Although new to the high jewellery scene, Gucci's annual high jewellery collections have quickly become highly anticipated events. Last year's Allegoria collection featured wild and spontaneous designs capturing nature's essence through the four seasons. In contrast, this year's Labirinti collection presents 140 masterpieces using precious metals and gemstones to evoke reason, symmetry, and order, reflecting the beauty of Italian gardens with flowers, fountains, and labyrinths. Here's how Gucci brings these Italian locales to life…
A Reimagined Gucci G Logo
Many pieces in the Labirinti Gucci collection reinterpret the classic G logo associated with the House of Gucci. The logo has been transformed into an elongated geometric shape, crafted in white gold and adorned with pavé diamonds, and used as a precious chain link in necklaces and the occasional ring. These pieces feature either symmetrical patterns with graduated G's or asymmetrical designs with the emblem appearing on one side. The interplay of symmetry and asymmetry in some pieces reflects the richness of 'sprezzatura', an Italian term that refers to effortless grace. Whether concealed in links and closures or boldly defining the structure, the House 'G' serves as the signature code of the collection.
One of the standout suites in the collection prominently features the Gucci' G' letter in an all-diamond and pink sapphire set. The reimagined 'G' is showcased predominantly on the necklace, where white gold and diamond 'G' links form the entire piece. The two sides of the necklace reveal flowers crafted from fancy-cut kite-shaped diamond petals surrounding round-cut pink sapphires. This play on gem shapes and sizes underscores the importance of geometry throughout the collection, with each piece displaying an air of calculated symmetry or asymmetry in its final rendering. This theme continues with two additional kite diamonds flanking the floral arrangements, surrounded by more pink sapphires. The matching earrings and ring are the perfect accompaniments.
A Colourful Garden of Precious Gems
Italian gardens are the main source of inspiration in the Labirinti Gucci collection. Full of flowers and plants, these landscapes reflect how nature can be elegantly moulded with careful planning, expressing creativity and art through geometric beauty and a harmonious blend of colours and shapes. One suite in the collection combines green tourmaline, opals, and mandarin garnets to evoke flower-packed foliage. The necklace in this set centres around a lagoon tourmaline of 53.25 carats, surrounded by a selection of cabochon opals, the largest of which weighs 19.68 carats. Each opal has been meticulously matched, a challenging task due to their play of colour. Cushion-cut mandarin garnets add light and brilliance to this gem combination, set against a backdrop of white gold and diamonds. The necklace is complemented by a bracelet featuring a cushion-cut lagoon tourmaline weighing 15.49 carats, surrounded by graduating red, blood orange, and light orange mandarin garnets. The matching earrings and ring also include this mosaic of gemstones.
Rubellites play a key role in bringing the warm tones of the Gucci garden to life. One particular necklace features a heart-shaped 25.88-carat rubellite as its focal point, surrounded by white diamonds interspersed with fancy orange and yellow diamonds. This is accompanied by a matching pair of earrings and bracelet, also using heart-shaped gems, rubellites, and fancy-cut diamonds to evoke the romance of meticulously manicured gardens.
Another impressive suite conveys dainty floral artistry, embodying a romantic and feminine allure which perfectly captures the poetic spirit of this collection. The necklace also features a heart-shaped 45.68-carat mandarin garnet, acting as the centrepiece of the suite. This vibrant orange gemstone, reminiscent of a juicy fruit and free from visible inclusions, is surrounded by white diamonds, fancy-coloured diamonds, and tourmalines shaped into swirls of leaves and petals. The matching earrings showcase mandarin garnets of 19.04 and 19.52 carats, serving as the focal points of flower motifs that dangle from the earlobe. The surrounding petals, crafted from white gold and diamonds, appear to be in bloom, revealing the fiery orange centre stones. The ring features two equally impressive gems: an oval-cut 8.13-carat mandarin garnet and a 1.89-carat tourmaline, which act as focal points for each of the ring loops, also surrounded by floral sprays of diamonds and white gold.
Gucci Fountains
A key feature of any Italian garden is a beautiful and ornate fountain. Gucci has incorporated this design detail into its collection, using a variety of blue gemstones to bring these aquatic sculptures to life. Tanzanites are prominently featured, including a 60.89-carat example in a standout white gold necklace, complemented by multicoloured tourmalines, Paraiba tourmalines, further tanzanites, and fancy diamonds. This piece is accompanied by a matching bracelet that showcases a 33.73-carat oval-cut tanzanite. Completing the suite is a pair of drop earrings and a pavé diamond cocktail ring, which features an 11.04-carat cushion-cut tanzanite as its centrepiece.
Another set uses blue sapphires to bring these fountains to life, paired with Paraiba tourmalines to create an elegant and sophisticated mix of colours in each design of the four-piece suite. The standout jewel is a necklace with a 53.8-carat cushion-cut blue sapphire. This magnificent central stone is a one-of-a-kind gem and one of the most important in the collection due to its weight and rare metallic colouring. The necklace is further adorned with pear-shaped Paraiba tourmalines in dégradé hues and fancy-shaped diamonds. The matching bracelet follows the same style with a 20.06-carat cushion-cut blue sapphire accented by pear-shaped Paraiba tourmalines, echoing drops of water in an idealistic Italian garden. The matching ring and earrings also feature impressive blue sapphires, weighing 13 carats and 7.46 carats, respectively.
And let's not forget green tourmalines! A standout highlight of the collection is a transformable high jewellery necklace that boasts an elongated pear-shaped 113.35-carat green tourmaline, plus diamonds, cool-toned emeralds and tanzanites, all set in white gold. This piece is perhaps the most impressive in the collection due to its unique centre stone.
The Gemstone Geometry of Labyrinths
This Gucci garden is not only filled with stunning floral arrangements but also draws its main inspiration from the geometric labyrinth—a timeless garden style that has remained emblematic across different cultures and epochs. The labyrinth often symbolises a journey of discovery, whether it be self-discovery or worldly adventure. The linear pathways of mazes are reflected in the meticulously crafted pieces, each telling a unique story of the wearer's journey.
One suite combines aquamarines and tourmalines to bring the complex labyrinth pattern to life. Here, we see small green tourmalines, representing shrubs, that evoke a sense of protection and shelter in an Art Deco style. At the heart of the suite lies a necklace set with a 62.58-carat octagonal aquamarine, around which oval-cut tourmalines, round-cut blue sapphires, and cushion-cut Paraiba tourmalines are dispersed equidistantly around the collar. The matching bracelet features a 35.69-carat octagonal aquamarine, complemented by matching earrings and a ring.
Another suite uses step-cut aquamarine paired with beaded emeralds to recreate the geometric yet feminine elements of the labyrinth. Set against a backdrop of white gold and diamond swirling patterns, the necklace in this suite features a 26.58-carat emerald-cut aquamarine paired with 16.56 carats of beaded emeralds, culminating in an 11.1-carat drop-cut emerald that lies neatly just below the collarbone. The matching earrings, bracelet, and ring follow a similar design, each adorned with small diamond and white gold leaves that surround the coloured gemstones, reminding us that this is a floral labyrinth full of ordered colour and symmetry.
A final set that perfectly captures the intricate and complex symmetry of the labyrinth heralds a unique combination of emeralds and fancy diamonds. The necklace, one of the most ornate in the collection, showcases a labyrinth pattern of diamonds and white gold with three octagonal-shaped emeralds weighing 7.53 carats, 4.31 carats, and 2.86 carats, respectively. The suite, which includes a large cuff and cocktail ring, also features one of the collection's only earcuffs. The floral pattern climbs around the ear, creating a bellflower that hangs above the earlobe, adding a touch of romance.
The Labirinti Gucci High Jewellery collection is proof that nature and man can work hand in hand to create something breathtakingly beautiful. Bright and bold flowers made of rare and precious gemstones are shaped into geometric diamond and white gold labyrinths, bringing a delicate sense of wild femininity and passion to high jewellery. We eagerly anticipate the House's next interpretation of nature.
