During Paris Couture Week, the historic jewelry house Mellerio debuted a new collection of ornamental nail jewels, marking a bold return to innovation for the 413-year-old brand. Known as the oldest jewelry house on Place Vendôme, Mellerio introduced three styles of decorative fingernail pieces crafted from latticed white or yellow gold and set with small white or black diamonds or colored gemstones.
The individual nail ornaments range in price from €1,800 (approximately $2,100) for a white gold pinkie nail set with black diamonds, to €4,000 (about $4,600) for a yellow gold thumbnail adorned with blue and yellow sapphires, pink rubies, and tsavorites. A complete set of 10 nail pieces is priced at €25,000 (around $29,100). Each set requires a production period of four to six weeks.
Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, president, artistic director, and 14th-generation head of the house, personally tested the “Tutti Frutti” design on one pinkie during an interview at the boutique’s private salon in Paris’s Second Arrondissement. She reported that the piece remained secure throughout her day, including a bicycle ride, underscoring its practicality despite the delicate appearance. However, she acknowledged that such ornaments are unlikely to be worn during routine activities such as gardening or dishwashing.
Founded in 1613 under a royal decree granted by Marie de Médicis, Mellerio has a long-standing relationship with European royalty and aristocracy. The brand’s legacy includes pieces worn by Marie Antoinette, such as an antique cameo bracelet featured recently at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. While Mellerio has traditionally been associated with discreet, timeless jewels valued for their long-term worth, its image as an innovator had diminished over recent decades.
Ms. Mellerio aims to restore that innovative spirit. She noted that despite the house’s reputation for classic elegance, it has historically embraced daring designs, including early use of peacock motifs and pioneering work with platinum well before the peak of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.
Interestingly, bejeweled nails are not a new concept for the house. Mellerio had filed a patent for ornamental nails in 1951, but no records indicate the product was ever sold commercially. Ms. Mellerio attributed this to the original adhesive’s impracticality, which made single-handed application difficult.
After years of experimentation with various adhesives and consultations with engineers, the problem was solved by a simple, widely available nail adhesive recommended by her manicurist. This adhesive secures the nails without damaging either the jewelry or the wearer’s natural nails and can be removed using acetone.
Luxury brand strategist Maxime de Turckheim, who has worked with clients such as Harvey Nichols in London, said the relaunch could resonate with contemporary consumers. He observed that buyers increasingly seek pieces that convey personal stories and spark conversations rather than solely focusing on intrinsic value. He described the timing of Mellerio’s nail jewels as “just ahead of its time” in 1951 but potentially well-suited for today’s market, especially with the authenticity of reviving an archival design.
The nail jewel collection is scheduled to be introduced at Bergdorf Goodman in New York on September 8.
Ms. Mellerio described the new category as “joaillerie décomplexée,” or unpretentious jewelry that adapts to its wearer regardless of their age. She anticipates a positive reception in the United States, where consumers tend to embrace fresh concepts and elegant dressing, contrasting with her own French experience where wearing one or at most a few such pieces might be favored.
Reflecting on her brand’s storied past, Ms. Mellerio suggested that historical figures like Marie Antoinette would have been early adopters of these statement jewels, describing the former queen as “the ultimate trendsetter.”