Invisible Set Ruby Heart Brooch Pendant

Fred Paris’s fine jewelry sparkles with joyful exuberance. Although it was founded almost a century ago, the brand has long been considered a leader in modern and contemporary jewelry design. Each bold cocktail ring, elegant pair of drop earrings and glamorous necklace is imbued with a vibrant personality. 

Fred Paris was the vision of master jeweler Fred Samuel. The son of a French jeweler, Samuel was born in Argentina in 1908. As a young man, he moved to Paris for an apprenticeship and opened his own jewelry shop there in 1936. Samuel was known for his casual yet sophisticated style, working with diamonds, pearls and colored gemstones to create smart jewelry for all occasions. 

Some of Samuel’s most high-profile clients included Princess Grace of Monaco and the King and Queen of Nepal. The sign above his storefront on the Rue Royale initially was branded with the founder’s full name, but during the 1940s, the “Samuel” part came down. Today jewelry lovers commonly know the company as Fred, a brand operated by Fred Paris.

Samuel created his famous Force 10 bracelet collection in 1966, and it became one of the brand's signature pieces. Inspired by its creator’s love for the sea, the Force 10 bracelet features a braided steel sailing cable and a gold buckle. The simple but versatile design is endlessly customizable to go with any wardrobe.

In 1996, Fred Paris was acquired by luxury holding company LVMH (which went on to purchase Tiffany & Co. and Bvlgari). Fred Samuel passed away in 2006, but Fred Paris continued his legacy in jewelry. The brand's next significant collection was the 2016 Chance Infinie line, which paid homage to the creativity and playfulness of the company's founder.

Today, Fred Paris is a key component of LVMH’s luxury ambitions. The brand has continued to enjoy significant growth since 2020, contributing to its popularity and esteem.

In 2021, Fred Paris launched the Pretty Woman collection, named for the iconic ruby and diamond heart necklace Julia Roberts wore in the 1990 film, which producers had found at the Fred Paris boutique on Rodeo Drive. The company’s artistic director is Samuel’s granddaughter, Valérie Samuel, who has also worked with Swarovski and Lalique over the years.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Fred Paris rings, earrings, bracelets and more.

Contemporary jewelry is inextricably linked with the moment in which it is created, frequently reflecting current social, cultural and political issues such as environmental consciousness, identity and sustainability. It’s informed by fashion trends, from the chokers of the 1990s to the large chain necklaces of the early 2000s.

Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of adornment. Lockets made of silver or gold have been treasured gifts for hundreds of years, for example, and charm bracelets, which have existed since prehistoric times, didn’t become especially popular until the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. For many centuries, fine jewelry was used primarily to express wealth or status through lavish materials. Then, in the 1960s, a concept known as the “critique of preciousness” emerged, with jewelers creating pieces that did not get their value from gemstones or precious metals. Instead, it was the jeweler’s artistic vision that was prized and elevated.

This shift still informs Contemporary jewelry being made by artists today. Whether they are using cheap, found materials and working with provocative geometric shapes or seeking out the rarest stones, they are imbuing their work with meaning through their skills, techniques and ideas. Innovative designers such as Elsa Peretti, who popularized sculptural sterling-silver jewelry for Tiffany & Co., and David Yurman, who twisted metal into the simple yet striking Cable bracelet, have also influenced the direction of Contemporary jewelry’s forms and aesthetics.

Meanwhile, technological advancements like metal alloys and laser engraving have led to new possibilities in jewelry design. Now, edgy makers and brands as well as minimalist designers are pushing Contemporary jewelry forward into the 21st century.

Find a collection of Contemporary rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Antique and vintage brooches, which are decorative jewels traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.

Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones.

Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.

At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany & Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric.

Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.

Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.