Fred Samuel was a master of colored stones who seduced his clients with the chic lifestyle of the French Riviera at its peak. Opening his first jewelry shop in Paris in 1936, the jeweler became famous by transforming original drawings by Jean Cocteau into glowing jewels, garnering celebrity and royal clients around the world. Inspired by the freedom of the sea, and the colors and textures of the Côte d’Azur, today the brand’s modern ingenuity remains in the spotlight with colorful and unique jewels featuring exceptional stones. A glamorous volume in a luxury slipcase, Fred chronicles the rich history of a jewelry brand that has cultivated a timeless mystique.

Fred Samuel, founder of the illustrious French jewelry house of Fred, was a master of colored stones who seduced his clients with the chic lifestyle of the French Riviera at its peak. Born in Buenos Aires in 1908, he was the son of a French jeweler who had immigrated to Argentina. He apprenticed in Paris and opened his first jewelry shop there in 1936, focusing on brightly hued stones such as the extraordinary Soleil d’Or, a 105-carat yellow diamond. Clients including Marlene Dietrich and Princess Grace of Monaco were attracted by the charisma, kindness, and joie de vivre of this jeweler who invented casual glamour.