Tonal Titanium: Philippe Guilhem Updates the Mashandy Collection

November 3, 2021

By Katerina Perez

4 min read

You’ve heard him described as the ‘Alchemist of Bronze,’ but now Philippe Guilhem has added a new mastery of metalwork to his Mashandy collection in the form of titanium. Here, I present to you a fresh selection of rings that combine this lightweight metal with pops of brightly coloured gemstones in both cabochon and faceted form. I’m sure you will agree with me that this is contemporary sculpture in miniature jewelled form!

Recently, I was fortunate enough to visit Gulihem Joailler boutique in Megeve, France, to meet with Philippe Guilhem and his wife, muse and business partner Maria Verchenova as well as review their latest one-of-a-kind jewels. In my precious article I wrote about Mashandy collection featuring instantly recognisable designs – sculptural and architectural rings crafted from unusual materials, namely bronze. What’s so special about these jewels is the juxtaposition of smooth gold on the inside of the rings, textured and patinated bronze on the outside as well as large coloured gemstones, which are perched proudly on top.

Katerina Perez wears a trio of coloured gemstone and titanium rings from the Mashandy Collection by Philippe Guilhem

Katerina Perez wears a trio of coloured gemstone and titanium rings from the Mashandy Collection by Philippe Guilhem

 Three Mashandy Collection rings by Philippe Guilhem crafted in titanium with coloured gemstone cabochons

Three Mashandy Collection rings by Philippe Guilhem crafted in titanium with coloured gemstone cabochons

 Philippe Guilhem Vacy Tytane ring from the Mashandy Collection in mint green titanium with an 8.62 carat spinel cabochon from Burma

Philippe Guilhem Vacy Tytane ring from the Mashandy Collection in mint green titanium with an 8.62 carat spinel cabochon from Burma

You can imagine my delight when I discovered a selection of unique Mashandy rings were to be made re-imagined in titanium – a lightweight, low density and high strength metal that, unlike bronze, is resistant to corrosion and the influence of time. Of course, another benefit of titanium is that it can be anodized using electric currents to achieve a range of colourful finishes, which can be seen to great effect in the Mashandy Collection. 

Philippe Guilhem ring with tsavorite garnet in bronze from the Mashandy Collection

Philippe Guilhem ring with tsavorite garnet in bronze from the Mashandy Collection

So, why the introduction of colour? According to Maria “the stones were asking for something more,” and therefore the introduction of titanium was about creating a more diverse canvas than what is achievable with bronze. The artistry of Philippe Guilhem ensures that these vibrant titanium finishes are paired with gemstones in colour combinations that one might not expect. For example, there’s the Marya Tytane ring in bubblegum pink titanium paired with a 15.51 carat natural Sri Lankan magul or an extremely rare ‘wedding’ sapphire with hues of yellow and blue within the same stone. Philippe has come across such rare corundum only twice in his life! This is made all the more striking thanks to a minimalistic setting, using just two contact points on opposite corners of the octagonal-shaped gem.

Katerina Perez wears bronze earrings and a ring from the Mashandy Collection by Philippe Guilhem

Katerina Perez wears bronze earrings and a ring from the Mashandy Collection by Philippe Guilhem

Next, there’s the Vacy Tytane ring in mint green titanium, coupled with an 8.62 carat spinel cabochon from Burma with the juiciest raspberry hue. Some colours blend more monochromatically, like the Velya Tytane with metallic and glossy bluish-purple titanium with a 13.66 carat cushion-cut Ceylon sapphire. And some pieces simply look good enough to eat, like the chocolate hues of the Antalya Tytane ring with a 10.73 carat spinel cabochon from Burma and a smooth sweep of rose gold on the interior surfaces.

Philippe Guilhem diamond, bronze and gold ring from the Mashandy Collection

Philippe Guilhem diamond, bronze and gold ring from the Mashandy Collection

 Philippe Guilhem bronze, gold and coloured gemstone ring from the Mashandy Collection

Philippe Guilhem bronze, gold and coloured gemstone ring from the Mashandy Collection

 Philippe Guilhem Marya Tytane ring in pink titanium from the Mashandy Collection, set with a 15.51 carat natural Sri Lankan magul sapphire

Philippe Guilhem Marya Tytane ring in pink titanium from the Mashandy Collection, set with a 15.51 carat natural Sri Lankan magul sapphire

In my conversation with Philippe, I discovered that each creation takes a minimum of three months to complete. And while the shapes and silhouettes are similar across the Mashandy line, each piece is unique and therefore only a limited number are created annually. “When we find new striking stones, sometimes we go outside and put them against flowers to understand what colours of titanium they will go together best with,” tells me Maria about this somewhat romantic way to design a jewel.

Katerina Perez with Philippe Guilhem and his wife and business partner Maria Verchenova

Katerina Perez with Philippe Guilhem and his wife and business partner Maria Verchenova

In the realm of the artist jeweller, Philippe Guilheim has a distinctive signature that is preserved regardless of the choice of materials or the colours of gemstones used. The addition of titanium to the Mashandy Collection is the perfect next step, which you can discover along with his other designs and a wide selection of gemstones at the upcoming GemGeneve exhibition taking place from 4-7 November in Palexpo exhibition centre, Geneva.

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