The most ancient jewelry store in Europe «Heursel»
Founded in 1745.

Heursel 1745, what is it, who is it?

This is a quasi legendary family epopee, being evolved on several generations, within several centuries as far as we are concerned. This is a saga Heursel, This is our saga.    

It’s true that the jewelry Heursel begins its glorious history in 1745; it’s also true, that the initial corner exists starting from 1675. So, Heursel keeps this legend place during already 260 years. What had happened between 1675 and 1745, during these 70 years? A little bit of history: during this period, Louis XV, the king of France reigns in Belgium and he wins the battle of Fontenoy in Hainaut, so Belgium appears under the French domination. The name of the street «Longue la monnaie » (Long of coins) was not given just by chance, first of all the street is really long and secondary, the French government at that time, exactly at the corner of the street  was «stamping the coins». Golden and silver money (écus at that time) was manufactured at the corner of the street for the north part of France,  However with time, this place starts to be too small for coins manufacture and Judocus Frans Cappaert becomes established as a jeweler -goldsmith. The house at the corner is called then « The king of Spain » and from that time on, 119 m2 from the part of the street Haut port belongs to the house as well. 

In 1818, his brother Bernardus buys 51M2 from the part of the street Longue la monnaie In 1879 Victor Heursel-De Meester establishes himself as a jeweler –goldsmith and a manufacturer of large scale. He is originating from de Roulers family; they become manufacturers. Thus the manufacture was born. En 1888, Victor gives the business, which was expanding more and more, to his brother Jules Duyvewaert.

The 13 August 1912, the daughter of these last ones, Augusta Heursel, marries Jules De Waele and transforms in the same time the store in an area of more than 180 m2 by annexing two different houses. In 1929, the son of Jules and Augusta, marries the daughter of the doctor Reysenaer, named Marguerite, and in 1936 for the first time changes this big area in a revolutionary style. He does it the second time in 1958, on the occasion of the Universal exposition in Brussels, to finally incorporate the entrance at the corner in more harmonious style. In Juin 1964, their son Jean marries Anne-Marie Ponsar. They continue the works and give a quite new look to a store in 1970. The most important works for consolidation were performed to assure the continuation of business. In 1976 Jean De Waele receives the professional title of a certified Jeweler what gives to Heursel its repute and which opens the doors at the international level as well as to the Society of Experts of Belgium and Judicial Experts. Jean has at his disposal more than 3500 slides of inclusions, one of the biggest collections in Europe. His Majesty the King of Belgium will recognize the merits and qualities of the Heursel family, by delivering to Jean De Waele and his wife the worthy tributes in form of Bronze prize of Belgium works laureate in 1973, Silver prize in 1981 and Golden prize in 1990.

From 1977, a new stage has begun. Carine De Waele, the daughter of Jean and Anne-Marie gets in her turn the certificate of qualification in the Association for gold-smiths in Great Britain, and this assure again the continuation of the dynasty Heursel till the intake of her brother Eric. Eric De Waele recaptures the business in January 1989, after having received the diploma of Adviser and Manager in Jewelry and Watch making in Lausanne (1984), as well the diploma of the graduated gold-smith of Hoge Raad voor Diamant in 1990. To continue without slackening the pace of his predecessors, he will transform from top to bottom the whole building. This house of dreams where so mush golden sweat had poured is now one of the most important houses of the country which gives to the whole street Longue La monnaie and to the whole quarter the greatness of the fabulous corner where they forge the gold and the platinum by hand. In 1910 Jules HEURSEL had created the group of jewelries: The association for Jewelers and Watchmakers of Gent nowadays is under the lead of Eric De Waele. The manufacture is specialized in high-quality personalized jewelry, jewelry which is totally exclusive and which is made by hand. « Heursel 1745 maintains its repute for its quality and its service»