Offer Christmas gifts which even the most demanding of jewellery fans will find intriguing: from houses of historical luxury such as Fabergé and Mellerio dits Meller to burgeoning brands - this article is brimming with gifts that are gloriously unexpected to suit a whole host of scenarios and a variety of Christmas gift budgets.
If she wants learn more about jewellery:
Education, education, education! The more we learn about jewellery, the more we can enjoy the artistry behind it and jewellery expert Joanna Hardy knows this only too well! She has put together jewellery masterclasses at The Capital Hotel in London's Knightsbridge for groups of up to 14 people - with the topics that can be edited for your needs. The doyenne of the jewellery industry insists: “there is a whole world out there of exciting jewels and my masterclasses will help people to make informed decisions when it comes to choosing jewels to buy. During my masterclasses there is often the opportunity to study jewels and gems close up and with my guidance we will discover what is good craftsmanship and good design.”
If she wants celebrate Christmas in style:
Can you think of a more glamorous gift to give than jewellery bedecked champagne? Available from Harrods for £115,000, Mellerio dits Meller have collaborated with Piper Heidsieck to create bejewelled bottles of the prestige cuvée ‘Le Secret Rare’. Each of the 10 exclusive bottles is encrusted with a 1.15 carat diamond, ruby, sapphire or emerald adorning the neck of the bottle, with interwoven bands of gold set with 510 diamonds. Gold and platinum threads run up each bottle, building to a crescendo of the final flourish - a 24 karat solid gold muselet. Once each of the bottles is empty, it will be transported to Maison Mellerio’s workshops in Paris, and the 1.15 carat stone is transformed into a bespoke piece of jewellery for the owner, in the form of an elegant brooch, pendant or bracelet. The inspiration from the jewellery design came from Marie Antoinette: “Marie Antoinette is a natural link between our maisons,” Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, the creative director of the 400 year-old jeweller and a direct descendant of its founding family, said.
If she wants to add sparkle to her home:
Angie Crabtree’s scaled up images of diamonds and gems have become incredibly popular with jewellery aficionados in recent years, showcasing her work at two Chopard boutiques, the Forevermark Forum and Luxury JCK in 2017 alone. Each painting is created by decorating each individual facet in multiple layers of colours, in Angie’s own words: “capturing a diamond’s beauty, colours, and light refraction down to the smallest detail.” These elaborate portraits depict gems at 1000 or more times their normal size, and each is based on detailed reference images and sketches by the artist herself. This gift would be perfect for those who truly believe the idiom ‘diamonds are a girl’s best friend’!
If she wants a diamond infused beauty treatment:
Diamonds definitely aren’t just for jewellery! Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, the founder of the anti-aging skincare line 111SKIN, introduced a hero ingredient in his latest collection of products - black diamonds. Nano-particles of the precious stones are the exciting addition within his Celestial Black Diamond line. They create a micro abrasion which allows the active ingredients to effect deep dermal layers. The ultra-luxurious Celestial Black Diamond facial is also available from their Harley Street location - just be sure to book in advance as these treatments are in high demand!
If she wants the ultimate luxury car accessory:
Combining two of the biggest names in luxury, Fabergé and Rolls Royce have come together to create a bejewelled version of the famous ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ emblem, encased within the form of the renowned egg. It features design cues from Fabergé’s heritage - such as the ‘surprise’ mechanism revealing the figure inside the precious shell. The egg is 160mm tall and in spite of its decoration weighs only 400g. How to open this modern day version of the famous Imperial egg? A discreet lever at the base of the hand-engraved, purple enamel guilloché base of 18 karat white gold stand allows for the boughs comprised of rose gold and embellished with almost 10 carats of diamonds to open. Once open, the egg reveals slices of amethyst weighing a total of over 390 carats surrounding The 'Spirit of Ecstasy' figure, which has been hand-forged in matte rock crystal.
If she wants accessories as glamorous as her jewellery:
Rubeus is an Italian accessories brand so devoted to luxury that they named the company after the latin name for ruby! Rubeus focuses on creating crocodile and exotic animal skin handbags utilising artistic traditional craftsmanship of Italy and only exceptional materials. They truly celebrate luxury in their line of jewellery evening bags - large and small ‘Mydas' clutches are adorned with tutti frutti motifs in emeralds, rubies, sapphires or pearls that embellish solid gold hardware. All the models are crafted entirely by hand as unique pieces, and take up to 6 months to create. Aren’t they the perfect gift for a girl who has it all?
These unconventional jewellery gifts should have provided some inspiration for the festive season of giving. And if any of these options have truly tempted you, don’t be afraid to treat yourself as well!
