French jewellery house Chaumet has returned to its roots by making sentimental bracelets that carry a secret message. More than 240 years ago, it was exactly this kind of work that bore witness to the love between Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife, Josephine. The House provides a range of stunning hues for the writing of a personalised messages on its Les Acrostiches Jeux de Liens bracelets. Each letter is represented by a stone whose name corresponds alphabetically, whether the stone required be precious or ornamental, transparent or matte: aquamarine for A, beryl for B, citrine for C, diamond for D, emerald for E and so on. The relationships shared between people, symbols and stones are depicted by X-shaped elements composed of rose gold. The possibilities are truly endless: from a name or a city, to a passionate declaration of love or even a marriage proposal.
The British jewellery brand David Morris recently launched two collections at the same time - Astra and Beaux. Astra is a collection composed of a range of symbols that are comprehensible to anyone, anywhere in the world. These universal images include an eight-pointed star among other symmetrical geometric shapes, embodied in white and pink gold with mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and colourless diamonds. The design of the rings, bracelets, earrings and pendants that comprise the collection are reminiscent of aspects of Arab architecture. They further draw inspiration from the Arabic names for certain stars, which were bestowed upon them centuries ago. The collection Beaux is a modern take on a timelessly popular motif in jewellery - a simple bow. All the pieces in this collection are covered in a stunning range of pavé diamonds and can add a touch of glamour to even the most casual look.
Christian Dior was always a believer in fate and in one’s lucky stars. He was keen to explore the world and had a famous habit of idolizing roses. As a reminder of these facts about the man himself, the current creative director of Dior, Victoire de Castellane, has crafted the Rose des Vents collection. The main element of the collection’s constituent work is a double-sided medallion that freely rotates on the chain from which it hangs. One side of the eight-pointed star medallion is adorned with gold, while the other is decorated with diamonds and natural stones, each possessing a ‘special meaning’. Mother of pearl symbolizes femininity, tranquility and wisdom, onyx represents a positive state of mind, lapis lazuli stands for health, malachite for rebirth, carnelian for family happiness, turquoise for a kind of ecstasy, while pink opal stands for a sense of change for the better. Despite the fact that this collection is not a new release, Victoire de Castellane continues to update it with new designs, the most recent of which are presented here.
Sunlight is a source of life and joy, and a symbol of warmth and all things good in the world. It is also a source of perennial inspiration for the French jewellery house Piaget. For most people, the sun is associated with bright yellows. However, in the Sunlight jewellery collection Piaget’s craftsmen have offered up a diverse range of interpretations and hues, encompassing the sun from dawn through its zenith to sunset. Each thematic series includes a watch, a necklace with a pendant, a ring and a set of earrings in the form of the sun with its rays, all depicted in corresponding colour palettes using precious stones or engraved on gold. The dawn jewellery is made of white gold with blue sapphires, the daytime jewellery is composed of yellow gold with yellow sapphires, while the dusk jewellery is made out of pink gold and pink sapphires. All pieces are accompanied by diamonds, so regardless of where the sun is in the sky, you are guaranteed some shimmer.
The Italian jewellery house Pomellato has presented its Catene collection, which translates as ‘chains’, and refers to the design element that is now well established as an iconic symbol of the brand (you can read more about this in my article about this trend for chains). This element is so frequently a la mode that it must now be considered something of a classic. In this sense, Catene rings, earrings and bracelets will not only add a sense of boldness and mischief to one’s image, but also emphasize the feminine charm and glamour so characteristic of everyday Milanese life. One need only choose the colour of the metal and decide if pavé diamonds are a requirement.
Both stylish and high-status, fashionable as well as symbolic, these jewellery collections will easily fit into your summer wardrobe. They will also help you, readers, to recognize in a crowd the real connoisseurs of jewellery art, who cannot stand to find themselves separated from such beauty for even a brief moment.
