In Conversation with Valerie Samuel, Artistic Director of FRED

Nine decades of artistry and heritage.

Fred, the Sunshine Jeweler, marks a monumental feat as the Maison celebrates 90 years of shimmering craftsmanship and vibrant innovation. Its story began in 1936 with the visionary Fred Samuel, who carved his niche in the realm of high jewellery and wove a tapestry of tales, crafting iconic jewellery with timelessness and heritage.

This year, the Maison unveiled the Golden Light High Jewellery collection, consisting of 15 exceptional pieces across five sets—a continued discovery of the founder’s passion for light and coloured gemstones. And what makes this collection an illuminating journey woven into its history is the legendary 101.57-carat Soleil d’Or at the heart of this collection.

Sharing stories of FRED’s legacy and heritage pieces is Artistic Director of FRED (and granddaughter of the founder Fred Samuel), Valerie Samuel as she reflects on honouring her grandfather’s illuminating journey and innovation.

If you could choose one piece to represent this milestone, which would it be and why does it hold special significance for you?

VS: It’s very complicated to choose only one piece because, for me, there is a story and an emotion behind every piece. It’s a demonstration of our unique craftsmanship, excellence, and unique gemstones.

If I have to pick only one, I will definitely choose the Soleil d’Or. This exceptional yellow diamond, weighing over 100 carats, was discovered in 1977. My father had a chance to name it because it had no history before us, and we sold it in 1977. We were able to bring it back in 2021 as really the most emblematic stone of the Maison. And because it’s also named Soleil d’Or and how it has encapsulated all the energy and the beauty of the sun, for me it represents most of what Fred is today: the Sunshine Jeweler.

In your opinion, how does jewellery tell a story, and what tales do certain FRED pieces tell in the context of fashion history?

VS: Jewellery tells a story through its design and craftsmanship. Most importantly, because it conveys emotion and it really speaks to the person who will select the piece. And I believe there’s a very strong link and boundary, if I can say it this way, through jewellery and the person that will wear it.

I’ve been designing jewellery for a long time now, but I feel jewellery is at its best and most beautiful when it’s worn. To come back to your question about fashion history, you’ve seen the richness of our histories through the Rendezvous Heritage. Each decade showcases a new influence and trends—jewellery follows the evolution.

For example, in the 50s it was all about the radiance of a diamond and gold. While in the 70s, you will feel the magnificence of the heart stone through turquoise, cobalt, lapis lazuli, treated like the four precious stones. Later on, it could be more abstract. In the year 2000s, we were doing sculptural and very pure and linear jewellery.

Being able to feel the trend and connection with the time is very important. It was also the vision of Fred Samuel from the beginning to be what we call “in the now”. So for example, in the 30s when he established himself, he felt the potential in Culture Pearl, which was just introduced in the market at the time. So it was very audacious to be able to feel that.

We debuted Inner Light in 2022 and Ideal Light in 2024. And this year, we are celebrating the Golden Hour of the Maison, the climax of the 90th anniversary and the opening of a new cycle of 90 years with an image of the solar circle. And in this collection, we are also commemorating the love of Monsieur Fred for the French Riviera and why he fell in love with it. You will discover that in the old storytelling of this collection.

What are some signature styles or innovative techniques that FRED has developed since its founding? Are there any iterations since then?

VS: I think what best describes Fred is its daring and creative audacity in mixing materials. For example, materials like the combination of stainless steel cable coming from the nautical environment and gold. A very daring move and creation for the meson.

This year we are also celebrating the 60th anniversary of Force 10, which was created in 1966 by Henri Samuel. Mixing materials and combining colour stones are one of the Maison’s signatures.

We love aiming for exceptional character and bright gemstones, and more recently we continue that audacious spirit by creating the Fred Hero cut, which is the Maison’s proprietary cut that took us two years to put together. The idea was to celebrate the radiance of the sunshine jeweller in a stone that is inspired by the shape of a sailboat.

What defines us is that, very early in his career, Monsieur Fred had the vision of offering everyday jewellery for both men and women. Having versatile offerings in our Icon is also very specific to Fred, meaning you can personalise your look and style by changing the combination of the buckle and the bracelet.

Can you describe the significance of the Soleil d’Or in Fred’s heritage and its impact on the contemporary collections?

VS: What it represents for me is the essence of Fred the Sunshine Jeweller because it represents its radiance, its warmth, its generosity; those are really the values that we cherish and have inherited from Fred Samuel’s personality and vision. And beyond that, It’s also a source of inspiration to have the Soleil d’Or within the dedicated line expressing the radiance of the sun and the brilliance in every creation.

How does FRED maintain its commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and the use of high-quality gemstones over the decades?

VS: It’s an everyday quest for excellence. It’s embedded in our know-how and DNA. It’s also about working through design and craftsmanship with our artisans to push the boundaries of our know-how. And I think what’s amazing, especially as we are launching our high jewellery collection, is that high jewellery is really a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries. And I always say that the sky is the limit. It’s where you can dream big in terms of creation, but also in terms of craftsmanship.

Do you have a personal memory or story attached to a piece of jewellery that sits close to you that you personally love the most?

VS: This is the question I always find the most complicated for me because it’s like asking me which one of my children I prefer. (laughs)

I will mention the Pain de Sucre collection because of the joy it expresses through the colour of the gemstone, and the freedom it gives me every day in wearing it, because I can change the stone depending on my outfit, mood, and occasion. It gives me confidence when I’m wearing it, mixed with Force 10 and my Chance Infinie jewels.

What advice would you give to younger generations about appreciating and styling fine jewellery?

VS: I will encourage them to feel free and to be curious about fine jewellery, to explore what jewellery can bring as a beauty emotion to them. For me, ultimately, jewellery is also a way of expressing who you are, and it can give you confidence, as I was telling you with the Pain de Sucre or Force 10.

The ability to identify which piece of jewellery could most express who they are, what they want to express and the confidence to play with it and bring joy into their life.

One last thing: create your own style today by stacking the jewellery as you please, whether it’s earring mania, bracelet stacking, or a ring party. There’s not one style or one way of wearing jewellery, but be daring and stack it.

Discover more on www.fred.com/en-int/home/