Since 1613, the Mellerio family is still in charge of the oldest house of jewelry in the world and the first to settle in the Place Vendôme area. 14 generations have transmitted one to another values of work, creativity, savoir-faire. Still today, as the last independent house of jewelry in France of Italian origin.

In 1515 they settled in Paris, a century later, in 1613 Queen Marie de Medicis granted them privileges as a reward. This authorised them to practice in France without having to submit to administrative restrictions. All the kings of France up to Louis XVI renewed this exceptional privilege.

It was during the reign of Louis XVI that the Mellerio’s Maison began to occupy a significant place in French jewelry, under the sign “Mellerio – Meller à la couronne de fer”.

In 1830, when Marie-Amélie and Louis-Philippe d’Orléans acceded to the French throne, Mellerio was appointed official supplier to “Her Royal Highness, the Queen of the French”. Later the Emperor Napoleon III and above all Empress Eugénie were Mellerio’s most important clients. At the end of the 19th century, it was the Dutch Court that filled Mellerio’s order books. Notably with this impressive set of rubies, often worn today by Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

At the beginning of the 20th century Mellerio was sensitive to changes in fashion and took advantage of this new trend. Subsequently, the House’s links with fashion became closer. In the 1950s, Mellerio signed a number of collaborations with leading couturiers such as Christian Dior Couture, Pierre Balmain and Balenciaga on the catwalks.

Color is one of the Maison’s signatures, which can be traced back to Mellerio’s Italian origins. This signature is also found in the chromaticism of its creations.

Laure-Isabelle Mellerio represents the 14th generation of the Mellerios, interior designer, art historian, and gemmology graduate. Today she is both president and artistic director of the oldest and last family-owned jewelry house in France, located in the rue de la Paix, Paris.