Along with the haute couture collections unveiled at Paris Couture Week, the world’s top jewellery houses showcased their most stunning high jewellery designs
We take a look at eight of the most stunning necklaces as they bring us from the tropical jungles to the wintry lakes.
Boucheron: Baikal bodice necklace
Boucheron’s Hivier Imperial collection takes us to the depths of a Russian winter. Inspired by nature, fashion and architecture, the pieces are frosted generously with diamonds, while pearls and other precious stones come together to form a glamorous winter wonderland. The Baikal bodice front is crafted out of 2,000 pearls strung on silk thread and connected with ice blue aquamarines, moon pearls and diamond slivers. At its centre, a 78.33-carat oval Santa Maria aquamarine comes decorated with more pearls, and is further accentuated with pear-cut diamonds set on moonstones.
Chopard: Silk Road necklace
Inspired by Asia, the Silk Road collection by Chopard unites haute couture with joaillerie as the pieces had been created by co-president Caroline Scheufele in collaboration with fashion designer, Guo Pei. A lariat necklace in 18k white gold with titanium offers the uncommon combination of emeralds and Paraiba tourmalines. Chopard has used pear-shaped emeralds totalling 105 carats with pear- and brilliant-cut tourmalines totalling 73.2 carats as well as 52.3 carats of brilliant-cut diamonds.
Chanel: Summer Cruise necklace
Moving on to the sparkling coastlines of the French Riviera, Chanel’s Flying Cloud collection draws inspiration from Gabrielle Chanel’s maritime trysts on board the luxury yacht which belonged to Hugh Grosvenor, who was the second Duke of Westminster. One of a few pieces in the Summer Cruise line inspired by the sailor’s jacket, a five-string pearl sautoir necklace juxtaposes elegance with playfulness from the pair of epaulettes. Crafted in 18k white gold and fully paved with diamonds, the epaulettes are designed with baguette-cut blue sapphire stripes and each is finished with a gold naval button.
Piaget: Sunlight Journey necklace
Piaget’s Sunlight Journey collection, too, frolics under the Mediterranean sun but instead of the French Riviera, ventures over to the Amalfi Coast. Apart from exceptional gems, the pieces have been created with some of the rarest metiers d’arts techniques today like feather marquetry, eggshell and gold leaf mosaic, micro-mosaic, grand feu enamel, and palace decor engraving. Named after the collection, this stellar creation is made of a combination of red, pink and yellow gold, as well as platinum, and studded with diamonds, red spinels and yellow diamonds in subtly graded shades. At its centre, a brilliant-cut diamond connects a cushion-cut yellow diamond with a pear-shaped red spinel.
Tiffany & Co: Whispers of the Rainforest necklace
Nature constantly inspires jewellery design and Tiffany & Co’s 2017 Blue Book goes deeper into the heart of the wild like no other high jewellery collection. The Art of the Wild collection is composed of six themes: Whispers of the Rain Forest, Miracle Berry, The Falls, Leaves of the Sun, Feathered Cloak, and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Each jewellery piece conveys the strength of nature as well as its delicate grace. The Whispers of the Rain Forest necklace is a spectacular piece that looks soft and light yet powerful and strong. A pave diamond-stitched collar, itself studded with 200 baguette-cut diamonds, connects to more than 350 hand-sculpted 18k yellow gold fronds.
Harry Winston: Legacy necklace
Inspired by the Winston Legacy, a 101.73-carat pear-shaped diamond acquired by the house at a Christie’s auction in 2013, the Legacy collection comprises 22 pieces. Each creation features a D-colour internally flawless diamond centre stone, which is an incredible feat on its own.
Dior: Trianon Diamant necklace
Dior a Versailles, cote Jardins combines architectural arrangement with botanical detailing, allowing emerald pathways, fountains of diamonds and multi-coloured sapphire flowers to exhibit French art de vivre. The Trianon Diamant necklace juxtaposes sharp, straight lines with soft undulating curves, reminiscent of an elegant pergola overgrown with floral vines. Bursting with colour, this necklace, crafted in pink, yellow and white gold, is set with diamonds, pink sapphires, emeralds, sapphires, tsavorite and spessartine garnets, yellow sapphires, yellow diamonds, turquoise, Paraiba-type tourmalines and rubies.
Chaumet: Pastorale Anglaise necklace
Living the aristocratic life does not get more glamorous than with the Chaumet est une Fete high jewellery collection. Four themes set the stage – Pastorale Anglaise, Aria Passionata, Rhapsodie Transatlantique and Valses d’Hiver – each dominated by a different spiritual stone. Emeralds, rubies, coloured sapphires and pearls evoke different dynamics, changing the mood from light and playful to intense and dramatic. The entire creation is a festival of precious stones including a 28.98-carat vivid green emerald from Colombia Muzo. A further 39 cabochon-cut emeralds, round rubies and emeralds, baguette-cut sapphires and yellow sapphires, and brilliant-cut diamonds complete this splendid masterpiece.
