144. DEMARET: CULTURED PEARL NECKLACE Composed of a succession of yellow gold links with abstract decoration, holding in the centre a detachable pendant adorned with a drop-shaped grey cultured pearl, signed DEMARET, French import hallmarks for 18K gold (750 ‰), length of pendant 3.90 cm, length of necklace 40.00 cm, gross weight 63.40 g. Fernand Demaret (1929-2013), deeply inspired by pre-Columbian art and its organic and symbolic forms, was a pioneering Belgian goldsmith in the art of modern jewellery. Born into a family of jewellers in Namur, he trained in his father's workshop and then opened his own business in Brussels, rue du Bailli, in 1961. His wife, Liliane Nathalie Mosselmans, played a key role in introducing him to artists such as André Lamy, a former student at the École des Métiers d'Art in Maredsous, which inspired him to adopt a more abstract and modern style. In the 1960s, he founded the Groupe Atelier Demaret, a collective of young goldsmiths trained at Maredsous, including Claude Wesel, Bernard François, Michel Louette and Jean-Pierre Laloux. The group experimented with the lost-wax technique, fusing organic and abstract forms into unique jewellery. Their creations are characterised by bold lines, innovative use of gold and precious stones, and an aesthetic described as "biomechanical" or "modern baroque". The École des Métiers d'Art de Maredsous, founded in 1903, played a key role in this development. Under the guidance of figures such as Abbé Grégoire Watelet, the school encouraged freedom of expression and creativity, training craftsmen who fused art and craft. The Groupe Atelier Demaret has thus left its mark on the history of contemporary Belgian jewellery, combining traditional know-how with artistic innovation.