O’REILLYS THE DESIGN SALE 26th - 29th October 2022

6 THE DES IGN SALE | Wednesday 26th – Fr iday 28th of October Fred Samuel, the son of French immigrants was born in Buenos Aires in 1908, he returned to France aged 16 and trained in the jewellery industry with the Worms company as a trader in pearls and precious stones, interestingly theWorms company were contracted by Mikimoto Kokichi to market cultured pearls in France. His knowledge of cultured pearls was so great a pinkish toned hue was named ‘the Fred colour’. 1936 he opened his own jewellery firm on Rue Royal, Paris, known simply as Fred the business concentrated on producing bold signature jewellery and sold to clientele such as Marlene Dietrich. Socialising with Parisian ar tists his creations were contemporary and colourful taking inspiration from ‘life, light, movement and energy’ In 1962 they collaborated with Jean Cocteau to create a gold medal, the first of many such collaborations, in 1976 they opened in Monte Carlo and Princess Grace and her daughter Caroline attended commissioning the company to be the official jeweller to the Royal house of Monaco In the 1990’s a branch was opened in NewYork and the scene in Pretty Woman where Richard Gere presents Julia Rober ts with a necklace featured a specially commissioned ruby and diamond Fred necklace. Lola Hynes