Rago Auctions

Pierre Sterlé is regarded as an exceptional Parisian jeweler. His father disappeared during WWI, which serendipitously caused him to seek refuge with his uncle, a skilled jeweler. Studying under his uncle’s guidance, he went on to create his own workshop in 1934 on the rue St. Anne in Paris. Sterlé designed stunning pieces for some of the most influential houses, such as Chaumet, Ostertag, and Boucheron. Not long after he gained success—his patrons including the chicest women of the time, like Colette, King Farouk and the Maharani of Baroda—he established a salon on the avenue de L’Opera.

He was so inspired by the Opera that his maker’s mark is the building's iconic façade. When looking at Sterlé’s jewels, you’ll be sure to see motifs such as swags, braids, and twists of platinum and gold, using the Passemterie style, defined as: “An additional accent or embellishment in silk or metallic threads, such as an embroidered braid, tassel or fringe.” Not afraid of color, he incorporated stones such as emeralds, coral, and natural pearls into many of his pieces and his elegance when fashioning asymmetrical pieces out of diamonds and platinum was unparalleled at the time. In the 1950s, he regularly worked for Chaumet, going on to become a technical advisor for the house, where he worked until his death in 1978.