5 Best Jewelry Houses in Paris

One thing I noticed while living in Paris for 7 years was the Everyday Parisian Women embraces minimalist jewelry. Over the years, I’ve been able to discover the Best Jewelry Houses in Paris, and where to buy luxury Jewelry in the City. Undoubtably, Paris is one of the shopping capitals of the world, and home to so many fashion and jewelry houses. 

With Travel Season in full swing, I thought now would be the perfect time to release this article about the 5 Best Jewelry houses in Paris! I will also talk about if these Parisian Jewelry Brands are cheaper in Paris vs US, how you can receive your VAT Tax refund if you purchase jewelry from them in Paris, and my personal experience shopping at these places. 

I’ve written articles about where to go shopping in Paris, I’ve written articles about where Parisians go shopping, and today, but never before have I released an article about the top Parisian Luxury Jewelry Houses in Paris! Let’s go ahead and jump right in!

Cartier

One of my absolute favorite luxury jewelry brands is Cartier. I have a few pieces from Cartier in my collection, hoping to add more soon! Founded in 1847, Cartier is an ultimate French Luxury Jewelry house. While, Cartier has always been a well known brand, it rose to popularity when the Cartier Love Bracelet started making its way on the wrist of celebrities in the US. Ever since then, there has been a huge demand for both the Cartier Love Collection and the Cartier Juste Un Clou Collection. 

You will often see many Parisians wearing Cartier pieces, I even had a few friends who inherited a Cartier Watch or a Love bracelet from previous generations. What I love about Cartier, is how their pieces are timeless, made with high quality, and are great investment pieces. I’ve written detailed articles about if Cartier is cheaper in Paris, If the Cartier Love Ring is Worth the price, and how Cartier is a great investment piece.

Van Cleef & Aprel

When I think of a popular Jewelry houses in Paris, Van Cleef & Aprel comes to mind immediately. Founded in 1907, VCA is the perfect statement jewelry house. If you are looking to make a statement with your Jewelry then I definitely recommend investing in a Van Cleef & Aprel piece. I’m sure you’ve probably seen the Albhalam bracelet, this is one of the most well known and iconic VCA jewerly pieces. 

If this is your first Van Cleef Jewelry piece, I would stick to a more classic, traditional piece of jewelry for your collection. The Perlee and the Alhambra Collections are the most well known and popular collections from Van Cleef. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with any piece from the Alhambra colleciton,  Perlee collection, or any piece from Van Cleef & Arpels for that matter. 

Van Cleef & Aprel is a perfect addition to your jewelry collection. What I love about all their pieces is their craftsmanship, how their jewelry pieces are all made by hand and the detail is immaculate. 

Chaumet

The first Luxury jewelry house I discovered when I moved to Paris that I wasn’t previously aware of while living in the US is called Chaumet. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite jewelry houses that often falls “under the radar” as I like to call it. I adore Chaumet jewelry and have multiple pieces from a few of their most popular collections. Including the Josephine Earrings I received as my wedding gift (Thanks Aaron!)

This Parisian Jewelry house was founded in 1870, and initially got their start by making crowns / tiaras for Royalty around the world. If you are wanting a classic Parisian Brand that you won’t see “everyone” wearing, is unique, and traditional Parisian chic, then I definitely recommend adding a piece from Chaumet to your jewelry collection. The most investment worthy collections from Chaumet are, The Bee My collection, Josephine Collection and the Jeux De Liens Collection.

Boucheron

Founded in 1858, Boucheron was one of the First jewelry houses in Paris. What I love about Boucheron jewelry is the attention to detail. Each piece is uniquely crafted, timeless and is a great investment! Many of the most popular pieces such as the Quatre Collection which includes rings, bangles, necklaces and Earrings are inspired by the cobblestones you will see in Paris. To me, this is one of the many reasons why, purchasing a Boucheron piece in Paris would make it extra special. 

Boucheron is my favorite brand when it comes to stacking and pairing multiple jewelry designers. In my opinion, a classic Boucheron Quatre grosgrain bangle bracelet looks immaculate with a Rolex. One of the things that distinguishes Bourchorn jewelry is that, while it is well-known among those who are familiar with the brand, it’s not as recognizable as some other luxury jewelry brands.

Mellerio

Did you know Paris is home to the oldest jewelry house in the world? Yes, you read that correctly, the oldest Jewelry house in Paris and the world is a shop called Mellerio (Mellerio Dits Meller). Founded in 1515, Mellerio offers both bespoke jewelry, high-end limited edition designer pieces, and most recently released a line of affordable jewelry. 

I have been to the original Mellerio Jewelry house in Place Vendome several times, and not only are the jewelry pieces incredible, the Mellerio family is so kind! This Family run business has kept true to its original values of creating remarkable jewelry that will last for generations. Mellerio is known as the jeweler who uses extremely high quality diamonds, gems, emeralds, sapphires, and gold. They have even made several pieces for Marie Antoinette. If you want a Jewelry piece unlike any other one you will find in Paris, then definitely go to Mellerio.

Can I receive the VAT Tax Refund if I buy Luxury Jewelry in Paris?

If you are traveling to Paris, or Europe to purchase Jewelry and you spend over 100 Euros, you qualify to receive the VAT TAX Refund. I’ve written several articles about the VAT Tax refund process here and which Jewelry brands are cheaper in Paris here. I definitely recommend you check out those sites.

In short, to qualify for the VAT Tax refund in Paris, which is on average 12% for luxury good, you must spend over 100 Euros at one store, not be an EU resident, and be over the age of 16. Depending on the designer piece of jewelry you buy, the tax refund could cover a good portion of your trip or give you a little extra spending money for shopping or a nice dinner in Paris. 

In addition to the VAT Tax Refund, if you are traveling to Paris, these Parisian Jewelry houses are offer cheaper pricing compared to the US pricing!

Are there any places to buy Preloved Luxury Jewelry from Paris Jewelry houses?

The good news, is if you are looking to shop luxury jewelry brands from Paris, but aren’t traveling to Paris or don’t have a French Jewelry House in your city, you are in luck. There are several preloved websites in the US that allow you to shop these brands online. In Fact, some of them even sell Luxury French Jewelry at a major discount! 

Recap on the Best Parisian Luxury Jewelry Houses in Paris

In Short, the best Luxury Jewelry Houses in Paris are Cartier, Chaumet, Van Cleef & Aprel, Mellerio, and Boucheron. If you are traveling to Paris to shop at these Jewelry Houses, you are eligible to receive the VAT TAX Refund process, and for those of you who aren’t traveling to Paris, you can purchase several of these brands online, in major cities, or even on the preloved luxury jewelry market.

Sincerely Petite in Paris,

Diane