Carnet’s finely crafted Glowing Jade and Gems necklace by Michelle Ong.
Christmas is getting close but it’s never too late to add something small and precious to your wish list. Admittedly, you would probably need to know someone with pockets as capacious as a billionaire’s if you set your heart on more than one of these exquisite gems appearing in a beribboned box under the Christmas tree – but you can always dream.
In the rarefied world of high jewellery this has been a remarkable year, with pieces featuring central stones of exceptional quality as well as artistic flair. According to Daniel Struyf, senior international jewellery director at Bonham’s, there is an overriding trend towards coloured gems and these designs show exceptional use of fancy diamonds, sapphires and jade. Particularly impressive are the opals at Cartier, Chopard and Mikimoto.
These jewels may be judged not merely by the value of the stones but as masterpieces of creativity and craftsmanship, whether they are carved jade from Michelle Ong at Carnet and Wallace Chan or the Soie Dior collection inspired by the rustling silks and grosgrain ribbons of haute couture.
There is similar attention lavished by watchmakers on women’s timepieces, too, with designs expressing contrasting aesthetics, one feminine and floral the other dynamic with loads of attitude. Here are a dozen special pieces for that special someone in your life.
1. The Pli Plat pink sapphire bracelet from Christian Dior’s Soie Dior collection draws inspiration from haute couture dressmaking techniques. The flat-pleated bracelet is set with white and yellow diamonds, emeralds and 8.56-carat sapphire.
Pli Plat pink sapphire bracelet from Christian Dior’s Soie Dior collection.
2. Wallace Chan’s impressive Return of the Kings bangle with creamy nephrite jade carved in ancient totemic motifs is set in a purple-hued titanium bangle inlaid with diamonds.
Wallace Chan’s Return of the Kings bangle with nephrite jade carved in ancient totemic motifs.
3. A spectacular cushion-shaped 125-carat Sri Lankan sapphire is at the heart of this diamond and emerald Love’s Paradise pendant necklace from Bulgari’s Italian Gardens collection.
A 125-carat Sri Lankan sapphire is at the heart of this diamond and emerald Love’s Paradise pendant necklace from Bulgari’s Italian Gardens collection.
4. Cartier’s beguiling take on the ancient Indian tradition of carved-stone fruits and flowers, Tutti Frutti, is revived in the Pushkar earrings from the Etourdissant collection. Two oval-shaped black opals surrounded by diamonds with carved mandarin garnets, tsavorite garnets and tanzanites.
Cartier’s beguiling take on the ancient Indian tradition of carved-stone fruits and flowers, the Tutti Frutti Pushkar earrings are from the Etourdissant collection.
5. The Extraordinaire La Rose high jewellery timepiece from Jaeger-LeCoultre features petals delicately carpeted with snow-set diamonds, a technique they invented in 2002 and now widely used that resembles individual snowflakes. The watch has 1400 diamonds and five sapphires.
Extraordinaire La Rose high jewellery timepiece from Jaeger-LeCoultre.
6. Audemars Piguet’s snow-set Diamond Punk Haute Joaillerie cuff watch was directly inspired by the subversive punk movement of the late 1970s, its brutalist style pyramid-shaped facets feature 7,848 diamonds on the bracelet and 300 diamonds on the dial. Now that is brilliant attitude.
Audemars Piguet’s snow-set Diamond Punk Haute Joaillerie cuff watch.
7. Creative director Nicolas Bos’ favourite piece from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Seven Seas collection, the Vagues Mystérieuses brooch: a wave motif in a palette of paraiba-like tourmalines, sapphires and diamonds using the house’s signature Mystery Setting for the gems.
Vagues Mystérieuses brooch from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Seven Seas collection.
8. Carnet’s finely crafted Glowing Jade and Gems necklace by Michelle Ong is reminiscent of the magnificent jewelled collars worn by the Egyptian pharoahs. Set on titanium and gold are jade gourds blended with cut diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and garnets in a contemporary style that mixes East with West.
Carnet’s Glowing Jade and Gems necklace by Michelle Ong recalls the magnificent jewelled collars worn by the Egyptian Pharoahs.
9. Tiaras are enjoying a revival and nothing looks more sophisticated and chic than an up-do with a tiara worn as a headband across the forehead. Chaumet is famed for its diamond tiaras and Empress Joséphine inspired the design of this Aigrette Impériale.
Empress Joséphine inspired the design of this Aigrette Impériale tiara from Chaumet.
10. One of a collection of six sublime rings: Chopard paints the petals of its beautifully sculpted Fleur d’Opales ring with an artist’s palette of purple sapphires, amethysts, and tsavorites enhancing the mysterious beauty of the 24-carat opal at its centre.
Fleur d’Opales ring from Chopard.
11. The shimmering golden lustre of this large South Sea pearl and fluorescence of the opal on this pendant from Mikimoto need little enhancement, although a few diamonds make a sparkling contrast.
This pendant from Mikimoto has a large South Sea pearl as its centrepiece.
12. Anna Hu Eden Paradise earrings made up of conch pearls nestled among cut and briolette diamonds looking like ripe fruits with leaves of tsavorites and paraiba tourmalines.
Anna Hu Eden Paradise Earrings.
Source: http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-luxury/article/1891774/12-stunning-christmas-jewellery-ideas-hongkongers-deep
