Maintaining consistently high standards for nearly six decades is much harder than you might think. As the world changes, supplies dwindle, and attitudes to luxury jewellery change, it can be easy for brands to sacrifice their own sense of purpose and identity along the way. Fortunately, Picchiotti has never lost sight of its commitment to superlative gemstones and continues to search the world for the very finest examples of unheated and untreated sapphires, emeralds, and rubies.
Recently, the brand’s second-generation Marketing Director, Maria Carola Picchiotti, introduced us to a selection of new high jewellery creations that were built around these amazing gems. Picchiotti believes in allowing the natural beauty of a stone to shine through, which is exactly why its pieces are purposefully classical in terms of style and silhouette. These are the enduring, timeless pieces that won’t be as ravaged by time. By avoiding fast-paced trends, a Picchiotti jewel is something that can genuinely be passed down (and worn) from generation to generation.
“Life without colour is almost unimaginable to me. Colour holds profound meaning for all of us, on a deeply personal level … so much emotion, so much joy. Unlocking that treasure trove of mystery and delight is, for me, what designing fine jewellery is all about,” Giuseppe Picchiotti.
Our deep dive into the new additions started with the Xpandable™ collection, incorporating a unique, invisible expanding mechanism that gives rings and bracelets amazing flexibility. The hidden Xpandable™ technology solves the problem of ring sizing and the nuisance of cumbersome bracelet clasps. In 2023, we wrote about the Reversible Xpandable™ collection with bracelets, necklaces, rings, and drop earrings that can be flipped to reveal a different combination of precious stones. Now, though, we find a trio of Xpandable™ rings, each with a superlative centre stone. The first is a genuine conversation starter, set with a vivid green pear-shaped Zambian beryl of 6.11 carats, surrounded by ten buff top Zambian emeralds and more than two carats of diamonds. The second is similarly rich in green hues, this time set with a 5.42-carat octagonal-shaped Colombian emerald, 1.94 carats of buff top emeralds and nearly two carats of baguette-cut diamonds. Finally, there’s an Xpandable™ ring with a 7.13-carat radiant-cut fancy yellow diamond, GIA certified with VVS1 clarity, set alongside 44 baguette-cut diamonds totalling 5.59 carats.
It is worth mentioning at this stage that Picchiotti is known for its use of baguette-cut diamonds. In fact, it has often leaned into architectural influences, so the geometric lines of baguettes really lend themselves to this design inspiration. Traditionally, baguettes are long rectangular-shaped step-cut stones with 14 facets arranged parallel to one another. Unlike similar emerald-cut gems with 57 facets and diagonal ‘cut’ corners, baguettes have perfectly square, pointy corners, which makes them ideal for setting into channels in neat, orderly rows. They first emerged in the late 1920s and were an important feature of Art Deco design. As a result, contemporary designs incorporating baguette-cut stones can often have a vintage feel. Picchiotti uses the subtle sheen of baguettes as accent stones to bring light and dimension to a design without stealing the limelight from the central gem. Historically, it has also used baguette-cut diamonds in nature-themed designs like rose stems and parrot tails to add texture and contrast.
The best examples of baguettes in Picchiotti’s latest high jewels emerge in a matching necklace and Xpandable™ bracelet set, which could easily be worn with a pair of earrings and an Xpandable™ ring of a very similar design. The necklace is designed to be worn high on the collar and contains three rows of sensational baguette-cut diamonds weighing 39.85 carats, punctuated with buff top rubies in yellow gold and inlaid with slender slabs of onyx. Despite the contrasting shades of white and yellow gold, rubies, onyx and diamonds, there’s a beautiful harmony achieved in this necklace. On first glance, it could date to the Art Deco period, the mid-20th century or the contemporary era… the sign of a perfectly timeless jewel! The matching bracelet has 96 baguette-cut diamonds totalling 19.63 carats and 9.19 carats of buff top rubies and onyx. Again, its styling is contemporary and fresh, yet classic enough to endure for generations to come.
There’s also a beautiful sapphire duo, including a pair of pear-shaped drop earrings and a ring that boasts perfectly calibrated baguettes. The stars of the show are two pear-shaped Sri Lankan ‘Royal Blue’ sapphires of 11.78 carats and 11.36 carats, which sit boldly yet elegantly in a pair of timeless earrings. Although a matching pear-shaped sapphire ring may have been more predictable, I love the fact that Picchiotti has chosen an oval-shaped gem for the accompanying ring. This ‘Royal Blue’ treasure weighs 18.16 carats and is set alongside baguette and round diamonds totalling more than three carats. The resulting clash of fancy cuts, but with the common thread of rich blue corundum, is surprising and a little bit daring in the high jewellery world. This feels like the future of matching high jewellery suites, where the focus is less on repetitious designs and more on an attitude or a colour. It’s actually quite exciting!
Elsewhere, there’s a strikingly minimalist necklace and matching pair of earrings blending round Sri Lankan sapphires with round diamonds in neat lines. Despite its sleekness, the necklace contains 30 carats of oval-shaped sapphires, set east to west, to draw the eye around the neck in a sensual way. The matching earrings bring another 15 carats of Sri Lankan gems, this time graduating in inky blue from the lobe down towards the jawline. Picchiotti pairs these two statement pieces with a classic cluster-style ring, set with a 14.79-carat unheated Sri Lankan sapphire and 3.59 carats of round diamonds. Of course, each of these pieces would look sensational worn alone, but the woman who can carry off all three is a force to be reckoned with.
Picchiotti’s celebration of sapphires continues with a cascading necklace with droplets of cushion-cut sapphires, totalling 8.64 carats, alongside 14.41 carats of round diamonds of F-G colour and VS clarity. Unlike the necklaces we have previously encountered, this chandelier-style piece would suit an entirely different neckline. Perhaps a daring plunging gown or layered atop a high-necked black velvet dress for contrast. The matching earrings continue this chandelier motif with cushion-cut sapphires and round diamonds. To me, they are evocative of the candlelit balls we see in Hollywood movies, the kind of earrings that make people stop and take a second look.
A new set that’s particularly striking blends Sri Lankan sapphires and Zambian emeralds for a jewel-toned feast. The story starts with a necklace with cushion-cut vivid blue gems of 2.45 and 3.20 carats, alongside emeralds and 22.01 carats of diamonds. The matching earrings are similarly abundant with two cushion-cut Sri Lankan sapphires of 3.08 and 3.02 carats, coupled with more than three carats of Zambian beryls and 2.21 carats of diamonds. The combination of blue and green gems is nothing new, although here it feels far more contemporary and architectural. The recipe for this is in the combination of romantic cushion cuts, classic round-cut diamonds, and sharp emerald-cuts. Without even realising it, our eyes can sense that a balance has been achieved between these soft and angular elements. That’s what makes this new duo stand out from the crowd.
Lastly, there are some standalone pieces among the brand’s new high jewellery launches that we simply must mention for their gemmological beauty! Firstly, there’s a bracelet with 34 oval Madagascan sapphires weighing 37.99 carats, connected with tapered lines of round diamonds and illusion-set quartets of round diamonds weighing a whopping 22.63 carats. And, finally, let’s spotlight a sensational 8.90-carat tourmaline set in a ring with 1.59 carats of round diamonds and inky black ceramic. There’s something about the colour combination here that really draws the eye. I think it is the specific shade of pink – neither too bubble-gum nor too dark – an ultra-feminine yet slightly mysterious hue that’s entirely natural and unheated. The person who owns this piece will be very lucky indeed.
What sets Picchiotti apart is its absolute commitment to the finest gemstones and its passion for elegant, timeless, and classically sophisticated high jewellery. The brand has nurtured this aesthetic for nearly 60 years, and no matter how the luxury landscape changes, the family has always stayed true to its principles. That is something to be praised and admired, especially when the results are as beautiful as this latest crop of high jewellery masterpieces.
