GOLD AND DIAMOND BROOCHES, SUZANNE BELPERRON

Elegant and audacious, Suzanne Belperron pioneered a new aesthetic in jewellery. While perhaps the most important woman jeweller of the 20th century, she is relatively unknown today except to collectors. Asked once why she never signed her work, Madame Belperron simply replied 'My style is my signature'. The 1930s were a period of creative and commercial success for Madame Belperron. In 1963, Madame Belperron was awarded a Legion of Honor for her contributions to the jewellery industry, and her influence as a designer continued to grow, even after her death in 1983. Having long admired her work, Ward Landrigan, owner of Verdura, acquired the Belperron name and archive of designs in 1999.