Eva Bracelet in 18K white gold set one emerald and diamonds; Harmony collection. POA.

www.anakhouri.com

THE HAUTE JOAILLERIE REPORT SUMMER 2019 – PART II

This high jewellery season has been partic-ularly intense with presentations from all the familiar high jewellers plus the launch of not one, but three brand new high jew-ellery houses (the most anticipated being Hortus Deliciarum, GUCCI’s first high jew-ellery collection). Overall this made for a pretty sizzling season with many different creative approaches. The large number of viewed collections also helped me identify a few ‘trends’, if such could be said to exist in the rarefied world of high jewellery. It is true that ‘trend’ and ‘high jewellery’ are not usu-ally associated since the latter is precisely the sector where anything can happen. That said here are a few ideas, common grounds between collections that point to a shared vision of experimental excellence.

Sarafane Necklace in 18K white gold set with diamonds and cultured pearls, worn with Sarafane Earrings in 18K white gold

set with diamonds and cultured pearls ; both “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL”

Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA

www.chanel.com

For a start, there is a definite return of the brooch, as most collections have re-intro-duced them and sometimes in large numbers (e.g. MIKIMOTO’s delightful options from Jardins Mystérieux). There is also the move towards pairing ornamental stones with pre-cious gems (perfectly highlighted as the core concept of Magnitude by CARTIER and covered in my Haute Joaillerie Report Part I). Then the appearance of a new category that I will call ‘high jewelled accessories’: comple-menting high jewellery watches, now come high jewellery glasses (MESSIKA, FRANCIS DE LARA), a divine headband (CHANEL), a delicate necklace that is a scarf (MELLERIO) and the ultimate style-as-you-wish accesso-ry, the Jack Box by BOUCHERON (see full review of the Paris, vu du 26 collection in a separate published article that includes an in-terview of Claire Choisne).

Also noticeable is that particular ways of gem setting have been applied to fit the idea that some gems should not be readily ac-cessed, but rather offered in a case. Gems seized in grids (Threads by GRAFF), caged

Electric Cichlid Necklace in 18K yellow and white gold set with white round brilliant and yellow rough and polished diamonds. The tassel is detachable and suspended from a 3-carat oval-shaped diamond; Portraits of Nature by De Beers. POA.

www.debeers.com

(LOUIS VUITTON in Riders of the Knights), boxed (Tiffany Jewel Box – TIFFANY’s new Blue Book) or nestled (Les Ciels de Chaumet - see full review of the collection in a sepa-rate published article that includes an inter-view of Jean-Marc Mansvelt).

Lastly, a ‘trend’ that only high jewellery could pull off so well. It is all about feel-ing like Cleopatra with wide collar necklac-es that spread like fans around the neckline. Dripping with gemstones, these jewels are not for the fainthearted (look at the Bulgari necklace that is the cover image of my Haute Joaillerie Report Part I to get an idea; there are also beautiful iterations found in the new collections of DAVID MORRIS, BOUCHERON, CARTIER and DE BEERS).

In this Part II, I pursue my review of the col-lections by alphabetical order. Look forward to PART III and IV later this month and you will see why Summer 2019 High Jewellery season has been so exciting.

Dua Lipa wearing both a Haute Joaillerie One-of-a-kind Necklace in 18K white

gold set with 91 white briolette-cut diamonds (approx. 65.369cts) and 912

black diamonds (approx. 17.33cts); and a Haute Joaillerie One-of-a-kind Earrings in

titanium set with two white pear-shaped diamonds (approx. 3.16cts and 3.06cts),

1,288 white diamonds (approx. 31.082cts) and 157 black diamonds (approx. 0.753cts);Modern Beauties. POA.

www.degrisogono.com

Models clad in white silk slip dresses (includ-ing one male model in a white ensemble) lined up on both sides of the exhibition room of Le Musées des Arts Décoratifs, while modelling the new high jewellery pieces of Ana Khouri. In the centre, a huge floral arrangement of tama-risk branches and bright pink peonies divided the long room. The choreography pointed to-wards a sense of purity and bliss…in line with the name of this new collection, Harmony. In this respect, the artist explains that “my own sense of dissociation is at the root of my de-sire to reconnect with nature through my work. An awareness of that has always been essen-tial to my process, but it’s come to have a spe-cial relevance for me. From the beginning, my work has been a way to communicate a sense of harmony, of knowing my place in the world

and being fully present in it.” And what a pres-ence! Khouri seems fully attuned with her ar-tistic free-spirit as well as with the wishes of her collectors, even anticipating how they will want to wear high jewellery. Modernity is in-deed ingrained in all of Khouri’s creations. They are meant to be swapped, stacked and mis-matched; gemstones are set off-centre, and seem to be an extension of the wearer, in sym-biosis with them. Girls and boys are urged to ditch society’s constructs and make the high jewellery pieces their own means of expres-sion. As shown on the models on the day, dia-mond-paved or solid gold earrings easily clip around the auricle, and diamond bands are re-defined; they are rounder, more voluminous, novel solitaire rings when a single oval-cut di-amond sits on their edges.

www.anakhouri.comEva Headpiece in 18K

white gold set with one emerald, diamonds; and diamond pavé; Harmony

collection. POA.

Eva Necklace in 18K white gold set with an oval-cut emerald, round brilliant-

cut diamonds, and diamond pavé; Harmony

collection. POA.

Daphne Earrings in 18K white gold set with pear-shaped emeralds and diamonds; Harmony collection. POA.

Philippa Ring in 18K white gold with an oval-cut diamond and diamond pavé; Harmony collection. POA.

Geometry is softened by fluid lines, round volumes and pol-ished surfaces Brancusi-style, when it comes to the yellow gold iterations. Khouri encourages us to wear these solid gold piec-es alongside their diamond-paved white gold siblings. Once again, no rule applies and it is therefore quite refreshing to be handed the reins. Let’s not forget that this high jewellery line is now made in French ateliers, but this fact has not intimidated the desired outcome. Khouri wants to emancipate high jewel-lery, a category that is sometimes still considered as only suit-ed to special occasions. For that and with the help of her gift for sculpting, she merges anatomy and movement. It is as if Khouri was bottling up the effortlessness specific to contem-porary dancers in each rendition. High jewel and wearer be-come one.

www.anakhouri.com

Philippa Ring in 18K yellow gold set with one oval-cut diamond; Harmony collection. POA.

Philippa Ring in 18K yellow gold; Harmony collection. POA.

Christina Cuff in 18K yellow gold; Harmony collection. POA.

Double Philippa Earpieces in 18K yellow gold; Harmony collection. POA.

In the Silk Road Music Collection of six piec-es, which not only brings East and West to-gether, Anna Hu has pursued her desire to merge high jewellery and classical music, two of her most enduring passions. With the same lyricism that applies to all of her creations, she has designed six one-of-a-kind very dif-ferent jewels. The Rachmaninov Bracelet is a prime example and is reminiscent of her Monet Water Lily masterpiece as they share the same fluid flexibility. A tight paving of co-loured gemstones in all sizes and cuts is set on a delicate gold mesh that represents the

lines of the musical stave. Exquisite floral buds punctuate the latter like notes, yet their co-lour was inspired by the colourful domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, the famous landmark lo-cated on Moscow’s Red Square. There are in-deed always several layers of meaning in Hu’s work. The same applies to the Jadeite Cello Brooch, inspired by Picasso’s Violin Hanging on the Wall painting, which brings in anoth-er dimension of Hu’s creations: precious and rare gemstones. Cabochons of Jadeite of the rarest colour and density are front and centre in the design, and so they should be.

www.annahu.com

Rachmaninov Bracelet in yellow and white gold set with 14 oval-shaped diamond (3.45cts), 7 marquise-shaped diamonds (1.10cts), 127 rose-cut diamonds (12.23cts), 72 yellow diamonds (1.09cts), 898 round brilliant-cut diamonds (46.93cts), 14 Paraiba tourmalines (4.29cts), 12 demantoid garnets (2.21cts), one violet sapphire (1.94cts), 133 coloured sapphires (8.93cts), 26 rose-cut coloured sapphires (16.14cts), 3 chrome tourmalines (4cts), one mandarin garnet (2.05cts), 29 orange sapphires (4cts), 6 spinels (2.80cts), 7 hexagon-shaped coloured sapphires (5.70cts), 4 cabochon-cut sapphires (5.37cts), 4 cabochon-cut rubies (4.17cts), one triangle-shaped ruby (1.30cts), one tsavorite, and one cushion-shaped blue sapphire (1.32cts); Silk Road Music Collection. POA.

Jadeite Cello Brooch set with jadeite cabochons (respectively 34.93cts, 7.29cts, 6.66cts, 1.52cts, and 1.46cts), one pink sapphire, 26 vivid yellow diamond (3.09cts) and 593 round brilliant-cut diamonds (13.93cts); Silk Road Music Collection. POA.

The Ellington Earrings “incorporate pia-no keys, the shape of harps and the flow of melody”. Designed with blue sapphire, baguette-cut and modified-cut diamonds, the elliptical design is thankfully not literal, but a hint of its inspiration. A duo of conch pearls hang in each centre providing gen-tle movement.

Naturalism and Chinese symbols also go hand in hand in HU’s renditions, as seen in her ever-growing Le Papillon butterfly se-ries, and this time with a superb brooch. The amorous scene depicts two magpies looking after their nest and a single pre-cious egg (a gorgeous conch pearl of an intense pink hue). However, they are not just any magpies but detail drawn from the “Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring” (artwork currently on exhibition at the National Palace Museum) by Jesuit mis-sionary and painter at the imperial court of China, Giuseppe Castiglione. Showing the beauty of China from a western perspec-tive was his forte and it is tempting to sug-gest that Hu is following suit with her jew-ellery. The Blue Magpie Brooch would look beautiful on a body or a wall.

www.annahu.comEllington Earrings in titanium set

with blue sapphires, baguette-cut and modified-cut diamonds,

and conch pearls; Silk Road Music Collection. POA.

Le Papillon Ring in white gold set with one 19.87-carat zircon, 36 coloured sapphires

(26.87cts), 22 Paraiba tourmalines (1.15cts), 38

rose-cut diamonds (1.10cts) and 571 round brilliant-cut

diamonds (10.19cts); Silk Road Music Collection.

POA.

Blue Magpie Brooch in white and yellow gold set with sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines, diamonds, onyx and one conch pearl; Silk Road Music Collection. POA.

2019 is no ordinary year for Buccellati. The Milanese company celebrates its 100th anniver-sary as in 1919, Mario Buccellati opened his first jewellery boutique on Largo Santa Margherita in Milan. To coincide with Paris Haute Couture week this July, the Italian house decided to cre-ate a few pieces, each representing a particular Buccellati style; an overview to illustrate how

groundbreaking Buccellati’s aesthetics still are. The engraving methods, and all the other tech-niques on display, such as honeycomb filing, highlights one fact: you will not find glossy sur-faces in any collection as gold is systematically engraved. That is not to say the outcome is re-petitive since there are five different engraving techniques, each bestowing a different texture

Opera High Jewellery Necklace is reproduced to form an impressive openwork garland in white gold, encrusted with 1,093 round diamonds for a total weight of 11.57 carats. It is further enhanced by yellow gold sections, modelled with leaves gathered together. The pendant, convertible into a brooch, has the same elements as the necklace and a faceted tourmaline weighing 16.31 carats stands out in the centre of it. POA.

Jasmine Ring with a pavé of diamonds as the lower border, a

yellow gold leaf-modelled section ending with the drop-shaped

diamonds. Small beads in shiny yellow gold and finely engraved

bezels are further details of openwork workmanship. The ring

has 59 diamonds weighing 3.60 carats. POA.

www.buccellati.com

and finish (rigato, telato, segrinato, ornato and modellato). Both an homage to the Opera High Jewellery Collection and to the House itself (the logo element of Buccellati has inspired the pat-tern), the Opera High Jewellery Transformable Necklace is a paragon of openwork. In the same

vein, the Budelli and Jasmine cocktail rings are uniquely Buccellati, whereas in the Cricket Necklace and matching earrings (a set designed by Lucrezia Buccellati, Maria Cristina’s niece), the signature tulle / honeycomb goldwork de-livers a more minimalist, fresher look.

Cricket Necklace is an honeycomb choker set with 443 diamonds (9.17 carats) along the lacework surface and on the borders. POA.

www.buccellati.com

Opera High Jewellery Cuff Bracelet is an interpretation of the Opera High Jewellery

Collection; however, it maintains some traditional characteristics, such as the rigato engraving and repetition of decorative motifs with small white

gold bezels set with diamonds. The association with the Opera Collection is evident from the central

logo, entirely encrusted with diamonds and with a central ruby. The motif is then repeated in smaller

decorations spotting the whole surface, thus accumulating 176 round diamonds (2.33 carats) and 7

oval faceted rubies of 2.84 carats. POA.

The anniversary is also the occasion to pres-ent two phenomenal stepping stones. First is the return of enamelling in the collection with the Bluebell Jewelled Watch. With alternat-ing green and blue shades like a tapestry, the one-of-a-kind precious timepiece is a stunner. Secondly and most importantly, Buccelatti un-veiled the Buccellati-cut diamond. Having a gem cut into your own logo could easily pass for a vanity project, but here it makes perfect

sense. The Buccellati logo is already part of most of the designs, so having diamonds cut in that same shape only strengthens the com-positions, not disrupt them. Furthermore, it appears that the logo lends itself to a nice cut: it is harmonious with soft edges and symme-try. The Taché group (a DeBeers sightholder) was entrusted with the task. Their vertical ex-pertise and investment in research and devel-opment make them one of the best diamond

Cnosso Pendant Earrings from the Labyrinth theme set with two Buccellati-cut diamonds in the centre of the pendant part and where the lines of the labyrinth pattern originate. The yellow gold section splits the labyrinth from the openwork borders; the total weight of the 540 diamonds is of 12.66 carats. POA.

The 4Cs of a Buccellati-cut diamond will be ranging as follows. Carat weight: from

0.50 up to 2.39 carats / Colour grade: from D to G / Clarity grade: from VS2

to VVS1.

www.buccellati.com www.tachediamonds.com

dealers in the world to be able to tackle the challenge. Indeed, the Buccellati cut was not a given. At first it turned out that the existing machinery was of no use. Thinking outside of the box, Aya Taché, one of the sons, sug-gested that building a laser machine specifi-cally for the Buccellati cut would do it. A year later the Buccellati cut diamond was born: 57 facets, in which every facet is mirrored and every angle respect a very strict % ra-tio to optimise the light. “The Gemmological Institution of America has even compliment-ed on its beauty comparing it to a flower, and has certificated it according to the globally accepted standards to describe diamonds”, the team adds.

Bluebell Jewelled Watch offers an elegant combination of green and blue enamels that recalls the vivid colour of the fragile campanula flower. The watch has a slightly flower-shaped white gold case, encrusted with diamonds, and the dial is in enamel and diamonds. The same chromatic motif is reproduced on the bracelet, composed of floral elements slightly overlapping through a play of chaining. There are 897 diamonds (11.35 carats). Anti-reflection glass and Swiss Quartz movement. POA.

www.buccellati.com www.tachediamonds.com

Each Chanel presentation comes with a mind-blowing scenography (often held at the Grand Palais). For one, the fashion shows are always memorable. Less talked about are the high jewellery launches that also benefit from riveting mise en scène, and that for the past two years have been taking place in an annex of the Grand Palais. In a splendid décor of crystal chandeliers, rotat-ing mirrors and haystacks, LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL high jewellery collection was within reach. 69 pieces (of which 17 are one of a kind), an ode to Russia through two chapters: Imperial Russia (diamonds on yellow and white gold) and Russian Folklore (coloured gems and a flourish of métiers d’art). Although Coco Chanel never set foot in Russia, she nonetheless nurtured a deep inter-est in the country, its people and traditions. “The Russian fascinates me”, she once exclaimed. Throughout her life, connections to the slav country abound: she had a friend-ship with the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, whom she urged to open an embroidery workshop named Kitmir, guaranteeing her exclusive production from 1921 on-ward; she also had a brief and intense affair with Maria Pavlovna’s brother, the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, cousin of Tsar Nicolas II; she hosted Stravinsky, followed by Diaghilev, who both fled the Revolution…This less known aspects of her life has inspired an elegant col-lection, marked by refined goldwork and a multitude of details. In that respect, LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL is one of the house’s high jewellery collections closest to Couture. A double headed eagle motif (symbol of Imperial Russia that can be found on a mirror in Coco’s apartment), gold chain trimmings, diamond-paved tas-sels, and precious metals…make for pieces redolent of a re-imagined aristocracy and fit for today’s women.

www.chanel.com

Aigle Cambon Ring in platinum set with diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Aigle Protecteur Earrings in platinum set with diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Sarafane Necklace in 18K white gold set with diamonds and cultured pearls; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

www.chanel.com

Folklore Cuff in 18K white and yellow gold, enamel set with blue sapphires, pink sapphires, Mandarin and tsavorite garnets, cultured pearls and diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Blé Maria Tiara in 18K white and yellow gold set with pink spinels, Mandarin garnets, coloured tourmalines and diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Folklore Earrings in 18K white and yellow gold, enamel set with blue sapphires, pink sapphires, Mandarin and tsavorite garnets, cultured pearls and diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Blé Maria Brooch in 18K white and yellow gold set with yellow sapphires, pink spinels, Mandarin garnets, coloured tourmalines and diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Although the Imperial Russia chapters honour well the pomp and grandeur of the courts (the incorporation of the double headed eagle mo-tif is particularly successful), it is the homage to Russian folklore that impresses most. There, the attention to detail is mindboggling with ex-quisite enamelling in red as the background for a diamond and gem tapestry, with the extreme-ly intricate construction of the Roubachka col-lar neckpiece (a damask of white, yellow gold, diamonds and fine pearls), the divine embroi-dery of coloured gemstones in the Blé Maria headband and parure, or the transformable Sarafane headdress / necklace (an ethereal lace of camellia buds, pearls and diamonds). Lastly, in addition to these spectacular rendi-tions, the collection offers plenty of options for daywear, as in the Motif Russe set, the Blé Gabrielle or Roubachka rings… Браво!

www.chanel.com

Blé Gabrielle Earrings in 18K yellow and white gold set with diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Aigle Protecteur Earrings in platinum set with diamonds; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

Roubachka Necklace in 18K yellow gold and platinum set with yellow and white diamonds, and pearls; “LE PARIS RUSSE DE CHANEL” Collection, CHANEL Fine Jewelry. POA.

It is fascinating to follow the creative path of Dauphin, a.k.a. Charlotte Dauphin De La Rochefoucauld, collection after collection. Already in last year’s Fluid – Captured cap-sule collection, the signature open rings and stackable bands underwent new finishes and colours, and were an evolution from the previ-ous line: Fluid (loose mesh of diamond pavé). This year it seems that the 5th anniversary of Dauphin triggered an even greater desire to jump forward. The Haute Joaillerie Series III collection is indeed an accomplished ex-ercise in pairing fluidity with solidity, move-ment and stillness. Take the Parabole pieces that play with fixed axis from which delicate diamond chains freely hang. It is as if it is not possible to totally let loose or be complete-ly rigid as if harmony was achieved from the balance between the two. In the Parabole earrings and brooch (a first in Dauphin’s col-lections), the emerald-cut emeralds hanging from an extra-long fil couteau (or from a fine-ly diamond-paved straight double row) seem to be the anchor, the weights that keep the composition literally in line. The neckpiece plays with this idea even more subtly. The overall drapery effect of the chains made of diamond links may evoke corset and linge-rie, yet the floating strings are all anchored to the central nexus, an emerald-cut diamond set on a diamond-paved straight bar.

www.maisondauphin.com Parabole Earrings in white gold set with emeralds and diamonds; Haute Joaillerie Series III. POA.

Parabole Necklace in white gold set with diamonds; Haute Joaillerie Series III. POA.

For the first time, the signature ink blue gold set with black diamonds is used in Dauphin’s high jewellery. The chains with diamond links from the Parabole series have even found their way into a pair of earrings where clusters of round bril-liant-cut diamonds cross the top of black diamond-paved cylinders set in ink blue gold. The overlapping duo of chains (one longer than the other) hang from the lat-ter. The first thought is why has the wait been so long for the blue gold’s appear-ance in the high jewellery collection? It appears perfectly suited to high jewel-lery; the metallic blue hue is ultra sophis-ticated and works so well with white dia-monds that shine incandescently against it. Case in point with the wide tubular ring whose opened ridge is bridged by a mar-quise-cut diamond. Note how the dia-mond is positioned on a slight angle. That detail alone is what makes Dauphin’s ren-ditions so captivating. The play of on blue and white is taken further with iterations where the blue is not the gold but a sap-phire, while the gold is white paved with white diamonds, a kind of carbon copy of the ink blue gold iteration. If I had to sum up Dauphin, I would say that it is minimal-ism that takes your breath away.

www.maisondauphin.com Earrings in 18K white and ink blue gold set with

black and white diamonds; Haute Joaillerie Series III.

POA.

Ring in 18K white and ink blue gold set with one emerald-cut white diamond and black diamonds; Haute Joaillerie Series III. POA.

Ring in 18K white and ink blue gold set with one marquise-cut white diamond; Haute Joaillerie Series III. POA.

Ring in 18K white gold set with one oval-cut blue sapphire and white diamonds; Haute Joaillerie Series III. POA.

There is no doubt that if one had the opportu-nity to don David Morris’s new rare gem-laden marvels, no matter where that would be, the location would immediately feel enchanted! So, let’s start by saying that Enchanted Isle, the name for this new array of colour bombs, is Jeremy Morris’s homage to one of his fa-vourite islands, Mykonos, where he owns an…enchanted retreat. Three jaw dropping neck-pieces have been put forward as ambassa-dors for the collection. The Amaryllis chok-er / collar necklace with its floral damask of

rubies and diamonds; the Gaia choker with fo-liage green emeralds and the Rhea necklace with its cascade of conch pearls. These are colours of a sunny island where bougainvillea, geraniums and palms flourish on every corner and terrace. Other iterations complement the Mediterranean tableau such as a spectacular fancy vivid yellow diamond flexi cuff, a multi-tude of black opals on chandelier earrings or a divine rose-cut diamond of 6.70 carats set on a ring. Sun, sea, white houses and a light breeze…the Cyclades are calling.

Amaryllis Choker in 18K white gold set with 175.06 carats of Burmese Rubies and 56.58 carats of white diamonds. POA.

Flexi Cuff in 18K white gold set with fancy

vivid yellow marquise-cut diamonds and pear-shaped white diamonds

(total weight of diamonds is 62 carats). POA.

www.davidmorris.com

Chandelier Earrings in platinum set with 30 carats of black opals and 17 carats of white diamonds. POA.

Ring in 18K white gold set with one 6.70-carat rose-cut pear-shaped white diamond and micro white and pink diamond-set shanks. POA.

Rhea Choker in 18K rose and white gold set with

110.06 carats of pink conch pearls and 83.66

carats of white and pink diamonds. POA.

www.davidmorris.com

It was in the Salon d’Été of the Ritz Paris hotel – a salon with a superb landscaped terrace – that David Yurman presented their latest fine and high jewellery cre-ations. A splendid backdrop for sever-al collections, including the DY Origami parure whose each link is a group of four twisted gold bands (some paved with di-amonds), a sort of optical rippling of the chicest effect; also included was a new lariat style yellow gold chain with twin tassel pompons held by diamond-paved spheres (a variant with fine pearls ex-ists), and also this other white gold pen-dant necklace and matching earrings that plays with the motif of the starburst. The American jeweller, who started out as a silversmith, has indeed been doing wonders with gold, especially his work on chain designs (for the latter design, the chain is a stylised cable). The use of geometrical elements is clearly a con-stant, even for the more naturalistic de-signs. Square and triangular domes for the full paved Renaissance cuff or the fancy square cut of the beryl pendant set on an entirely diamond-paved infin-ity link chain. Stacking is a natural way of wearing David Yurman renditions, and such is the cool chic vibe of their jewel-lery that one can even imagine mixing the bolder high jewellery pieces with small-er fine pieces.

www.davidyurman.com

High Jewellery Gems Pendant and Stax Graduated Chain in 18K yellow gold set with one 20.55-carat yellow beryl and white diamond pavé (2.15 and 15.40cts). POA.

Renaissance Pavé Cuff in 18K yellow gold set with a pavé of white diamonds (18.83cts). POA.

DY Origami Bracelet and Small Necklace in 18K yellow gold set with a pavé of white diamonds (respectively 1.15 and 2.46cts). POA.

The one-of-a-kind high jewels don’t de-part from that cool luxury effect. Take the splendid turquoise collar neckpiece and earrings. First the edges of the turquoise slabs have not been polished. They come dented as if the slabs were coming from a broken dish. In addition, ruby-paved di-viders are interspersed between the tur-quoises in an uneven sequence. The clash between the red and turquoise is bril-liant and highlights the dual aspects of rough and precious. The matching pen-dant earrings have an elongated shape – amphora style – which reinforces the ‘ar-tefact’ allure of this parure. It is true that most high jewellery pieces have a bina-ry aspect. The Pavé Pinky Rings, apart from being fashionably cool heirlooms, have a generously paved surface, whose organic cushion form is pierced by a sin-gle sharply cut coloured gemstone (e.g. a trilliant-cut Padparadscha sapphire nes-tled in a white diamond pavé). The pin-ky rings are a bit like evil eyes, the co-lour contrast being so fierce.

www.davidyurman.com

Artist Series Slab Necklace and Drop Earrings in turquoise with pavé rubies, sterling silver and black rhodium or with pavé rubies and 18K white gold. POA.

Pavé Pinky Rings in 18K white or yellow gold with one peridot on a pavé of colour change garnets (2.03cts), one yellow sapphire on a pavé of white diamonds (1.57cts), one tanzanite on a pavé of lavender spinels (1.93cts), or one Padparadscha sapphire (0.56ct) on a pavé of white diamonds (1.49cts). POA.

The presentation of De Beers’ new high jew-ellery collection, Portraits of Nature by De Beers, took place in the usual Parisian head-quarters on rue de la Paix. That said, the sce-nography this year took a more “arty” turn. The five chapters were displayed on top of faceted columns evoking crystal formations, and a brightly coloured, rather psychedelic patterned carpet covered the floors. The clue

to understanding this collection is both in the décor and the title. As for any portraits, it is in-deed an interpretation, and yet again rare co-loured diamonds are celebrated as precious pigments, with the whole animal kingdom cov-ered by the chapters. We have a fish (Electric Cichlid), an insect (Monarch Butterfly), a lizard (Knysna Chameleon), a mammal (Chapman’s Zebra), and a bird (Greater Flamingo).

www.debeers.com Knysna Chameleon Earrings in 18K

white gold set with rough and polished

diamonds encircling a ring of recut

baguettes; Portraits of Nature by De Beers.

POA.

Chapman’s Zebra Bracelet in 18K white gold set with princess-cut and round brilliant diamonds that are intersected by lines of grey mother-of-pearl; Portraits of Nature by De Beers. POA.

We can only admire in wonder the superb com-position for the Electric Cichlid which in nature has a vivid yellow robe, here evoked by spec-tacle-set unpolished yellow diamonds. The set has been one of the first to sell. For the Knysna Chameleon series, shades of brown, blue, green and light pink mimic the skin of the lizard. A few

cut-diamonds are inserted in the row of roughs to inject some subtle glistening. The coat of the Zebra is stylised by mother-of-pearl baguettes and white diamonds in symmetrical formation; this is an ornamental stone / precious gem-stone combo that has been seen in a few oth-er high jewellery collections this season.

www.debeers.com

Knysna Chameleon Ring in 18K white gold set with two

lines of colour rough diamonds embracing

a 4-carat emerald-cut, fancy colour diamond; Portraits of Nature by

De Beers. POA.

Chapman’s Zebra Necklace in 18K white gold set with alternating lines of princess-cut and round brilliant diamonds, and ending with baguettes of grey mother-of-pearl; Portraits of Nature by De Beers. POA.

Grace Lepard, De Beers creative direc-tor, told me that: “the Monarch Butterfly series was probably the most difficult one to design in the sense that the but-terfly motif in jewellery has been over-done. How to re-invent the wheel was the question?”. It seems that she cracked the code by delving into childhood memo-ries and thinking of butterfly wings seen through a kaleidoscope. That view is ex-actly what the medallion of the neck-lace evokes. Stare for too long and you will get hypnotised. Very clever earrings and rings accompany the theme; for the former, the ear is clipped between two wings.

Lastly, the grace and flamboyance of a greater flamingo is transposed through marquise-cut pinkish, reddish, brownish and white diamonds. The gems are set in fan-like formation just like the plum-age of the bird.

Who knew that unconventional coloured diamonds could so well fit abstract an-imalistic designs? Grace Lepard surely did, and while the creations are all de-signed with the wearer in mind, they al-so astound with the atypical repertoire of diamonds used. Just keep in mind what De Beers shares: “Only one in every 10,000 natural diamonds is classed as a fancy colour diamond”.

www.debeers.com

Greater Flamingo Cocktail Ring in 18K white gold set with white and fancy colour marquise-shaped diamonds that fan out from two lines of round brilliant diamonds, with a 1-carat oval-shaped diamond in the centre; Portraits of Nature by De Beers. POA.

Electric Cichlid Earrings in 18K yellow and white gold set with rough spectacle-set yellow diamonds that are suspended from polished round brilliant diamonds; Portraits of Nature by De Beers. POA.

Monarch Butterfly Medallion Necklace in 18K white gold set with round brilliant, recut baguette- and marquise-shaped diamonds surrounding a 4-carat cushion-cut diamond; Portraits of Nature by De Beers. POA.

The gorgeous models and celebrities who rou-tinely parade in de Grisogono creations on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet have cer-tainly inspired the name for these new one-of-a-kind creations – Modern Beauties – that were shown in de Grisogono flagship store in Paris. A few months ago, Cindy Bruna was in-deed ravishing with one red & white neckpiece that crowned a plunging neckline. A bi-co-loured entirely paved necklace with one cen-tral pear-cut diamond drop. It is from the Art of Technicolour collection, such an interesting

set that plays with matt and shine. The rubel-lite earrings and matching ring include pitch black onyx cylinders that in addition to co-lour contrasting, surprise. These were also pre-sented in Paris alongside the Modern Beauties pieces that in contrast play more on shades of whites. The all white curled earrings are a fun take on hoops… and though ‘fun’, there is no underestimating the sheer complexity of the diamond setting. Each side, including the hollow, is entirely paved with tapered ba-guette-cut diamonds.

www.degrisogono.com

High Jewellery Necklace in 18K white gold set with brilliant-cut rubies (37.4cts), baguette-cut diamonds (12.8cts), 1255 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 30.6cts) and a pear-cut diamond (3.03cts); The Art of Technicolour. POA.

High Jewellery Earrings in 18K pink gold set with 2 cushion-cut rubies (16.77cts), 293 rubies (approx. 4.81cts) and 12 cylindrical-cut onyx (approx. 9cts); The Art of Technicolour. POA.

High Jewellery Ring in 18k pink gold set with an oval-cut rubellite (18.29cts), 315 rubies (approx. 3.12cts) and 8 cylindrical-cut onyx (approx. 6.33cts); The Art of Technicolour. POA.

Haute Joaillerie One-of-a-kind Earrings in 18K white gold set with 431 white baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 40.945cts) and 1,282 white diamonds (approx. 2.575cts); Modern Beauties. POA.

Then come the two crew neck neck-pieces that drip with diamonds. The first one with lines of brown dia-monds latching onto a snow-set di-amond band; the second whose top rigid half transforms into delicate rows of faceted diamond beads (as seen on Dua Lipa - image shown ear-lier in this article). On its own or with a statement earring just like the one pop star Dua Lipa donned on a re-cent outing, surprisingly, it is never too much. The singer could have opt-ed for these other showstoppers, a black and white combo, one earring being the carbon copy of the other except for the pear-shaped diamond drop, always white. The gold ribbon coils around the ear for a dramat-ic effect. Should you wish to tune down the vibe, this clever design of-fers a section that can be detached. The upper loop can then be direct-ly paired with the pear-shaped dia-mond. One stone two birds, or one diamond two modern beauties.

www.degrisogono.com Haute Joaillerie One-of-a-kind Earrings in 18K white gold set

with two pear-shaped white diamonds (approx. 7.03cts and

6.98cts), 336 black diamonds (approx. 6.61cts) and 331 white

diamonds (approx. 5.65cts); Modern Beauties. POA.

Haute Joaillerie One-of-a-kind Necklace in 18K white and pink gold set with an oval-shaped brown diamond (approx. 25.09cts), 1,167 white diamonds (approx. 54.41cts) and 182 brown diamonds (approx. 9.61cts); Modern Beauties. POA.

For the Dior high jewellery’s twentieth birth-day, we could have expected some visual-ly extravagant novelties. After all, Victoire de Castellane, who has been at the helm of the department since day one in 1999, has now accustomed us to anticipate game-changing concepts over the years, from the psychedel-ic flowers of Milly Carnivora to the enchanting coverage of Versailles castle’s nooks and cran-nies and more. What we got instead is a more conceptual collection in the sense that it is ab-stract rather than figurative. Delving into de Castellane’s planning for this new collection is also essential to grasp how befitting to the an-niversary it is. First, the title, a play on transla-tion and words. Gem Dior, also sounding like “J’aime Dior” in French. Gem, J’aime, I like…Dior.

And here is what the collection is about: de Castellane’s love for gems, in all shades (dia-mond, ruby, purple or spessartite garnet, pink sapphire and yellow sapphire, emerald, tsavor-ite, grenadine or cobalt blue spinel, tanzanite, rubellite or Paraiba-type tourmaline) and in all cuts (baguette, square, pear, marquise, cushion and oval). Demonstrating that they are prob-ably stronger as a group, she layered them in mixed-up assemblages that conceal their set-tings. The rings are “like a little packet of stones that have been placed on the finger. A throw of stones like a throw of the dice. They topple over one another and wedge together to create ef-fects of volume and relief just like geological stra-ta or certain minerals such as pyrite, which have very geometric construction”, the designer says.

www.dior.com

Multicoloured Printemps Pink Spinel Earrings in 18K yellow gold set with diamonds, pink spinel, rubies, emeralds, pink sapphires, Paraiba-type tourmalines, sapphires, purple garnets, tsavorite garnets, yellow sapphire and spessartite garnet; Gem Dior. POA.

Multicoloured Anglais Ruby Ring in 18K yellow gold, diamonds, ruby, sapphires, spessartite and tsavorite garnets, pink sapphires, purple garnets, emeralds and yellow sapphire; Gem Dior. POA.

Of course, the best description of the idea behind Gem Dior is by de Castellane herself: “It is as if I had put all my collections from the past twenty years into a shaker and what popped out were freeze-frames and very large pixelated close-ups, she explains. In the end, what’s left is material and co-lour”. Hence Gem Dior is a tribute to the past twenty years, a retrospective in three dimensions. To look beyond the jumbled cuts is to discover finer details such as the diamond paving on the shanks that is also featured on the side of the outer gems. Besides, these shanks are graphic and angular. A nod to Christian Dior’s passion for architec-ture, a theme already explored in the Archi Dior collection, that paid trib-ute to the construction of some of the couturier’s emblematic dresses. Taken collectively the pieces are a story with-in a story, harking back to past collec-tions and Dior’s legacy.

Rouge Vermillion Ruby Earrings in 18K pink gold

set with diamonds and rubies; Gem Dior. POA.

Vert Gazon Emerald Ring in 18K yellow gold set with

diamonds and emeralds; Gem Dior. POA.

Orange Saffran Spessartite Garnet Earrings in 18K

yellow gold set with diamonds and spessartite

garnets; Gem Dior. POA.

Rose Bonbon Pink Sapphire Ring in 18K pink gold set with diamonds and pink sapphires; Gem Dior. POA.

Blue Denim Sapphire Ring in 18K pink gold set with diamonds and sapphires; Gem Dior. POA.

www.dior.com