Jewellery has been important in Europe for many millennia. When the Roman Empire expanded, the Romans gained access to pearls and other materials from the peoples they conquered. After Pompey the Great’s military campaigns in Asia Minor and Armenia in 66-63 B.C.E, his procession included 33 crowns encrusted with pearls, a pearl-decorated shrine, and a portrait of himself made entirely of pearls.<\/p>\n
During the Middle Ages, carved Greek and Roman stones were highly valued. Stones were excavated and traded across Europe, and people carved designs into them. Stones with scorpion etchings, for example, were considered protective amulets.<\/p>\n
Certain jewels held meaning in European Christian beliefs during this period, with pearls symbolising purity and red gems representing the blood of Christ.<\/p>\n
In modern times, European jewellery brands have grown to be loved worldwide. In mid-19th century Europe, Paris became the birthplace of many jewellery brands and Rome too as a hub for high quality brands.<\/p>\n
This is a brief summary of the history of some of these brands and how they became world-renowned.<\/p>\n
In 1847, jeweller Louis-Francois Cartier took over his employer’s workshop in Paris, founding Maison Cartier. In 1856, Princess Mathilde, a cousin of Emperor Napoleon III, bought a Cartier creation, bringing the Maison into Parisian high society and the international elite of the time.<\/p>\n
In 1899, Louis Cartier, Louis-Francois’s grandson, opened a boutique in Paris where he introduced the Garland style, which combined neoclassical inspiration with the pioneering use of platinum. In 1900, the company created a new category of jewellery that united abstract shapes and unique colour combinations, laying the foundation for Art Deco at the Maison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Cartier family opened a boutique in London in 1902 and one in New York in 1909. Cartier received its first royal certificate from the court of King Edward VII in 1904 and became the official purveyor of royal courts in Spain, Siam, Russia, and others.<\/p>\n
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