How do you know the value of a Hermès Chaîne d’Ancre piece of jewelry?

The collection Hermès Anchor Chain is one of the most iconic jewelry lines from the house of Hermès, famous for its distinctive and timeless design inspired by marine anchor chains. 

Price trends for Chaîne d’Ancre Hermès jewelry

The Hermès house has the particularity compared to other jewelry houses (which work almost exclusively with gold and platinum) to have developed its collections in silver significantly with success that makes them iconic.

This metal is not seen as a safe haven like gold. We note that the appreciation of the value of Hermès Chaine d’Ancre bracelets notably varies according to the periods, according to the trend and the appeal of this collection. 

In its most classic version, at auction, the Hermès Chaîne d'Ancre bracelet in silver was trading between €420 and €675 between 2014 and 2016, then regularly exceeded €900 after this period. However, price variations can be significant, a sign of the slightest peculiarity, or a time when demand is greater. This can create a clear craze: in the same month in 2020, two Chaîne d'Ancre bracelets were sold at a price varying from more than a single to double, the most expensive having a recognizable hallmark and sold for €1,500.

There gold version of the Chaîne d'Ancre bracelet has been regularly valued upwards: seen in 2014 at €7,000 in a guilloché version, more sought after, this version (with the jeweler's mark Georges Lenfant) sold in 2024 for €19,000, +270% in 10 years. The classic version sold for €16,000 in 2023, or €162/g while it was valued at €94 in 2018, an increase of +70% in 5 years.

We observed throughout this year that the opportunities to buy second-hand Hermès Chaînes d'Ancre bracelets were very quickly seized by enthusiasts, particularly in their gold version, which are more difficult to find, and for any more limited or rare. This is a sign of the still very strong appeal for this iconic model. 

Origins and inspiration of the Chaîne d’Ancre by Hermès

The Hermès collection Chaîne d'Ancre takes its inspiration from marine anchor chains used to moor ships. This motif has become emblematic of the Hermès house since its creation in 1938 by Robert Dumas. It has since been reinvented numerous times in different areas of brand creation.

The jewelry in this collection captures the essence of this highly recognizable design motif with elegance and simplicity. The links in the chain can be of varying sizes, allowing for a wide variety of pieces, from bracelets and necklaces to earrings and rings. The jewelry in this collection is mainly available in silver and gold, and are real “must-haves”

Why is Chaînes d’Ancre jewelry so popular?

The jewelry from the Chaine d'Ancre collection pleases with its adaptability and elegance in all circumstances. The pieces can be worn alone for an elegant, understated look, or paired with other jewelry for a bolder statement. This versatility makes the Chaine d'Ancre a collection appreciated by those looking for pieces that can be worn every day as well as for special occasions.

Of course, the Chaîne d'Ancre is steeped in the history and heritage of Hermès. Owning a piece of jewelry from this collection is not only a style statement, but also a taste for artisanal excellence and all the values attached to this brand.

A particularly popular model: the signature Georges Lenfant or Gaëtan de Percin

Hermès jewelry with these hallmarks is particularly popular at the moment. 

Gaëtan de Percin is reputed to be the inventor of the bracelet model Chaîne d'Ancre for the house of Hermès in 1938.

Georges Lenfant was a designer and manufacturer established at the beginning of the 20th Century, prime contractor at Cartier and manufacturer for several of the largest jewelry houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Mellerio say Meller for example. His pieces, although they are ultimately sold by brands, also bear his hallmark and therefore identifiable as originating from his workshop.

Lenfant's workshop produced some of the most beautiful jewelry of the time and also took over that of Sandoz in 1927. A few years later, in the aftermath of the Second World War, Lenfant took over another workshop, that of Verger Frères which had been founded in 1872 and is best known for its production of fabulous jewelry and objects Art Deco.

The 1950s saw collaborations with Vacheron Constantin to make watches for Hermès. In the 60s and 70s, the Lenfant workshop produces many gold chain bracelets and necklaces, which is perhaps what they are best known for today: finely woven textures (the Vendôme model by Hermès), a combination of gold in different colors and Varied circular and twisted patterns are all typical of Lenfant pieces, sometimes accented with diamonds and always finely crafteds. The Hermès bracelet that we mentioned above, with the hallmark Georges Lenfant, was sold for €19,000, i.e. 475€/g of gold in 2024.