Gold “Paillette” Curblink Bracelet by Hermès, Paris, circa 1950, Manufactured by Jacques Lenfant for Georges Lenfant

Biography

In 1837, Thierry Hermès established a workshop creating high-end equestrian harnesses for European noblemen. Eventually his son and grandsons took over and expanded to saddles and then their first bag in 1900. They made saddles for the Tsar of Russia and had exclusive rights to the use of the zipper in France. In the 1920s, they expanded to clothing and accessories creating their first bracelet in 1927. In the 1930s, they created the ubiquitous Hermès silk scarves and the Kelly Bag. In the 1950s, Hermès introduced fine jewelry. Many pieces were created by Jacques Lenfant, a famed maker of innovative gold jewelry for all the French houses including Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Today the Hermès name is synonymous with luxury and has a strong global presence.

Significance

The 1950s were a playful decade marked by economic expansion and the rise of leisure time activities. Television, automobiles, and rock and roll became ubiquitous. Everything was movement. Christian Dior’s “New Look,” featuring full skirts, tight waists, and rounded shoulders appealed to glamorous women like Grace Kelly, Millicent Rogers, and the Duchess of Windsor. The new fashions exaggerated the silhouette and called for bold oversized jewelry as a complement. In 1956, Vogue featured an oversized gold curblink bracelet on the cover, perfectly balancing the effortlessly chic outfit. The Lenfant studio in Paris was the master craftsman creating the perfect gold link bracelets for all the finest houses including Cartier, Hermès, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

The origin of Hermès in 1837 was harnesses, and when they turned to creating jewelry in 1927, they drew from the harnesses, buckles, and bits they had been making in leather and metal for nearly a century. The use of curblink chain is often found in horse bits, with the slight twist in the metal allowing the chain to lay flat when curved against a body. This nod to equestrian hardware made the curblink bracelet an excellent fit for the company’s new high jewelry offerings. They turned to Jacques Lenfant, who became known for his superb goldwork in the 1950s through the 1970s, with each necklace and bracelet more complex than the last. His work explored movement and texture, and this bracelet is one of his most impressive with wonderful heft and exquisite movement. The “paillette” link, as Lenfant called it, features an iconic woven texture that glitters in the light, giving it the name that means sequins.

Lenfant looked at chains as a “harmony of sounds, shapes and textures” as he wrote in his book. He referred to the “rustle of rolling parts, which slide against each other [like] chain bells.” By considering the construction of chains from all the senses, Lenfant became a master of construction, as shown by this exquisite bracelet. A sought-after icon of midcentury design, bringing together two important makers, Hermès and Lenfant, this bracelet would be an essential element of any collection.