The emotion of the piece is what drives the selection at Quidam de Revel, a shop specializing in vintage jewelry. It was opened by Philippe and Emmanuelle Harros, the husband-and-wife duo behind the venerable by-appointment vintage accessories and clothing showroom of the same name in Paris. The new pint-size space, on Rue de Poitou in the city’s hip north Marais district, houses eclectic creations amassed over 20 years.
Reflecting diverse provenances and periods, the stock ranges from a Napoléon III silver bracelet trimmed with a fringe of opal beads to Scandinavian constructivist rings to a group of orchid- and heart-shaped enamel and vermeil Indian earrings from the mid-Seventies. Museum-worthy pieces include a rare enamel and metal brooch from Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1938 Circus collection, as well as mirror and Talosel resin bracelets by Line Vautrin.
But the focus, according to Emmanuelle Harros, is “accessible” pieces capturing the spirit of the times.
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“For me, right now it’s all about mother-of-pearl, stones, horn, turquoise, agate, organic creations; a rock-ethnic mix,” she said.
There’s a strong Seventies vibe on offer, from a series of vintage torcs by the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin and Serge Manzon to a hippie-chic silver necklace set with bold slices of agate. Harros will also happily slide open drawers to reveal other themes ranging
from a batch of Victorian creations (think a man’s ring with lion’s paws clutching a lump of pyrite) to a tray of rare African designs. “For me, this is just as special as a major couture piece,” said Harros of a terra-cotta African necklace that “has a childlike innocence.”