The Parisian maison FRED has a uniquely sunny perspective on jewellery that becomes all the brighter especially this time of the year. When the conversation around jewels turns inevitably to the festivities, it’s the low-lit evenings of dinners and parties that get the most attention. But, and rather more interestingly, what about the joys of the daytime?
Running to buy flowers and gifts, the accoutrements to set your table, the decorations to set the mood. The hours when the sun is still up are as much part of the year-end buzz. Which is where FRED, nicknamed The Sunshine Jeweller, really comes into its own.
The distinct perspective that FRED brings to its jewellery designs is inspired by a chic born of the French riviera. A sun on your back, wind in your sense of style. Its designs are meant, like winks of happiness, to enliven moments big and small on even the most ordinary days. They are the kind of jewels that, in their beauty, can amplify life.
The maison counts a handful of distinct, core pillars in its collection. Its most undoubtedly emblematic is the Force 10, a range of cable and buckle designs inspired by the sport of sailing—which was and remains a major passion of the brand—meant to symbolise the strength of love.
The story goes that in 1963, Henri Samuel, a son of founder Fred Samuel, was on a sailing boat when he noticed a cable about to break. As a quick sailor’s response, he secured a section of it temporarily around the wrist of his wife, Béatrice, with a makeshift snap hook. The image of this struck Henri Samuel so much he took the idea to the FRED jewellery workshops.
Three years later, the first Force 10 bracelet was formed. Or transformed, rather: from a utilitarian detail of the sailing sport into a jewel of gold. The brand then took the name Force 10 from the Beaufort scale, which indicates wind speeds, to represent the strength and endurance of love even in the face of gale force winds. Its inspiration was, after all, sparked on the wrist of Henri Samuel’s wife.
Romance also crops up in the Pretty Woman collection, a range of delicate heart-shaped designs. The range was christened after a necklace was chosen to feature in the 1990 romantic comedy film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Simple and elegant in its form, the heart-shaped jewels send a clear and timeless message of love that wears sweetly and beautifully.
Just as easy to wear is the Chance Infinie collection, which represents boundless luck. Its main motif is an infinity sign turned on its side, or, alternatively, a lucky ‘8’ in Chinese culture. The looped motif of Chance Infinie jewellery is designed with curves that wear close to the body, like intimate totems of luck to bring one confidence and joie de vivre.
In this instalment of Vogue 10, we’ve collaborated with FRED on a curation of jewellery to enhance a sense of daytime glamour. Diamonds and gemstones worn with ease, in exactly the spirit of the maison.
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Force 10 bracelet in white gold with diamonds, $39,700
Think of this Force 10 jewel as the maison’s take on the classic tennis bracelet. The diamonds of a full-pavé buckle is extended onto a perennially chic row of diamonds to encircle the wrist.
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Force 10 earrings in pink gold with diamonds, $14,200
What an essential piece of jewellery is can differ from person to person. For many, earrings are the non-negotiable finishing touch. Graduations of diamonds set into the Force 10 buckle and the drop dangle makes this pair simultaneously simple yet elevated.
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Force 10 Winch pendants in yellow gold and steel, (from left) $8,600 and $4,550
Fred introduced the Force 10 Winch line in 2021, dedicated to a more masculine design language. Beyond the cable and buckle of the Force 10, the Winch collection reinterprets the actual technical elements of sailing equipment into elegant yet rugged forms. Wear these pendants on its own or together on a chain for a versatile look.
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Pretty Woman double ring in pink gold with diamonds, $8,050
A novel and elegant form, this Pretty Woman double ring features the collection’s signature detail of a heart within a heart. In this design, a sweet line of diamonds framed by pink gold.
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Chance Infinie bracelet in white gold with white and black diamonds, $32,900
Black diamonds add an edge to the graceful curves of the Chance Infinie collection’s lucky lemniscate motif. Black diamonds are a fabulous gemstone to consider for a darker look that twinkles nonetheless.
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Force 10 ring in yellow gold with diamonds, $8,850
The classic Force 10 buckle motif, rendered as a bold, sculptural ring. Choose from versions in plain gold, with full pavé diamonds, diamonds on the buckle link, or a sweet spot middle with a pure metal band and diamond pavé buckle as in this model.
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Force 10 necklace in white gold with diamonds, $7,800
A chic, understated pendant that livens up even the most easygoing white T-shirt and jeans outfits. It’s elegant enough to wear on its own, yet also stylishly versatile so it can be layered with necklaces of different lengths.
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Azurite Malachite Pain de Sucre ring in yellow gold with diamonds, $16,350
The Pain de Sucre collection of rings is named after the sugarloaf cabochon cut of its main gemstones. The latest gemstone to join the range is this doublet of azurite and malachite, an alluring and unique blend of blues and greens that bring to mind the shifting shades of the sea and sky.
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Force 10 necklace in pink gold with diamonds, $82,150
Consider this high jewellery necklace proof of how effortlessly the Force 10’s motif can navigate being either dressed up or down. A sensual Y-shape silhouette, set with a full pavé of diamonds, gives this necklace an off-handedly glamorous appeal.
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Force 10 bracelet in white gold with diamonds, $65,350
Think of this bracelet as a combination of two things: the simple, timeless appeal of dazzling diamonds; and the beauty of a sculptural form. The Force 10 buckle is turned into a repeating motif, set with diamonds, and joined by links of braided white gold—mobile, comfortable, and undeniably precious all at once.
