As the name implies, the collection glorifies the radiant glow of the sun. For obvious reasons, the sun is highly fertile ground for the creativity of Piaget’s in-house designers. If one were to trace the legacy of Piaget over recent years, one could easily find the celestial body in a plethora of different forms among various collections. This trend spans the last ten years, and is perhaps why the sun’s iconic silhouette has been used to form the basis for the design of Piaget’s ‘Sunlight’ necklace and earrings.
The jewellery collection combines 11 different pieces of jewellery, including seven pairs of earrings and three variations of a necklace. All of them are completely different in their design and composition, to offer something to clients with various tastes: some of us like earrings studs, others prefer hoops, and still others prefer earrings adorned with drops. The necklaces are also made in two different forms – one of which is a traditional pendant, and the other is a sautoir.
Due to this variety of forms, Piaget’s new work is able to depict the sun in three of its different positions: reflecting the first morning rays, the bright circle at its zenith and the warm glow of the evening light, diving into a crepuscular sunset. Pieces with diamonds embellished upon rays of sun made of gold correspond to the first position; similar motifs, with central decorations laid upon the form of a mother-of-pearl, opal or diamond studded disk are used for the second; while gold chains that frame the lower part of some pendants and earrings are used to embody the sun’s third and final position.
Of all the different types of opal that Piaget have made use of since the 1960s, it was the Australian kind that was chosen for this collection. The house’s designers found themselves captivated by its charming complex array of different shades, imitating autonomous movement and the dancing of light upon its surface. Meanwhile mother-of-pearl - by way of contrast - delights with its brilliant whiteness and perfect solidity of appearance. This material is obtained from the largest pearl shells in the world.
I use the term ‘everyday’ to describe ‘Piaget Sunlight’ collection not because of the design’s quotidian simplicity – indeed this could not be further from the truth of the collection’s appearance. The simple fact is that the use of opals, mother of pearl, diamonds and gold – which all serve as primary materials for the jewellery – look much more expressive in the rays of the daytime’s bright sun. Thus the pendants and bracelets mostly reveal their full potential when worn in daylight. In-house designers also – in the course of their creative process – clearly considered the jewellery’s comfort, taking into account the weight of each piece as well as their underlying functionality. For example, the length of each necklace is adjustable so as to make it easier to tailor the jewellery to your personal preferences. This adaptability also enables one to combine different pieces with one another. Of course, complex combinations and layering are still very much à la mode!
I am sure you will agree, readers, that when one thinks of the word 'sunny', the mind is inevitably drawn to associative words: 'festive', 'sparkling', 'joyful', 'warm' and 'attractive'. These words are apt in describing the jewellery with which the Geneva-based brand – with its 140-year history – has been consistently able to offer its customers, year upon year.
