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Price Upon Request: Paris High Jewelry, Part I
In the first of a two-part series, National Jeweler explores the new haute joaillerie collections from several storied maisons.
Buccellati’s white gold and diamond tiara is composed of one 4.22-carat diamond drop and 357 round brilliant diamonds totaling 15.93 carats. The drop pendant may be removed. The Italian brand presented this and other designs in Paris last week as part of haute joaillerie week.
Paris--In the first of a two-part series, National Jeweler explores several storied jewelry maisons’ flirtations with the very heights of jewelry design in their high jewelry collections, presented last week alongside the haute couture showings in Paris.
Opera was the theme that united Chaumet’s four distinct groupings of high jewelry.
The Pastorale Anglaise group, for example, was an ode to the Glyndebourne opera festival held annually in England. The jewelry highlighted spectacular emeralds surrounded by a riot of color gemstones arranged to mimic the pattern of a Scottish tartan.
The Aria Passionata pieces, meanwhile, were a tribute to the emotion of Milanese opera with their mix of red gemstones like rubies and rhodolites, and the Rhapsodie Transatlantique collection interpreted New York opera as a romantic and sophisticated affair in cool-tone white gold accented with vivid pops of color.
This transformable Chaumet necklace is made in white gold, yellow gold and lacquer. It’s set with an emerald-cut 28.98-carat Muzo emerald and accented with 32 cabochon-cut emeralds from Zambia, round rubies and emeralds, baguette-cut blue and yellow sapphires, and brilliant-cut diamonds. The bottom portion of the necklace is detachable.
Chaumet’s Aria Passionata flexible bracelet in pink gold with a 9.19-carat cushion-cut rhodolite garnet, red tourmaline beads, square-cut pink tourmalines, round and fancy shape rhodolite garnets, round rubies and brilliant-cut diamonds
Rhapsodie Transatlantique ring in white gold and yellow gold, set with a 10.11-carat oval-cut Ceylon Padparadscha sapphire, a 7.37-carat oval-cut Ceylon violet sapphire, round Umba garnets and brilliant-cut white and champagne diamonds
De Beers debuted its Lotus collection, of which a rough macle diamond-- a flat, triangular twinned-crystal diamond--was the star, juxtaposed with the diamond company’s more traditional, polished stones on a long necklace.
The water flower gave De Beers plenty of inspiration, whether translated into a cornucopia of white diamonds arranged like “petals” open to the sunlight in brooch form, or as a mix of rough, natural color diamonds set against their cut, white diamond counterparts in styles meant to represent the flower as seen in a mix of shadow and light at various times of the day.
De Beers’ Awakening Lotus necklace in white gold with 18.79-carat rough bluish-green macle diamond and white diamonds
The Blooming Lotus brooch features a plethora of fancy shape diamonds all set in white gold.
Soothing Lotus earrings in white gold with rough, natural color diamonds, polished yellow diamonds and polished white diamonds
Buccellati’s signature “rigato” engraving and intricate openwork designs were elevated with the incorporation of exquisite gemstones and ornate configurations of diamonds in the Italian house’s haute joaillerie offerings.
Not to be missed was the diamond tiara that featured a removable drop pendant meant to rest on the wearer’s forehead.
Buccellati’s white gold and diamond tiara is composed of one 4.22-carat diamond drop and 357 round brilliant diamonds totaling 15.93 carats. The drop pendant can be removed.
“Rigato” engraved yellow gold pendant earrings with white gold accents, 12.94-carat total weight faceted kunzites and 124 round, brilliant-cut diamonds
Cindy Chao showed pieces representing themes central to her career, flora and fauna, displaying her particular affinity for dragonflies, but also making a departure with the No. X Red Diamond Ribbon Ring, new for 2017.
The ring featured an exquisite 1.51-carat cut-cornered square fancy purplish-red diamond set in 18-karat white gold with an array of white diamonds, all set in 18-karat white gold.
Cindy Chao’s Black Label Masterpieces No. X ring in 18-karat white gold with 1.51-carat cut-cornered square fancy purplish-red diamond, 6.05 carats of triangular-cut white diamonds and 2.24 carats of white diamonds
Cindy Chao’s White Label collection Yellow Diamond Leaves ring with three heart-shaped fancy intense yellow diamonds totaling 9.53 carats, 8.18 carats of white diamonds and 1.03 carats of yellow diamonds, all set in 18-karat white gold
White Label collection Dragonfly brooch in 18-karat white gold featuring a 10.05-carat conch pearl, 2.14 carats of oval-shaped rubies, 9.46 carats of rose-cut white diamonds, 9.29 carats of fancy-cut rubies, 7.35 carats of white diamonds and 9.45 carats of rubies
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