THE EARLY YEARS
THE LEGENDARY YEARS
THE VINTAGE YEARS
THE NEW GENERATION
THE EARLY YEARS
In 1875, 27-year-old goldsmith Julius Hügler established his first address for high jewelry at Freisingergasse 4, “Am Peter.” From the start, the new label was embraced enthusiastically, first by the Viennese haute bourgeoisie and aristocracy and then—in the same generation—by the Imperial Court. As early as 1899, Hügler was appointed Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court, a coveted privilege that entailed the task of providing the House of Habsburg with high jewelry and valuable goods. In the early days of a very promising and future-minded 20th century, Heinz Hügler took over the family business and led the already highly renowned label to new international acclaim.
As early as 1924, a Hügler store opened at the fashionable spa town Bad Gastein, the place-to-be for the upper class of these days.
At the legendary 1925 world exhibition “Exposition internationale des Arts Décoratifs et industriels modernes” in Paris, the Maison Hügler was awarded a Medaille d‘Or for its innovative aesthetics, which essentially coined the new term of “Art Deco.”
1928 a Hügler store followed in Cairo, the buzzing metropolis of the recently established Kingdom of Egypt. Stores in Berlin, Germany; and Carlsbad, Bohemia, followed.
THE LEGENDARY YEARS
1939: through the marriage of young Elisabeth Hügler, the noble name of Kriegs-Au was added to the family‘s genealogy.
1949: immediately after World War II, the label traveled to South America and opened a first branch in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Until 1961, Hügler‘s creations were cherished there by the fast-growing set of wealthy, ambitious local customers. “Brazillionaires” such as “Baby” Pignatari or Jorge Guinle were among the luxury clientele coming from high finance, film and industry.
In the following decades, the likes of Reza Pahlevi, Shah of Iran, and his Queen Soraya or King Hussein I of Jordan and his luxury-affine wife, Queen Noor are among the regular customers of Maison Hügler. But also the Aga Khan loves to pamper his frequently changing escorts such as “lavender blonde” actress Kim Novak with masterpieces from this highly distinguished label.
A close friend and client of legendary diamond broker Roger Varenne, Heinz-Georg Kriegs-Au, head of the Hügler family in its fourth generation, enjoyed direct access to the most precious stones available; from the finest diamonds on the international market to exquisite emeralds from the mines of Bogotá.
THE VINTAGE YEARS
From 1965 until 1975, the best years of this top-notch society event, Hügler performed as main sponsor of the Vienna Opera Ball, creating luscious “Damenspenden,” small gifts for the ladies of the ball, and beautifying the debutantes.
In the seventies, Hügler created a widely noted honorary coin to commemorate Maria Leopoldina of Austria, the legendary Empress consort of Brazil.
In the sixties, Hügler designed a lavishly beautiful diamond brooch for actor Richard Burton. In December 2011, from the estate of Liz Taylor this brooch was sold at auction for a record amount at Christie’s New York.
Throughout these decades, the name of Hügler was considered in a line with Harry Winston of New York or Louis Cartier of Paris and became synonymous with first-rate jewelry and hand-picked diamonds of unparalleled quality and workmanship.
THE NEW GENERATION
After challenges at Chopard, Geneva, as well as main assessor of the Vienna Dorotheum and a large German auction house, master goldsmith and diamond and jewelry expert Franziskus Amazonas Julius Kriegs-Au in the 5th generation took over the Viennese legend “Julius Hügler”.
In May 2019, he opens a new shop at the exclusive Vienna city center address Habsburgergasse 9, continuing the family’s established tradition of fine jewelry.
Julius Hügler’s strengths today are not just vintage highlights from the Art Deco era upwards, but above all breathtakingly beautiful creations from the own workshop – young and elegant, from classic to innovative. All of it stemming from an unparalleled family history of more than a hundred years.
