By AWJ - Paris Correspondent : Victoria Townsend
Among the high jewellery Houses showing off their latest creations at or near Place Vendôme in Paris during Couture Week from July 3 - 7, Boucheron, Bulgari and Chanel caught our attention with the beauty of their pieces and their structured thematic presentations. This list is by no means exhaustive, as many other fine, creative collections, notably from De Grisogono, Graff, Piaget and Van Cleef & Arpels also swept us off our feet with, respectively, striking combinations of coloured stones, amazingly big stones, original feather marquetry, and beautiful emeralds paired with diamonds. Breathtaking also were the creations at Chaumet, Dior, Giampiero Bodino, Louis Vuitton, and Messika, and while Cartier is reserving the official presentation of its new High Jewellery collection for Japan in October, the brand surprised us with its bold and playful “Cactus de Cartier” jewellery collection where the only spikes are made of gold and gemstones.
We will be showing you spectacular pieces of jewellery from all these brands in a separate feature, but for now, we will start with Boucheron that will be celebrating its 160th anniversary in 2018. The first High Jeweller to move to Place Vendôme, in 1893, Frédéric and wife Gabrielle Boucheron chose the building on the corner of the Place and rue de la Paix for its exceptional light. The address is also the name of this latest collection: “26 Vendôme”.
Presented for the first time as a fashion show in the reception rooms on the third floor above the boutique, the event was staged by Olivier Saillard, Director of the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of Paris. For 30 minutes, in the beautiful crystal chandeliered rooms with old wood floors and the famous Place Vendôme column visible through one of the windows, we were taken on a journey of French fantasy where simple black dresses served as neutral canvasses to better highlight the stunning pieces of jewellery divided into 3 major themes, displayed by models amid a game of gracile hands and lingering caresses.
We instantly desire the ‘Plume de Paon’ white-gold earrings that dangle like feathers paved with diamonds, set with rose-cut diamonds; a ‘Lys Radiant’ white gold transformable necklace – the flower can be detached and worn on its own -- set with a 20.08 cts yellow pear diamond surrounded by 219.06 cts of rock crystal petals, paved with diamonds; and adorable “Nara Deer Rings” in pink or white gold, paved with diamonds, brown diamonds, black sapphires, and onyx, all from the “Nature Triomphante” theme.
From “Architecture Inspirée” the ‘Damier Cabochon’ set, including a necklace, bracelet, earrings and ring, composed of white gold paved with diamonds and onyx, with black lacquer on the ring; the ‘Vendôme Chromatique et Argentique” necklace paved with diamonds, yellow sapphires, white agate, and white mother-of-pearl; and the gorgeous ‘Vendôme Chromatique Bracelet’ set with a 94.15 cts beryl and rock crystal paved with diamonds, both on yellow and white gold, leave us speechless with admiration.
And from the theme of “Porté Couture”, the ‘Plissé Diamants’ necklace and earrings with diamonds, black spinels and onyx on white gold; and the white gold ‘Ruban Graphique’ necklace set with a 4.45 cts Colombian emerald, emeralds, diamonds, onyx, and black lacquer paved with diamonds, captivate us. By the time we lay our eyes on the ‘Cape de Lumière’ – a yellow-gold woven cape set with a 81.61 cts citrine and paved with diamonds, our jaws truly drop!
In a totally different but no less impressive register, the Bulgari High Jewellery collection sparkles with Italian glamour and the elegance of Rome. Known for its colours and styles that are instantly recognizable, this 2016 collection shows off exceptional hues of Mediterranean blues, Roman sunset pinks, and golds from ancient times. Also divided into three themes, the “Italian Extravaganza”, “Mediterranean Eden” and “Roman Heritage” creations that compose “The Magnificent Inspirations” collection impress with their daring, romantic and mythical creations.
From the feminine, spirited and intense “Italian Extravaganza” the ‘Diva’s Dream’ creations capture the colours of Caracalla marble and the graceful curves of its ancient mosaics that composed its famous Roman baths, as demonstrated with the ‘Diva’s Dream blue-hued Bellezza’ necklace in aquamarine, sapphires and diamonds, with a prominent aquamarine; or with the patterns of ‘Diva’s Dream Gioco e Vanità’, with an interpretation of the peacock. Glamour is at its maximum with the ‘Divas’ Dream Eleganza’ -- the jewel’s design combines rare and rounded gemstones with artisanal diamond pavé, as it blooms with perfect diamond petals and its precious, prominent sapphire.
And what about the striking and bold ‘Le Magnifiche Creazioni’ -- Bulgari’s most precious High Jewellery pieces, where each perfectly unique diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire is one of the most coveted gemstones in the world with legendary intense hues, as demonstrated with the ‘Gemme Principesche’ necklace and its 7 emeralds that took three years to assemble from various corners of the globe, or the ‘Extravaganza necklace’ with its brilliant amethysts, emeralds, rubellites, pearls and diamonds that dance on the lucky wearer as she moves.
From ‘Mediterranean Eden’ we have an abundance of ‘Serpenti’ that compete for attention with tempting colours, shapes and sizes, and ‘Fiore di Bvlgari’ that transforms and assembles the preciousness of gemstone petals into magnificent bouquets.
The ‘Roman Heritage’ brings us designs inspired by Rome’s beauty, with Bulgari jewels that exalt age-old coins, or ancient domes with a rounded cabochon gem, linked with the golden patterns of its famous travertine streets, or coloured with the light of the gemstone-orange sun that is so particular to the city, as seen with this modern reinterpretation of the ‘Parentesi’ collection that became an icon in the 1980s.
Moving back to Place Vendôme, we see the familiar 18th century architecture, the famous column, the recently reopened Ritz Hotel, and … a wheat field. A wheat field in the middle of Place Vendôme? Leave it to Chanel, who, in addition to being one of the most celebrated fashion houses and high jewellers, is also one of the best story-tellers in the world.
We all know that Mademoiselle Chanel was superstitious, and had many lucky charms, symbols and numbers. Wheat, a sign of harvest and prosperity, was one of her favourites, and with this “Les Blés de Chanel” Fine Jewellery collection the House has surpassed even itself with the perfection of these creations that dazzle in colours of golden wheat. And for anyone who missed the point, Chanel installed an ephemerous artistic wheat field on Place Vendôme during the week to remind us that fewer things are more beautiful and bountiful than Mother Nature when we respect her.
And respect her is exactly what the Chanel design team did with this sumptuous ‘Moisson d’Or’ bracelet in 18K white and yellow gold set with a 5.1-carat marquise cut yellow sapphire, 14 marquise-cut diamonds, 115 brilliant-cut diamonds, 4 brilliant-cut yellow sapphires and 283 yellow sapphire beads; and "Moisson d’Or" necklace, set with a 16.8-carat oval-cut yellow sapphire, 27 marquise-cut diamonds, 329 brilliant-cut diamonds, 11 brilliant-cut yellow sapphires, and 977 yellow sapphire beads weighing 477.5 carats.
On the same theme, the ‘Fête des Moissons’ necklace, also in white and yellow gold, is set with a 25-carat cut cornered rectangular-modified brilliant-cut fancy intense yellow diamond, 121 fancy-cut multicoloured diamonds, 932 brilliant-cut yellow diamonds, 10 marquise-cut diamonds, fancy-cut brilliant-cut diamonds and 151 brilliant-cut diamonds.
Mademoiselle Chanel was a Leo in western astrology (the lion was another one of her symbols) and the birthstone for August is the peridot. Earrings named ‘Brins de Printemps’ add a bit of green spring wheat colour to the “harvest” colour collection, with 2 marquise-cut peridots weighing 10.4 carats, 4 marquise-cut peridots weighing 1 carat, 20 brilliant-cut peridots, 6 marquise-cut green tourmalines, 4 pear-cut aquamarines and 146 brilliant-cut diamonds, all set in 18K white gold. And if you prefer your green in a more summery shade, you’ll love the "Épi Vendôme" ring in 18K yellow gold set with an 18.2-carat emerald, 8 marquise-cut multicoloured diamonds, 84 brilliant-cut fancy intense orange diamonds, 92 brilliant-cut diamonds and 4 fancy-cut diamonds.
Finally, a Chanel collection without pearls would not be Chanel, and this ‘Moisson de Perles’ bracelet in 18K white gold set with 239 brilliant-cut diamonds, 4 pear-cut diamonds and 32 Japanese cultured pearls is here to prove it.
The pieces shown and described here represent only a small percentage of the fabulous collections. We were very privileged to see them all first-hand, and wish to thank these amazing High Jewellery Houses and skilled artisans for their creative and masterful work that this year is even more breathtaking than ever.
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