Leo De Vroomen, a Dutch goldsmith, and Ginnie De Vroomen, an English artist and jewellery designer, are the husband and wife duo behind the De Vroomen brand, which produced high-end jewellery for more than 50 years. Renowned for their use of bold sculptural shapes within their pieces, De Vroomen places a focus on ensuring their jewellery is both visually exciting, and a “pleasure to wear”.

Lot 472: De Vroomen. A large 18ct gold star sapphire necklace
Estimate: £3,000 - £5,000Leo grew up in the Netherlands as one of eight siblings. After deciding against joining the family’s tulip business, he moved to Switzerland to do an apprenticeship in The Hague, where he qualified as a Master Goldsmith. In 1965, he moved to London to Lecture at the Central School of Art and Design.

Ginnie De Vroomen’s interest in the art world took root through the medium of fashion, leading to her studying the subject at Kingston School of Art in London. Upon stumbling across the world of design for jewellery, she moved on to the Central school of Art and Design. It was here where Leo and Ginnie’s paths first crossed, with Ginnie being assigned Leo as her tutor. The pair went on to establish De Vroomen Design Ltd collaboratively in 1976.

Their combined efforts led to international acclaim, with their pieces boasting both bold gemstones and being praised for their fine craftsmanship and enamel work. The key theme throughout both of their designs was an emphasis on quality rather than fleeting trends, with Leo being frequently quoted to have said "My work is not influenced by the vagaries of fashion."

Lot 393: Leo De Vroomen for Amr Shaker, An 18ct gold ring
Price Realised: £2,230 (March 2024)

Their work has been honoured on multiple occasions, most notably by the Goldsmiths Company, who celebrated their work with a retrospective exhibition at the Goldsmith’s Hall in 1991, and then again in 2017 (‘De Vroomen: Harmony In Colour And Form’) to celebrate 50 years of the couple’s creative partnership.  

Leo sadly passed in early 2025, and the company is no longer producing pieces, but his artistry still lives on in the pieces that occasionally emerge within the auction world, as well as within the paintings that Ginnie continues to create.

Lot 236: An 18ct gold Zodiac pendant by Leo De Vroomen
Price Realised: £3,900 (June 2020)