For 2019, there are more choices than ever to fit into my non-jewellery Christmas gift guide - and leading the charge is the bastion of luxury that is Tiffany&Co. The powerhouse brand revealed their first ever gift catalogue this year, entitled ‘A Very, Very Tiffany Holiday’, brimming with presents which are quintessentially Tiffany: luxurious, charming, and featuring Tiffany Blue®. The catalogue includes 12 exclusive, bespoke gifting options: currently available to view at the Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City.
There has been a long-standing tradition of gifting advent calendars which represent a countdown to Christmas day. This year, Carolina Bucci created her own jewelled version of it in the form of the FORTE beads advent calendar. Behind each door lay two mineral or hardstone beads, which collectively can be thread onto the Lurex cord to create your own unique, personalised FORTE beads bracelet. The final day reveals the biggest surprise: an 18 karat gold Florentine Finish bead marking the 24th of December. This gift is designed for sharing, with enough beads for more than one bracelet, and with the options for re-stringing the beads again and again to create endless combinations.
The maison of Fabergé is renowned for their love of colour and flourishing patterns, and the luxury brand has collaborated with designer Gary James McQueen to present a limited-edition pocket square and complementary scarf - both crafted in pure silk and handmade in England. Peter Carl Fabergé’s great-granddaughter, Sarah Fabergé, worked closely with McQueen to create prints that embody Fabergé’s heritage - reflecting the aesthetics of everyday objects from pre-revolutionary Russia.
Another luxury gift choice for the fashionista in your life comes from Francis de Lara, whose jewel embellished eyewear has made waves in high couture circles. Conceived by Creative Director and esteemed fashion photographer John-Paul Pietrus, the decadent designs illustrate themes such as the Fall of Man, with the ‘Eve’ glasses featuring gem-encrusted, hand-engraved yellow gold plated sterling silver, emeralds, cognac diamonds, pink sapphires, and a rubellite apple - taking the brand’s master Italian craftsmen hundreds of hours to create. There are also ‘Ruby Teardrop’ glasses that incorporate a pear shaped Mozambique ruby teardrop, and the ‘My Bleeding Heart’ design embellished with kunzite, red garnet and orange garnet teardrops - Pietrus even offers the option to swap the kunzite tear drop for a 2.00 carat pink diamond!
How about gifting a present that is world record-breaking? The Dutch gin label Skully Gin approached 13 international artists to create unique bottle designs, and Belgian jewellery designer and gem connoisseur Jochen Leën certainly rose to the occasion. The design of the most expensive gin bottle in the world contains a Gübelin certified flawless, Paraiba Tourmaline of more than 65 carats, set in 18 karat white gold. The gem’s value alone is more than a seven-digit figure!
New York based brand Protteta wants to elevate your interior with their bone china painted trays crafted in Italy. Combining classic Italian art and design motifs with a desire for practical luxury accessories, they bring beauty into homes. Protetta’s porcelain catch-alls are the chicest place to rest your jewellery and important ephemera, from car keys to wallets and everything in between.
A luxury brand who reach for the pinnacle of quality in everything they produce is Rubeus. Their deliciously gem-like perfume bottles reflect the form of Rubeus’ ‘Mydas’ clutch bag and are available in vert, bleu or rouge. This Christmas a very special ‘Crystal Palace’ vial, that is an object d’art in its own right, has been added to the perfume line; a jewelled bottle that incorporates a brooch in its cap. Made in a form of a peacock from 18 karat gold, it is embellished with red grand feu enamel and diamonds for a lavish look.
Virtuoso lapidarist Luis Alberto Quispe is the brains and talent behind L’Aquart, a brand that have become known by esteemed collectors for crafting decorative pieces out of various minerals. Many of his creations are carved into the most elaborate scenes imaginable, often hiding jewellery within the complex design of art objects. Pushing the boundaries of the realms of luxury - L’Aquart’s oeuvre includes entire 16-piece tea sets carved in matrix ruby and finished with 18 karat gold, as well as quartz and tourmaline decorated lights, chess sets, and sculptures with elements which can be transformed into wearable fine jewellery art.
Whether these gift choices have served to inspire you - or have convinced you that you absolutely need to fill your world with more luxuriously gem-embellished objects - they all celebrate the joy which luxury and beauty can bring into life.
