From Iconic Maisons to New Names: Fine Jewelry Brands Worth Knowing

Fine jewelry has entered one of its most interesting moments in decades. The houses that built their reputations over a century or more are pushing harder than ever into contemporary design, while a newer generation of Maisons is proving that avant-garde thinking and serious craftsmanship aren’t mutually exclusive. What follows isn’t a ranking by size or revenue — it’s the twelve houses that matter most right now, chosen because their history, their current collections, or both, make them essential knowledge for anyone serious about fine jewelry in 2026.

Photo Credit: Sebastien Giraud for Haute Living

Cartier

No house casts a longer shadow over fine jewelry than Cartier. Founded in Paris in 1847, the Maison built its reputation on pieces that have become design vocabulary in their own right — the Panthère, the Trinity, the Juste un Clou — each so widely recognized that they’ve outlived every trend cycle since their introduction. The house enters 2026 with its new high jewelry chapter, Le Chœur des Pierres, alongside a landmark retrospective at London’s V&A, its first UK survey in roughly three decades, drawing Emma Corrin, Gemma Chan, and Paul Mescal to its opening. Entry-level fine jewelry, like a simple 18k gold Trinity band or Juste un Clou bracelet, starts around $2,000 to $3,900, making Cartier one of the more accessible entry points into true Maison-level jewelry.

Van Cleef & Arpels

Since opening on Place Vendôme in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels has specialized in a kind of whimsy few other houses attempt at this level of craftsmanship — the invisible “mystery set” technique, the clover-shaped Alhambra, the sinuous Zip necklace originally conceived at the Duchess of Windsor’s request. The house marks its Art Deco centenary with exhibitions touring Tokyo, Nanjing, Singapore, and Zurich through 2026, alongside its new Fascinating Egypt high jewelry collection. A Sweet Alhambra bracelet, the house’s most recognizable entry point, starts around $1,600 to $1,850.

Bvlgari

Founded in Rome in 1884 by Greek silversmith Sotirio Bvlgari, Bvlgari built its identity on bold color and unmistakably Italian confidence — the coiled Serpenti, the geometric B.zero1, the ridged Tubogas construction borrowed from industrial piping. The house opened 2026 with Polychroma, a high jewelry collection anchored by a 241-carat emerald, celebrated with Kirsten Dunst, Viola Davis, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and followed with Eclettica at Paris Couture Week. Fine jewelry starts around €2,550 (roughly $2,700 to $2,800) for a Serpenti Viper necklace.

Tiffany & Co.

Founded in New York in 1837, Tiffany & Co. remains the definitive American jewelry house — the Tiffany Setting alone changed how the world thinks about engagement rings. Under Chief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille, the house unveiled its 2026 Blue Book collection, Hidden Garden, at a Park Avenue Armory gala attended by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Naomi Watts, and Amanda Seyfried. Entry-level fine jewelry runs roughly $1,500 to $5,000, with Tiffany Setting engagement rings starting around $4,000 to $6,000 depending on carat weight.

Chanel Fine Jewelry

No house connects its founder’s personal identity to a jewelry line quite like Chanel. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel created Bijoux de Diamants in 1932 — often cited as the world’s first true high jewelry collection from a fashion house — and the Camélia line that followed, built around the camellia flower she wore as a personal emblem, remains the label’s most recognizable fine jewelry signature today. Rendered in 18k gold with or without diamonds, Camélia pieces range from smooth brushed-gold petals to fully paved diamond versions, giving the collection real range between everyday fine jewelry and statement pieces.

Anita Ko

Founded in Los Angeles in 2006, Anita Ko has built one of the most celebrity-embedded fine jewelry brands working today, worn everywhere from red carpets to airport arrivals by Rihanna, Michelle Obama, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Gwyneth Paltrow. The diamond and gold designs sit deliberately between everyday and statement, wearable enough for daily rotation but with the diamond weight to hold up next to a gown. Entry pieces like spike studs start around $400 to $640, with the range extending well into five and six figures for fully diamond-paved statement designs.

Foundrae

Founded in New York in 2015 by Beth Hutchens, Foundrae works almost entirely in 18k solid gold, building its identity around symbolic medallions and talismans meant to represent the wearer’s personal values rather than pure decoration. The brand has become something of an editorial darling precisely because its design language feels considered rather than trend-driven, each piece meant to be layered and lived in rather than saved for occasions. Earrings start around $925, with necklaces typically running $3,400 to $4,700 and bracelets or rings from $4,000 to $8,600 and up.

Mateo New York

Founded by Matthew Harris in 2009 and relaunched as a women’s fine jewelry house in 2014, Mateo New York works in 14k gold, diamonds, and cultured pearls with a minimalist, sculptural sensibility drawn from modern art. The brand has quietly built one of the more diverse celebrity followings in contemporary fine jewelry, worn by Meghan Markle, Bella Hadid, Kerry Washington, and Simone Biles. It’s positioned as the most approachable entry point of this group, though exact pricing wasn’t confirmed in research — worth a quick site check before publishing specific figures.

Graff

Founded in London in 1960 by Laurence Graff, Graff has built its reputation almost entirely on exceptional stones rather than design trends — the house is as much a diamond authority as a jeweler, known for sourcing and cutting some of the rarest colored diamonds in the world. Its Graff Butterfly motif marked its 50th anniversary in 2025, and the house presented its 2026 High Jewelry campaign at Paris Couture Week. Graff does not publish fixed entry pricing, positioning itself instead around bespoke and rare-stone acquisition — worth a direct inquiry before publishing a specific figure.

Harry Winston

Founded in New York in 1932, Harry Winston earned the nickname “King of Diamonds” for a client list and stone collection that includes some of history’s most famous gems, including the Hope Diamond, which Winston himself once owned before donating it to the Smithsonian. The house continues to build on its New York Collection and Winston Cluster designs, though it enters 2026 without a major new headline collection or leadership change to point to — worth watching for fresh news before this runs. Fine jewelry starts around $5,000 for smaller diamond pieces.

Boucheron

The oldest jeweler on Place Vendôme, having arrived at No. 26 in 1893, Boucheron was founded in Paris in 1858 and remains best known for its Quatre collection, four interlocking gold textures representing four generations of the house. Creative director Claire Choisne released two collections for 2026, including one paying direct tribute to founder Frédéric Boucheron, and the Kering-owned house has been cited as a leading growth driver in the group’s high jewelry division. A Quatre Radiant thin band starts around $1,920 to $2,340.

David Webb

Founded in New York in 1948, David Webb built an unmistakable American identity around bold enamel animal motifs — zebras, dragons, frogs — rendered in 18k gold with a graphic confidence that made Jackie Kennedy compare Webb to Cellini. The house was acquired by Middle West Partners in 2025 under new CEO James Weiss, with creative direction retained by Mark Emanuel, and opened a new boutique at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito in November 2025. Fine jewelry runs considerably higher than most houses on this list, with rings starting around $19,000 and cuffs from $45,000.

Repossi

Founded in Turin in 1957 by Costantino Repossi, Repossi has become the house most associated with avant-garde minimalism in high jewelry under creative director Gaia Repossi, the third generation of the family to lead it since 2007. Its Place Vendôme flagship, opened in 1986 and redesigned in 2016 by Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, remains one of the square’s most architecturally distinctive boutiques. LVMH has held a majority stake since 2018, and the house’s current cultural moment includes Emma Stone wearing Repossi at the 2026 Oscars. Pieces start under $1,000 for signature designs like the Antifer and Berbère lines, with high jewelry reaching into seven figures — an unusually wide range that makes Repossi one of the more accessible entry points into serious high jewelry.

At a Glance

The Maisons

The Definitive Maison: Cartier | Whimsical High Craftsmanship: Van Cleef & Arpels | Bold Italian Color: Bulgari | The American Icon: Tiffany & Co. | Rare Diamond Authority: Graff | Rare Diamond Provenance: Harry Winston | Cannes Red Carpet Signature: Chopard | Place Vendôme Pedigree: Boucheron | Imperial Heritage: Chaumet | Hand-Engraved Goldsmithing: Buccellati | Bold American Enamel Work: David Webb | Avant-Garde Minimalism: Repossi | Founder-Driven Heritage: Chanel

The New Guard

Celebrity-Favorite Diamonds: Anita Ko | Meaningful, Layerable Gold: Foundrae | Sculptural Minimalism: Mateo New York

FAQs

What are the best fine jewelry brands to know in 2026? The best fine jewelry brands to know in 2026 include Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Graff, and Boucheron, alongside newer-generation houses like Repossi.

Which fine jewelry brand is known for rare diamonds? Graff and Harry Winston are both best known for sourcing and cutting exceptional and rare diamonds.

What is the most affordable entry point into true high jewelry? Repossi offers signature pieces starting under $1,000, alongside Van Cleef & Arpels’s Sweet Alhambra line starting around $1,600.

Which fine jewelry brands are owned by LVMH? Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Chaumet, and Repossi are all part of LVMH’s watch and jewelry division.

Which fine jewelry brands are owned by Richemont? Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Buccellati are all owned by Richemont.

What is Cartier’s most iconic jewelry design? The Panthère, Trinity, and Juste un Clou are Cartier’s three most iconic and enduring jewelry designs.

The best experiences are the ones you can’t book online. Unlock bespoke itineraries, private aviation, and VIP access at 500+ properties across 120+ countries through Haute Black — the exclusive platform built from 20 years of Haute Living’s extensive network. Become a Haute Black member today: [email protected].