A masterful blend of imperial wonder and ill-fated romance, our debut jewelry collection is named for the love story of Napoleon Bonaparte and his empress, Joséphine de Beauharnais.
legacy & lore
It is said of young Joséphine that a fortune teller spoke greatness over her future—divining her path to go beyond even the title of Queen. Fabrication or fate, the moment Napoleon met Joséphine's eyes across a ballroom, it is undeniable that their tangled souls would be writ upon stone as the love story of the century.
“Incessantly I live over in my memory your caresses, your tears, your affectionate solicitude…To live within Joséphine is to live in the Elysian fields."
guardian of his heart
The central locket worn in the opening image is inspired by Napoleon’s deep love for Joséphine de Beauharnais. He mailed her passionate letters from his campaigns, and, even after their separation, kept his undying love for her close to his heart. As for the coins, cast from vintage pieces, we imagine the jewelry as the Greeks might have—tokens of affection and promises to pass to the realm beyond.
the rise & fall of a romantic empire
“Your tears rob me of reason, and inflame my blood. Believe me it is not in my power to have a single thought which is not of thee, or a wish I could not reveal to thee.”
Napoleon's letters to Joséphine reveal his unbridled devotion, yet as the ancients say—the brightest flames must dwindle soon to ash.
Five years of passion splintered into silence as these lovers fell apart, yet this was not their end.
Valour Lion Stud Earrings
A hundred moons after their divorce, crumpled upon his deathbed, Napoleon is said to have cried out for Joséphine one last time.
And though it is but a rumor, his last breath was released across the words of Joséphine eternally captured in her final letter.
These pieces of jewelry are regal, heartfelt, and enchanting, inspired by the coins, shields, and fleur-de-lis of Old World France. Every piece holds a story of the sort Joséphine was renowned to tell, taken from portraiture, records, and tales of noble lore.
Hand Pendant Necklace
jewelry for star-crossed lovers
One might not suspect Napoleon of being enraptured by the stars, those timeless symbols of the divine feminine and guiding light, yet his belief in their counsel was profound, his trust unreserved. This dreamy, mismatched pair of crescent moon and star jewelry reminds us to seek our destiny, holding faith in their light.
Found in two pairs of earrings, a necklace, and two charms.
“Without his Josephine, without the assurance of her love, what is left him upon earth? What can he do?”
gilded cage & golden chains
Mathilde Necklace
Simple, evocative, and set with a green stone to harken the tranquility of the natural world, this necklace is named for Princesse Mathilde who painted her own path in the Bonaparte legacy with watercolor and design.
This piece of jewelry is a customer favorite, with its unique drop chain and bright jewel that would enhance any summer ensemble, garden party fit, wedding dress, or formal event.
Also seen in the breakout 2023 Hulu film, The Menu, adorning the neck of a film critic. Filmed in Savannah, we got to watch the costume designer sort through our jewelry before walking away with this treasure in hand!
Mathilde Green Drop Necklace
Merengo Pegasus Intaglio Bracelet
This elegant bracelet is punctuated with a lucky pegasus intaglio encircled with pearls and black diamond crystal pavé, yielding a dreamy, romantic aesthetic to whomever wears it.
We named the piece for Merengo, Napoleon’s trusted horse that carried him safety in and out of battle and home to his true love.
Wear this to the MET or your local art museum, to a date night or cocktail party, knowing it will stand out among the more modern jewelry as a piece plucked from a painting.
charms enchanting as a lost empress
While antiquing in France, we discovered a small collection of vintage religious emblems and prayer coins. This line of charms is cast from those original, unique pieces, detailing a crest of arms, old coins, Fleur-de-Lis Long associated with French royalty as a symbol of power and grace, and the Madonna motif.
One side of the saint charm depicts the blessed virgin Mary while the other holds a fervent heart, cast into a delicate charm.
This was once used for ritual in the Catholic tradition, understood by the phrasing “Our lady of peace, pray for us” and “Peace of the lord be with you always.”
French Tulip Earrings
Joséphine’s gardens at her Malmaison estate were reputed to hold a glorious array of flora and fauna the likes of which France had yet to see—among them, rows of elegant tulip stems cultivated by the Dutch, and renamed for the French soil they now called home. Golden petals fluttered apart like a painter’s strokes, and on the brightest mornings dewdrops clung like pearls.
La Semeuse Coin Pendant Necklace, Joséphine Charm Bracelet
About Fallen Aristocrat
Fallen Aristocrat is a jewelry line inspired by travel, history, and imperfect things that tell a story. Handmade in the United States, the jewelry is cast in brass and luxuriously plated in antiqued gold for a storied look of time.
Designer Paula Danyluk, owner of the renowned Paris Market in Savannah, Georgia, has long been drawn to things with a past. Musing on her own personal collection of vintage charms and French coins, she set out to create a new generation of heirloom jewelry by creating pieces that feel at once extravagant and everyday, modern with a vintage appeal.
Our debut collection of Fallen Aristocrat is named the First Empire and features four series: Bonaparte, Romonov, Museum, and Lover’s Eye—but we've added on others since. Explore them in our collections at the top of the site!
All fine photography is by Jamie Beck, featuring model Louis Pascal at Chateau Gudanes in 2018.