Vever: The Art Nouveau Jewellers

Vever is one of France’s most celebrated art nouveau jewellers, having created some of the finest pieces in this highly decorative style.

The story of maison Vever started over 200 years ago, in 1821, when Pierre-Paul Vever founded the business in Metz, north-eastern France. By the 1870’s, the business had moved to the renowned Parisian jewellery street, rue de la Paix, with the founder’s grandson’s Henri and Paul now at the helm of the business.

Maison Vever soon became pioneers of the art nouveau style, a very new aesthetic featuring sinuous lines, nature inspired motifs and enamel coupled with a rejection of large gems and over reliance on diamonds.

Alongside Boucheron, Vever were awarded with the ‘Grand Prix’ at the Paris World Exhibition of 1889 and were given further accolades at the international exhibitions of 1897, 1900 and 1908. Their clients included Tsar Alexander III as well as the Shah of Persia and many of the leading entrepreneurs of the time.

In addition to creating fine art nouveau jewels, Henri Vever also wrote the most comprehensive publication to date about the history of jewellery production and design in France: French Jewelry of the Nineteenth Century.

By 1982, the business ceased trading and closed their doors, until 2021, when the 7^th generation of this family of jewellers relaunched maison Vever!

As part of their reawakening, maison Vever will be running an exhibition at their 9, rue de la Paix address, and will immerse visitors in the intimacy of its history! It will reveal the facets and inspirations behind Vever, and will showcase original and exceptional Vever pieces and works of art from the family’s personal archives, as well as private collections. As part of the exhibition, Berganza are proud to have loaned one of our own Vever pieces, an enamel and gold brooch, original to 1900 from the height of their art nouveau following.

The complimentary exhibition ‘Dans L'intimité de Vever, bijoux et objets d'art depuis 1821' will run from 1^st June to 11th August and can be booked by appointment.