sell / appraise chanel jewelry

The appraisal of your Chanel jewelry is complimentary and without obligation to sell. We strictly respect your confidentiality.

The History of the House of Chanel

Gabrielle Chasnel was born in 1883 in Saumur to a modest family: her father was an itinerant peddler and her mother a seamstress. Following their mother's death in 1895, Gabrielle Chasnel and her sister were placed in an orphanage in Corrèze, at the Cistercian abbey of Aubazine. It was there that Gabrielle learned to sew. In 1910, she opened her first millinery boutique in Paris, Chanel Mode, located at 21 rue Cambon. It was followed three years later by a second boutique in Deauville.

From the very beginning of Chanel Mode, women were captivated by the simple, elegant style of Chanel hats. Gabrielle Chanel then ventured into couture, offering jersey garments (the ancestor of sportswear!) to her clientele. Later, she would also introduce tweed into her garments. Her objective: to liberate women's bodies and revolutionize their daily lives with garments that were easy to wear and comfortable, yet never devoid of elegance. Her first couture house opened in 1915 in Biarritz, before relocating to Paris at 31 rue Cambon.

The woman now known as Coco Chanel did not stop there: in 1921, she launched her first fragrance, Chanel N°5; in 1924, she introduced her first makeup line; and in 1932, her first jewelry collection.

Following the Second World War, couturier Dior, with his "New Look" and corseted silhouettes, triumphed in Europe. Nevertheless, Chanel's creations remained highly sought-after across the Atlantic, worn by numerous actresses and prominent figures such as Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, and Romy Schneider.

After Coco Chanel passed away in 1971, the House of Chanel lost its essence. It was not until the arrival of Karl Lagerfeld as Artistic Director in 1983 that the Maison regained its former glory, producing a dozen collections a year! In 1987, Chanel launched its first watchmaking collection, and in 1993, the Maison entered the world of High Jewelry.

High Jewelry Collections Signed Chanel

In 1932, at the height of the House of Chanel, Gabrielle Chanel was approached by l’Union des Diamantaires to promote their diamonds. It was with the diamonds entrusted to her that Coco Chanel created her first High Jewelry collection, "Bijoux de Diamants". In fact, the House of Chanel popularized the term "collection" to designate a jewelry line, mirroring fashion collections. This would be the only jewelry collection designed by Coco Chanel. "If I chose the diamond, it is because it represents the greatest value in the smallest volume," Gabrielle Chanel said regarding this collection.

The 1932 Bijoux de Diamants collection remains one of the brand's most iconic, featuring its multi-tiered fringe necklace composed of over 35 baguette diamonds and 535 brilliant-cut diamonds; its white gold and diamond bracelet inspired by the comet of 1932, alone incorporating 26 carats of diamonds; its star-inspired white gold and diamond ring…

Following Gabrielle Chanel's death, under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld, other High Jewelry collections were introduced, such as the Lion Collection (Coco Chanel's astrological sign), featuring its handcrafted white gold lion brooch studded with numerous diamonds and its white gold lion ring paved with diamonds, notably a 5.28-carat marquise diamond.

Like the Lion collection, the Camélia collection pays tribute to Coco Chanel: she favored this sober, simple flower over the opulent rose. This collection includes exceptional creations such as diamond and pearl earrings or the brooch crafted in white gold, diamonds, and moonstone.