Rating and value of jewelry, bracelets, necklaces from the Georges Lenfant house

If you own a piece of jewelry created by or after the House of Georges Lenfant, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services.

Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market.

Then, should you wish to sell your work, we'll direct you to the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of Georges Lenfant jewelry  

The Georges Lenfant house has created jewelry that's totally in a class of its own. Born of several associations, the jewelry house is unique in the world and coveted by the greatest collectors.

Now, prices for these jewels can rise considerably at the auctioneers' gavel. Their bracelets and other jewels are particularly prized, by buyers from all over the world. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €210 to €32,500, at the moment, a consequent gap but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to these creations.

In 2021, a necklace " cheveux d'ange " in 18k yellow gold and diamonds, made in collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels sold for €78,000, while it was estimated at between €25,000 and €30,000. The upside potential for these creations is therefore enormous.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique from the house of Georges Lenfant

Georges Lenfant (1899 - 1979) was a Parisian master jeweler, renowned for his collaborations with leading houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Hermès. He works mainly in yellow, white and rose gold, with platinum also used for commissions from the major houses.

He favors textured and hammered gold, which is the hallmark of his workshop. He sometimes combines gold with precious stones (diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds), but often with a view to discretion and structural elegance.

His reputation as a goldsmith is exceptional, known not only for the quality of his finishes but also for his technical rigor. He develops sophisticated meshes (braided, openwork, corded, twisted) that become the house's signature.

His expertise in jewelry flexibility combines technical rigor with wearing comfort. He also masters invisible soldering and complex assembly processes. He attaches great importance to working with gold as a raw material, rather than precious stones.

Modular shapes allow for playful assembly, sometimes recalling the architecture and design of the 1950s - 1960s. His work with gold is sometimes inspired by textile weaves, creating rich, dynamic surfaces.

His aesthetic is based on matter and texture, breaking with gemstone-based jewelry classicism. His pieces reflect a modern, timeless style, adapted to the sober elegance of the mid-twentieth century.

He collaborates notably with Hermès, creating jewels of pure, functional design, always marked by the technical virtuosity of the Lenfant workshop. He demonstrates a taste for discreet luxury, focused on quality of execution rather than ostentatious display.

He develops unique gold texturing processes, with hammering, sandblasting, fine chasing, and also masters the articulated chain, which combines robustness and fluidity.

He experiments with the flexibility of links, transforming metal into a quasi-textile material. Setting techniques are often discreet and integrated into the overall design rather than emphasized.

Georges Lenfant is better known as a master craftsman of the haute joaillerie houses rather than an independent designer. His style has been identified through pieces signed Hermès, Cartier or Van Cleef, but always marked with his hallmark.

Georges Lenfant, a little-known face of haute-joaillerie

The house of Georges Lenfant was first listed in 1903 in the Revue de bijouterie et de joaillerie. The hallmark was officially registered in 1909. The scale of creation is initially quite modest, with his son Jacques working with him from the age of 11.

Jewelry is sold from 1927 under the name Maison Sandoz, following a partnership between two jewelers due to financial difficulties. The company then joined forces with Verger Frères, producing a collection of Art Deco jewelry.

In the 1950s, new collaborations were formed with renowned houses : Cartier, Hermès, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Harry Winston.

For Hermès, for example, Georges Lenfant magnifies the collection inspired by marine elements : she collaboratively creates and punches anchor chain bracelets in 18-carat gold, as well as sailor bow rings and cufflinks.

For Cartier, she creates numerous pendants, bracelets and necklaces, including the angel hair model, which is designed using gold filigree.

The success of Georges Lenfant jewels at auction  

Georges Lenfant jewels are distinguished by their exceptionality and the blend of hand-crafted creation and haute-joaillerie, when it comes to collaborations with the great jewelry houses.

Grâce à son créativité et son savoir-faire, Georges Lenfant apporte de la valeur aux bijoux iconiques des meilleurs joaillers du XXème siècle. Not content with French houses, the artist also collaborates with foreign houses such as Harry Winston. His creations are increasingly highly rated and sought-after on the auction market.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

Jewelry signed Georges Lenfant, with pieces bearing the " GL " hallmark or direct signature are the rarest and most sought-after. The market is concentrated on textured gold bracelets, chains, necklaces and rings.

The typical range is between €15,000 and €18,000, with peaks in excess of €100,000 for iconic pieces. He collaborates with leading houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Hermès, Boucheron and Bulgari.

These pieces generally bear the signature of the house, but the Atelier Lenfant is identifiable by its hallmark. For example, a Hermès-Lenfant chain will fetch between €20,000 and €60,000, and Cartier bracelets by Lenfant between €40,000 and €120,000, depending on the model and stones.

Jewelry in textured gold or worked mesh (without major gemstones) is the segment most representative of his style. The value is derived from the technical virtuosity rather than the weight of the gems.

The range is between €10,000 and €40,000, depending on complexity and condition. Gem-set pieces are rarer in his production, and often commissioned or collaborative. Their value depends more on the quality of the stones than on Lenfant's signature.

Demand has been growing since the 2010s, driven by the rediscovery of shadow jewelers who worked for the great houses. Interest is international, particularly in the United States and Asia, where the " Hermès-Lenfant " DNA is seducing collectors.

Georges Lenfant's stock is therefore on the rise, driven by rarity and technical excellence. His jewelry stands out in the market for the virtuosity of its meshes and textures, sometimes more sought-after than the stones themselves.

Recognize the house signature

The house of Georges Lenfant affixes a master hallmark to its creations, composed of the initials " GL " and a bird. It's possible that you own a piece of jewelry from a major house that is actually hallmarked by Georges Lenfant, the result of a collaboration.

This is why, if you own or think you own a piece of jewelry from the house, it is essential to have it appraised.

Knowing the value of a work 

If you happen to own a piece of jewelry by Geroges Lenfant, or think you might, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and licensed auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, not forgetting to send you ad hoc information about it.

If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.