Christofle

Christofle is the ambassador for French dining culture since 1830. The legendary French silversmith enchants formal and informal occasions with the magical aura of silver. The motto of the house: “Made for sharing”.

Pioneering in its field, Christofle has helped shape the French “Arts de la Table”. The house was among the first to combine silverware, crystal and china to the ultimate expression of hospitality. A dressed table speaks – with silver cutlery by Christofle, its message becomes poetry.

Christofle’s style has always been modern and innovative. The house draws inspiration from the current zeitgeist for new silverware patterns and collaborates with world-renowned designers. Christofle’s collections cover the four styles contemporary, heritage, abstract and classic.

Entertain your guests with Christofle cutlery that suits your style. Choose from first-class-quality stainless steel cutlery, silver pated cutlery and sterling silver cutlery. Many silverware patterns include large French style dinner cutlery, standard size cutlery, fish cutlery, dessert cutlery and serving cutlery.

Highest quality from the silversmiths of Christofle

Precious materials, timeless elegance, iconic aesthetics: highest quality has always been the mission of the house, starting from its founder Charles Christofle. His values determine the style of Christofle to this day.

Christofle manufactures its cutlery in traditional handicraft. The knowledge of the craft of silversmithing is Christofle’s highest asset. Its artisans pass on their irreplaceable knowledge from generation to generation. Their living heritage is the source of Christofle’s elegance and excellence.

An ambassador of the French art of living, Christofle silver is at home in the world’s finest restaurants. Refined and charming, Christofle silverware blends into sophisticated room designs and illuminates them with the discreet brilliance of silver.

Christofle is a founding member of the renowned Comité Colbert.

Cutting-edge silverware – The history of Christofle

In 1830, the jeweller Charles Christofle founded his own goldsmith’s shop. He refined everyday objects with gold and silver to create unique artefacts, from jewellery to cutlery to sculptures. In 1842, he acquired the patents on galvanic silver-plating and gilding, also known as electroplating. With these technologies, he would soon change the art of goldsmithing and silversmithing forever.

In electroplating, specially prepared workpieces are immersed in a bath containing precious metal and then subjected to an electric current. The precious metal collects on the surface of the pieces, forming a durable and perfectly uniform coating.

While electroplating is irreplaceable for many industries today, Charles Christofle entered uncharted waters with his decision. The manufactory in the heart of Paris was one of the first workshops in the world to use electricity.

Christofle was able to produce objects of any size, from tiny to gigantic, with better-quality coatings in higher quantities than ever before. They made the beauty of gold and silver accessible to a new social class; silver cutlery found its way into the middleclass households of Europe.

Monumental works by Christofle

Excellence attracts excellence: Christofle was the court supplier to the French King Louis-Philippe I and later Napoleon III. Enthusiasm for Christofle silver extended across the globe to the Emperor of Japan, who commissioned custom-made vases.

Over the decades, Christofle expanded its technologies and realised unique works of art. Monumental works can be found all over Europe, from renowned restaurants to the Elysée Palace.

Christofle manufactured the largest galvanised statue in the world, which towers over the city of Marseille. The eleven-metre-high gilded statue of the Virgin Mary stands on the tower of Notre-Dame de la Garde; it is visible throughout the city since 1870.

The Opéra Garnier on the right bank of the Seine in Paris is the original setting for the story of the Phantom of the Opera. Above its façade, several metre-high gilded groups of figures are enthroned on the left and right, designed by Charles Gumery and realised by Christofle.

Tableware and silver cutlery by Christofle were also part of epoch-making projects. Christofle furnished the Orient Express in 1883 with fine silverware and produced 45,000 flatware pieces for the legendary cruise ship SS Normandie.

The creative talent behind gold and silver from Christofle

Christofle’s cutlery ranges are made to last for centuries. Their design studio works with renowned artists and designers to create immortal designs that reflect the spirit of their time.

The world-famous Italian architect and designer Gio Ponti worked with Christofle for more than 50 years. His design language informs Christofle’s style to this day.

The Vertigo collection by the internationally renowned French designer Andrée Putman softens strict silhouettes with organic ring details.

The Jardin d’Eden collection by Marcel Wanders creates exciting contrasts as its baroque plant motifs break with its simple style.

The popular Mood collection regularly appears in limited artist special editions. International greats such as Karl Lagerfeld, Pharrell Williams and Jean Imbert or Junichi Hakose build bridges between classic silver cutlery and pop culture.

The Christofle silver stamps – authentic silver cutlery from France

Objects made of silver bear silver hallmarks, also called silver marks, assay marks, silver stamps or maker’s marks. The same applies to objects made of gold. The marks document an object’s origin and its fineness.

In Europe, different standards for silver hallmarks have developed over the centuries. Since France uses its own historical system, Christofle’s stamps have a long tradition and high symbolic value. Christofle silver can be identified and verified by its hallmarks.

We only offer new Christofle silverware from the manufactory. Silverware currently produced by Christofle bears two silver hallmarks: the official assay mark of France and the in-house maker’s mark. In France, every silver article weighing more than 30 grams and every gold article weighing more than three grams is required to bear these two stamps.

The French assay stamp for silver has shown the head of the goddess Minerva inside a rectangle since 1838. A Roman I stands for the “first grade” or .925 fineness silver (sterling silver), a Roman II for the “second grade” or .800 fineness silver. Pure silver is too soft for articles of daily use.

The French hallmark for gold has been an eagle’s head since 1919. The common fineness for gold jewellery and cutlery is .750, the “third grade”. Just like pure silver, gold alloys with a higher gold content are too soft and delicate for cutlery.

The silversmith’s maker’s mark in France consists of a freely chosen symbol and the maker’s initials inside a diamond shape. Christofle has used the image of a knight from the game of chess next to the initials “OC” since 1935.

Some Christofle collections bear unique maker’s marks with individual meanings. Christofle’s limited collectors’ pieces also bear a third mark with the year of manufacture.

The Christofle universe

Everything for the cultivated table setting: Christofle fills your interiors with magic for every occasion. Discover the range, from cutlery to coffee sets and napkin rings to candlesticks and picture frames.

Christofle cutlery is a timeless investment that will stay with you for a lifetime. Find your style among classic patterns such as Albi, Malmaison, Marly, Jardin d’Eden and Mood.

The table accessories of the Vertigo collection fit seamlessly into any table arrangement. Glassware, porcelain, picture frames and trays bring the shine of fine silver to every corner of your interior.

Buy securely online or, if you prefer, call us on 01458 258 458 to place an order or ask for help and advice. Alternatively, contact us here. We’re here to help!