Bejewelled nails, a sparkling statement

The Parisian haute joaillerie house Mellerio originally patented a design for gemstone nail covers in 1951, creating an entirely new category of high jewellery. But the house was ahead of its time, and its design remained in its archives for decades waiting to be discovered – and reimagined – by the brand's creative director Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, who saw the potential in an era when “nail ornamentation is a style statement in its own right”.

Mellerio premiered an 18-karat white gold set with white diamonds in June, and the collection was officially launched at the Paris Couture Week (6th to 9th July) with two new versions including white gold with black diamonds, and a yellow-gold "tutti-frutti" variation featuring colourful gemstones. 

The new collection draws inspiration from the original archival concept, which featured false nails crafted from palladium and diamonds with a delicate perforated frame shaped to follow the contour of the fingertip. The modern iteration translates the house's design codes into miniature scale, creating delicate openwork structures that sit lightly on the nail. The pieces are sold individually, priced €5,000, and are available in five sizes.

Founded in 1613, Mellerio is officially the oldest family-owned high jewellery house in the world, spanning over 400 years and 15 generations of continuous family ownership. Laure-Isabelle Mellerio represents the 14th generation of the family, which historically has been referred to as "jeweller to the Queens". The French maison, which has northern Italian roots, has survived revolutions, empires and a changing luxury landscape, and remains entirely independent.

mellerio.fr