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The mysterious Heidi Horten and her fabulous jewelry collection
Background 700 lots belonging to Heidi Horten, the Austrian billionaire who died in June 2022, will be auctioned off on May the 10th and the 12th in Geneva. Online auctions will take place from May the 3rd to May the 15th and another sale will be held in November. Although the Duchess of Windsor's collection in 1987 fetched $59 million and Elizabeth Taylor's legendary... -
Charles III and the British crowns
Secrets and history of the Tower of London Jewels Charles the IIIrd will be the oldest monarch to be crowned this Saturday, May 6, 2023 at noon (French time). He inherited this role on September the 8th, 2022, the day Queen Elizabeth the IInd, his mother, died. She had been crowned on June the 2nd, 1953. It's been 70 years since British people... -
Kutchinsky, the jeweler who wanted to challenge Fabergé
Kutchinsky is a house of jewelers who have marked England in the mid-twentieth century. Originally from Poland, the Kutchinsky’s family arrived in London in 1893. They had already gained experience in the service of the court of Louis of Bavaria. They opened their first jewelry workshop in the East End that same year. In 1930, the Kutchinsky company evolved with the arrival of the... -
How to take care of your jewelry?
The jewels you can find in our showcases are mostly made of 18-carat gold and gemstones. Some, especially the oldest ones, may be made of platinum and others of silver and gold. Each material has its specificities, some oxidize, others have a patina. To preserve and maintain the brilliance of your jewelry, Pierres de Julie offers you a small maintenance guide. Facts to... -
The hallmarks of gold, platinum and silver: From the guarantee of the metal to the guarantee of a "Savoir Faire"
A bit of history : Hallmarking is an ancient technique that can be traced back to prehistoric times. It consists of shaping an object by applying pressure to its surface with a tool to transfer a shape or a symbol. This process is used in leather goods, sewing, printing, ceramics, goldsmithing and jewelry. If the first known forms of hallmarks on precious metal objects... -
The birthstones : Which stone corresponds to your zodiac sign?
Just like the horoscope and the 12 astrological signs, stones are also involved in popular beliefs. Each month of the year is indeed associated with a gem, which itself will be associated with virtues and symbols. Man has always used stones for their aesthetic aspects or for their spiritual or magical properties. If the beliefs are different according to the times and cultures,... -
Fire opal, the extravagant gem of Mexico
Fire opal is a variety of opal found mainly in Mexico, but also in Brazil, Guatemala, the United States and Australia. Remarkable among all opals by its color ranging from yellow to dark orange almost red, its geological formation is however similar to that of noble opals: they are formed either in sedimentary or volcanic environments (the most typical are respectively Australia and Mexico)... -
Jaeger-Lecoultre : The Franco-Swiss Watchmaking Alliance
The story of Jaeger-Lecoultre began in 1833 in the Vallée de Joux in the Swiss Jura when Antoine LeCoultre, a 30-year-old Swiss inventor, set up a watchmaking workshop in the family barn. A true mechanical genius, he designed the Millionometer, the first instrument capable of measuring microns and enabling the creation of increasingly miniaturised movements. He continued his innovations by creating one of the...
