On 10 October 1613, Queen Marie de Médicis granted exceptional privileges to the members of the Mellerio family (whose name was Frenchised as “Meller”) who had arrived from Italy a century earlier. Thanks to this decree, renewed by all the kings of France until Louis XVI, these merchants of small precious objects very quickly became the jewellers of an illustrious clientele. In 1815, the Mellerios were the first jewellers to set up shop in the Rue de la Paix (number 22), recently created by Napoleon Bonaparte at that time.
In 1830, Mellerio was appointed official supplier to the royal family following the proclamation of Louis Philippe I, King of the French. The company produced transformable jewellery inspired by nature such as the “ivy corsage” and the “large fuchsia rain ornament”. Enamel is commonly used to embellish the designs.
Four centuries later, after wars, regime changes, international travel, numerous awards, patents for innovation and exceptional creations, the Mellerios are still at the head of the last remaining independent family-owned French jewellery house.