VEVER, Paris 18k (750 thousandths) gold and silver necklace consisting of a chain alternating small diamonds and larger diamonds for an estimated total of more than 20 ct. of mainly old mine-cut diamonds and holding flowers on knife-edge mesh. Decorated with a probably fine untested 7.7 mm button pearl. Original velvet and leather case signed by Vever "Ancienne Maison Marret & Baugrand, 19 rue de la Paix, Paris, Grand Prix, Exposition Universelle Paris 1889". Transformation to the attachment of the flowers surrounding the central flower and addition of a few links at the end of the chain near the clasp. Length: 42 cm. Height of central element: 5.3 cm. Gross weight: 64.5 g. The case for this jewel was made to measure precisely for the necklace, as is customary for fine jewellery. The leather, the silk and the velvet part that can be removed to serve as a storage compartment are all there. The imprint on the silk helps to date the jewellery more precisely: Vever "Ancienne Maison Marret & Baugrand, 19 rue de la Paix, Paris, Grand Prix, Exposition Universelle Paris 1889". This means that the necklace was made after 31 October 1889, when the Exposition Universelle closed and the prizes were awarded. The creation of the necklace, the case and the printing of the silk took some time, which means that our jewel can probably be dated between 1890 and 1895, and probably no later. Why would this be? The style of this necklace belongs precisely to the collection created for the Universal Exhibition, which featured two main themes: jewellery bouquets featuring branches, notably of the almond tree, adorned with diamond-paved flowers, and the motif of flower buds and plant umbrellas, which corresponds to the necklace shown here. Paul and Henri Vever surrounded themselves with great artists to enhance their creations, including Georges Fouquet, Lucien Gautrait and many others. However, one of the line's designers has caught our eye in relation to this necklace. René Lalique was a designer for several fine jewellery houses around Place Vendome in Paris, and he also designed for Vever, one of his clients between 1882 and 1885, when he set up his own workshop. It is highly likely that this collaboration lasted beyond this period, as he only began exhibiting his creations from 1894 onwards. The necklace shown here is not in its original form. The extra rings and links prove this. Very often jewellery pieces of this type were designed to be transformable and changed to suit a new generation of owner. From a noble family in Belgium.