Marcel Boucher was born in Paris in 1898. After the "Great War," he became a mold-maker and apprentice designer at Cartier, one of France's most prestigious jewelry houses. In the early 1920s, he transferred to Cartier in New York City. When the depression hit, the demand for fine jewelry waned, and Marcel found work at Mazer Bros., jewelers who specialized in affordable copies of high-end jewelry. He became fascinated with the apparently limitless design possibilities of costume jewelry, and, in 1937, Marcel and Arthur Halberstadt founded "Marcel Boucher Ltd. Novelty Jewelry," a successful partnership with Marcel in charge of design and manufacturing and Arthur sales and financial operations. In 1944, they changed the company name to "Marcel Boucher & Cie."

Marcel's pieces featured intricate metalwork, rhinestones that could pass for precious gems, top-quality faux pearls and the artistry of his colorful enamel work. Marcel gained fame, in particular, for his bold, imaginative enameled pieces: brooches shaped like fruits, animals, and human figures. His fantasy bird pieces were glorious with their bright enamels, richly colored stones, and three-dimensional design that makes them look ready to take flight. Marcel loved mechanics, and he incorporated moving parts into his jewelry. "Punchinello," a court jester, raises his arms and legs when a chain is pulled; a pelican opens his beak to catch a fish; and flower petals open and close in his "Night and Day" flower series.

During World War II, the white metal used in costume jewelry was restricted to military use, and so jewelers used sterling silver. Marcel moved to Mexico for the duration of the war to be close to the abundant supply of silver. While there, he created his line, "Parisina," so-called in honor of his beloved France and the traditional artistry of Mexican silversmiths. When the war ended, Marcel moved back to New York City, where he experimented with Cubist-inspired pieces and began to produce parures to wear with the newly feminine post-war fashions.

In 1949, Arthur left the business, and Sandra Raymonde Semensohm became Marcel's assistant. Sandra was a well-respected jewelry designer in her own right, and the two became the power couple of costume jewelry. In October 1964, Sandra and Marcel were married, and in January 1965, he died. Sandra ran the company for a few years, but she was more designer than a businessperson. In 1970, she sold the business to Davorn Industries, continuing with the company as a designer of watches, marking them "Marcel Boucher." In 1979, Davorn was sold to D'Orlan Industries of Toronto, who continued to use Marcel's molds. In 1984, D'Orlan partnered with Nina Ricci and remained in business until 2006.