Two Court jewellers now under Chinese management

15/10/2018

The Brussels jewellery houses Wolfers and Leysen, suppliers to the Belgian Court, will now be managed by Chinese investors. Their expertise and reputation have attracted attention from Chinese wanting to conquer their local market. However, these Chinese equity interests in the two jewellers will not change the management of their activities in Belgium.

The art of fine jewellery is booming in Asia, as is the luxury sector in general. It was this that led the Chinese investors to fully research the two iconic Court suppliers, the Wolfers and Leysen houses, with the aim of promoting a strong brand image that could be communicated abroad.

And it is the story of each of these two houses that made the difference. Wolfers was founded in 1812 and forged a reputation thanks to its goldsmithery and its jewellery. The Leysen house became a Royal Warrant Holder in 1982, although it was founded in 1855.

The investors' new strategy will be to open various points of sale in Asia; 45 Derain points of sale will also change their name to "Derain by Wolfers". Some 20 Leysen shops have already opened. In the luxury market, small specialist companies are often taken over by larger groups in order to raise their profile. Lastly, it should be noted that the sites in Belgium are not expected to experience any changes and will retain their autonomy.