Vever "Cyclamens" comb, 1900. Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Photo: Jean Tholance
The seven generations of the Vever family, from 1821 to today
Camille & Damien
“For nothing to change, everything had to change.”
In 2021, the Maison Vever awakens from a long slumber of nearly forty years. Camille and Damien Vever, the seventh generation of the family, take up the torch, surrounded by jewellery experts, to write a new chapter in a family story that had paused in 1982.
Together with artistic director Sandrine de Laage, they envision a new creative universe that inherits the spirit of Art Nouveau, celebrating Women, Flora and Fauna through naturalistic, organic collections.
True to the exacting standards of their forebears, they place responsibility at the heart of this revival.
The choice of responsible luxury
100 years after Art Nouveau, the Maison Vever is once again reshaping jewellery: a new kind of luxury, lasting and responsible, an ode to nature and human ingenuity.
Vever is thus the first mission-driven company in the luxury sector. As set out in its articles of association, it conducts its business with respect for people and the environment: its gold and diamonds are recycled, and its collections are made exclusively in France.
The choice to make everything in France
Celebrating French craftsmanship is central to the Maison’s philosophy. To bring its creations to life, the Maison Vever works with the finest French artisans of Place Vendôme. They master both the most modern and the most time-honoured jewellery techniques with virtuosity, including plique-à-jour enamelling.
The enameller with whom the Maison works, Sandrine Tessier, holds the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) and her workshop bears the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label.