High Jewellery Heat: Why Orange Gemstones Are Having a Moment 

Haute Couture Week in July was fierily hot, but the heat was not solely due to the outdoor temperatures, which climbed ever higher by the day. An explosion of precious orange gemstones also left a trail of fire through nearly every high jewellery collection. Some appearances were more surprising than most, notably at Chanel, which has shown only a few Mandarin garnets in the past. In Paris, though, there was an abundance of blazing spessartite beads forming a tail, emerging from turquoise comet jewels.

Beyond a diamond or large Mandarin garnet centrepiece, orange gemstones are not commonly used in high jewellery. It is not always an easy colour to wear, unlike a pink sapphire or an emerald. But orange is actually a beautiful addition to the colour palette, frequently featuring in collections from Italian jewellers like Bvlgari and Pomellato, who embrace all colours of the rainbow.