When it comes to jewelry with a joyful, optimistic feeling blossoming with color, Fred, the Paris-based heritage jeweler takes top honors. Inspired by the sun and sea, with a passion for pearls and a mission to make jewelry part of everyday life, Fred Samuel opened his jewelry business in Paris in 1936.
The Argentina Influence
Fred Samuel was born in 1908 in Argentina to French parents, who had fled from antisemitism in France, returning after World War I and settling in Paris. His father, Albert Samuel, was a gem dealer and Fred’s early exposure to gems, especially those shimmering in bright sunlight, were a source of inspiration for the rest of his life. His attraction to the sun and the sun as muse was so strong that Fred became known as “The Sunshine Jeweler”. Another early experience that shaped Fred’s design vocabulary came when he got involved in rowing, which gave him a lifelong interest in water and boats.
In Paris, Fred began his jewelry training with the renowned gem dealer René Worms. While with the Worms Company, Fred gained an understanding of cultured pearls and developed a passion for those gems. He went on to become an expert on cultured pearls and was so partial to a particular creamy pink color that it came to be known as “Fred Colored”.
Opening Fred
In 1936, when he was 28 years old, Fred opened his first eponymous store on Rue Royale in Paris, describing himself as a “contemporary creative jeweler” with his business card stating “Fred Samuel , the modern jewelry designer.” The space had Art Deco style arches, that inspired one of Fred’s signature patterns: The arch, which fit his design code of curvaceous, rounded forms. Fred wanted his jewelry to have a sense of motion and joyfulness, ready to be worn as a part of everyday life. When he opened the store Fred launched a series of small pendants inspired by monuments in Paris, which could also be attached to a bracelet and worn as a charm.
While the store opened successfully, the scepter of World War II was taking over Europe. Fred joined the Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers, during which time he was captured by the Germans and held prisoner. He managed to escaped and by 1940 he was back in Paris reopening his store. But that wasn’t the last of the war for Fred, whose store was taken over by the Commissariat-General for Jewish Affairs. He “sold” the store to a friend in 1942, leaving Paris with his family for the Free Zone, an unoccupied territory in Vichy. While there, he was arrested and sent to Vernet Camp. His wife was able to get him out of the camp through her various connections in Paris. Undeterred, Fred joined the French Resistance and became part of its covert missions. In 1944, Fred returned to Paris and reopened his store.
Royal Commission
During the 1950s colored gemstones became a focus for the jeweler, after receiving a commission from the King and Queen of Nepal to make jewelry that would match the court saris. The colorful silks inspired Fred, who created vibrant jewelry using diamonds and sapphires in a rainbow of colors. Some twenty years later in 1976, Fred opened a boutique in Monaco, with Princess Grace in attendance, leading to the firm becoming jeweler to the royal family there.
Fred had a stellar clientele that included artists Jean Cocteau and Bernard Buffet, collaborating with both to create bespoke jewelry for them. In 1972, he organized an exhibition of jewelry by artist George Braques. Some of his other clients included movie stars Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Marlene Dietrich, Catherine Deneuve, Yves Montand and heiress Barbara Hutton.
Soleil d’Or and the Blue Moon
Fred’s love of sunshine led him to purchase the 105-carat yellow Soleil d’Or diamond, which he unveiled in his Paris boutique in 1977 during an exhibition entitled “Some of the World’s Most Beautiful Diamonds”, which was part of De Beers private collection of exceptional stones. In 1981, Fred purchased the 235-carat Blue Moon sapphire and after buying 42 colored diamonds in 1988, Fred made those gems a specialty of the maison.
During the 1960s, Fred’s two sons, Henri and Jean, joined the business, opening new boutiques in France, Monaco and the U.S. It was also during the 1960s that Fred introduced one of its most iconic designs: The Force 10 bracelet. A somewhat radical design for the era, inspired by the family’s love of sailing, the Force 10 bracelet combines woven steel sailing cable with a gold buckle, sometimes embellished with diamonds or colored gemstones, it is made for anyone who wants relaxed, easy to wear, everyday jewelry.
In 2011, model Kate Moss, who fronted the firm’s ad campaigns, designed a collection of rings inspired by her tattoos. The collection showcased colored gemstone hearts, diamond anchors, stars and moons.
Fred at the Movies
Fred has also created jewelry for movies. In the 1990 movie “Pretty Woman” there is a scene where actor Richard Gere’s character presents Julia Roberts’ character with a glamorous diamond and ruby necklace as they get ready to attend the opera. The necklace was made by Fred, who later developed a collection of jewelry based on that piece.
Through the years, Fred expanded globally and in 1996, it was acquired by luxury behometh LVMH. Fred Samuel passed away at the age of 98 in 2006, his granddaughter, Valerie Samuel is currently the artistic director and vice president of the firm. The daughter of Fred’s son Henri, Valerie, left the firm in 1995 and returned in 2017 making her the third generation to head the maison, which continues its mission of creating casually elegant, joyful jewelry meant to be worn every day.
Top of Page: Diamond and 18-karat gold brooch, signed Fred, circa 1970s, courtesy Miller (@bijoux_miller).
Authored by Amber Michelle