Once Upon a Wrist: Les Néréides' Whimsical Fairy Tale Jewellery Collection

Who says jewellery has to be serious?

There is a particular kind of joy reserved for jewellery that makes people stop, lean in, and say: wait — is that the Three Little Pigs? A kind of joy that does not apologise for itself. That refuses to choose between beautiful and playful, between artisan and whimsical.

At Les Néréides, this has always been central to who we are. Since our founding in Paris in 1980, we have believed that jewellery is most powerful when it tells a story — and what better stories exist than the ones that shaped us before we were old enough to know they were doing so?

The 2026 season brings three extraordinary narrative collections: The Tales, The Fables, and The Multiverse. Together, they form the most ambitious exploration of storytelling jewellery we have ever produced.

The Tales Collection: Five Stories, Infinitely Wearable

Short stories that span generations — tales and their storytelling shape our imagination and our perception of the world. We encounter these early antagonists and heroes as children, but they follow us through life, taking on new forms as we view them through the lens of experience, age, and culture.

The Tales collection translates five of the most beloved into wearable miniatures, each hand-painted with meticulous attention to detail:

• Goldilocks and the Three Bears — a golden-haired girl and her bear companion, suspended on pearl-drop earrings
• Puss in Boots — the swaggering black cat in his red boots, set against a daisy posy on stud earrings
• The Three Little Pigs — three distinct pigs (including one industrious bricklayer) on a pendant necklace threaded with sapphire-blue satin
• Little Red Riding Hood — a sweet red-caped figure with a wolf mask, on a ring set with an artificial pearl, and as a bracelet charm
• Alice in Wonderland — Alice herself, in her pinafore, and her Cheshire Cat companion on a satin cord bracelet

These are, as we describe them: "designed for curious little ones and chatty grown-ups alike." Which, if you think about it, is most of us.

The Fables Collection: Morals Made Wearable

The fables are a different kind of story. Where fairy tales trade in wonder and transformation, fables deal in human nature — the vice and virtue that live inside all of us, dressed in animal form so we can see them more clearly.

The Fables collection is built around three: The Fox and the Crow, The Ugly Duckling, and The Tortoise and the Hare.

The Ugly Duckling necklace is perhaps the most visually striking piece in the collection: a grey duckling and a luminous white swan suspended together on a single chain, connected by their shared story. A bracelet carries three small duckling charms along a delicate gold chain. The Tortoise and Hare earrings — a green tortoise and a hurrying rabbit in his waistcoat, set beneath faceted crystal — are equally irresistible. And the Fox and the Crow brooch brings the full scene to life: the vain crow, the clever fox, a wedge of cheese, and the inevitable moment of moral reckoning.

As we put it: "The fox or the tortoise, the hare or the crow — which do you identify with most?" These pieces invite that question every time you wear them.

The Multiverse Collection: When Stories Collide

What happens when fairy tales exist in the same universe? What if Alice, instead of chasing the rabbit, met Little Red Riding Hood on the way to the woods? What if they arrived at Grandmother's house together, played cards with jam-covered hands, and decided the afternoon was too beautiful to ruin with a wolf?

The Multiverse collection holds this playful premise. It brings together four characters from four stories — Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, the Ugly Duckling, and the Tortoise and the Hare — in a series of pieces that imagine their crossover.

A necklace shows Little Red Riding Hood sitting in a flower swing surrounded by wolves and cherry blossoms. Another shows Alice riding a swallow in flight, clutching an Ace of Hearts. A woven bracelet carries the rabbit, a clock, a wicker basket, and a jar of jam — all the narrative props of an afternoon well spent.

These are collectible, conversational, genuinely joyful pieces. They are also impeccably crafted — hand-painted enamel, artificial pearl, satin cord — in the Les Néréides Paris atelier.

Who Wears Fairy Tale Jewellery?

Anyone who has ever felt that the most interesting people in the room are the ones who refuse to take themselves entirely seriously. Artists, teachers, writers, lovers of children's literature, collectors of beautiful things. Gift-givers looking for something that will surprise and delight someone who thought they'd seen everything.

These collections also make exceptional gifts for significant birthdays, for teachers and librarians, for anyone embarking on something new. The Ugly Duckling necklace, in particular, has a quiet power as a gift of encouragement.

Explore the full range of Tales, Fables, and Multiverse collections at Les Néréides Australia. And if the storytelling in these collections speaks to you, you might also love our Pendants collection, where you can assemble your own cast of characters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is whimsical jewellery?

Whimsical jewellery refers to pieces designed with a sense of storytelling, playfulness, and imagination — often featuring characters, animals, or narrative scenes rather than abstract geometric forms. Les Néréides has been producing handcrafted whimsical jewellery since 1980, and it sits at the heart of the brand's identity.

What fairy tales are featured in the Les Néréides Tales collection?

The Tales collection features Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Puss in Boots, The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and Alice in Wonderland. Each story is rendered across earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets in hand-painted miniature detail.

Is fairy tale jewellery appropriate for adults?

Absolutely. Les Néréides designs are described as crafted for "curious little ones and chatty grown-ups alike" — and it is the grown-ups who tend to wear them with the most conviction. These are sophisticated, handcrafted pieces that happen to be joyful.

What is the Les Néréides Multiverse collection?

The Multiverse collection imagines a world where fairy tale and fable characters — Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, the Ugly Duckling, and the Tortoise and Hare — inhabit the same story. Each piece brings characters from different tales together in a single composition.

Where can I buy Les Néréides fairy tale jewellery in Australia?

The Tales, Fables, and Multiverse collections are available at lesnereidesaustralia.com.au and in our Melbourne and Chatswood Chase boutiques. New season pieces are available now.