Christofle Creates Silver Crowns As Art Objects

Sterling silver crown with black onyx accents

For anyone obsessed with royalty or if you just want to add a bit of royal flair in your life, you can now own a hand-crafted crown with much of the ornamental details that adorn traditional crowns historically worn by kings and queens. 

Christofle, the French luxury silver company, has teamed with Los Angeles-based interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard to produce two silver crowns. These crowns lack the priceless gems that adorn royal crowns. In addition, they are not meant to be worn. Instead, they are art objects to be displayed. But one can still dream. 

The collection of two crowns is called Silver Kingdom. Christofle built the crowns at its Haute Orfèvrerie atelier based on Bullard’s design. It is their debut collection together. For Christofle, it is part of a larger project in which the silver company teams with designers to create new pieces. 

Silver plated crown with gold accents

“I have always been fascinated with silver and its sensuous qualities, from the time I began collecting silver spoons as a child,” said Bullard, known for his A-List clientele as well as having his work appear in more than 4,000 publications around the world. “Silver Kingdom reflects my love of the materials and craftsmanship for which Christofle is renowned.”

Christofle said that despite the traditional theme, the collection is a reflection of its “modern spirit.” It was inspired by Christofle’s legacy as silversmith to France’s King Louis-Philippe and the House of Orléans. Bullard’s designs for the collection were influenced by the shape and form of the original French crown jewels. 

The collection features a large sterling silver crown produced in a numbered, limited-edition run of 20, customizable with embellishments and stones including onyx. It retails for $10,000. The second piece is a smaller silver-plated crown with gold accents, which retails for $2,500. Both objects can be customized and crafted to a buyer’s specification. 

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