THE HAUTE JOAILLERIE REPORT PARIS JΑNUARY 2019 Rouge Incandescent Transformable Necklace by CHANEL in 18K white gold set with rubies and diamonds; 1.5 – 1 Camélia . 5 Allures collection, CHANEL Joaillerie. POA. www.chanel.com Comparison between the gouache drawing and a work-in-progress, the Frosted Star Manchette by PIAGET; Sunlight Escape. www.piaget.com The January 2019 rendezvous for haute cou- ture and high jewellery has been quite surpris- ing in the sense that a few houses have intro- duced important collections that would usually fit July’s bigger event. As a result, we have been shown creations that warm both minds and hearts and can easily be categorised as excep- tional, in stark contrast with the snowy and gla- cial weather outside. We saw CHAUMET go back to its fundamentals with a superbly classic high jewellery collection, which is an extension of the Joséphine line and is centred on exploring the design of Empress Josephine’s tiara. CHANEL never has to go too far to find inspiration as delv- ing into the past of its founder always provides a successful outcome. This time the hero was the camellia flower, a favourite of Coco, which was the main motif in fifty pieces, of which twenty three were transformable. At CHOPARD, tech- nical prowess was the main focus with the of- ficial launch of the Chopard MAGICAL setting, a patented new way of bringing the most radi- ance and light from gemstones. Haute couture and haute joaillerie combined for REZA’s pre- sentation. By accessorising Alexis Mabille’s vi- brant dresses with their most recent creations, REZA contributed to a match made in heaven. Joséphine Aigrette Impériale Diadem and matching Earrings both in 18K white gold, set with Akoya cultured pearls and brilliant-cut diamonds; Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. www.chaumet.com At DAVID MORRIS, creations were grouped by co- lours so as to showcase one of their strong suits and the fact that their coloured gemstones are the real deal, i.e. unheated. BOUCHERON took the opportunity to open their refurbished flagship house (see my previous article: The reopening of 26, Place Vendôme or a home with a past poised to embrace the future, published earlier this year) to present their new fine jewellery line, Jack, as well as some new high jewellery renditions. It was a very private and secure affair at CINDY CHAO for the unveiling of both her 2018 Annual Butterfly and the dazzling Greenovia Brooch, a novelty with a 105-carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye. Delicacies were lavished on us at HARRY WINSTON, both literal- ly in the form of sweets and figuratively with one- of-a-kind cocktail rings from the new Candy col- lection. SUZANNE SYZ was once again a joy to meet, with great novelties especially earrings. At PIAGET, it felt like the end of a journey, the last chapter of Sunlight Escape and a beautiful con- clusion. Lastly, LYDIA COURTEILLE immersed us in a stylised reverie about the Dark Side of Marie Antoinette, and dark has never been more exqui- site in shades of blue. Model wears Joséphine Aigrette www.chaumet.com Impériale Necklace in 18K white gold, set with one 3.28-carat pear-shaped pink sapphire from Madagascar, 21 pear- shaped EF VVS diamonds for a total weight of 10.87 carats and brilliant-cut diamonds; Joséphine Aigrette Impériale Ring and matching Earrings also in 18K white gold, set with pear-shaped pink sapphires from Madagascar, pear-shaped diamonds and brilliant- Joséphine Aigrette Impériale Tiara in 18K white gold set with cut diamonds; Joséphine Joséphine pear-shaped pink sapphires and tsavorite garnets, pear- Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. shaped diamonds and brilliant-cut diamonds; Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. Joséphine Aigrette Impériale Bracelet in 18K white gold set with pear-shaped diamonds and brilliant-cut diamonds; Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. Stepping into tradition and grand decorum is what Chaumet’s new collection, Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament, promises. It is the art of modernising jewels that are traditional- ly ceremonial and seen as the ultimate status symbols where the muse is none other than Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon, and whose parures for appearance in court were created by the French house. About one hundred pieces were presented, not in the Place Vendôme salons, which are be- ing refurbished, but in a temporary outpost, a grand house on the Saint-Germain-des-Prés boulevard. There on the first floor, the precious sets were showcased in a dark room so that the di- amonds and gemstones were all sparkling like a thousand stars. The Joséphine line was translated into three themes, the first being Joséphine Aigrette Impériale where the tiara emblem has inspired necklace, earrings and ring sets, an all-white diamond ensemble minus the central coloured stones (sapphire, ruby, em- erald, yellow diamond) or cultured pearls. www.chaumet.com One-of-a-kind Joséphine Éclat Floral Earrings in platinum, set with 2 cushion- cut ‘Vivid Red Pigeon’s Blood’ rubies (weighing 1.70 and 1.65 carats) from Mozambique, 2 pear-shaped D VVS2 diamonds (weighing 0.73 and 0.70 carats) and brilliant- cut diamonds; Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. One of-a-kind Soir de Fête Cocktail Ring in 18K white gold set with one 17-carat blue sapphire from Madagascar, pear- One-of-a-kind Soir de Fête shaped white diamonds, and Necklace in 18K white gold brilliant-cut white diamonds; set with ‘pigeon blood’ rubies Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au from Mozambique, pear-shaped Firmament collection. POA. white diamonds, and brilliant- cut white diamonds; Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. From the second strand of the Josephine for her wedding to Prince Sixtus of Bourbon- theme, Joséphine Éclat Floral, comes a ring of Parma. The fuchsia flower being an emblem consummate beauty with a central cushion-cut of enduring love, Chaumet extracted the mo- gemstone (ruby, sapphire, pink sapphire, dia- tif from the tiara to build the diamond-paved mond or yellow diamond) supported by white body of the necklaces. As one would expect, round- or pear-shaped diamonds. Lastly Soir the result is absolutely stunning, and two sets de Fête pour Joséphine, the most precious in particular deserve a nod. First, the Soir de line-up of one-of-a-kind neckpieces and rings, Fête necklace, set with ‘pigeon blood’ rubies which are inspired by the fuchsia tiara, made in from Mozambique, showcases the house sig- 1919 for Hedwige de la Rochefoucauld to wear nature style, the fil couteau. www.chaumet.com Then the Joséphine Aigrette Impériale parure set with natu- Joséphine Aigrette Impériale Necklace, Ring, Earrings and Tiara ral pearls that were once part of a Chaumet-designed tiara, all in 18K set with natural pearls, re-purposed at the request of the owners, in a necklace that pear-shaped white diamonds, was then bought back by Chaumet. Now the rare pearls have and brilliant-cut white diamonds; been brought back to life in a necklace, earrings, tiara and Joséphine Joséphine Chaumet au Firmament collection. POA. ring. Let’s hope they are not going to be separated after be- ing united for more than a century. www.chanel.com Rouge Incandescent Transformable Bracelet in 18K white gold and rose gold set with rubies and diamonds (the camellia is detachable and becomes a brooch – in its place a hidden cut-out camellia motif appears); 1.5 – 1 Camélia .5 Allures collection, CHANEL Joaillerie. POA. It is said that the camellia motif made its first appearance in 1913 in a Chanel collec- tion. Since then, the alleged favourite flow- er of Coco Chanel has been repeatedly used in all areas of the French house, so much so that it is now indistinguishable from the Rouge Incandescent Ring in 18K white gold set with one luxury brand. As such, it was time to cele- ruby and diamonds; 1.5 – 1 brate the floral emblem in the most exclu- Camélia .5 Allures collection, sive part of the Chanel business, the high CHANEL Joaillerie. POA. jewellery realm. The 1.5 collection means 1 motif (the camellia) for 5 Allures, and the 50 pieces certainly deliver with 23 of them being transformable – in most cases, the camellia component can be detached and worn as a brooch or hair clip, revealing in its original place another motif. The simple colour palette is reminiscent of the Coco Avant Chanel high jewellery collection from 2017 with hints of soft pink (pink sapphires or pink quartz), yet it takes a more passion- ate turn with the incandescence of vivid red rubies. A note to self, rubies have indeed made a comeback in high jewellery collec- Rouge Incandescent Asymmetrical tions after a hiatus of a few seasons, partly earrings in 18K white gold set thanks to the rich Montepuez ruby deposit with rubies and diamonds; 1.5 – in northern Mozambique. 1 Camélia .5 Allures collection, CHANEL Joaillerie. POA. www.chanel.com Quintessence Brooch in 18K white gold and rose gold set with diamonds and carved pink quartz; 1.5 – 1 Camélia .5 Allures collection, CHANEL Joaillerie. POA. Révélation Diamant Transformable in 18K white gold set with diamonds (the camellia motif is detachable and becomes a brooch; the necklace can be short or long); 1.5 – 1 Camélia .5 Cristal Illusion Secret Allures collection, CHANEL Watch in 18K white gold Joaillerie. POA. with rock crystal and diamonds; 1.5 – 1 Camélia .5 Allures collection, CHANEL Joaillerie. POA. Rose Tendre Ring in 18K white gold and rose gold set with diamonds, carved pink quartz and cultured pearls); 1.5 – 1 Camélia .5 Allures collection, CHANEL Joaillerie.