A Marie-Antoinette bracelet displayed in majesty in New York

A major French house wants to export its excellence to the United States. It is a bracelet steeped in History worn by one of the most famous queens of France, Marie-Antoinette, that the oldest jeweler on the planet, Mellerio, is exhibiting in New York to establish itself in one of the capitals luxury brands, even if the international market is running out of steam. This unique piece, composed of seven antique cameos mounted on a bracelet with floral motifs of garnets and silver, is « not a sumptuous jewel of the Court » but she is « historical »praises the representative of the 14th generation of Mellerio known as Meller, Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, president of the French jeweler founded in 1613.

For the « short story » told to AFP by Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, also artistic director of the brand, her distant ancestor Jean-Baptiste Mellerio, a teenager around 1780, introduced himself one day « at the gates of the Palace of Versailles » to offer her jewelry. Spotted by Marie-Antoinette, who « the taste of Antiquity »Mellerio sold or gave him the famous bracelet that the wife of Louis XVI kept until her beheading on the Place de la Révolution in Paris (today Place de la Concorde) on October 16, 1793. Recovered by the Mellerio family , still at the helm of the oldest independent jeweler in the world more than two centuries later, the bracelet is the « mistress » of the entry of the French jeweler Mellerio in the United States and New York, international center of finance, arts and luxury goods.

An attractive American market

« We took the Atlantic leap »rejoices its general director Christophe Mélard. Located on Rue de la Paix, in the famous Parisian jewelry district, Place Vendôme, Mellerio has chosen its equivalent in Manhattan, where prestigious international brands stand between the 5^e avenue, 57^e Street and Madison Avenue. Until the end of October, Marie-Antoinette’s bracelet will be displayed among more contemporary Mellerio jewelry, on the ground floor of a famous New York department store.

Laure-Isabelle Mellerio and Christophe Mélard, who refuse to communicate their turnover, affirm that the Americans represent the « second nationality of (their) foreign clientele »after the Japanese. « Historically, the house has always had strong links with Japan and its imperial family. », recalls the general director, but Mellerio noted that « the share of American customers increased from 2% to 20% between 2019 and today ».

Still, the global luxury market is showing signs of slowing down, according to analysts. In a note in September titled “cruel summer”the HSBC bank reduced its growth forecast for the sector in 2024 from 5.5% to 2.8%, due to a drop in consumption in the United States and China, due to inflation. She thus predicts « the 6^e worst year in 20 years ». The JLL firm, however, believes that luxury distribution in the United States and New York will remain flourishing with 82 billion dollars in sales by 2028, compared to 75 billion in 2023, or nearly a third of turnover. global.