1803 For more than 200 years, Maison Arthus Bertrand has crowned the honours of Napoleonic glory.

In 1803, the Maison’s founder – Arthus Claude Bertrand – was a publisher for travel accounts financed by the Napoleonic Empire. With a workshop located on Rue d’Hautefeuille, in the Parisian Saint-Germain-des-Prés district of Paris, the name ‘Arthus Bertrand’ soon became a reference for masterful savoir-faire and creative perfection. The books made a considerable amount of scientific, geographical, and ethnological research available to the public, leading the Maison to be appointed official publisher of the French Navy’s geographic society, the Société de Géographie de la Marine.

Maison Arthus Bertrand’s destiny soon became entwined with that of another Maison, Marion, which specialised in making embroidery, insignia, military flags and Legions of Honour …

1862 Arthus-Claude Bertrand, the founder’s grandson, married the daughter of Michel-Ange Marion.

The young man went to work for his father-in-law, official supplier to the Second Empire and the French army.

The Marion workshops relocated to the Arthus Bertrand publishing house, where they expanded and enirched their expertise with artistic forging, particularly through the use of a new metal, aluminium. In 1889, Arthus-Claude Bertrand dropped his publishing business and devoted himself entirely to the Maison founded by his father-in-law, which took the name ‘Arthus Bertrand’. This merging of both men’s talents was a major turning point.

The French government’s recognition of the Maison’s exceptional expertise would continue. A century later, in 1953, Arthus Bertrand was selected to design the Legion of honour Grand Collier collar, which has been worn by each successive French president ever since. Today, Arthus Bertrand is still the French government’s official supplier of insignia, medals, and honorary awards.

1902 In 1902 Arthus Bertrand relocated to Place Saint-Germain-des-Près,

a district where it is still based today. The third generation – of a total of six - broadened its horizons by acquiring two workshops: one specialising in ribbon manufacture, and the other in medallion design. The three activities merged to take the name ‘Maison Arthus Bertrand, Béranger and Magdeleine’.

These new skills brought a breath of fresh air and unprecedented creative impetus to the crafting process. Bas-relief sculpture, stamping, grand feu enamelling, and engraving remain distinctive hallmarks of the Maison to this day. The striking of medallions, known as stamping – a process which has remained unchanged for 200 years – and the meticulous work of engraving, chasing, and polishing precious metals are specific to the profession of medal-making, and are part of the savoir-faire cultivated by Arthus Bertrand.

Carrying forth this historical legacy, the Maison continues to draw inspiration from the ribbon and its grosgrain texture, as well as the star and the oak and laurel leaves of honorary medals for the design of its contemporary creations.

1923 In 1923 Arthus Bertrand had the great honour of being asked to create the ceremonial sword of Académie Française member Georges Goyau.

That would be the first in a long series. Altogether the Maison has designed 250 swords in its workshops, and now perfectly masters every phase of the process. It is a tremendous undertaking, with each minor masterpiece requiring several months of labour and no fewer than ten skilled trades to complete each minute detail. Among our prestigious clients are Yehudi Menuhin, Amin Maalouf, Jean d’Ormesson, Georges Duby, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Giorgio de Chirico and Maurice Béjart, whose sword is decorated with a compression of ballet shoes designed by César.

1937 Arthus Bertrand launched its first jewellery collection.

Drawing on its recognised expertise as a medal-maker and its mastery of jewellery design – with the earliest gouaches dating from 1910 – the Maison launched its first jewellery collection in 1937. It consisted of religious medallions, enduring treasures steeped in emotion with great symbolic value to pass down from one generation to the next. Sculptures, paintings, and bas-reliefs both ancient and modern became an infinite source of inspiration in order for the delicate portrayal of biblical scenes and characters.

André Arthus Bertrand went to great lengths to commission renowned sculptors such as Charles Pillet (1869-1960) – first winner of the Grand Prix de Rome in medal-engraving – and other artists whose original dies are still carefully archived in our workshops.

Despite the scarcity of precious metal, the Second World War did not stop the Maison’s momentum, as it turned to the reproduction of antique and historical jewellery in silver and gilt-bronze inspired by the collections of the Louvre and other national museums. Arthus Bertrand also created some very avant-garde bronze jewellery with the artist Paule Ingrand.

1970 The Maison followed in the wake of contemporary art movements.

In the 1970s, the Maison joined forces with Paris Musée, the Réunion des Musées Nationaux, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to reproduce historical jewellery, an innovation which met with great success among an international clientele who admire French heritage. Arthus Bertrand struck the right balance between attachment to artistic heritage and a resolutely modern approach.

The Arthus Bertrand family has always been interested in lifestyles and social progress, which continue to stimulate its imagination. Successive generations have formed partnerships with artists and designers of their times, such as Hilton McConnico, Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Nathalie Decoster, and Peggy Huynh Kinh. That is the spirit of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and the Maison continues to align its creations with contemporary art movements.

This period of openness to more playful concepts challenged codes and taboos, leading to the creation of a range of lapel pins: small stamped and enamelled emblems to wear in a new way.

2003 Arthus Bertrand celebrated its bicentenary.

For this occasion, the Maison exhibited iconic pieces that illustrate our savoir-faire and artistic spirit: twelve Académie Française ceremonial swords, various Legion of Honour insignia and sports awards, a 30-kilogram solid silver compression of the Statue of Liberty for César, and a number of art objects, including brooches designed by such prestigious names as Fernand Léger, Niki de Saint Phalle, Garouste, François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne, Arman, and others.

In 2014, Arthus Bertrand was awarded the highly esteemed EPV (‘Living Heritage Company’) label in recognition of its outstanding craftsmanship.

2010 The 2010s were a time of great creativity, inspired by new shapes and materials.

The Maison explored new creative avenues, such as long silver necklaces, cord chains, the princess setting – which appears to hold a diamond atop a crown – and the flat, sparkling gold ribbon of the Royale collection.

Drawing on its expertise in heraldic engraving, a skill that continues to be highly sought after by Arthus Bertrand customers, the Maison asked the artist Nicholas Ouchenir to invent the modern signet ring. He came up with an unexpected design engraved with black cursive script that runs all the way around the ring, a concept which the artist extended to medallions and other jewellery. It perfectly reflects the literary spirit of the Latin Quarter.

In 2016, Emmanuel Aubry became the Creative Director of Arthus Bertrand. This was the first time that an artist took charge of the Maison. He interpreted Saint-Germain-des-Prés’ golden era, in particular through the Jazz collection, featuring minimalist pieces that appear to be cut directly from sheets of silver. Ball-cut stones set flush with the precious metal, as if poised in the balance, transforming the pieces into small modern sculptures.

2018 The new Artistic Director, Camille Toupet, brought a breath of fresh air to Arthus Bertrand’s iconic jewellery.

As soon as she arrived, Camille Toupet invented a new narrative for Arthus Bertrand’s iconic heritage from the point of view of her expertise in the traditions of bas-relief, stamping, grand feu enamelling, and engraving

This energising change brought a fresh perspective to the Maison’s jewellery, guided by the refined elegance of its designs, the simplicity of its lines, the sensuality of its materials, and the resplendent colours of grand feu enamel. The collections grew to include heritage motifs that have now become the new chic. On medallions, showers of stars shimmer in soft, satiny gold light, while oak or laurel leaves trail into diamonds. Grosgrain ribbons forever etch their graceful movement in gold. Medallions – timeless, meaningful pendants – continue to convey emotion and attachment. Combined with chic and nonchalance side-by-side on long chains, they symbolise a more modern, personalised elegance that reflects the personality of each individual.

The artistic collaboration that has spanned Arthus Bertrand’s history is as present as ever, continually renewing and embracing new expressions.

2023 Arthus Bertrand: a dynamic vision of contemporary jewellery.

Camille Toupet, Artistic Director of Arthus Bertrand, chooses her jewellery themes purposefully. They are imbued with meaning, expressing the Maison’s values through, sophisticated, feminine creations such as the Ruban, Enlacé, Gloria, and Royale collections, or the now-iconic medallions.

The ribbed grosgrain texture stamped in gold or silver of the Ruban collection jewellery are inspired by insignia and honour medals, while the designs of the Enlacé collection appear to twist and turn like rippling flat ribbons.

At Camille Toupet’s touch, laurel leaves sprung up on the stars of the weightless, delicate Gloria Etoilée collection. The enamel versions showcase Arthus Bertrand’s highly sought-after expertise in grand feu enamelling, as do the exceptional Fabula medallions, which are enamelled on both sides, engraved, and set with diamonds. The graceful, effortlessly wearable Miraculous Medals have also taken on colour with a vibrancy that is enhanced when several are worn together.

In addition to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Arthus Bertrand opened a flagship store on Rue Royale. The Royale collection pays tribute to this street and to the neighbourhood, which is the birthplace of Parisian luxury. It celebrates this glorious era with the mirror-polish which imparts a radiant glow to its designs.

Arthus Bertrand is forever enhancing its collections, drawing inspiration from its extensive heritage and our ever-changing lifestyles. This invaluable combination enables us to always remain in step with the times.