This rare and documented Chanel seed pearl and gold chain link necklace was designed for the spring/summer 1978 haute couture collection by J. Cazaubon and Y. Dudel. Gabrielle Chanel had past away in 1971 and several of her assistants led the design teams until 1982 when Karl Lagerfeld was appointed creative director.

This single strand sautoir was likely crafted by Robert Goossens, a long time jewellery collaborator with Chanel after she returned to Paris in 1954; it simply slips on over the head. The necklace is made up of glistening white seed pearls, threaded in spirals around gold-plated bars. The chain is formed of gold-plated twisted pieces which look like 'barbed wire' and the final adornment is the spherical gold-toned beads which are engraved in vertical lines.

Identifying early Chanel haute couture jewellery is a time-consuming and painstaking process. Jewellery pieces were often handcrafted and one-of-one; they were selected to go with the presentation outfits of a collection and were rarely retailed. This necklace has rare provenance and I purchased it directly from the vendor who's father had been a senior member of Chanel's financial management team in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been in Circa's collection for over 15 years.

Made in France, this necklace is in good archival vintage condition. Clearly an assembly of components, each have aged separately and the gold elements are slightly different tonally. This is more noticeable with the necklace in-hand than when worn. One of the wires linking a chain element may also be a discreet repair but this is tiny and very minor. The seed pearls are holding up well with minimal nacre loss. None of these issues detract when the item is being worn and this necklace can be both enjoyed by avid Chanel collectors and wearers of fine costume jewellery or couture.

MEASUREMENTS

LENGTH - 43 in. (109 cm)