From Boivin to Sotheby's: Suzanne Belperron's flamboyant legacy up for auction

In early December 2025, Sotheby's New York orchestrated a masterful "Heritage of Elegance" sale at the Breuer Building, where 24 Suzanne Belperron jewels from the 1930s-1950s, from an anonymous private collection, shattered estimates for a total exceeding $5 million. Pieces such as a gold and rock crystal tie clip that sold for $320,000 and a chalcedony necklace that fetched $450,000 boosted its value, even surpassing JAR lots and Boucheron in the same holiday. These performances confirm Belperron second-hand jewelry as a premium investment, with annual returns increasing to 15-20% over 10 years, far ahead of gold or luxury watches.

Belperron: the Sotheby's event that delights the myth

Held on December 8, 2025, this holiday sale brought together 150 collectors both in person and online, with 85% of the lots selling above their high estimates. Catharine Becket, head of jewelry at Sotheby's, described the series as "a perfect harmony of organic forms and innovative materials," while historical expert Olivier Baroin noted its "unique color palette inspired by the Jura region." This triumph extends a belated recognition that began with the rediscovery of his 3,500 archival drawings in 2007 at Herz-Belerpon, validating thousands of previously unknown pieces.

From its Jura origins to its conquest of the elites

Born Maria Suzanne Vuillermet on January 20, 1900, in Saint-Claude in the Jura region, she showed a talent for wood carving and local rock crystal from childhood. Apprenticed to René Boivin at 18 in 1919, she married Jean Belperron (from whom she took her name) in 1928 and rose to become artistic director, imposing innovative fluid and asymmetrical lines. From 1932 to 1970 at Herz, and then independently, she adorned the world's elite: the Duchess of Windsor (Jewelry set chalcedony 1937), Elsa Maxwell, or stars like Dolores Del Rio, refusing any signature out of artisanal pride – “My style is my signature”.

Iconic models under the auction spotlight

The Sotheby's sale featured a 1942 "Persian Leaf" brooch in gadrooned chalcedony, or 18k gold and engraved emerald (estimated at $80,000-120,000, sold for $285,000), and a 1967 ring with sapphire and diamond cabochons (sold for $167,000). At Christie's Paris on December 10, 2025, 16 Boivin-Belperron pieces (1920s-1930s) are expected to fetch €20,000-80,000 each, including an onyx and diamond cuff bracelet. A pioneer: the Jewelry set Wallis Simpson sold for CHF 391,000 in Geneva in 1987 at Sotheby's, marking the awakening of the market; today, prices have increased tenfold in 30 years, boosted by rarity (less than 5,000 pieces estimated) and authenticity certified by the Belperron Committee.

A legacy that transcends time

In a vintage jewelry market growing at 12% annually (Art Market Research 2025 report), Belperron excels in its wearability – lightweight pieces in or without metal, crystal, agate – ideal for investors against the everlasting Cartier or Van Cleef. Smooth resale: 1stdibs or Sotheby's quickly recycle at +30%; e.g., a Jewelry set Purchased in 1950 for €150,000 in 2020, it is expected to fetch €280,000 in 2025. Its timeless DNA – biomorphic curves, innovations such as gadrooning – inspires Schiaparelli and contemporary artists, while the exhibition Art Deco The MAD (2025-2026) strengthens its visibility. In January 2026, its rating remains upward, an active safe haven in the face of financial turbulence.