From a 1960s New York salon to modern high jewellery, the Harry Winston 718 Marble Marquetry Collection transforms black-and-white marble interiors into striking designs
There is a certain boldness in choosing beauty when everyone else is leaning towards restraint. Harry Winston understood this and in 1960, at a time when New York’s skyline was rapidly filling with glass-and-steel towers, he chose a different path. Instead of following the prevailing modernist trend, he opened his Fifth Avenue salon at 718 in an 18th-century French-style townhouse.
Its interiors were defined by black-and-white marble creating a space that felt more like a private residence than a commercial boutique. It was not merely an aesthetic decision, but a philosophy: Winston believed that rare beauty should be experienced intimately, not simply observed in passing.
To bring his vision to life, Winston commissioned French architect Jacques Régnault to design the salon, clad in travertine and inspired by Parisian elegance. Every element was carefully considered, from the symmetry of the rooms to the tactile richness of the materials.
Today, that building has become a source of inspiration in its own right. The 718 Marble Marquetry collection forms part of the House’s New York Collection, with each piece translating the salon’s interiors into high jewellery. The black-and-white marble floor, one of the space’s most distinctive features, is reimagined as a suite of necklace, earrings and ring, introducing architectural motifs to the designs.
At the heart of each piece is a structured, almost architectural composition. Ten pear-shaped gemstones are arranged in a circular formation around a central emerald-cut diamond, echoing both the geometry of marquetry and the way light plays across polished stone. The design feels balanced, with each element contributing to a sense of rhythm and harmony. The contrast between colour and clarity, between richly saturated gemstones and the cool brilliance of diamonds, gives each jewel its character, allowing light to move across its surface.
What elevates the collection further is its use of materials. Rather than presenting a single interpretation, Winston explores multiple expressions through a palette of ruby, sapphire, pink sapphire, spessartite garnet, yellow diamond and black spinel. Each variation transforms the mood entirely. For example ruby feels bold and theatrical, the black spinel sharp and architectural, the pink sapphire softer and more intimate. While the structure remains constant, the emotional resonance of each piece shifts, offering different interpretations of the same design language.
This approach reflects what Winston has always done best and that is to allow exceptional stones to lead the design. Yet what makes the 718 Marble Marquetry collection particularly compelling is its concept rooted in a specific place and moment in time. It does not simply reference the Fifth Avenue salon; it mirrors its intent and spirit. Just as Winston once chose opulence over minimalism, the collection makes the same argument today, that magnificence and restraint are not opposing forces, but can exist in perfect balance.
