Jewellery Historian, issue #19 by JEWELLERY HISTORIAN

Jewellery Historian

INSIDE THIS ISSUE “At the JEWELLERY HISTORIAN we feature exclusively jewellery designers, brands and artists whose work is exceptional and of the highest quality.”

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7 Learning is more that essential, it’s a way of living. Our editor-in-chief in his Editor’s Letter, invites you to discover the amazing gifts of knowledge transmitted to us all by the most talented artists and welcomes us to a new issue of the “Best kept secret in the world of luxury”.

10 Sotheby’s is privileged to announce that it will auction the 1109-carat “Lesedi la Rona” – the largest gem-quality rough diamond to be discovered in over a century and the largest rough diamond in existence today – in a stand-alone sale in London on 29 June 2016. Discover our NEWS and read about major events and latest news.

Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s © Donald Bowers/Getty Images for Sotheby's

In his The Art of Creativity column, Olivier Dupon introduces us to VHERNIER. A free spirit that

Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

esteems nature, liberates shapes, plays with colour. In a way that is original and strictly up-to-date, Vhernier interprets jewellery as a discovery, driven by the desire to amaze and entertain.

Jewellery Historian Editor-in-Chief Lucas Samaltanos-Ferrier Creative director-at-large Panayiotis Simopoulos Gemology Department Editor Eva Kountouraki Haute Joaillerie Department Editor Olivier Dupon --Founder Lucas Samaltanos-Ferrier --Columnists Eva Kountouraki ( Breathtaking beauty of Gems) Olivier Dupon ( The art of creativity / Haute Joaillerie) --Contributors Martin Huynh , Christina Rodopoulou --Creative Jewellery Historian Production Jewellery Historian Made in the European Union --Photo agencies Shutterstock, Pixabay, Freepik, The stocks Cover AS Inc / Shutterstock. com --Advertising info@jewelleryhistorian.com Website www.jewelleryhistorian.com E-mail info@jewelleryhistorian.com --FREE DIGITAL COPY / NOT FOR SALE JEWELLERY HISTORIAN © 2016 All material published in this e-magazine and at www.jewelleryhistorian.com is published with permission of the brands and designers. Unless otherwise authorized in writing by the Jewellery Historian, it is strictly prohibited to reproduce, in whole or in part, and by any way, the content of this e-magazine. While precautions have been take to ensure the accuracy of the contents of our magazine and digital brands, neither the editors, publishers or its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise there from. The information on this e-magazine is for information purposes only. Jewellery Historian assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information. The information contained has been provided by individual brands, event organizers, brands, press offices or organizations without verification by us. The opinions expressed in articles and/or advertorials, are the author's and/or brand’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Jewellery Historian, the owner, the publisher, the editor-in-chief and team of the magazine, or of any part related to the magazine. The name “Jewellery Historian” and/or logo, may not be reproduced without prior written consent of the founder of magazine.

tinctive signs of any kind contained in the Web pages of the company are the property of their owners and are protected by law. The same is valid also for all Links (links) .The presence of third-part links (links) in the Jewellery Historian Web pages & e-magazine is for informational purposes only. Our articles may contain photos/texts/graphics/designs that belong to third parties. They are published for information purposes only and with permission of the brands. Image(s) or Footage (as applicable), used under license from photo agencies. The Jewellery Historian is publishing articles about jewellery, auctions, jewellery designers, gemology, gemstones, etc. All trademarks mentioned in the Jewellery Historian’s website and/or magazine belong to their owners, third party brands, product names, trade names, corporate names and company names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners or registered trademarks of other companies and are used for purposes of explanation & information and to the owner's benefit, without implying a violation of copyright law.

Partial or entire reproduction of the material of this magazine is strictly prohibited.The content, entire edition, graphics, design, lay-out and other matters related to this issue are protected under applicable copyrights and other proprietary laws, including but not limited to intellectual property laws. The copying, reproduction, use, modification or publication by you of any such matters or any part of the material is strictly prohib-

Photos used in articles belong to their owners, third party brands, product names, trade names, corporate names and company names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners or registered trademarks of other companies and are used for purposes of explanation and to the owner's benefit, without implying a violation of

ited, without our express prior written permission.All trade names, trademarks or dis-

In her Breathtaking beauty of gems column, Eva Kountouraki talks about mystic symbols whose amplitude of significations feeds on ancient myths and beliefs, the amazing Pearls. They are connected to the Female, to fertility, to the growth and progress through change. Pearls, products of a transformation process, where a foreign irritant body gets skillfully covered with beauty and smoothness, are among the most adored gems of all times.

81 An “esthète” is a person who has or professes to have refined sensitivity toward the beauties of art or nature. In each issue, discover the personal choice of our editor-in-chief, in his esthète column.

83 In his Haute Joaillerie column, Olivier Dupon introduces us to VAN CLEEF & ARPELS. For more than a century, Van Cleef & Arpels creates jewelry by capturing movement and emotion. In harmonious bliss, the exceptional Bouton d'or collection showcases the curves of a jewelry design created by Van Cleef & Arpels in the late 1930s, under the name "Paillette", an absolutely perfect symphony of jewelry.

In his Haute Joaillerie column, Olivier Dupon introduces us to LALIQUE. ‘Pioneer’ is a description that does not come close to encapsulating René Lalique (1860-1945), the visionary who singlehandedly revolutionized joaillerie, undeniably one of today’s

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most consistent ambassadors for French excellence.

With integrated production of all watch parts spread over four sites in the Jura mountains, at the heart of a major hub of the most sophisticated skills and crafts, the Manufacture BULGARI

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has developed so strongly that it now fully masters the production of mechanical watch movements . Production of the external elements – metal cases and bracelets, high-end dials – is also done internally. The vertical integration that began a few years ago has reached cruising speed and has effectively put Bulgari Watchmaking right up amongst the elite of Swiss watch manufacturers.

In his Haute Joaillerie column, Olivier Dupon introduces us to WALLACE CHAN. If time was no object, and utter patience, endurance and persistence were the driving forces.... One creation that embodies the term ‘labour of love’, and is the

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pinnacle of extraordinary experimentation, is ‘Secret Abyss’.

In his The Art of Creativity column, Olivier Dupon introduces us to VANLELES. Founded in 2011 by Vania Leles, VanLeles works directly with leading craftspeople and gemstone mines across the world to craft exquisite and unique fine jewellery for discerning collectors and private clients alike. Nestled in the heart of

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London’s fine jewellery district, the VanLeles atelier offers a sense-awakening and personal experience, paired with visionary design.

Olivier Dupon introduces us to CHOPARD and the magical universe of the Cannes film festival, one of the most important film festivals worldwide. Chopard’s involvement with the Film Festival dates back to 1997, when they were asked to redesign the Palme d’Or trophy, the award presented to the best feature film of the year. In 1998 Chopard became an official partner in the event, and since then they have played an integral part in creating ‘magic’ for it.

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A rendez-vous for London’s elite since 1700, New Bond Street has a long history of catering to the tastes of the rich and famous, and centuries later, as the demand for luxury items seems far from abating, it is still the go-to place for those who seek high-end merchandise. Olivier Dupon takes us inside the Contemporary Palaces of New Bond Street and we discover the magical universe of world famous jewellery maisons.

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In his The Art of Creativity column, Olivier Dupon introduces us to BELPERRON. It is refreshing to rediscover a sleeping beauty, whose timeless charm and secret power might prove to be their inspiration. Reviving Belperron is an important mission: it restores a creative compass in an ocean of jewellery ventures whose course is largely set by social media. It feels a bit like showing the kids how it is really done.

253 In our column Exceptional Timepieces we introduce you BVLGARI SERPENTI. Bulgari is a true snake-charmer. Witness the new collections reinterpreting this unmistakable signature of the Romebased Maison. A symbol of perpetual renewal, the animal figure slides its way into countless fresh fields of expression this year, reborn in the form of captivating contemporary interpretations.

287 For this issue and our S comme Style column, we get inspired by Guy de Maupassant. Le Horla takes the form of a diary written by a man who lives alone, but who comes to believe that he is not alone. Gradually, he begins to sense an invisible, malign presence shadowing him. He names it the horla, a made-up word that suggests hors-là, a creature from the beyond. Because as Maupassant wrote:‘We need thinking,

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talking men around us. When we are alone for a long time, we fill the emptiness with ghosts.’

In every issue, for Jewels we Love, we handpick the finest jewellery for you to choose , enabling you to add a sophisticated, elegant touch to the most important times of your life. Previously known as “Our Faves”, this new column introduces you to our favorite jewellery, designed by the most talented jewellery designers.

311 Diversity is essential. For this reason, the Jewellery Historian, supports french language and literature with the new column that you will be able to discover in each issue...in french. Mille feuilles introduces you in each issue a selection of books written in french. With authors from the french speaking world, we hope to introduce to you the unique universe of literature...in french.

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In every issue, Inspirations, introduce you to the latest trends in interior design, prêt-à-porter, accessories, travel, books and lifestyle. This new columns welcomes our new strategy to feature the best of design, as requested by you, our readers.

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Jewellery Historian

| EDITOR’S LETTER

EDITOR’S LETTER Learning is more than essential, it is a way of living and understanding life. Whether you are just getting started in self education or want to eventually become a specialist, there is a lot of value in spending time to learn new skills. Learning allows us to really understand the world and ourselves. It enables us to put our lives in perspective. The more we discover about history, current events, arts, politics, or the culture of other countries, the more we want to learn. There’s a big world out there just waiting for our exploration and there are so many places we can discover knowledge. Learning allows us to relate to more people, to build relationships. The more fields we understand, the greater our chances of being able to relate to someone. Because, learning makes us a fascinating person. If we want to spend time with successful people we don't have to be successful yourself, but we have to be interesting. There’s nothing like listening to or taking part in stimulating discussions to help us see the other side of an issue, to exchange ideas and built a better future. We become better at learning. Learning quickly and effectively is a skill, and like any other skill, we get better at it the more we do it. If in this issue I have decided to focus in my letter to learning, because I believe in lifelong learning. Knowledge doesn’t stops when you finish school or when you get your degree. It ends when your life ends. All my life I have been learning and I never stopped doing it. This allowed me to meet amazing people from all over the world, unique artists and to discover to many new things. I never stopped learning and I don’t believe I will ever stop. When you are reading each issue, you can read it as a magazine, but you can also read it as book, as an introduction to an amazing world. Our mission is to promote, inspire and educate, so we expect designers and brands whose work we feature to be generous with their knowledge. For this reason in each issue we feature designers, brands and artists whose work is exceptional and of the highest quality and we want to transmit the vision & passion of all those passionate artists. I would like to invite you to visit the links we include in each issue, to discover more about each brand and their amazing universe. Many links we include, have information about unique techniques that are thousand years old. If today those techniques still exist, it is because some persons wanted to learn about them, because they wanted to transmit this unique heritage to the next generations. This exceptional knowledge is described in our pages, in every issue. They are given to you, from all brands and from us all, with all our love, in order to find the ones that will transmit them to the future generations. As we celebrate our birthday, I would like to thank you all for your love and precious support and to wish to the Jewellery Historian ... Happy birthday Jewellery Historian !

Lucas Samaltanos-Ferrier Founder & Editor-in-Chief

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

CONTRIBUTORS

As long as he could remember, Olivier Dupon has always been passionate about how ideas can translate into designs, and as a result, he is fascinated by the umpteen creative approaches taken by many independent practitioners. He is now an expert in the fields of lifestyle and fashion, reveling in exposing these talents to a wider audience. While he began his career at Christian Dior, and then worked as a buyer and project manager for several large retail companies before running his own lifestyle boutique for several years, now based in London, he scouts international markets in search of exciting names in Art & Craft, with a focus on jewellery makers and splendid precious designs. His previous books include The New Artisans (2011), The New Jewelers (2012), The New Pâtissiers (2013), Floral Contemporary (2014), Encore! The New Artisans (2015), and Shoe: Contemporary Footwear by Inspiring Designers (2015) all published by Thames & Hudson. His new book on luxury jewellery will be published in Autumn 2016. For the Jewellery Historian, in his The Art of Creativity column, Olivier Dupon exposes inspiring, intriguing at time, and captivating stories through the presentation of talents or the exposé of current topics, all centered around creativity in today’s high-end fine jewelry.

Eva Kountouraki was born and raised in a family of goldsmiths and jewelers. From a very young age she expressed her keen interest in gems, jewelry and design, a passion that led her to devote her studies and her career in this field. She started her first collection of polished and rough gemstones at a very early age and realized that this would be her profession in the future. After studying gemology books in various languages, she attended gemological seminars in Greece and Europe and developed practical skills to analyze gems, Eva decided to accredit those skills choosing the best gemological institute in the world, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), for her studies. Succeeding unprecedented results in the practice and theory of gemology, analyzing and identifying thousands of gemstones and diamonds, she graduated and acquired the prestigious certificate GIA Graduate Gemologist Diploma, which includes specific studies in diamond grading (GIA Graduate Diamonds Diploma) and colored gemstones (GIA Graduate Colored Stones Diploma). Her studies in the jewelry field continued and Eva got her Jewelry Business Management Diploma, gaining specialized knowledge about all the aspects of the jewelry industry. Her training continued with jewelry design and computer aided design. Eva’s brilliant path in the field of gemology was crowned by her collaboration with the Italian branch of GIA. Eva received special training from professional and experienced gemologists of GIA Italy, New York and California, US, and for more than a decade she teaches gemology and jewelry design in GIA, transferring her experience, knowledge and passion for diamonds, gems and jewelry to her students-famous professionals from around world. Eve is proud to be the only Greek woman who has ever accomplished such a distinction in the field of diamonds and precious stones. Alongside her work as a gemology instructor, Eva is a jewelry and gemstone buyer and consultant for privates and companies, advising and helping her clients to make successful buys and investments in gemstones. She also organizes and teaches seminars for the training of gemstone and jewelry merchants, salespeople and gem-passionates. For the Jewellery Historian, in her The breathtaking beauty of gems column, she introduces you to a breathtaking gemstone in every issue.

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Jewellery Historian

NEWS

S OT H E BY ’ S One of the Greatest Finds of the Century The 1109-carat “LESEDI LA RONA”

Sotheby’s is privileged to announce that it will auction the 1109-carat “Lesedi la Rona” – the largest gem-quality rough diamond to be discovered in over a century and the largest rough diamond in existence today – in a stand-alone sale in London on 29 June 2016.

“the most chemically pure and often show extraordinary optical transparency". Independent reports on the potential yield of the rough have also stated that the Lesedi la Rona may have the potential to yield the largest top-quality diamond that has ever been cut and polished**. These reports have also stated that there is a high probability that the resulting polished diamonds will be “D” colour – the highest colour classification for white diamonds.

Estimated to achieve in excess of $70 million*, the Lesedi la Rona (“Our Light” in the Tswana language spoken in Botswana) was uncovered by Lucara Diamond Corp. in November 2015, at their Karowe mine in Botswana. Around the size of a tennis ball (measuring approximately 66.4 x 55 x 42 mm), this colossal rough diamond of exceptional transparency and quality is around 2.5 to over 3 billion years old.

David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery Division, commented: “TheLesedi la Rona is simply outstanding and its discovery is the find of a lifetime. It is a huge honour for Sotheby’s to have been entrusted with its sale. Every aspect of this auction is unprecedented. Not only is the rough superlative in size and quality, but no rough even remotely of this scale has ever been offered before at public auction”.

Diamonds have been mined continuously for centuries in multiple locations around the world and yet nothing of the size and quality of Lesedi La Rona has been found in over 100 years. In terms of its size, the rough is exceeded only by the legendary Cullinan Diamond, mined in South Africa in 1905. The 3016.75-carat Cullinan Diamond produced nine major diamonds that are part of the historic Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, including the Great Star of Africa – currently the largest top-quality polished diamond in existence, weighing 530.20 carats.

William Lamb, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lucara Diamond Corp., said: “We are very excited to be partnering with Sotheby’s on this landmark auction. Lucara has made innovation the cornerstone of its development strategy and this has led to the historic recovery of the Lesedi La Rona diamond. The forthcoming sale presents a unique opportunity to present this extraordinary diamond to a worldwide audience.”

According to a study by the Gemological Institute of America, the Lesedi La Rona’s “top colour and transparency exemplify the “limpid” appearance commonly associated with type IIa diamonds” – a rare and coveted subgroup which comprises less than 2% of all gem diamonds. Stones in this group are

The Lesedi la Rona will be on view at Sotheby’s New York on 7 May, and at Sotheby’s London from 18 until 28 June, ahead of its auction in The evening of 29 June.

Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s © Donald Bowers/Getty Images for Sotheby's

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About Lucara Diamond Corp. Lucara Diamond Corp. is a Canadian diamond mining company with a producing mine and exploration licenses in Botswana. Its key asset is the Karowe Mine, a newly constructed state-of-the- art mine in the Letlhakane region which was fully commissioned in 2012. Karowe has consistently delivered large, Type IIA stones. Lucara is a member of the Lundin Group of Companies and is listed on the TSX Exchange, NASDAQ OMX First North Exchange, and the Botswana Stock Exchange under trading symbol “LUC”. The company is fully committed to the responsible development of its assets. Its mission is to build a leading African-focused diamond production and development company. In 2015, the company was elected by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) to receive its 2016 Environmental and Social Responsibility Award. This award honours an individual or organization demonstrating outstanding initiative, leadership and accomplishment in protecting and preserving the natural environment and/or in establishing good community relations during an exploration program or operation of a mine. About The Cullinan Diamond Found in Pretoria, South Africa in January 1905, the Cullinan Diamond was a large gem-quality rough diamond weighing 3,106.75 carats. The Cullinan was formally presented to King Edward VII in November 1907 and was subsequently cut. The rough yielded nine major high-quality polished diamonds, all of which reside in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. The world’s largest facetted white diamond and the first stone to be cut from the Cullinan rough was the pear-shaped Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.20 carats, which now sits atop the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. This diamond remains the largest D-colour diamond in existence. The second polished diamond, known as Cullinan II or Second Star of Africa, is a rectangular cushion-cut diamond weighing 317.40 carats, which is fitted to the Imperial State Crown. ** Independent reports on the potential yield of the rough were commissioned by Sotheby’s from Gem Certification and Assurance Lab (GCAL) and Diamex Inc./Crodiam Consulting DMCC.

Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s © Donald Bowers/Getty Images for Sotheby's

Jewellery Historian

The “Lesedi la Rona” At 1109-carats, the largest gem-quality rough diamond to be discovered in over a century and the largest rough diamond in existence today. Es>mated in excess of $70 million

| NEWS

ANNA HU Ellie Bamber & Saoirse Ronan wear Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala.

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art costume institute gala last month, Ellie Bamber and Saoirse Ronan chose to wear Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie. Ellie Bamber wear Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie’s Butterfly Garden earrings and modern Art Deco ring.

is an artist and her designs reflect that rarity and sophistication. Anna’s design inspirations are mostly rooted in her deep devotion to classical music, though she also draws from her heritage and nature, and occasionally references Impressionism and Art Nouveau. She works exclusively with French-trained artisans, who are masters of oldworld craftsmanship and stewards of new-world innovation. Her ateliers in New York and Paris are among the world’s finest.

These one-of-a-kind earrings from Anna’s Butterfly Garden collection, feature two stunning rubellites weighing 52.58 carats in total with 2.80 carats of pearls, 1.63 carats of brilliant cut white diamonds, rubies, yellow diamonds, and pink and yellow fancy sapphires, set in white gold with a total weight of 57,91 carats. Anna’s modern Art deco ring features an 11,88 carats rubellite and 1,38 carats of brilliant cut white diamonds, set in white gold, with a total weight of 13,26 carats.

Anna presented her first global exhibition at the Louvre’s Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris in July 2012 at the age of 35 and celebrated the launch of her first book, Symphony of Jewels, Opus 1, published by The Vendome Press and Thames & Hudson. It’s a limited edition art book featuring 100 masterpieces from Anna’s illustrious body of work. Her goal is to publish 10 opuses in her lifetime, each featuring a curated selection of one-of-a-kind works of jewelry art, with Opus 2 set to debut globally in 2017.

Saoirse Ronan, wear Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie’s Elizabeth I Butterfly brooch from the Anniversary Butterfly collection. This one-of-a-kind brooch features exceptional Burmese rubies weighing 14.59 carats with 3.51 carats of pink diamonds and 40.16 carats of oval cut, rose cut and brilliant cut white diamonds, set in titanium and has a total weight of 54,75 carats.

Recognized internationally for her work, Anna has received ELLE China’s "International Jewelry Designer of the Year" award, alongside Christian Louboutin and Viktor & Rolf, and the China Institute’s “Artistic Vision” award in New York; the first time it was ever given to a jewelry designer. Her creations have been worn by styleinfluencers the likes of Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Emily Blunt, Scarlett Johansson, Naomi Watts, Drew Barrymore, Hilary Swank, Oprah Winfrey, the acclaimed contemporary artist Cindy Sherman, and the Queen of Bhutan. She has been featured in magazines worldwide.

About Anna Hu Anna Hu is an international jewelry designer, born in Taiwan and based in New York, who approaches her art with a distinctly East meets West philosophy and aesthetic that is heavily influenced by both cultures. She founded her namesake brand, Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie, at the age of 30 and opened her first flagship boutique in New York’s Plaza Hotel in 2008. She has since opened flagships in Shanghai’s renowned Bund area and most recently at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Taipei. Highly educated in the United States with degrees from Colombia University, the Gemological Institute of America, Parsons School of Design, and NY’s Fashion Institute of Technology, Anna is as much a scholar as she

In 2013, Anna broke the world auction record for the highest price paid for a contemporary jewelry designer at the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels Geneva sale.

Photo courtesy of ANNA HU ÂŠ ANNA HU

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Photo courtesy of ANNA HU ÂŠ ANNA HU

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Photo courtesy of ANNA HU ÂŠ ANNA HU

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Z O LOTA S The renowned Greek jewelry house continues its Odyssey in Paris An Odyssey of 120 years In 1895, Efthymios Zolotas, after completing his education in famous ateliers of Place Vendôme in Paris, returns home as an experienced jeweler to make the dream of a lifetime come true: He establishes his own jewelry atelier and opens his first store in Athens, at the foot of the Acropolis. Xenophon Zolotas, the son of the House`s founder, earns a solid reputation in Greece as an outstanding statesman during the 1960s. His high state achievements inspire him to ensure the stability of the family business. Reviving in its ateliers the jewels of Ancient Greece, he forges the House’s modern identity encapsulated in the text La Chrysotechnie Hellénique (The Greek Art of Goldsmith) written in French with an almost exclusive use of Greek words, which describes perfectly its philosophy. Very soon, in the 1970s, the Zolotas House creates a new trend. In Greece, in France and all over the world the brand's glory spreads thanks to the success of an allegoric mythical gold jewelry, often adorned with diamonds and precious stones. Collections of necklaces, rings and long chains with figures of lions, rams, bulls, serpents or chimeras, become overwhelmingly popular and are worn by international icons such as Queen Noor of Jordan, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas. The Zolotas gold, elaborated in 18 and 22KT, is distinguished by its color and unique texture. As a member of the Colbert Committee, the House meets this year with the prime French and European companies to share the values of the cultural heritage transmission and contribute to the radiance of the luxury goods industry expertise. >

Photo courtesy of ZOLOTAS © ZOLOTAS

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Paris, 2016

made of agate, lazurite and cornelian, with the form of the Sphinx of Thebes or goddess Athena, both symbols of wisdom, engraved upon them.

Zolotas opens its new Parisian store at 3, Miromesnil Street, corner of Faubourg SaintHonoré, in the 8th arrondissement of the City of Light.

The three “Hercules” showcases, based on metal bronze stands, host the emblematic pieces of historical collections and other milestones of the House: SNAKE-LACE, BYZANCE, DIAMOND ARIA.

The House preserves its family character and today George Papalexis represents the new generation. Art and Creative Director since 2007, he gives a new stylistic twist to Zolotas jewelry while continuously highlighting the House’s identity and imposing, at the same time, a new look on its creative image.

On the first floor and in a similar architectural surrounding, all iconic jewelry and masterpieces of the House since 1950 to nowadays are to be seen on a permanent exhibition.

Athenian architect Lycurgus Psarreas was assigned the mission of adapting in to the Parisian boutique the atmosphere and architectural codes created in 2007 for the flagship store in Athens. The white marble surrounding the store’s facades recreates the beauty of an ancient temple, while the boutique’s basic colors are formidably balanced: on an almost transparent grey pearly background a touch of deep red is added, which in combination with Greece’s blue and white colors refers to the national symbol of France.

The Zolotas universe in Paris, as in Greece, is a tireless fascination. The brand new Zolotas boutique in Paris at 3, Miromesnil Street, invites you to discover the amazing light of a contemporary Greek legend.

ZOLOTAS, Paris 3, rue de Miromesnil / Faubourg Saint–Honoré, 75008 Paris, France Tel. +33 (0) 1 71 18 32 68

The furniture and the living room’s showcases wear jewelry motifs carved in bronze. The precious wood is covered with gold and leather, and all the carefully chosen materials and forms highlight the creations of the House. The cozy environment and comfortable spaces invite the visitor to enjoy a journey of discovery.

www.zolotas.fr

Each room reflects the stylistic identity of a specific collection. At the reception area, a circular Jewelry Bar hosts permanently the seasonal collections, jewelry and accessories in gold, silver, leather and steel. The collection THETIS was selected for the opening of the store: the charm for the year 2016 in yellow, white or pink gold and silver, plain or dressed in precious stones. In the center of the store, the round shaped storefront “Choros” carved with bronze, welcomes new creations: rings and necklaces

All photos courtesy of ZOLOTAS © ZOLOTAS

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GUCCI GUCCI introduces new additions to the Flora Collection

Gucci Jewelry is pleased to introduce new extensions to the Gucci Flora line that are bold and beautiful, urban and poetic.

of earrings, in a stud style, together with a graceful pendant necklace and serpentine ring, all in pink with white gold. On each piece, the flower petals are set with sapphires and diamonds. Gucci motifs such as the Horsebit clasp, Gucci “GG” monogram and Gucci heart charms are also worked into the designs, adding an urban edge to the romantic ensemble.

This luxurious collection, comprising sumptuous high-end and fine jewelry pieces, includes rings, earrings and a pendant necklace. The range is worked in warm tones of 18kt yellow, pink or white gold, teamed with white diamonds and blue sapphires; a palette of blue and white stones, together with the on-trend mixed golds creates a fresh, feminine feel.

Gucci Jewelry All Gucci jewelry is handcrafted by highly skilled Italian goldsmiths and the high end jewelry collection is the epitome of impeccable craftsmanship. Luxury is defined by the choice of precious materials, the uniqueness of each design and the meticulous attention to detail. Gucci Jewelry offers Italian made designs that can be worn everyday and treasured forever. For more information about Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry, please visit www.gucci.com

The range includes a high-end pairing comprising a statement ring and drop earrings. The Gucci Flora ring shows a blossoming lily flower entirely set with sapphires and diamonds; the piece is given a typically glamorous edge with the addition of a tiny skull in the center of the flower, worked in 18kt gold, and studded with diamonds and sapphires. The ring can be matched with yellow gold flower earrings that carry a tiny drop skull and lily symbol. The back of the larger ring also shows Gucci’s iconic “Horsebit” clasp motif.

Gucci is part of the Kering Group, a world leader in apparel and accessories which develops an ensemble of powerful Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle brands.

In a more delicate working of the Gucci Flora motif is a second set

Photo courtesy of GUCCI © GUCCI

MILLES FEUILLES The Jewellery Historian supports French language & literature in French language

Learning a new language takes time and dedication. Once you do, being fluent in a second language offers numerous benefits and opportunities. Learning a second language is exciting and beneficial at all ages. It offers practical, intellectual and many aspirational benefits.

economy, attracts entrepreneurs, researchers and the cream of foreign students. France is often considered the language of culture. A French lesson is a cultural journey into the worlds of fashion, gastronomy, the arts, architecture and science. Learning French also offers access to the works of great French writers such as Victor Hugo or Marcel Proust and famous poets like Charles Baudelaire or Jacques Prévert, in the original text. It means being able to hear the voices of actors Alain Delon or Juliette Binoche, and the pleasure of being able to understand the words of French songs sung by an Édith Piaf or a Charles Aznavour and even sing them yourself.

In today's world, there is over 7000 languages and learning at least one will help you in life massively. Although it has been proven that it is easier for children to learn a second language, it is certainly never too late to learn, and the benefits definitely reward the effort and dedication. Whatever your age, being bilingual certainly has its advantages, especially in today's global society. For all those reasons the Jewellery Historian decided and announced in April 2016, the promotion of French language and literature in French language, with a new column, to be included from issue 19.

Speaking French opens up opportunities for higher education at some of France’s best-known universities or elite grandes écoles, to world famous universities in Switzerland and other French speaking countries. In France, students with a good level of French may be eligible to apply for a French government grant to enroll on a postgraduate course of their choice in France, leading to an internationally recognized postgraduate degree.

In today’s world, speaking one foreign language is not enough. Students who speak several languages will increase their chances of finding a job, whether at home or abroad. Learning another language enriches the mind and opens up new horizons, both personal and professional.

France is the world’s top tourist destination and attracts more than 79,5 million visitors a year. The ability to speak even a little French makes it so much more enjoyable to visit Paris and all the regions of France (from the mild climes of the Cote d’Azur to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps via the rugged coastline of Brittany) and offers insights into French culture, mentality and way of life. French also comes in handy when traveling to Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Monaco, the Seychelles and other places.

More than 220 million people speak French on all the five continents. French is a major language of international communication. It is the second most widely learned language after English and the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. French is also the second most widely taught language after English, and is taught on every continent. The OIF, an international organization of French-speaking countries, is made up of 77 member States and governments. France also operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run French-language course for close on a million learners.

French is both a working language and an official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross and international courts. Proficiency in French is essential for anyone considering a career in any international organization. >

The ability to speak both French and English is an advantage for finding a job with the many multinational companies using French as their working language, in a wide range of sectors (retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics, etc.). France, as the world’s fifth biggest

> After English and German, French is the third most widely used language on the Internet, ahead of Spanish. An ability to understand French offers an alternative view of the world through communication with French speakers from all over the world and news from the leading French-language international media (TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale).

highly motivated and attain a high level of proficiency. France also plays an active role in providing in-service training for French teachers abroad so that the courses delivered are always of a high standard. French is often heard on the stage. Teachers like to put on plays in French and involve their students in Frenchlanguage theatre festivals. Learning French helps children to express themselves and gain self-confidence in front of others. Students also learn French through songs, thanks to the vast repertoire of singers past and present.

French is an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking. It is the language of great philosophers (Descartes, Sartre and Derrida, among others) and eminent scientists (Pierre and Marie Curie, Pasteur, Georges Charpak, etc.). In learning French, children also learn how to argue a case and present different points of view, valuable skills for discussions and negotiations.

It is easy for students to make contact with French speakers of their own age, as pen pals or via the Internet. There are many different exchange programs in France that offer rewarding experiences. Thousands of French schools are twinned with counterparts around the world, creating links with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest educational network.

French is the language of the universal ideals advocated by the philosophers of the 18th century Enlightenment, who helped to spread the idea of human rights throughout the world.

Some 310,000 pupils are enrolled at 481 French schools in 133 countries. Half of them are foreign nationals, which makes the network of international French schools truly unique.

Contrary to popular belief, French is not a difficult language to learn. It is a language that requires a certain precision but is also capable of expressing great subtlety. It does not take long to reach a level where you can communicate in French. There are many methods on the market that make learning French enjoyable, starting with the first years of school. French also appeals to students because it is a soft, melodious, romantic language.

Speaking French makes a major contribution to preserving linguistic diversity in the world and avoiding the exclusive domination of a single language in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s globalized world. In every issue of the Jewellery Historian, you can from now on discover our selection of books in French language. The new column is called Mille Feuilles (thousand pages) as the world famous desert. Our readers will be able to discover books we loved and learn about those books...exclusively in French.

French is a good grounding for learning other languages, especially Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) and even English, since over half of modern-day English vocabulary is derived from French. French teachers are renowned for their dynamic, inventive approach and high expectations. Since French has a reputation for excellence, students tend to be

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T H E A R T O F C R E AT I V I T Y by Olivier Dupon

VHERNIER A free spirit that esteems nature, liberates shapes, plays with colour. In a way that is original and strictly up-to-date, Vhernier interprets jewellery as a discovery, driven by the desire to amaze and entertain. 31

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“Carré” bracelet in rose gold with diamonds.

Photo courtesy of CARNET © CARNET

Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

Jewellery Historian

‘The great spirit of experimentation and innovation remains the same. Over the course of the years we’ve added different materials, the result of our experiments, but we’ve never forgotten the brand’s roots, in an area which stands out for its great jewellery-making expertise.’

From near obscurity to worldwide recognition, and in a relatively short period of time, a small Italian workshop, first established in the municipality of Valenza in 1984, has undergone a spectacular transformation. The Valenza district in Piedmont is an Italian hub for gold producing and selling, with a long history of goldsmithing, and the city of Valenza itself, although quite small, is brimming with artisans. Vhernier has always stood out among the other workshops for its modern and pared-back approach – so much so that it garnered a loyal following of connoisseurs over the years; the kind of address whose name is discreetly passed around. Then all this changed (except for the positive reception) in 2001 when Carlo Traglio, a longtime admirer and collector of pieces from the workshop, bought Vhernier upon learning it was on the market. It did not take long for Carlo to make his decision, as he had been thinking all along that the workshop was a diamond in the rough, and a providential one. ‘I remember one day, when I was a boy, I looked through my mother’s jewellery, and it all began. I was attracted by the colours, the sizes and the shapes. Even the names of the different stones had a charm of their own. At age 8, I began to draw jewellery. From then on, this passion never left me. I wanted to know how jewellery was made, so as soon as I finished high school I asked my father to let me take a year off to study jewellery-making. I wanted to see if I was capable of doing the thing I felt I was cut out for. For a year I was an apprentice in a goldsmith’s shop in Como, and there I learned how to make my jewellery,’ Carlo recalls. Once that year was over he enrolled at the Faculty of Law in Lausanne, all the while continuing to draw jewellery; and he carried this double act on even when he joined the family business (bottling CocaCola) after graduation. ‘Fast forward to the 1990s: I was a Vhernier customer from the day I saw a Vhernier jewel for the first time. It took place in a New York shop twenty years ago. I liked the quality and design of their creations. It was so different and unique. I loved its resolute modernity and admired its understatement. In a nutshell, I was absolutely crazy for Vhernier! When I discovered the company was for sale, I had no hesitation: I left my family business, I bought the company, and threw my entire body and soul into developing the business,’ he adds. In preserving the workshop’s original essence – most importantly, its tradition and expertise in hand-making – Carlo and his team have been able to nurture the elements that make Vhernier unique compared to other fine and high-end jewellers, all the while moving the company forward by breaking new creative ground. ‘For me it was essential not to alter the brand’s identity – its contemporary vision and uncompromising quality,’ Carlo observes. ‘The great spirit of experimentation and innovation remains the same. Over the course of the years we’ve added different materials, the result of our experiments, but we’ve never forgotten the brand’s roots, in an area which stands out for its great jewellery-making expertise.’ A keen modern art collector, Carlo purchased his first work of art – a Guttuso – at the age of sixteen. Over time he has established a private collection by modern and contemporary artists ranging from Julian Schnabel and Francesco Clemente to Frank Moore and David Hockney, and nowadays he is vice president of ACACIA, the Italian association of friends of contemporary art, ‘which promotes art appreciation by organizing cultural activities, exhibitions and seminars devoted primarily to contemporary Ital-

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Eclisse” earclips in rose gold with lapis lazuli.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © Fernando Arias

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Carlo Taglio

In the company’s repertoire, the artistic element is crucial: each piece is built like a modern monument by playing with light and shadow, positioning empty space where it matters, highlighting the focal point so it presides over the ensemble.

ian artists’. No surprise then that Carlo felt a kind of kinship towards Vhernier’s core values. In the company’s repertoire, the artistic element is crucial: each piece is built like a modern monument by playing with light and shadow, positioning empty space where it matters, highlighting the focal point so it presides over the ensemble. Then there is the wearability: Vhernier jewels espouse the body with grace and comfort. The mostly curvaceous shapes exude generosity: angles are curved, squares look padded, and every surface is sleek. There are details in execution that make all the difference: paving is never interrupted and goes all around the rings; hidden fastenings on necklaces and bracelets make for seamless construction (in the ‘Calla’ necklace, the screw fastening is never in the same place from one piece to another, and it can be located inside one ebony part which has been sliced into two; not in a conventional position, as in between two completely separate parts). Last is the element of surprise, or rather the notion that a piece will only reveal itself fully once worn: both the ‘Bridge’ and ‘Carré’ bracelets come as flat golden bands that break evenly to wrap around the wrist; each rim created by the break reveals either diamond pavé or a colourful hard stone. Un luxe feutré applies to all the collections: pared down to the essential, this is deceptively simple jewellery, sculpturally elegant yet ultra comfortable – so much so that many customers comment that they forget they are actually wearing the pieces. The ‘Eclisse’ ring encompasses all the above attributes. Described as a ‘contemporary sculpture to slide between the fingers’, it honours the tradition of the ‘statement’ and highly recognizable rings that Vhernier are famous for. A clean, sharp cut creates two mirror images, which in turn reveal the saturated colour of the stone that sits inside. ‘For instance, lapis on both sides, which is made more luminous by a thin layer of rock crystal; or, in a white gold version, one side paved with black diamonds and the other with white diamonds,’ Carlo notes. It is not just the use of reflection, or the effect of yin and yang, that makes these versions of the ring so dazzling. When it comes to paving, the craft employed elevates each piece to another level. The gems are set very close to each other so they end up collectively forming a soft and almost velvety surface. ‘For our pavé diamonds we only ever use the finest stones available in terms of clarity, colour and cut. If the jewellery is going to hold pavé stones, we mark out and drill special silver models. Since Vhernier designs are never regular, marking out the pavé is one of the longest procedures of all: the spaces for the diamonds have to be crosscut to create a honeycomb effect. We also need to ensure that the setting can be made with just two points instead of the four traditionally used in classic jewellery production. This method of setting the stones involves hours and hours of work by a highly skilled craftsman, producing a carpet of diamonds with virtually no metal at all between each stone,’ Carlo explains. And when there is no paving, it does not mean there is no gem: these can often be found inside a ring or nestled in the link of a bracelet, a position only known to the wearer and as such the pinnacle of ‘intimate’ jewellery. As Carlo notes, ‘Sometimes

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“Abbraccio” ring in rose gold.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Bridge” bracelets in rose gold, retrospectively with turquoise or diamonds.

‘Vhernier was born with the desire to create new, unusual jewellery a woman can wear anytime she wishes. That is how our rings were born – sculptural yet ergonomic – or why we choose to match gold or stones with other materials in a unique way, such as gold with ebony in our “Calla” necklace.’

the stones are hidden inside our jewels, as we do not seek ostentatious luxury, but rather beauty.’ He goes on to explain: ‘Vhernier jewels are an expression of Italian history, in particular of an Italian culture that matches a great expertise in jewellery, expressed since the Renaissance, with an excellent capacity for innovation in architecture and a wealth of artistic expressions that flourished especially in the twentieth century.’ He points out that ‘experimenting’ is a key word. ‘Vhernier was born with the desire to create new, unusual jewellery a woman can wear anytime she wishes. That is how our rings were born – sculptural yet ergonomic – or why we choose to match gold or stones with other materials in a unique way, such as gold with ebony in our “Calla” necklace.’ Along with gold (always white or pink), diamonds and the usual array of coloured gemstones, Vhernier has often used ‘unconventional’ materials and rare opaque gems (carnelian, chrysoprase, sugilite, siderite and cacholong, to name but a few) for their ‘colour block’ effect. The have also now begun to use titanium with diamonds. The way they handle these materials allows them to bring their vision of avant-garde jewellery to life. ‘Titanium is used in quite an unusual way, as it is not hidden at all. Its lightness is striking – perfect for big ear clips – but it is a very difficult material when it comes to adapting it to Vhernier shapes,’ Carlo comments. ‘In addition, setting stones in titanium is an extremely complex job. Nonetheless I am a very big fan of it. Once it is matched with diamonds the combination is striking – really contemporary.’ In each creation, Carlo clearly injects his passion for contemporary art and architecture, so that the shapes and colours matter most in the making process, and this is how one recognises a Vhernier creation. Instead of constantly searching for opportunities to add more to the piece, Carlo says that he believes in stripping back to reveal a profoundly ‘noble natural design’. ‘The cleaner a design is, the happier I am! If you take our rings, they have strong lines, with harmonious contrasts between volume and visual subtlety,’ he observes. First applied onto brooches for the Animalier collection, one technique in particular serves this motto: the ‘transparency’ method enables Vhernier to bring light into stones that are naturally impenetrable (such as lapis lazuli, turquoise or chrysoprase). By overlapping the stones – for example, to soften a strong hue, the layering of sugilite/mother-of-pearl/quartz can tone the deep purple of sugilite down to a soft lilac tone – and by using a layer of rock crystal, a result can be achieved that is close to an optical illusion. Viewed from the top, the colour of the main stone seeps through, whereas the profile view only shows the clear transparency of the crystal. So when the wearer moves her hand, the colour reveals itself on and off according to the angle of her finger, like a light-switch effect. ‘“Transparencies” are produced by a dedicated workshop. The stones we use must be just right, with no imperfections, as otherwise the rock crystal, acting as a magnifying glass, would reveal even the tiniest flaw. Besides, as with all our jewellery, the work is carried out free-hand so there may be small differences between each piece – another aspect that makes Vhernier jewels one-of-a-kind creations,’ Carlo points out. The ideas behind each piece and the creative process itself may take months, sometimes even years, to realize. Once the concept is de-

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Jewellery Historian

“Biscuit” chain necklace in rose gold, white Australian mother of pearl and grey Tahitian mother of pearl.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Vague” earrings in rose gold and kogolong.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Frecchia” earrings in white gold with diamonds.

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“Flowers” ring in white gold with fire opal and diamonds.

‘All our jewellery is handcrafted by highly experienced artisans, and every piece takes hours to make. All this takes place in our workshops in Valenza, in the province of Alessandria,’ Carlo adds.

fined, it is drawn and several sketches are produced before the one that best meets Vhernier’s expectations is chosen. ‘From the sketch stage, we move onto the first hand- made wax model, created exclusively so we can assess its three-dimensional and ergonomic qualities. If the wax model proves unsatisfactory, we continue experimenting, modifying and trying out new ideas until we find the right path,’ Carlo explains. Once the wax sample gets the go-ahead, the silver modelling stage can begin. At this point the usual jewellery-making processes ensue: melting and modelling the gold, cutting the precious stones, polishing and finishing the piece. Worth noting, Vhernier doesn’t just source its stones: it interprets them exclusively using particular cuts. In particular this allows the brand to forge new colours, used in the so-called ‘transparencies’ mentioned earlier ‘All our jewellery is handcrafted by highly experienced artisans, and every piece takes hours to make. All this takes place in our workshops in Valenza, in the province of Alessandria,’ Carlo adds. In-house staff (each with their own task) check each stage of the production, and even the smallest of flaws is noted and corrected. The final check is particularly painstaking, since every last detail of the piece must be inspected. ‘Our aim throughout is to ensure that our jewellery is perfect, just as it was originally designed, and up to Vhernier’s exacting standards,’ Carlo stresses. This dedication to creating the best jewels possible runs in the Vhernier DNA, and it all has one purpose. ‘Feel it; enjoy it,’ says Carlo. ‘A jewel has to be part of the woman, and she has to be so happy that she can’t live without it. That said, it is of capital importance to remember that this jewel has to be worn. I design jewellery for making women beautiful, and not for sitting in the safe.’ OD www.vhernier.it

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

Jewellery Historian

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Calla” necklace in rose gold and ebony.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Fuseau” ring in white gold with black and white diamonds.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Granchio” brooch in white gold with diamonds, chrysoprase and rock crystal.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Pop” chain necklace in rose gold with coral.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Palloncino” brooch in white gold with diamonds and sugilite.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Flowers” ring in white gold with aquamarine and diamonds.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Tourbillon” ring in white gold and diamonds.

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“Freccia” earrings in rose gold with cornelian and rock crystal.

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“Frecchia” bracelets in orse gold, with jade or cornelian or lapis lazuli or white mother of pearl or turquoise, and rock crystal.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Plissé” cuff in satin rose gold.

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“Pirouette” rings in white gold with black or white diamonds.

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“Eclisse” ring in titanium with diamonds.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Volta Celeste” ring in titanium with cognac sapphires and diamonds.

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Photo courtesy of VHERNIER © VHERNIER

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“Fuseau” earrings in white gold with jade and diamonds.

B R E AT H TA K I N G B E AU T Y O F G E M S

PEARL by Eva Kountouraki

They are mystic symbols whose amplitude of significations feeds on ancient myths and beliefs. They are connected to the Female, to fertility, to the growth and progress through change. Pearls, products of a transformation process, where a foreign irritant body gets skillfully covered with beauty and smoothness, are among the most adored gems of all times.

Photo in Public domain

Jewellery Historian

| BREATHTAKING BEAUTY OF GEMS

Jewellery Historian

Once upon a time, divers without any type of protective equipment -and while holding their breath, would dive in the clear waters of the Persian Gulf in order to bring sea treasures to the surface.

| BREATHTAKING BEAUTY OF GEMS They are mystic symbols whose amplitude of significations feeds on ancient myths and beliefs. They are connected to the Female, to fertility, to the growth and progress through change. Pearls, products of a transformation process, where a foreign irritant body gets skillfully covered with beauty and smoothness, are among the most adored gems of all times. Once upon a time, divers without any type of protective equipment -and while holding their breath, would dive in the clear waters of the Persian Gulf in order to bring sea treasures to the surface. They filled their nets with shells and opened them to discover precious pearls in some of them. Those pearls were natural, meaning that their formation was spontaneous, without any human intervention in the process. Then, oil was discovered in the Gulf and the pollution this industry brought, as well as the overharvesting for pearls, gradually eliminated the natural pearlbearing oysters’ population from the area. Today, we find pearls in all the segments of the market, and their value range is huge. There are many factors that contribute to this, with the first being the differentiation between natural and cultured. In theory, when the word pearl is used alone, it means natural pearl, that is, as described above, a product created without the human intervention in any of the stages of its growth. Today, a natural pearl is a real treasure and can fetch extreme prices, especially if its quality is also high, which means that it has a spherical shape and a relatively blemish-free surface. Many years ago, in the late 1800’s, a passionate Japanese man dedicated his life in the research of the possibility to produce cultured pearls. Some years and many hardships later, Mr. Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in producing the first cultured semi-spherical pearl. In the early 1900’s his cultured pearls where being sold in many locations around the world.

Previous page : Man in Oriental Dress, Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, 1635 Rembrandt manipulated light in a highly personal way. Here, the man’s turban and the right side of his face are brilliantly illuminated, while the left side is in shadow. Exotic character heads like this – they are not portraits – were extremely popular in the 17th century; early on, they were widely copied and imitated. They were known as ‘Turkish tronies’.

Cultured pearls are produced by imitating the natural pearl growth. In fact, we stimulate the secretion of nacre, that pearly substance that we see on the surface of our pearls, by inserting an irritant inside the body of a living oyster or mollusk. For the successful creation of a cultured pearl we need a little piece from the mantle of another donor-mollusk which contains the cells that are responsible for the secretion of the nacre. We can use this tissue piece alone – a method commonly applied for freshwater pearl culturing, or together with a bead nucleus, commonly used for saltwater cultured pearls. The colour of the final product depends on the type of the oyster, and the thickness of the nacre depends on the time we allow the oyster to build the various layers, the temperature of the water and the type of nucleation we have chosen.

The man has in his turban a pearl.

Pearl farming is no job for the shallow-hearted. It takes serious commitment of soul, effort, money and work, and a risky trust

Jewellery Historian

| BREATHTAKING BEAUTY OF GEMS

An exceptional necklace by Yoko London

Jewellery Historian

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Photo in Public domain

1. A brooch made by René Lalique, c.c. 1897 - c. 1899.

2. An art-deco brooch made by Albert Chambin, c. 1900-1910.

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Photo courtesy of YOKO LONDON © YOKO LONDON

3. A necklace made in Prague in 1901 by the workshop of Philippe Wolfers.

4. A bracelet set with pearls and diamonds by Yoko London.

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Photo courtesy of ROBERTO COIN © ROBERTO COIN

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An exceptional necklace by Roberto Coin

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Photo courtesy of YOKO LONDON © YOKO LONDON

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Diamond and pearl earrings by Yoko London

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Photo courtesy of YOKO LONDON © YOKO LONDON

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An exceptional necklace by Yoko London

Photo in Public domain

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Photo in Public domain

Jewellery Historian

A statue made by an unknown artist, Germany, c. 1580 - c. 1600 and/or c. 1730 - c. 1750

Pendant in the form of a cock, Anonymous, c. 1600 In the 16th century, large, irregularly shaped pearls often served as the point of departure for a jewellery design. In this case, the pearl forms the body of a cock. Its head, tail and feet are made of gold. The jeweller enamelled these parts in various colours and set them with (what are probably) rubies. This cock was certainly part of the Dutch stadtholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collection from the 18th century.

Next page : Portrait of Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland, wearing a pearl tiara and pearl earrings. Paint by Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson,c. 1805 - c. 1809.

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Photo in Public domain

Jewellery Historian

The truth is that no other gem has so many contrasting beliefs woven around them, something that only adds to the popularity and flexibility of this material, fact that is reflected in our markets.

| BREATHTAKING BEAUTY OF GEMS to the awesome and unpredictable Mother Nature. Moreover, it takes time and patience. Depending on what type of pearl we are cultivating, it takes from about 10 months up to more than 5 years before we see the result of our investment. During this time, the pearl farmer has to face the weather conditions, the oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will, and constantly monitor the health and ensure the wellbeing of the oysters and/or mollusks. The more stable the conditions of growth the more possible it is to have a final product of high quality. But, what constitutes a high quality pearl? Regardless of the pearl type (saltwater Akoya, south sea, Tahitian, or freshwater) the best ones are those whose shape is as close as possible to a perfect sphere and have a smooth and lustrous surface with no evident blemishes. Obviously, not all types of pearls have the same characteristics and should only be judged against pearls of their same type. The characteristics and potential of every pearl is strictly tied to the type of oyster or mollusk it grows in. Pearls have a curious power. It takes a very special material to be the source of inspiration of entire populations, and pearls have always inspired humans to create myths about them that connect ocean and sky, life and death, maidens and dragons. Some say they represent tears, some say they are joy, some find them perfect for young brides, others the only accessory a widow can wear. The truth is that no other gem has so many contrasting beliefs woven around them, something that only adds to the popularity and flexibility of this material, fact that is reflected in our markets. The scars on our bodies show that we have survived hard times and sharp blows; they say imperfections on the surface of pearls indicate thunders in the sky during their formation. For the cold-hearted market the best pearls are those that can hide their adventurous past and their struggle to heal their wounds and create beauty in their place. So, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to the mighty oysters that celebrate life in such a gorgeous, lingering and mystical way..

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Photo in PUBLIC DOMAIN

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Photo courtesy of YOKO LONDON © YOKO LONDON

An exceptional necklace by Yoko London

EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE

esthĂ¨te a person who has or professes to have refined sensitivity toward the beauties of art or nature.

An exceptional necklace by SUTRA

Hj Haute joaillerie

by Olivier Dupon

Van Cleef & Arpels Bouton dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or

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H A U T E J OA I L L E R I E by Olivier Dupon

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Bouton dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or

For more than a century, Van Cleef & Arpels creates jewelry by capturing movement and emotion. In harmonious bliss, the exceptional Bouton d'or collection showcases the curves of a jewelry design created by Van Cleef & Arpels in the late 1930s, under the name "Paillette", an absolutely perfect symphony of jewelry. 85

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Bouton d’Or ring, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

Louis Arpels had a passion for ballet and later his nephew Claude Arpels cemented this love affair by working with George Balanchine on his ballet Jewels, which was inspired by a trilogy of gems (emeralds, rubies and diamonds). Balanchine wrote this ballet because of the jewels he saw in the windows of Van Cleef & Arpels on his way to his New York City ballet school every morning.

The story goes that the inspiration for this new line is the paillette (or sequin), yet Van Cleef & Arpels opted to name the collection bouton d’or rather than just paillette, (by the way a name used by the house in the past for sequined designs). I see this as a clever move since bouton d’or offers richer layers of interpretation than paillette, which is merely descriptive. A play on words in French, a bouton d’or means both ‘a golden button’ as well as ‘buttercup’ (the flower), descriptors rich in poetic innuendo. It also clearly indicates that the core component of this new collection is Or (gold), in both pink and yellow depending on the gemstone’s colour scheme. The initial idea to delve into the Paillette repertoire originated from an historical fact. Van Cleef & Arpels pioneered the Paillette (or pastille) motif in the late 1930s as a couture symbol, one that was ideal for feminine compositions (archives show a few examples: a Ballerina clip c. 1947, a Paillettes clip c. 1948 and a Paillettes bracelet on the cover of US Vogue April 1956). Louis Arpels had a passion for ballet and later his nephew Claude Arpels cemented this love affair by working with George Balanchine on his ballet Jewels, which was inspired by a trilogy of gems (emeralds, rubies and diamonds). Balanchine wrote this ballet because of the jewels he saw in the windows of Van Cleef & Arpels on his way to his New York City ballet school every morning. As their friendship developed Louis showed Balanchine more and more astounding gems, which fed the creative inspiration for the ballet. This creative ‘friendship’ subsequently paved the way for possibly the most iconic jewellery series from the eponymous French House: the “Ballerinas” series. It has been regularly updated since its inception in 1941 with one of its incarnations being the 1947 Ballerina clip whose tutu skirt is a full pastille composition. No longer a detail of a larger design, it is now the sole inspiring shape of the ten pieces of the new Bouton d’or ™ collection. Either concave or convex, the mini disks are carved from gold and gemstones (onyx and chrysoprase on yellow gold; carnelian and mother-of-pearl on pink gold). The former combination plays on contrasts while the latter favours a delicate match; and so are the jewels’ shapes, more angular in the case of the onyx (black) and chrysoprase (light green) set and rounder for the mother-of-pearl (pearlescent white) and carnelian (red) set. In each case, the colour pairing works wonderfully thanks to a flowing distribution of the colours (indeed they are not positioned as colour blocks, but rather as complementary layers), and no matter if you are a brunette, blonde or redhead, either theme will suit you. In addition, the meshing effect of the tight setting has a second skin feel: the rows of pastilles fully embracing any surface. The ten pieces are grouped into two sets that are slightly less than identical: a necklace, pendant, long earrings, ring and bracelet in each colour scheme. The pendant neckpiece of the onyx/chrysoprase series is on a long chain, and the pendant itself is a large lozenge that can be detached and worn as a brooch, whereas the round pendant in mother-of-pearl/ carnelian is on a shorter chain and not detachable. The same formula applies to the rings, one is square (onyx/chrysoprase) whilst the other (mother-of-pearl/carnelian) is round. Worth noting are the chain links that have been especially designed for the pendants: they replicate hollow disks whose sides have been bevelled, so that the links have a slight convex

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Jewellery Historian

Drawings from the archives of Van Cleef & Arpels

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Bouton d’Or earrings, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

Jewellery Historian

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Jewellery Historian

Bouton d’Or necklace, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

Photo courtesy of VAN CLEEF & ARPELS © VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

Jewellery Historian

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In each set, the identical element is the way each jewel is constructed. The alternating concave and convex pastilles are positioned in the same fashion: three rows of pastilles, with the concave pastille in the middle on top of rows of convex disks on each side.

shape. Clearly there are indeed no details too small for the attention of this French Haut jeweller. When you consider that Van Cleef & Arpels only use the best quality materials coupled with the century-old expertise of their own ateliers, you get a sense of how sophisticated Bouton d’or ™ really is in its apparent elegant simplicity.   In each set, the identical element is the way each jewel is constructed. The alternating concave and convex pastilles are positioned in the same fashion: three rows of pastilles, with the concave pastille in the middle on top of rows of convex disks on each side. With that technique light is attracted in the centre of the piece, while at the same time bouncing off the sides. Adding to the brilliance of this design each single pastille is adorned in its centre with a diamond in a closed setting; you can imagine how gently radiating Bouton d’or™ jewels are. Although it is probably more ‘dressy’ than the iconic Alhambra™ collection, this design has a modern coolness to it, a kind of Madison Avenue easy chic. Indeed it is not only a perfect daywear theme but has the ability to work its magic at night. Bouton d’or ™ or an instant iconic heirloom line. OD Nicolas Bos, President and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, also Creative Director, tells us more. Olivier Dupon - How long has the Bouton D'or ™ collection been in the making? Nicolas Bos - From the research phase to the first pieces that came out of the workshops, it took more than 2 years of work to achieve this collection. The length of this project finds its explanation in, first of all, the rigorous hard stones selection. It took our stones experts several months (even years) to gather the hard stones, which are integral to the creations. In fact, it was probably one of the biggest challenges. For instance, the chrysoprase deposits are all closed as the sources are depleted making this material very rare and highly prized. When you add to this scarcity our high standards of selection, it becomes challenging to gather the needed quantities. Even when we have the rough stones, there is still a long way to go. Indeed, once the rough is selected, it is cut by highly experienced lapidarists in order to give birth to Paillette motifs in concave and convex shapes. And, last but not least, once the Paillette motifs are cut, the time comes for pairing. This is a very meticulous process made by colour specialists. OD - Why do you feel the time is ripe to launch Bouton d'or ™ in 2016 / re-edit the 'pastille' motif now?

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Bouton d’Or bracelet, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or ring, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or earrings in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

The movement of the pieces is very fluid like fabric; the “Paillette” has inspired the button shape, which gave its name to the collection Bouton d’or™.

NB - Van Cleef & Arpels has decided to speak about one part of its identity: the Couture inspiration. The Maison has a very rich heritage which we wanted to highlight and reinterpret in a contemporary way. The “Paillette” motif was a design the Maison launched in the 30’s. Inspired by the Couture theme, the idea for Bouton d’or was to create a graphic and feminine line by associating bold materials. The movement of the pieces is very fluid like fabric; the “Paillette” has inspired the button shape, which gave its name to the collection Bouton d’or™. OD - How many craftsmen are involved in the making process? Van Cleef & Arpels aims to keep alive traditional craftsmanship. For the Bouton d’or ™collection, 6 Métiers d’Art were involved in the realisation, including the jeweller, the polisher and the stone-setter. OD - Who is the 'woman' the Van Cleef & Arpels team had in mind while brainstorming Bouton d'or ™? The Van Cleef & Arpels’ client is an admirer of beauty. She is elegant, feminine and refined. With its graphic line and more abstract style, The Bouton d’or ™ collection is a new breezy, more modern take on the Van Cleef & Arpels’ woman. Its vibrant and joyful colours evoke the Maison’s positive and benevolent vision of life. www.vancleefarpels.com

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Close-up of the Bouton d’Or pendant necklace with detachable brooch, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or ring, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or ring, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or pendant necklace with detachable brooch, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or pendant necklace, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Close-up of the Bouton d’Or pendant necklace, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Detail of the Bouton d’Or necklace, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Bouton d’Or necklace, in pink gold, with mother-of-pearl, carnelian and diamonds

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Hj Haute joaillerie

by Olivier Dupon

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Lalique

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H A U T E J OA I L L E R I E by Olivier Dupon

LALIQUE ‘Pioneer’ is a description that does not come close to encapsulating René Lalique (1860-1945), the visionary who singlehandedly revolutionized joaillerie, undeniably one of today’s most consistent ambassadors for French excellence. 111

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Transformable options for SACRED FIRE ODYSSEY necklace

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Lalique is undeniably one of today’s most consistent ambassadors for French excellence. Even though the perfume and homeware divisions have grown strong commercially, fine and high jewellery are still the most relevant areas when it comes to tracing back the foundations of the House and René Lalique’s début.

‘Pioneer’ is a description that does not come close to encapsulating René Lalique (1860-1945), the visionary who singlehandedly revolutionized joaillerie, propelled glassware into the realm of luxury and built a successful legacy, with a network of 545 lavish boutiques all over the world, from Tokyo to New York and Shanghai to Moscow. The company is undeniably one of today’s most consistent ambassadors for French excellence. Even though the perfume and homeware divisions have grown strong commercially, fine and high jewellery are still the most relevant areas when it comes to tracing back the foundations of the House and René Lalique’s début. That said, the correlation between joaillerie and all the other Lalique activities is a matter of organic marriages. ‘First, jewellery is at the origin of the House of Lalique. Then, the idea of “Living Lalique” (a Lalique Lifestyle) allows a coexistence between the five pillars of the House: Lalique “Wearable” with jewellery and perfumes, and Lalique “At Home” with decorative items, interior design and art’, says Anne Kazuro, international director of Lalique fine and high jewellery. At the age of 25, the young maestro embarked on a solo career, after having designed jewels for the likes of Boucheron and Cartier. Sourcing inspiration for his own groundbreaking creations from Nature, in particular flora and insects, he soon established himself as the master of Art Nouveau jewellery. While his Haute Joaillerie counterparts were expressing themselves exclusively through the use of precious gems, René adopted a freespirited approach by mixing non-, semi- and precious materials in a single design. Clients’ expectations were challenged with mother-of-pearl, horn and enamel accompanying jewels such as diamonds – a radical proposition at the time, which nowadays sounds more familiar, only going to show how trend-setting / long-lasting René Lalique’s design ideas were. Today he is recognised as the ‘father of modern jewellery’. ‘For us,’ says Quentin Obadia, head designer of Lalique fine and high jewellery, ‘combining Lalique’s core signature material – glass – with other precious materials is very easy because René Lalique used to mix and match precious and non-precious stones. He used to first reveal the design and only afterwards select the stones – precious or not – that could best expose the style of the product. So today, combining glass or crystal with other precious materials is “natural”. It is truly part of the House’s DNA and we thrive on creating hand-inhand with the heritage.’ A pivotal collaboration seems to have been René Lalique’s almost symbiotic relationship with the great actress Sarah Bernhardt. The lilyornate crown he created specifically for her character, Mélissinde, in La Princesse Lointaine by the playwright and poet Edmond Rostand epitomizes this. The crown is theatrical in scale, exuberant, yet majestic as the Divine actress herself. The two artistic minds inspired each other so much that it was only a matter of time before the company would decide to celebrate their creative unison in the collection La Divine: A Tribute to Sarah Bernhardt, a partnership with the Paris National Opera, for which Sarah Bernhardt was also an iconic guest artist. Organized like a play, each theme takes the form of an act referring either to Sarah’s acting and personality (e.g. Acte I: Adrienne, after tragedienne Adrienne Lecouvreur, who inspired an opera, a play and several movies, including a biography in which Bernhardt played the part of the actress), or Acte IV: Sarah, L’Eternelle

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Quentin Obadia

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ADRIENNE NECKLACE, Adrienne collection

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18K white gold paved with one hundred and sixtyone 3.67ct diamonds, 345.00ct onyx.7.43ct onyx.

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ADRIENNE RUBELLITE RING, Adrienne collection  18K white gold paved with seventy-six 0.71ct diamonds, 1.93ct oval-shaped rubellite.

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Peigne Coquelicot

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Peigne Phoenix

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‘Fully understanding the jewellery style of René Lalique is the key to modernity. By mastering his creative style, it is possible to update it for the present and prepare it for the future.

Vesta, the goddess of the hearth fire) or René Lalique’s own predilections (e.g. Acte II: Son Jardin Secret, an hymn to lilies and lily of the valley, his most cherished flowers, or Acte III: Her Menagerie, a selection of parrots, peacocks and beetles made for their shimmering, iridescent colours). Throughout the collection, patterns, colour combinations and gemstones are chosen to exalt the narrative: in Acte I: Adrienne the theme is anchored around a feather pattern and superbly executed by contrasting black and raspberry red through the juxtaposition of onyx and rubellite on white gold for the rings, or keeping it elegantly simple with just black and white (onyx and white diamonds on white gold) for a long necklace. In Acte II - Scene II from Her Secret Garden, both the delicacy and auspiciousness of lily of the valley are conjured up with an ethereal colour palette (mother-of-pearl, white pearls, blue chalcedony) and cabochon cuts. Acte III - Scene I from Her Menagerie heralds a parrot as its hero by making the best use of the colours of its wings (a harmonious firework of sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines and emeralds on yellow gold). ‘Fully understanding the jewellery style of René Lalique is the key to modernity. By mastering his creative style, it is possible to update it for the present and prepare it for the future. Only the style can cross the ages’, Quentin says. ‘Of course, in order to translate the style in a modern way, it requires the use of new techniques and innovations, all under the service of design. It also requires changing the habits of customers. Let’s say, if a corsage ornament was fashionable in the twenties, it can still be fashionable today, as long as the jewel can be turned into a pendant or a brooch, for instance.’ These constant immersions in the past and subsequent modern re-interpretations are key to Lalique’s way forward. The Vesta fine and Haute Joaillerie collections’ inception is to be found in a ‘Diadem with white gold wings’ creation by René Lalique circa 1890-1910, wings being a favoured Art Nouveau pattern. The contemporary Haute Joaillerie series is both modern and arresting. Its main masterpiece, ‘Sacred Fire Odyssey’, is a magnificent transformable neckpiece, which could well sit in a display cabinet, being an objet d’art more than just a necklace. Its theatricality is pure genius. The central phantasmagorical character spreads her wings, looking like an apparition. She is a deity made of mother-of-pearl, crowned by a bird head that hardly contains her overflowing golden locks, and with limbs surreally extending into a plumage. The bristliness of the lower under-wing is made of delicately chiselled mother-of-pearl and cloisonné enamelling, while intricate white gold and diamond feathers represent the medium and upper wing coverts. Fire opals, pink sapphires, moonstones, engraved mother-of-pearl, and yellow diamonds punctuate the bodice and the robe. A pear-cut solitaire is nestled in her lavish diamond-paved tail. ‘Vesta is the myth of a phoenix woman and the guardian of the sacred fire’, Quentin explains. ‘It is about the passion that animates every soul and, as such, it is a real symbol for Lalique Jewellery because it marks the rebirth of fine and high jewellery, the return of the House to the roots of its founder.’ The same goes for the Psyché collection, whose source can be traced back to a René Lalique sketch, ‘Design for a Great Peacock Moth brooch circa 1890-1895’. In the contemporary version, the moth is particularly glamorous in an apricot and pink version, which can also be seen as

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SACRED FIRE ODYSSEY TRANSFORMABLE NECKLACE, Vesta Haute Joaillerie collection

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18K white and yellow gold, pink sapphires, diamonds, fire opals, moonstones, engraved mother-of-pearl, cloisonné enamel and crystal.

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ADRIENNE DOUBLE RING, Adrienne collection  18K white gold paved with seventy-eight 1.02ct diamonds, 0.35ct pear-shaped rubellite,

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Sarah Bernhardt wearing a lily crown designed by René Lalique

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PARROT YELLOW GOLD EARRINGS, Her Menagerie collection  18K yellow gold paved with sixty-two 0.63ct Paraiba tourmalines, sixty 1.04ct blue sapphires, thirty-two 0.35ct emeralds and eight 0.15ct orange sapphires.

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PARROT YELLOW GOLD RING, Her Menagerie collection  18 yellow gold paved with fifty-eight 0.47ct orange sapphires, thirty 0.38ct blue sapphires, twenty-four 0.24ct Paraiba tourmalines and twenty-four 0.19ct emeralds.

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‘Timelessness is the perfect balance between innovation, history and style. It is precisely what René Lalique did best whilst adopting a very different approach compared to the other Houses’, Quentin says.

an ode to femininity. ‘Opal is my favourite stone. It is a perfect contrasting stone (the play of colour and light), and that is why it is often set in our jewellery pieces (Phoenix, Gaïa, Vesta, Ailes de Psyché, Paon, Scarabée de Gaïa etc.)’, Quentin observes. ‘After all, Lalique is a brand of contrasts. Some say that opals bring bad luck, but actually it is a story that was made up by the lapidaries because it is a fragile stone and they wanted people to just walk away from it.’ The Opal ring from the Paon series – after a ‘Study for a Peacock Feather’ drawing from circa 1890-1910 – embraces the stone particularly well: its myriad cerulean hues are diffracted through colour-matched gemstones (blue and yellow sapphires, turquoise and tsavorites) and enamelling. Lacquer work (most notably transparent enamel with guilloche, the decorative engraving technique that consists of sculpting lines on metal, then pouring lacquer onto the metal in order to reveal the sculpted motifs) is also particularly favoured (a throwback to Lalique’s Art Deco years) and is most effective in the new collection L’Oiseau de Feu (see below), and pieces such as the statuesque Egyptian ring from the Serpent collection (here snakes are sculptural capitals in the manner of caryatids, bulging out their lacquered bellies while supporting a 5.24ct tanzanite in the white gold version or a 4.96ct mandarin garnet in the yellow gold version); and in the Soleil de Gaia collection in yellow gold (a geometrical and intricate pattern offers a succession of layers – diamond shapes, disks, grids – in a glorious ascent towards a central pearl, itself surrounded by diamonds, pearls and glowing yellow sapphires). ‘Timelessness is the perfect balance between innovation, history and style. It is precisely what René Lalique did best whilst adopting a very different approach compared to the other Houses’, Quentin says. From 1905 the master slowly began to put more focus onto glasswork, spending less time on jewellery design, as the latter had already garnered tremendous success. With the same appetite, he applied his renowned creative drive to functional glass objects (perfume bottles, cups, boxes, clocks, fountains, architectural elements, etc.) and he became the ‘Great Glassmaker of Art Deco, acclaimed for his contrasting transparent and satin-finished glass’. In 1931 he designed the glass ‘Cabochon’ ring, ancestor to today’s version, the ‘Gourmande’ ring. More elaborate glasswork can be found in other contemporary collections. When mythology meets artistry, it brings the Aréthuse series, for example: a ring, earrings and pendant fine jewellery line, where each time a Masque de Femme motif is carved on clear crystal and framed by yellow gold. This is an affordable way to wear an iconic jewellery / glass creation from the House. At the other end of the spectrum, one-of-a-kind objets d’art, such as the Toric Lepine – inspired by the Coutard fountain; at the centre is a platinum pocket watch with 536 diamonds – and Le Jour et La Nuit, Soleil Gaia or Serpent clocks, are collaborations with Parmigiani Fleurier and examples of prowess in glass sculpting by the haute joaillerie/ horlogerie workshops. The virtuosic interpretation of Art Deco themes is a poignant echo of René Lalique’s gift.

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Diadem with white gold wings, René Lalique, c.1890-1910.

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PSYCHÉ DE JOUR RING, Psyché collection  18K red gold, trillion-cut orange sapphire, round-cut pink tourmaline, pink, orange and yellow sapphires, diamonds and lacquer

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PAON RING, Paon collection  18K white gold, opal triplet, blue and yellow sapphires, diamonds, turquoise, tsavorites and enamel.

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Transformable options for SACRED FIRE ODYSSEY necklace

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VESTA EARRINGS, Vesta Haute Joaillerie collection 18K white gold with 2 pear-cut diamonds (1ct), mother of pearls and diamonds.

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LONG EARRINGS, Firebird collection  18K yellow gold, diamonds, 2 pear-cut orange sapphires, fresh water cultured pearls, 2 black jade motifs, 2 pearl-cut fire opals, 4 hand-engraved white jade beads, 2 carnelian beads and coloured lacquer.

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LONG NECKLACE, Firebird collection  18K yellow gold, diamonds, 4 pear-cut orange sapphires, fresh water cultured pearls, 2 black jade motifs, coloured lacquer and pear-cut fire opal, with hand-braided black silk and yellow gold thread and 3 strands of pearls, carnelian beads and hand-engraved white jade beads.

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Transformable options for SACRED FIRE ODYSSEY necklace

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VESTA RING, Vesta Haute Joaillerie collection  18K white gold with a 0,50 carat pear diamond, mother of pearls and diamonds.

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It would not be possible to conclude this overview of Lalique’s fine and high jewellery without mentioning a unique luxurious offering from the House: a collection of 8 precious hair combs launched in 2012.

‘Our approach is a blend between what we feel and the past. The first three collections were influenced by Greek mythology because René Lalique used to be inspired by fauna, flora, women and myths’, Quentin notes. As mentioned earlier, Lalique’s partnership with the Paris National Opera has provided strong leads for creative ideas by picking synergies between the institutions’ shared ‘muses’. Following the first Sarah Bernhardt collection under this artistic joint venture, a second opus in two ‘scenes’ has recently been unveiled: L’Oiseau de Feu and Le Baiser. On June 25th, 1910, Serge Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes, offered a performance of L’Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird) by Igor Stravinsky. The lead role’s costume, designed by Leon Bakst, was a feast of crimson hues, and it impressed René Lalique so much that the glassmaker fashioned a tabletop tribute to the Firebird a few years later in 1922. This important occasion is now brought back to life in a new high jewellery collection. Borrowing from the lavish textures of Bakst’s costumes (precious brocades, sumptuous trimmings, etc.), Quentin Obadia has imagined an orientalist riot of fiery and dense colours (ochre, glossy black and white) brought by luscious gems (diamonds, orange sapphires, black and white jade, fire opals, white pearls, carnelian beads). A hand-braided black silk and yellow gold thread rope also composes part of the main sautoir multistrand necklace. Although the connection to Bakst’s Firebird costume is evident, it is surprising how deceptive the costume-jewellery look is, as the construction of the pieces is nothing less than utterly precious. More recently, from March to April 2016, the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ ballet choreographed by Rudolf Nureyev has been performed on the stage of the Paris National Opera. In 1904-1906 René Lalique had already designed a brooch featuring lovers kissing. The two events put together led to a new collection of seven pieces, Le Baiser (the kiss, a complement and companion to the glass-carved Aréthuse – mentioned above). Each medallion is carved out of satin-polished crystal and mounted on silver or vermeil. Unbeknownst to the onlooker, but secretly cherished by its wearer, one face is in relief on one side, while the other is in recess on the other. A ‘no front or back’ design with a nostalgic message: it seems as if the two lovers are tenderly kissing, but impenetrable opalescent glass prevents them from actually touching each other. Forbidden love in visual delicacy. It would not be possible to conclude this overview of Lalique’s fine and high jewellery without mentioning a unique luxurious offering from the House: a collection of 8 precious hair combs launched in 2012. Entitled 1888, the collection was homage ‘to the year that marked the beginning of the influence of Asian Arts in René Lalique’s work and that would result in a collection of archive sketches and hair ornaments designed by the Master Jeweller’. Each hairpiece is unique and crafted with precious stones. More playful and practical than tiaras, these pieces embody the fact that neither aesthetics nor functionality was compromised when crafting these sublime “tools”. Larger than the hair combs used to secure a small hat or headpiece – such was the fashion in the '50s – the bejeweled Lalique kind preside over one’s head on their own.

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Study for a comb Snakes, René Lalique, c.1890- 1910

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Small clocks in collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier, Haute Horlogerie collection.

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Small clocks in collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier, Haute Horlogerie collection.

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Design for Great Peacock Moth brooch, René Lalique, c.1890-1895.

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PSYCHÉ DE JOUR NECKLACE, Psyché collection  18K red gold, trillion-cut orange sapphire (1.1ct), round-cut orange sapphire, cacholong, Akoya pearls, pink, orange and yellow sapphires, diamonds and pink/orange lacquer.

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I would invite anyone interested in experiencing the Lalique lifestyle firsthand to visit the Museum Lalique, which was established in the Alsatian village of Wingen-surModer, where René Lalique set up his glassworks in 1921.

Of course the above is just a glimpse of what Lalique is all about, and I would invite anyone interested in experiencing the Lalique lifestyle first-hand to visit the Museum Lalique, which was established in the Alsatian village of Wingen-sur-Moder, where René Lalique set up his glassworks in 1921. And while you are there, why not enjoying your stay in style at the Villa René Lalique, which has been turned into a five-star hotel with a 2-star Michelin restaurant. An opportunity to fully experience the concept of ‘Living Lalique’. www.lalique.com www.villarenelalique.com

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Study for a Peacock feather, René Lalique, c.1890-1910.

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EGYPTIAN SNAKE RING, Snake collection  18K yellow gold, 4.96cts mandarin garnet, spessartite garnets, diamonds, red spinels, yellow sapphires and red/orange lacquer.

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WINGS OF PSYCHÉ CUFF, Psyché collection 18K yellow gold, citrines, garnets, pink tourmalines and diamonds.

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Drawing for an Autumn leaves fan, René Lalique, c.1899-1900.

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SOLEIL DE GAIA CUFF, Soleil de Gaia collection 18K yellow gold, diamonds, yellow sapphires, fresh water cultured pearls, white and coral lacquer.

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ARÉTHUSE RING and PENDANT, Aréthuse collection. Both in 18K yellow gold with clear crystal.

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SOLEIL DE GAIA RING, Soleil de Gaia collection 18K yellow gold, diamonds, yellow sapphires, fresh water cultured pearls, white and coral lacquer.

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

BV LGA R I H O R LO G E R I E

INTEGRATED MASTERY OF ALL THE WATCH COMPONENTS

With integrated production of all watch parts spread over four sites in the Jura mountains, at the heart of a major hub of the most sophisticated skills and crafts, the Manufacture Bulgari has developed so strongly that it now fully masters the production of mechanical watch movements . Production of the external elements – metal cases and bracelets, high-end dials – is also done internally. The vertical integration that began a few years ago has reached cruising speed and has effectively put Bulgari Watchmaking right up amongst the elite of Swiss watch manufacturers.

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Only a few exceptional brands can currently claim global mastery of the multiple processes involved in making a watch – encompassing design and development, mechanical movements, dials as well as metal cases and bracelets.

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More than 350 employees representing dozens of professions dedicated to the infinitely small and precise are at work on the brand’s various production sites, from Le Sentier to Saignelégier via La Chaux-de-Fonds. With a current over 350-strong workforce and integrated production of all watch parts spread over four sites in the Jura mountains, at the heart of a major hub of the most sophisticated skills and crafts, the Manufacture Bulgari has developed so strongly that it now fully masters the production of mechanical watch movements ranging from Grande Complication to ultra-thin hand-wound calibers, as well as standard Solotempo self-winding base movements. Production of the external elements – metal cases and bracelets, high-end dials – is also done internally. The vertical integration that began a few years ago has reached cruising speed and has effectively put Bulgari Watchmaking right up amongst the elite of Swiss watch manufacturers. Only a few exceptional brands can currently claim global mastery of the multiple processes involved in making a watch – encompassing design and development, mechanical movements, dials as well as metal cases and bracelets. Classic and streamlined, complicated or precious. Watches are all about emotions, like superb works of art that are created by drawing upon a broad range of expertise, as well as time and passion. For behind these complex objects lie a number of age-old skills combined with stateof-the-art technologies. Behind the Fine Watchmaking masterpiece is a vast and complex network, filled with multiple skills – all completely interconnected and independent, backed by cutting-edge technologies or by traditional dexterity in craftsmanship. The Manufacture Bulgari is currently able to master the entire process and to manufacture its creations in-house, the privilege of authentic players in the world of luxury. Vertical integration has enabled the brand to progressively acquire all the skills required to make a complete watch by setting up a production division handling everything from the first sketches from the design office – forming the basis for the development conducted by the Technical Department – and right the way through to the absolute final checks. This pool is spread over several manufacturing sites, all rooted in the heart of the purest tradition and the finest skills: Le Sentier for the Grande Complication and ultra-thin Finissimo movements; Le Sentier for the production and assembly of the Solotempo caliber; Saignelégier for gold and steel cases and bracelets; while the high-end dials are manufactured in La Chaux-deFonds. Assembly and the final controls on the watch take place in Neuchâtel, the nerve centre of operations. At the heart of watchmaking creation beats the mechanical movement. This amazing assembly of parts, up to a thousand in the case of the most sophisticated horological complications, has to find its place in the infinitesimal volume measuring just a few cubic centimeters at most. The quality standards inherent in complicated movements are naturally applied with the Manufacture Bulgari to functionally simpler mechanisms such as the Finissimo and Solotempo calibres. In both instances, whether ultra-thin hand-wound or self-winding movements, these stringent requirements are

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With integrated production of all watch parts spread over four sites in the Jura mountains, the vertical integration that began a few years ago has reached cruising speed and has effectively put Bulgari Watchmaking right up amongst the elite of Swiss watch manufacturers.

applied to the entire range of manufacturing stages in order to achieve a result meeting the highest standards of excellence. While undoubtedly the central element in a mechanical watch, its ‘motor’ is nevertheless only one facet of its character, since its external parts are naturally equally important – and just as complex when it comes to producing the case, dial and bracelet. At Bulgari, these elements are subject to the same rigorous demands throughout the processes involved in their production. Just as with a high-end movement, the expertise required to produce extremely high-end dials is also very refined and implies a set of skills underpinned by a precious value: experience. As with the dials, the case and bracelet Manufacture in Saignelégier regroups a wide variety of highly specialized professions, all of which demand dexterity achieved through experience. The site is based on the same guidelines and its production is intended for the Brand’s most iconic and exclusive models. Entering this place gives a sense of entering Vulcan’s legendary forges, with computer numerically controlled machines relentless cutting gold or steel blocks under oil jets, as well as a large polishing room where all components are dealt with by hand, right the way through to the smallest bracelet links. Spread between the various production sites, the people who make the Manufacture Bulgari tick represent dozens of highly specialized skills and professions, daily combining several hundred hours of work within a perfectly orchestrated ballet-like performance. Their watchwords are patience, a love of the infinitely small and a passion for giving birth to exceptional and authentically organic creations. Their work is governed by a single principle: the quest for perfection and beauty through a perfect combination of Swiss expertise and Italian creativity. This quest is shared in close partnership with Bulgari Jewelry when it relates to precious watches. Both activities are the Brand’s legitimate territories and Bulgari Horlogerie implements logical and natural synergies with its Jewelry facilities for such specific products. As for complicated watches, craftsmanship is of central importance also for jewelry watches. The jeweled elements of each jewelry timepiece are crafted in the Bulgari Jewelry manufacture in Valenza or in the High Jewelry workshop in Rome, depending on the product’s features and its preciousness. The type of production carried out there is the traditional lost-wax casting technique. Expert goldsmiths clean, assemble and finish all the metal elements, giving shape to the actual watch element: bracelets and stone-set cases. Special attention is reserved to details, since it is fundamental that every element perfectly interlocks with the others, following the natural movement of the wrist and that the clasps and settings are expertly realized. Expertise and experience are necessary during the delicate phase of setting the gems, to ensure that every stone is firmly anchored in place. The watch element itself is assembled in Neuchâtel, where the movement in encased and the final quality control is carried out. www.bulgari.com

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Hj Haute joaillerie

by Olivier Dupon

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Wallace Chan Secret Abyss

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H A U T E J OA I L L E R I E by Olivier Dupon

WALLACE CHAN Secret Abyss

If time was no object, and utter patience, endurance and persistence were the driving forces.... One creation that embodies the term ‘labour of love’, and is the pinnacle of extraordinary experimentation, is ‘Secret Abyss’. 167

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The creation of this necklace, whose medallion is both a technical and aesthetic tour de force, is a project that Wallace Chan started ten years ago.

If time was no object, and utter patience / endurance / persistence were the driving forces.... One creation that embodies the term ‘labour of love’, and is the pinnacle of extraordinary experimentation, is ‘Secret Abyss’. The creation of this necklace, whose medallion is both a technical and aesthetic tour de force, is a project that Wallace Chan started ten years ago. We are all familiar with high jewels and the way they are presented with their ‘estimated working hour’ count – usually in the vicinity of thousands of hours spent by a team of craftsmen behind their benches – but the ‘ten-year’ threshold must surely dwarf that of any other contender. The question is: when a piece is so long in the making, how does this affect its maker? It is common knowledge that rutilated quartz (especially the golden kind) is meant to be a powerful amplifier of one’s energy and thoughts. Did Mr Chan experience its powers while working so intensively with the material? ‘Each gemstone is a living thing’, he replies. ‘I believe in good spirits, and the magic of resonance. Actually I don’t just believe; I feel them all the time.’ Dubbed the ‘Carving Prodigy from Asia’ – creator of the most expensive necklace ever produced, and initiator of groundbreaking innovations such as a patented jadeite thinning and luminosity enhancing technology and a revolutionary gemstone-setting technique – Wallace Chan could easily describe his creations with superlatives, each description outdoing the last, but instead he portrays them simply as his children. He talks about them in terms of love and affection, and he says he always feels it is his responsibility to find them a good home when it is time to part company. No jewel has stayed long enough by his side to become a pre-teen (if we’re continuing the human analogy). This may be the reason why ‘Secret Abyss’ has not yet come up for sale. The bond between creator and creation may in this instance be too strong. But let’s hear it from the man himself: Olivier Dupon - How did you come up with the idea for ‘Secret Abyss’? Wallace Chan - More than a decade ago I watched a magic show. A magician was handcuffed and placed inside a water tank. He had to escape in a single breath. I was surprised and impressed. It was an intensive performance. After that I started to think about whether I would be able to transform that magic into a jewellery creation. It was the idea of holding your breath for the world and the sense of extreme concentration that inspired me to start working on ‘Secret Abyss’. OD - Did it at any time feel like a ‘tug of war’ between you and the rutilated quartz? Or did you feel that the rutilated quartz welcomed your vision to transform it? WC - It is certainly correct to call the process a ‘labour of love’. It is always about love. Love inspires creativity and makes persistence possible. I used pieces of crystal to experiment with the techniques before I tried my skills on the rutilated quartz. I broke more than 30 pieces. It was not war, it was deep love and passion, and it was a symphony composed of the pounding rhythms in my heart and the eternal sounds of polishing.

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Wallace Chan

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Bouton d’Or necklace, in yellow gold, with onyx, chrysoprase and diamonds

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I learned that magic is created through repeated practice. Many times I wanted to give up because it was too difficult – nearly impossible. There was basically no space to move around inside the ‘Secret Abyss'.

OD - Could you please describe in detail the exact technical process by which you have been able to achieve this feat of technique?  WC - I am afraid that my words will not do my works justice. The process is too complex to be described with any level of exactness. To put it simply, I took a whole block of rutilated quartz (211.74cts), drilled a hole of 6.5mm (which is the exact size of a 1-carat diamond), and through that tiny hole my self-invented tools started polishing. There were countless layers. The heat and tension generated by the polishing work were great, so I had to be extremely careful even though my tools were made to tackle such problems. At last I created a space of 42mm where I could set the cloud pattern of 1,111 emeralds. It had much to do with tools and methods, and there were no existing tools or methods that could help. So everything I had to start from scratch, inventing something out of nothing. From concept to creation it took me 10 years. OD - What did you learn while working on ‘Secret Abyss’? And what were the challenges you encountered while progressing on the piece?  WC - I learned that magic is created through repeated practice. Many times I wanted to give up because it was too difficult – nearly impossible. There was basically no space to move around inside the ‘Secret Abyss'. Some people compared it to the Sailor’s Bottle or the Chinese snuff bottle, but they were different from what I was doing because all the tools and materials I used, e.g. gemstones and titanium, were hard. Although I thought of giving up, I could not give up because I was able to imagine the magical result. It was a dream in my head that kept coming back to me. The challenges were a part of this dream. OD - Will you eventually sell ‘Secret Abyss’?   WC - I feel that it is not time for us to part yet, but the time will come. It is important not to stay in the past so we can create the future. This piece undoubtedly has a special place in my heart, but if it can serve a greater purpose one day I will be happy to part with it. Each of my creations is like my very own child. It always gives me the greatest satisfaction to see a creation completed. But I do not hold on to the past. ‘Secret Abyss’ is now a part of my foundation, upon which I continue to invent and innovate. OD - Usually an abyss is synonymous with the unknown, and for some people an abyss can even be ominous. It seems the use of emeralds (green, the colour of health and prosperity) and a 10.05ct yellow diamond (yellow, the colour of the earth, but also signifying freedom from worldly cares) help turn ‘Secret Abyss’ into an auspicious and benevolent type of abyss. Would you agree? WC - The unknown is where the fascination is. Go into the unknown and suddenly anything is possible. For me, the unknown is a swirl of happiness. The magic of gemstones is that they embody so much human emotion. The green of emerald and the yellow of diamonds: together they inspire our feelings and imagination. I would love for my jewellery creations to convey happy thoughts and fond impressions of love and humanity. ‘Secret Abyss’

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Secret Abyss

Necklace

Yellow Diamond 1pc 10.05ct, Rutilated Quartz 1pc 211.74ct Emerald, Fancy Colored Diamond, Amethyst, Rutilated Quartz

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The process is too complex to be described with any level of exactness. To put it simply, I took a whole block of rutilated quartz (211.74cts), drilled a hole of 6.5mm (which is the exact size of a 1-carat diamond), and through that tiny hole my self-invented tools started polishing. 177

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There were countless layers. The heat and tension generated by the polishing work were great, so I had to be extremely careful even though my tools were made to tackle such problems. At last I created a space of 42mm where I could set the cloud pattern of 1,111 emeralds. It had much to do with tools and methods, and there were no existing tools or methods that could help. So everything I had to start from scratch, inventing something out of nothing. From concept to creation it took me 10 years.

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also has a Chinese name with a Buddhist reference. To translate it simply, it

In case you were wondering, Mr Chan has no intention of replicating the prowess of ‘Secret Abyss’ in any other piece of jewellery. ‘ Life is too short to live in repetitions. I look forward to exploring the unknown’, he reflects.

is: true emptiness, wonderful existence(

). It illustrates the idea of

the piece quite directly. But once translated into English it is not subtle enough. So I extracted the key element of the piece – the 6.5mm hole hidden beneath a 10-carat yellow diamond – and gave it an English name: ‘Secret Abyss’. This is your secret pathway to the unknown, where magic exists. I see the 6.5mm opening as the entrance and the exit of my soul. The process was about life and death, a practice of love and patience, a commitment to a passion so much bigger, so much stronger, than my very own existence. In case you were wondering, Mr Chan has no intention of replicating the prowess of ‘Secret Abyss’ in any other piece of jewellery. ‘ Life is too short to live in repetitions. I look forward to exploring the unknown’, he reflects. First unveiled at the Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris, in 2014, ‘Secret Abyss’ was also exhibited at Tefaf 2016, Maastricht, among a larger array of wonders. This was Mr Chan’s first time participating in this prestigious, international antiques and collectables fair (and as a matter of fact, he was the first Chinese jewellery artist to take part). His presentation marked a memorable occasion for all visitors. The Wallace Chan booth – painted black from floor to ceiling, so that the jewels could ‘shine’ – allowed a unique immersive experience. For a start, a monumental titanium sculpture (3m high) greeted the entrance. Named ‘The Origin of Light’, it comprised carved titanium panels opening on one side onto a mirrored space, positioned so as to infinitely reflect sculptures of ‘babies’, themselves dispersed on the surface of the artwork. A whopping 1399ct blue topaz was still in proportion in this monumental tableau. As one entered, floating glass cabinets were located on one side (individually hosting ‘Stilled Life Cicada Brooch – A 5000-Year-Old Story Retold’*, one of Mr Chan’s most recognizable pieces of jewellery / objets d’art; the ‘My Dreams’ ring*; ‘Sea Fairies’ earrings, with an extremely rare pair of natural Paraiba tourmalines; and ‘Let Life Be Beautiful’ brooch*), while flat window cases with butterflies sat on the opposite wall. The entire width of the back of the room displayed more jewellery, and notably a row of four black-coated mannequins (as if fresh paint had just been poured over them), each wearing one jaw-dropping marvel. Note : Jewellery with * have been previously featured in issue 14 of The Jewellery Historian)

It was in this behind-glass section that ‘Secret Abyss’ was showcased on a clear pedestal. The beauty of ‘Secret Abyss’ could scarcely have been lost amid such a dramatic backdrop and surrounded by the four chimeras, but it struck me that the phenomenal backstory behind the piece could easily be missed by onlookers. This prompted a discussion with the team and how Mr Chan’s works should each come with their own ‘commentary’. Just press a button, put your headphones on, and listen to the recorded voice that will share all there is to know about the marvel you are looking at. With Chan’s jewels there is so much more than meets the eye.

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Wallace Chan plays with the contrasts of textures and colors, conducting a waltz of forms and light with precious materials. Layers of gemstones are flawlessly sealed with meticulous craftsmanship, creating a ring that denotes organic beauty and rounds of wonders.

â&#x20AC;?

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Moonlit Waltz

Ring

Yellow Diamond, Blue Topaz, Fancy Colored Diamond, Sapphire

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Two fish fell in love one day. In between the waves and the corals they whisper their loving bubbles. Inside their love cave the melodies of love are composed. Reds, greens and blues are juxtaposed. The meandering lines reach up to the sky, expressing elegance in their movements. The water is clear, reflecting the corals’ colors like a mirror. The goddess of the sea has smiled upon the sweet fish lovers.

”

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Fish’s Whisper

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Yellow Diamond, Blue Topaz, Tsavorite Garnet, Fancy Colored Diamond & Sapphire

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‘The conversation will evolve around the philosophies and inspirations behind his creations, and his unique craftsmanship which has involved developing new techniques for carving, setting and creating with precious stones and metal.

For your chance to hear the master in person, the Victoria & Albert Museum, London invited Wallace Chan to deliver a talk together with renowned jewelry historian Vivienne Becker on Monday 27th June. ‘The conversation will evolve around the philosophies and inspirations behind his creations, and his unique craftsmanship which has involved developing new techniques for carving, setting and creating with precious stones and metal. This event is hosted in collaboration with Rizzoli, the publisher for Wallace Chan’s very first illustrated monograph DREAM LIGHT WATER in 2015.’ Last but not least, there is another opportunity to see ‘Secret Abyss’, this time at Masterpiece London (June 29th to July 6th). Wallace Chan will indeed select around 40 pieces of unique jewelry creations, a 2.2-metre tall large-scaled titanium-gemstone sculpture, along with two glass-carving artworks to be exhibited at Masterpiece London for the first time. www.wallace-chan.com

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T H E A R T O F C R E AT I V I T Y by Olivier Dupon

VANLELES Founded in 2011 by Vania Leles, VanLeles works directly with leading craftspeople and gemstone mines across the world to craft exquisite and unique fine jewellery for discerning collectors and private clients alike. Nestled in the heart of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine jewellery district, the VanLeles atelier offers a sense-awakening and personal experience, paired with visionary design. 191

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The office on New Bond Street in London is the only place where one can view and buy Vania Leles’ jewels. In keeping with the luxurious positioning of the brand and Vania’s romantic approach, the main room exudes classical and soft elegance through shades of pearly grey, punctuated by hints of blush and fuchsia pinks.

Recently several major European exhibitions have honoured the African continent, not by focusing on its usual merits (mesmerizing landscapes, age-old traditions, flora and fauna) but by shedding light on one of its less promoted aspects: the emergence of a booming contemporary art & design arena. ‘Making Africa: A Continent of Contemporary Design’ took place at the Guggenheim Bilbao museum earlier this year, and it showcased how the fast-paced (economic, political, cultural and technological) changes happening on the continent go hand in hand with a thriving design scene. Likewise, the ‘Lumières d’Afriques’ roadshow in Paris embraced the idea that the 21st century would be Africa’s siècle des lumières by presenting 54 artists / countries / artworks. The fashion calendar has also integrated this reality by hosting regular events (‘Black Fashion Week’ in Paris or ‘Africa Fashion Week’ in London), and a few European brands have embraced Africana (among others, the ‘l’Afrique, c’est chic’ Spring Summer 2016 collaboration between childrenswear brand Bonton and the CSAO – La compagnie du Sénégal et de l’Afrique de l’Ouest). From Johannesburg to Dakar, from Lagos to Accra, creativity has been unleashed, and like anything that is quite novel and unburdened by old rules, it comes with unbridled liveliness and gusto. It was therefore just a matter of time for us to be able to revel in the exquisite creations of a high jewellery designer of African descent (in this instance, born in Guinea-Bissau). Vania Leles studied sociology at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, and subsequently worked as a social worker for a few years. This came to an end when she embarked on a modelling career between London and New York, which incidentally prompted her interest in jewellery. ‘I was working as a model in New York on some big campaigns for cosmetics and fashion houses and I lived above a wellknown jewellery store’, she recalls. ‘I found myself captivated by the jewels and immediately started studying the gems and the jewellery-making process.’ Modelling was always going to be a short-lived career for Vania, as she wanted to forge a future in something more enduring and creative, so she went to study jewellery design and gemmology at the GIA in New York instead. After a few years learning the ropes of the business by working for the likes of Graff, De Beers and Sotheby’s, she was eventually able to launch her own high jewellery brand, Vanleles, in 2011, through sheer determination and perseverance. ‘It has not been easy for me to enter the industry. As far as I know I am possibly the only black woman designer in high jewellery, plus I don’t come from a family of jewellers’, she says. ‘However, I am pretty determined and I love the creative process so I don’t really feel I have a choice but to pursue my dream of being a gemmologist-cumjewellery designer.’ Had she not become the latter, she would have been a full-time artist and painter, as shown by the enchanting artworks that adorn the walls of both her home and showroom. They are all Vania’s creations and a clue as to one of her preoccupations: celebrating Femininity. The office on New Bond Street in London is the only place where one can view and buy Vania Leles’ jewels. In keeping with the luxurious positioning of the brand and Vania’s romantic approach, the main room exudes classical and soft elegance through shades of pearly grey, punctuated by hints of blush and fuchsia pinks. Symmetry brings a sense of Palladian style as two wal-

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Earrings in 18K white gold with 2 cushion-cut sapphires, bluegraduated sapphires and diamonds, Timeless Wonders collection.

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Bracelet in 18K white gold with round brilliant-cut diamonds, round-cut rubies, round-cut sapphires and marquise-cut tsavorites, Enchanted Garden collection.

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Detachable earrings in 18K white gold with pear- and oval-cut African rubellite, pear- and oval-cut Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline and diamonds Timeless Wonders collection.

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‘The women that come to us are looking for something special with a soul and a story to tell. They are pretty discerning,’ Vania explains, ‘successful in their chosen field, and they are stylish women, who know what they like and are looking for something other people don’t have.’

nut desks sit below two of the large windows, one on the left and one on the right. The desks are separated by a tall cabinet and framed by lush drapey curtains, while the middle of the room is presided over by a tall display table. It feels as if one has entered a stylish boudoir minus the girlishness that usually comes with that. Vanleles is indeed about advocating a strong and mature image of femininity. ‘The women that come to us are looking for something special with a soul and a story to tell. They are pretty discerning,’ Vania explains, ‘successful in their chosen field, and they are stylish women, who know what they like and are looking for something other people don’t have.’ At the very beginning of her jewellery career, Vania designed bespoke pieces for private clients. Nowadays Vanleles includes six house collections: Lyla’s Bow, Legends of Africa, Dancing Butterfly, Enchanted Garden, Timeless Wonders & Classic Bridal. ‘We will add one or two high-end capsule collections every year to complement each series, whilst maintaining our bespoke service. In other words, I am always creating and designing something new’, she observes. All of her renditions are delicate, fluid and timeless, which is congruous with the brand’s DNA. The inspiration for so many of her pieces comes from Africa, whether she is depicting patterns from African fabrics she has seen or sourcing the stones directly from African mines. ‘I am constantly blown away by the beauty of my homeland, and that is why I always try and celebrate it in my designs’, she muses. Even though she tries not to interpret her African influences too literally, she still hints to the colours and memories from time spent travelling all over Africa, while ensuring that ‘the design is contemporary in feel and true to high jewellery’. She notes that, ‘Pearls are one of my favourite gems because the first jewellery I ever had was a set of pearl studs with a pendant that I received from my parents when I was a child. Then diamonds because they are eternal, and emeralds for they remind me of my grandparents’ green house in Bissau. Africa is the fastest growing economy on the planet, with the fastest growing middle class in the world, so nowadays parents are investing in the education of their children more than ever. Really what we need is the opportunity and a platform to create. Moreover, given the fact that we possess both the natural resources and the manpower, we can achieve anything that we set our mind to.’ In the Legends of Africa collection, many of the pieces incorporate an abstract map of the continent. ‘I just wanted to design and symbolize the beauty and the richness of Africa’, Vania shares, and nowhere is this more widely on display than in the tutti frutti version. A kaleidoscopic and intricate array of coloured gems in pastel tones radiates (a medley of blue, orange, pink and yellow sapphires, rubies and tsavorites). It is bountiful, but deceptively it is not random. The spur-of-the-moment vibe – as if a colourist had just dipped his brush in several pots and then drawn deliberate dots – is only offset by the superb symmetry (colour-matching) in each earring of the same pair. Free spirit and rigour, ebullience yet control: this is a duality that often defines high jewellery creations. Other Vanleles collections replicate the same winning formula, this time with shapes borrowing from the universal stock of romantic patterns

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Pink earrings in 18K rose gold with round-cut diamonds, round-cut pink sapphires and round-cut pink tourmalines, Legends of Africa collection.

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Ring in 18K white gold with round brilliant-cut diamonds and round-cut rubies, Enchanted Garden collection.

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Earrings in 18K white gold with round-cut diamonds, round-cut rubies, round-cut pink sapphires, pear-cut pink tourmalines and pear-cut tsavorites, Enchanted Garden collection.

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Double riviere necklace in 18K white gold with round brilliant-cut diamonds, micropaved diamonds, African rubellites and Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline, Timeless Wonders collection.

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Toi et Moi ring in 18K white gold with round brilliant-cut diamonds, pear-cut African rubellite and pear-cut Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline, Timeless Wonders collection.

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Earrings with detachable tassels in 18K white gold, blue-graduated sapphires and diamonds. Dancing Butterfly collection.

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Earrings in 18K white gold with diamonds and pink sapphires. Dancing Butterfly collection.

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‘Jewellery design is an art form and a way of selfexpression for me’, she says, ‘and I love the fact that women and men come to me to celebrate the milestone moments of their lives. That is a wonderful process to be a part of.’

(flowers, bows and butterflies). The Enchanted Garden, Dancing Butterfly and Lyla’s Bow series are dazzlingly beguiling, each with pieces ranging from the pared-down (white diamond paved on 18K white gold butterfly pendant) to the more flamboyant (gorgeous African rubellite cabochons set in 18K rose gold with little white diamond paved butterflies, in the case of Dancing Butterfly). A strong flair for colours plays in all the collections, with most compositions showcasing soft and pretty palettes, but it takes a daring turn in Timeless Wonders. There the designer has created a set – a double necklace, toi et moi ring and mismatched earrings – which marries two intense hues to spectacular effect: the startling vivid blue of Paraiba tourmaline with the deep red of rubellite. Ice and fire finally coexist. In addition, not only motifs attached to femininity, but also values (compassion, care, motherhood) are encompassed in the brand, and in particular in the Lyla’s Bow collection. Inspired by the daughter of a close friend, and as a young mother herself, Vania created this collection as a tribute to the child, Lyla, who suffered from brain cancer: 10% of the proceeds go to The Lyla Nsouli Foundation. ‘Jewellery design is an art form and a way of self-expression for me’, she says, ‘and I love the fact that women and men come to me to celebrate the milestone moments of their lives. That is a wonderful process to be a part of.’ Despite being a smaller joaillier compared to the top jewellery houses, it allows her to offer a more personal approach to her clients, all the while adopting the same level of quality in terms of craftsmanship and choice of stones as the major Bond Street players. Nevertheless there is no better accolade than that of a demanding mother-in-law. ‘”It is a work of art!’ are words from my mother- in-law, who has everything and has seen everything”’ messaged a groom-to-be and client to Vania about the engagement ring she had designed for his future wife. ‘Only he, his mother and I have seen the ring,’ she quips, ‘so I cannot wait to hear what his fiancée will say!’ No doubt she will be ecstatic, as on one of the most important days of her life a very special ring will be bestowed on her; one that will consecrate the woman she is, a Vanleles ring. www.vanleles.com

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Pendant necklace in 18K rose gold with African rubellite cabochon and diamonds. Dancing Butterfly collection.

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Earrings in 18K rose gold with African rubellite cabochons and diamonds. Dancing Butterfly collection.

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Earrings in 18K white gold with emerald-cut Brazilian aquamarines and diamonds, Lyla’s Bow collection.

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Necklace in 18K white gold with emerald-cut Brazilian aquamarines and diamonds, Lyla’s Bow collection.

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Multicolour ring in 18K rose gold with round-cut diamonds, round-cut blue, orange, pink and yellow sapphires, round-cut tsavorites, Legends of Africa collection.

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Multicolour earrings in 18K rose gold with round-cut blue, orange, pink and yellow sapphires, round-cut rubies, round- and pear-cut tsavorites, Legends of Africa collection.

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Pendant and brooch in 18K white gold with round-cut rubellite, round-cut rubies and round-cut pink sapphires, Enchanted Garden collection.

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Ring in 18K white gold with diamonds, round-cut rubies and round-cut pink sapphires, Enchanted Garden collection.

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Earrings in 18K white gold with cushion- and pear-cut sapphires, and diamonds, Dancing Butterfly collection.

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Ring in 18K white gold with diamonds and pink sapphires, Dancing Butterfly collection.

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2 016 C A N N E S F I L M F E S T I VA L

CHOPARD Red and Green Carpet collections by Olivier Dupon

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Chopard’s involvement with the Film Festival dates back to 1997, when they were asked to redesign the Palme d’Or trophy, the award presented to the best feature film of the year.

If ever a collection evoked the Thousand and One Nights, it is Chopard’s 2016 Red Carpet. Its cinematic aura, rich with kaleidoscopic colours and reflecting delicate opulence, makes it a perfect companion to the 69th Cannes Film Festival. The Festival, presided over this year by the Australian director, screenwriter and producer George Miller, again presents a line-up of sublime movie stars, who appear on the red carpet and display haute couture gowns and marvels of fine jewellery to the world. It is an unmissable occasion, where fashion meets glamour meets fantasy. # Chopard’s involvement with the Film Festival dates back to 1997, when they were asked to redesign the Palme d’Or trophy, the award presented to the best feature film of the year. In 1998 Chopard became an official partner in the event, and since then they have played an integral part in creating ‘magic’ for it. # In 2006 they launched the ‘Red Carpet’ scheme, in which they devise exclusive one-off jewels to adorn A-listers and supermodels. Every year, the number of jewels corresponds to the age of the Festival, so the 2016 collection contains 69 pieces. And every year there is an additional piece – a highly anticipated revelation in itself. # This year Chopard Co-President and Creative Director Caroline Scheufele has imagined a treasure trove of seductive proportion, with highly decorative designs. Oriental curves are predominant, with floral motifs, arabesques and paisleys, cabochons and beads, and each piece is intricately detailed like a precious brocade. This Chopard collection suggests the Queen of Sheba, portrayed with layer upon layer of shaped gold or ivory set with multi-coloured gems, her flamboyant amulets projecting her power of seduction. # The pièces de résistance are necklaces, especially two creations that could not be more different. The first is a long tie-neckpiece in 18K white gold and titanium, featuring a 29.8cts white opal and a phenomenal 413cts of emerald beads, accompanied by topazes, amethysts, rubies, Paraiba tourmalines, rubellites, emeralds and sapphires. It is extraordinarily lavish, and suggestive of compositions one might find on the vaults of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul or painted on the walls of a palace in Jodhpur (a comparison that applies to most of the other pieces in the collection). The central opal’s pearly glow is almost talismanic, and the five rows of emerald beads at the neck are resplendent; one can immediately guess how sensual the piece must be when in contact with the body. No dress will ever do it justice. # Then there is the snowflake-style collar neckpiece from the Green Carpet collection. Of 18K gold, set with 74.4cts of marquise-cut diamonds, its prime quality is its resemblance to lace. The marquise cut is crucial: first on an allegorical level, as it refers to the Marquise de Pompadour, for whom King Louis XIV of France allegedly had a stone cut to resemble her perfectly shaped mouth, and then for its rendering of a gossamer-like texture when assembled in star shapes. The necklace is a show-stopping feminine creation.

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Earrings in 18ct white gold and titanium set with brilliant-cut topazes (21.9cts), sapphire cabochons (17.1cts) and orange and blue brilliant-cut sapphires

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Ring in 18ct rose gold and titanium featuring a 9.6cts rubellite cabochon and set with fancy-cut rubellites (12.2cts), fancy-cut yellow sapphires (5.5cts) and brilliant-cut amethysts (2.6cts)

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Earrings in 18ct rose gold featuring two fire opals totaling 113.8cts, Mandarin garnet cabochons (3.1cts), colored sapphire cabochons and brilliant-cut diamonds

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Necklace in 18ct white gold and titanium featuring a 29.8cts white opal and set with emerald beads (413cts), topazes (29cts), amethysts (5.9cts), rubies (4.4cts), Paraiba tourmalines (4cts), rubellites (3.9cts), emeralds and sapphires

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For the first time this season, Chopard has gone into partnership with the Gemfields group, the world's leading producer of ethically s o u r c e d r a r e c o loured gemstones, and introduced ethically sourced emeralds into the collection

# And all the glamour of this necklace has a higher message. The gold is Fairmined-certified – sourced ethically from artisanal and smallscale mining communities in South America that are themselves Fairmined-certified. The diamonds in turn are sourced from the IGC group, which is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council’s Code of Practices. Chopard has been an exemplary advocate of sustainable luxury since the 66th Cannes Film Festival in 2013, where they launched the first Green Carpet capsule collection, to be renewed every year. Since 2014, the Palme d’Or trophy itself has been fashioned from Fairmined gold. # The Chopard Green Carpet venture was the result of Caroline Scheufele teaming up with Livia Firth, founder of the Green Carpet Challenge (GCC) and creative director of Eco-Age, the unique brand consultancy working at the cutting age of sustainability. Nicola Giuggioli, who founded Eco-Age in London in 2008 and is its CEO, writes: ‘Sustainability has always been something that I have been passionate about. I decided to set up my business when I realised that, regardless of the many sustainable solutions and practices developed in the last few decades, most were not known, used or even considered despite having excellent business cases and highly improving the quality of the work environment and output’. Responsible actions can go hand-in-hand with profitable economic outcomes. One does not exclude the other. # The cornerstones of the Chopard Green Carpet collection are Fairmined-certified gold and diamonds sourced from the IGC group (a De Beers Global Sightholder since 1955). For the first time this season, Chopard has gone into partnership with the Gemfields group, the world's leading producer of ethically sourced rare coloured gemstones, and introduced ethically sourced emeralds into the collection: ‘In an industry first, emeralds from Zambia will be fully validated by Eco-Age through its Green Carpet Challenge (GCC) Principles of Sustainable Excellence.’ # For our common good, it is essential that big players show the way to a better future. In this Chopard has been an inspiring leader, reconciling ethics and beauty – perhaps the true definition of luxury. OD www.chopard.co.uk

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Necklace from the Green Carpet Collection in 18ct Fairmined gold set with 74.4cts of marquise-cut diamonds. All diamonds are sourced from a producer who is an RJC certified member.

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CONTEMPORARY PALACES by Olivier Dupon

The Reimagining of New Bond Street’s Jewellery Boutiques

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A little portion of New Bond Street, in London’s Mayfair, has recently been the scene of major refurbishments at not one, nor two or three, but four important fine jewellers’ boutiques. Interestingly, the outcomes were unveiled almost simultaneously, in late 2015 and early 2016. A rendez-vous for London’s elite since 1700, New Bond Street has a long history of catering to the tastes of the rich and famous, and centuries later, as the demand for luxury items seems far from abating, it is still the go-to place for those who seek high-end merchandise. The skills of starchitects and celebrated interior designers, sublime materials and troves of precious artworks and antiques have all been lavished upon each of the four modernised stores. But this is not just about adding an extra coat of expensive paint: rather, it is an extremely difficult exercise, aiming to maintain a brand’s DNA while rejuvenating its image to meet the demands of modern retail. In addition, previous incarnations of these stores and their location have presented a long list of challenges – not least, that all four properties are ‘listed’ as being of historic architectural importance, and therefore subject to strict guidelines on redevelopment.

Photos courtesy of DE GRISOGONO © DE GRISOGONO

Flagship stores act as ambassadors for a brand, situated in the most exclusive enclaves of international capital cities. They are giant jewellery boxes, required to embody and reflect luxury, elegance and confidentiality – the values inherent in storied haute joaillerie houses. So each colour scheme, use of space, type of marquetry, style of embroidery, marble origin and signed piece of furniture must be a flawless match to the house’s identity, and so unique that anyone will be mesmerized, before intuitively associating the discreet yet dazzling décor with the brand. Visiting each of the four boutiques is like entering a complete universe just a few metres from its neighbour, every time a different interpretation of grandeur, a better home away from home. As soon as you push the sculptural door handle of number 15a and enter the first room, a hologram of a pivoting ballerina welcomes you to de Grisogono. The artwork, by Italian artist Umberto Ciceri, faces the entrance on the left, and as you approach the dancer gracefully executes a pirouette. She seems to point to the flow that unites the store’s 85sqm, laid out over three rooms: the curvaceous counters and ceiling that mirror the pattern of the rug in the first, and a ‘wrapped metal framing’ which runs throughout – a reference to the signature Allegra collection, named after one of founder Fawaz Gruosi’s daughters. The brand expanded from the building next door, which they had outgrown, as soon as 15a became available. They have retained number 14 as a destination dedicated to timepieces, while this new expanded space enables de Grisogono to showcase their full range of jewellery. David Collins Studio were commissioned for the job, which took about a year to complete, and it seems one of their main focuses was to

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highlight de Grisogono’s colourist mastery (otherwise most evident in the Melody of Colours jewellery collection). That first, main room – The Corte – is a tribute to de Grisogono’s iconic use of colour and materials, and a hub of sensuality: crisp white accents and the dark brown of polished walnut vitrines are complemented by panels of amethyst-dyed shagreen adorning the walls. In this space, de Grisogono presents a snapshot of their best creations, a selection curated by Mr Gruosi himself, and with Ciceri’s ballerina, a way to greet each new entrant. Two further rooms open from The Corte.

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The Grand Sala is set back a little, accessed through an oval antechamber with a standalone display cabinet at its centre, framed by curved walls in polished walnut, and whose floor is paved in tear-drop rays of stone that radiate from the centre. It is a masculine, almost protective, vestibule before the delicate, feminine aura of The Grand Sala itself. Here, inside, pistachio-coloured silk lines the walls; figurative modern paintings (notably an oil painting from André Brasilier’s Chantal series, in which a chic brunette is rearranging a bunch of lush pink anemones), two gold Murano glass chandeliers and mid-century Italian furniture (in powder pink and gold) all contribute to instil The Grand Sala with the atmosphere of a private home: a parlour where women who want to try on fine jewellery feel they are in good company. Entry to the third room is from the right of The Corte. As its name suggests – The Stanza Del Tempo – it is dedicated to de Grisogono’s timepiece collections. Contrary to the other two spaces, this room delivers opulence by playing with contrasts: chairs upholstered in gold or emerald-green velvet stand out against textured walls made of wood veneer marquetry in the shape of little fans. Around the perimeter, antique brass frames support cantilevered, illuminated vitrines that delineate the ensemble. In this space, one can actually forget time while admiring timepieces. www.degrisogono.com

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It is neither a boutique nor a shop, but a ‘salon’: it is number 9 New Bond Street, the ‘residence’ of Van Cleef & Arpels since 2001.

It is neither a boutique nor a shop, but a ‘salon’: it is number 9 New Bond Street, the ‘residence’ of Van Cleef & Arpels since 2001. Fifteen years after the French house crossed the Channel, they enrolled creative practice Jouin Manku – founded by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, the French / Canadian duo who self-describe as ‘neither architects nor designers’ – to participate in the collective effort to overhaul the building. The Maison’s in house architectural team has indeed used elements of design created by Jouin Manku for all the Van Cleef & Arpels boutiques worldwide. These are all elements, which appear in Van Cleef & Arpels stores but differ according to the constraints of each location. The Van Cleef & Arpels / Jouin Manku relationship is an ongoing collaboration, and it can be traced back to 2011 when Van Cleef & Arpels first commissioned Patrick Jouin to design the exhibition at the CooperHewitt National Design Museum in New York called ‘Set in Style’. Then in 2012-13 they pursued the collaboration this time with both Jouin and Manku to choreograph a retrospective at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. The scenography they created was a defining moment in how to exhibit jewellery, thanks to ingenious new methods of display that included high jewellery pieces floating inside tubular glass poles. More recently, Jouin Manku have also overseen the Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition at Singapore’s ArtsScience Museum (‘The Art and Science of Gems’, until August 14th 2016) and above all they were tasked with imagining Van Cleef & Arpels’ future retail concept and how to roll it out worldwide, starting with the revamp of the original flagship store at number 22-24 Place Vendôme in Paris in 2013, and three years later, pursuing with the design of the extension (at number 20). The London ‘salon’ is in effect the second location to be refitted according to the new model. Standing back from the street, before entering the premises, the first impression is one of symmetry: alcoves either side of the entrance, two of them showcasing glass domes that complement those inside the store. Our attention is caught by the warm glow that breathes towards us from within the anthracite polished stone that covers the façade. It is so inviting: a peaceful, uber-elegant 158sqm refuge from the tumult outside.

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The first floor also presents haute joaillerie pieces, but is mostly dedicated to watches and bridal creations; it is home to the iconic Alhambra™ collection as well as series inspired by nature.

Spread over three floors, the salon capitalizes on its elongated interior with repeated ellipses in a palette of taupe, dove and soft gold. On the ground floor, the lush grey rug features a semicircular pattern in beige, which replicates the shape of the open, full-height staircase. At each end of this first room are black, lacquered desks; a long, curved table in a similar style, displaying glass domes framed by two spectacular twin bouquets, stands centrally at the foot of the stairs. This ground floor, which presents high jewellery collections, is effortlessly chic and discreet, a teaser for what is to come on the upper levels. Running up the back of the building like a spine, the staircase is in itself a masterwork in fluidity, taking its organic architecture from shell spirals. Contributing to the overall air of quiet luxury and sensual femininity, its back wall is open right to the top, uninterrupted but for a few delicate, decorative butterflies that frolic across its surface. Cladding in gold leaf and silk, creating an iridescent mother-of-pearl effect, coupled with a hidden continuo u s light that illuminates the ascending structure along one edge, creates the agreeable glow visible from the outside: a golden depth that anchors all three levels. The first floor also presents haute joaillerie pieces, but is mostly dedicated to watches and bridal creations; it is home to the iconic Alhambra™ collection as well as series inspired by nature. Glass domes and blacklacquered cabinets again furnish the open space, while sitting areas are tucked away on either side. The second floor houses the VIP enclave with all its vitrines displaying Heritage pieces – a glimpse of what has helped to cement Van Cleef & Arpels as one of the finest high jewellers, both aesthetically and technically (for example, in their creation of the ‘Mystery’ Setting). On each of the two upper floors, lattice-like screens dress the middle windows, easing in daylight through an inverted triangular sunray motif, whereas other side windows let it straight in: a device that intensifies the impression of an enchanted interlude, a dusky world away from reality. This private salon crowns the building, and for those of you who unfortunately cannot take the stairs, a discreet lift is at your service. www.vancleefarpels.com

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Back on the ground floor, the latest fine jewellery and watches are presented. The room immediately feels like a private residence: on the right, a suite of two club chairs and a coffee table (with a gilded glass top on a base finished in 24ct gold) gather around an antique red-marble mantelpiece, Regency style.

Does the spirit of Gabrielle Chanel inhabit 173 New Bond Street? This might be wishful thinking, but the revamped boutique is so uncannily reminiscent of her erstwhile Parisian apartment, it is perhaps easy to believe. If you have ever had the chance to visit number 31 rue Cambon, you would certainly have been awe-struck by the sumptuous décor, which mixes oriental artworks and mystical artefacts. At the fine jewellery store in London, two 12-leaf antique coromandel screens are fixed to the walls of the first room, on the ground floor; these Chinese folding screens (in ebony with panels of incised dark lacquer, painted in gold and colourful hues) echo those presiding over Miss Chanel’s richly textured drawing room. And there begins a flourish of similarities between the original and the homage, clever interpretations masterfully orchestrated by New York architect Peter Marino. The same degree of refinement and audacity has been applied throughout 418sqm over three floors, and it is all about texture, texture and more texture.

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The genius idea was to expand the retail space by digging down and extending up – creating additional rooms on top of the pre-existing single floor. At street level, midway from the back and separating the front space from the ‘library’ at the rear, is a lift pared down to its glass skeleton, a cube so discreet it blends in with the richly decorated surround. A stylish staircase wraps around the shaft, serving both a spacious gallery and a private VIP salon on the first level, before leading up to the main VIP room on the third floor facing the street. There is effectively no second floor, it having been removed to create the doubleheight first-floor ceilings. Back on the ground floor, the latest fine jewellery and watches are presented. The room immediately feels like a private residence: on the right, a suite of two club chairs and a coffee table (with a gilded glass top on a base finished in 24ct gold) gather around an antique redmarble mantelpiece, Regency style. Beside each chair sits a Goossens crystal sphere lamp, resting on top of a Michael Pohu blackened-steel-and-brass side table with lower shelf. On the left is a bronze vitrine that, in a private home, would probably house rare liquors, but here is a showcase for high jewellery. Works by Goossens (the luxury craft company bought by Chanel in 2005 and part of its Métiers d’Art portfolio) are undoubtedly the focal points: effective bejewelled décor statements are made by a geometric balustrade – a single sheet of clear glass encasing a repeating pattern of rock-crystal rectangles and small squares – and matching petite couronne-inspired chandeliers with arabesques and rock-crystal pendants. Sheer curtains frame the entrance, demonstrating a feast of weaving techniques (pleating, rushing and embroidery) by Maison Lesage. Goossens rock crystal is a theme carried through every level. It is most resplendent in the two couronne chandeliers that hang from the high

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The exclusive top floor is a balanced composition of the historic and contemporary, East and West.

ceiling of the first floor. This vast salon is befittingly dedicated mostly to high jewellery creations, but also houses watches and permanent fine jewellery collections. Clever use of mirrors all around, creating infinite reflections, has resolved the room’s elongated shape. It is furnished with a superb gilt wooden miroir à parecloses from Venice (first half of the 18th century); two antique Louis XV chairs; an antique Louis XVI desk; a set of three JMF-style desk chairs in black lacquer and upholstered in textured velvet; a gold and black lacquered custom cabinet with floral and abstract designs by British designer Alasdair Cooke; and a scroll-arm coffee table in dark horn – but the final touch, a rock-crystal ball resting on top of the coffee table, is the detail that makes it all so ‘Gabrielle’. The exclusive top floor is a balanced composition of the historic and contemporary, East and West. To name just a few pieces from the selection of antiques: a pair of Arturo Pani wheatsheaf sconces in 22ct gold over iron (c.1940); a Chinese rug with golden field, patterned with scattered lotus blossoms and butterflies in indigo (c.1920); a hand-painted, carved wooden coffee table in silver-leaf finish with floral decoration (c.1930) signed by Max Kuehne; and a Louis XVI wooden desk with three drawers in the frieze (late 18th century). These are elegantly combined with works by contemporary artists: André Dubreuil (a pair of lighthouse lamps); Carol Egan (a bronze stool); Laurence Montano (pair of side tables); Christophe Côme (fire screen); and Ingrid Donat (wall bookcase in five parts). Once again, with so many textures and artisanal techniques abounding from all angles, number 173 New Bond Street is truly a celebration of sublimely crafted interiors. www.chanel.com

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Once inside Bulgari’s transformed boutique at 168 New Bond Street, we somehow expect the elusive owners of this palatial ‘home’ to welcome us at any moment.

Once inside Bulgari’s transformed boutique at 168 New Bond Street, we somehow expect the elusive owners of this palatial ‘home’ to welcome us at any moment. Truly, it feels like visiting the abode of an Italian aesthete. First, it is colossal in size, at 500sqm over just two levels (ground and first floor); second, it is a feast for the eyes (from every perspective there are umpteen details to marvel at via arches and doorways). Once again, Peter Marino has worked his magic. Taking inspiration from his renovation of the Bulgari flagship store on the Via Condotti in Rome, where he had to take care of the original historical elements of the store in a gentle rejuvenation, he has composed a unique iteration for the jeweller’s London outpost. Indeed, the building’s ‘listed’ status may have proved not so much a hindrance as a chance to fine-tune his Roman concept, marrying the Mediterranean origins of the house with the British spirit of the location.

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There was once a man who adopted the style of the Italian school (Palladian style) and paired it with his English origins: Sir John Soane, illustrious architect of the 19th century, whose London townhouse, now a museum, is brimming with curiosities, classical antiques (Egyptian, Greek and Roman), architectural models and artworks of the time, displayed in a typically English decorative environment. It is Soane who inspired Marino, his influence readily visible in many details of the New Bond Street shop. These include ceiling vaults in the main room on the ground floor and in the first-floor VIP salon, though Marino has unflinchingly updated Soane’s vision with futuristic details (the traditional capital of each column is replaced by a metallic post, a hybrid combination of antique and modern). Fittingly, one of the brand’s emblems, the eightpoint star, is inlaid in the floor of the entrance hall in red porphyry: a way to mark the visitor’s passage from the mundane to the extraordinary. A replica of the glass doorway to Bulgari’s Roman flagship of the 1930s seals the deal. The sheer profusion of marble is arresting: Grand-Antique black-and-white veined marble and travertine (external façade), Bois Jourdain, white Travertino Navona (floor), and Breccia di Stazzema (portals) are placed to delineate the surfaces so astutely that it prevents ostentation. Once inside, a gigantic oval Murano crystal chandelier by Vistosi meets the eye. We are in glamorous territory, the mature kind filled with mid-century Italian furniture. Two oval counters, in light, galvanized iron in the style of Carlo Scarpa, preside over a glistening floor made of tiny pieces of white marble, as if the crystal pendant light above were projecting shimmers all around. Smaller marble tables along the left wall and tall display vitrines at either side of the entrance complete the scene. Worth noting is a succession of four glazed alcoves in the left wall, each lined with a coral/orange silk fabric that is subtly graded,

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In these two sanctuaries, connoisseurs can try magnificent pieces in the upmost privacy and again under the auspicious gaze of Madam Liz Taylor.

the darker tone at the edges getting lighter towards the centre. The warmth of the reddish hues holds all the other colours together. From the right side is a wide opening into another large room (the Ladies’ Jewellery and watch area), where four vitrines lined with coral silk mirror those in the previous room. A stunning black-and-white photograph of a smiling Elizabeth Taylor welcomes us. More than a loyal customer of the brand, she was a muse who collected numerous pieces of Bulgari high jewellery over the years. Ochre walls complement intricate parquet floors and marble tables supporting sleek glass boxes. The main table could not be more appropriate to accompany an image of a woman most famous for being in love: it is the ‘Eros’ marble table by Angelo Mangiarotti. From this space, or from the main room’s far-right exit, we access the ‘Male’ area. Positively more masculine, this does not mean fewer textures or details. On the contrary, the Male area is a geometric feast: two types of flooring (marquetry and relief rug); two styles of matt olive wall; and a striated ceiling that mimics the effects of daylight. Tables in solid marble and wood with glass display cabinets and vitrines set back into the walls. At the back is a VIP salon, whose ‘soft atmosphere introduces contemporary art pieces by the Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto’.

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All the ground-floor rooms communicate with each other so that the flow is never interrupted, and just as all roads lead to Rome, here every passageway naturally leads to the monumental staircase at the back. ‘A tribute to the work of Carlo Scarpa in Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo’, the staircase deserves its little paragraph. It is a marble masterpiece, in which each step is bevelled, and where the veins’ direction is matched from one step to the other: from afar the big picture is a continuous motif, as if the staircase were made from one single block of stone. The organic pattern also guides our steps to the top. ‘Pantheon Mesh’, a geometrical latticework of squares, circles and stars, frames the structure, while the banister is a discreet brushstroke in wood. One word comes to mind when describing the first floor: spacious. The Accessories area is directly to the left of the landing, while straight ahead is a majestic ‘living room’ with high ceilings – a tangerine odyssey replete with a sofa and armchairs in one area, and a dining table and chairs forming another. There are so many elements here, yet it all falls into place beautifully: the asymmetrical lozenge marquetry floor, a pair of Murano crystal chandeliers (in the same style as those on the ground level), sculptural lamps on either side of the sofa, embroidered dining chairs and tall embroidered curtains. Vitrines are nestled in the right wall, with one high jewellery creation in each, while openings at the left lead to two further VIP salons that epitomise Italian sensuality. The Lesage-embroidered curtains in one of these caught my eye, as part of the motif includes delicate feathers that have been perfectly dyed to match the fabric. In these two sanctuaries, connoisseurs can try magnificent pieces in the upmost privacy and again under the auspicious gaze of Madam Liz Taylor. www.bulgari.com

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T H E A R T O F C R E AT I V I T Y by Olivier Dupon

BELPERRON It is refreshing to rediscover a sleeping beauty, whose timeless charm and secret power might prove to be their inspiration. Reviving Belperron is an important mission: it restores a creative compass in an ocean of jewellery ventures whose course is largely set by social media. It feels a bit like showing the kids how it is really done. 253

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Vintage Bamboo necklace with original sketch

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So much is owed to Suzanne Belperron’s vision that the relaunch is in fact a natural comeback to a stage she never really left.

Today, at a time when numerous young fine jewellery brands are bravely entering an already saturated market, it is refreshing to rediscover a sleeping beauty, whose timeless charm and secret power might prove to be their inspiration. Reviving Belperron is an important mission: it restores a creative compass in an ocean of jewellery ventures whose course is largely set by social media. It feels a bit like showing the kids how it is really done. Suzanne Belperron (1900–83) was a trailblazer in jewellery design, while also a proponent of confidentiality and the antithesis of egomania (the ‘star designer’ syndrome) – values that nowadays are rare and thus highly covetable. One of her greatest legacies is in the combination of expensive gems with semi-precious stones or ‘lowbrow’ materials (decorative woods, carved Peking glass, coral and warthog tusks, etc.), breaking the mould of jewellery design with genius bravado. She proposed that a piece of jewellery is more desirable for the creativity and appreciation of form that goes into its design than the sum of its costly components. A revolutionary approach when she first came to prominence during the 1930s, it is now second nature for most contemporary designers to think about their jewellery in this way. So much is owed to Suzanne Belperron’s vision that the relaunch is in fact a natural comeback to a stage she never really left. The beauty of this rediscovery is that her original designs do not just provide inspiration; the team has created new Belperron jewels from these drawings, bringing to life pieces exactly as once upon a time they were intended by the designer herself. There is no interference from a 21st-century perspective, as the designers delve into the extraordinary wealth of material at their disposal to produce genuine Belperron pieces. The only difference from an ‘original’ resides in the signature applied to new renditions, a way to demark them from their collectable ‘antique’ counterparts. Suzanne Belperron indeed never signed her creations (sometimes making authentication difficult years later). More than any of her contemporaries, Belperron’s ethos embodied one important clause of the admission criteria for the jewellery section of the 1925 Exposition Des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels in Paris: ‘pieces whose inspiration has come from related, existing works in other fields or from motifs of other countries or past times will be allowed as long as [the piece] significantly reinterprets, reimagines and adapts the original.’ First and foremost, works had to be innovative and showcase a fresh creative approach – so much so that Suzanne, together with handful of other designers, was inspired to change the world of jewellery for good. With this in mind, nearly a century later, it feels as if the Belperron revival was meant to happen. The only question was into whose hands this responsibility would fall, which is why we could not be happier that it is in the safe custody of Ward and Nico Landrigan, the father and son duo at the helm of Verdura. Let’s travel through time a little bit with the Belperron team, thanks to the historical retrospective provided by the house (a version of which appears on their website): ‘In the pantheon of master jewellers of the early 20th century, Suzanne Belperron stands apart as the only woman. Despite her discovery by

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Suzanne Belperrron c. 1935

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“Toggle Torque” necklace with black lacker and diamonds

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Original sketch by Suzanne Belperron

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Original sketch by Suzanne Belperron

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“Roof” earclips in 22K “virgin” gold

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“Wave” cuff with 22K yellow “virgin” gold and black jade

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Collectors of Belperron jewellery range from modern-day style icons Daphne Guinness, Karl Lagerfeld and Catherine Deneuve to her original clients, including the Duchess of Windsor, Diana Vreeland and Lauren Bacall.

the cognoscenti of style, her celebration by the fashion press and her profound and lasting influence on 20th-century jewellery design, her name is little known today. When the Duchess of Windsor’s jewellery was auctioned in 1987, only 5 of 16 Belperron pieces were tentatively identified; asked once why she never signed her work, Madame Belperron replied: ‘My style is my signature.’ Collectors of Belperron jewellery range from modern-day style icons Daphne Guinness, Karl Lagerfeld and Catherine Deneuve to her original clients, including the Duchess of Windsor, Diana Vreeland and Lauren Bacall. Born in Eastern France in 1900, Suzanne Belperron studied drawing and jewellery at the École des Beaux-Arts in Besançon, beginning her career in 1921 as a draftswoman at the celebrated Maison Boivin in Paris. Though designing at the avant-garde of Art Deco, she quickly tired of the new vogue and began to experiment with the sensual style that is still so arrestingly modern today. Recognizing this burgeoning talent, Bernard Herz, a Parisian stone dealer, hired the young Suzanne in 1932 to design exclusively under his company name, B. Herz. With her newfound artistic freedom, she left behind the rigid lines of Art Deco to carve stones into organic shapes. She drew on motifs from a range of cultures – African, Cambodian, Celtic, Egyptian, Indian, Mayan – and created a daring new look in fine jewellery. Photographed for Paris Vogue wearing Belperron’s creations in 1933, Elsa Schiaparelli declared them, ‘the new theme in jewels’. The 1930s were a period of creative and commercial success for Madame Belperron, gaining her a famously influential following – Collette, Diana Vreeland, Daisy Fellowes and Fred Astaire – but World War II brought hardship and tragedy. In German-occupied Paris, she was arrested with her partner, Monsieur Herz, at their boutique at 59 rue de Châteaudun for operating a company under a Jewish name. Securing their release with the help of their elite clientele, Belperron re-registered the company under her own name, and operations continued until Bernard’s son Jean returned from the front to resume the partnership as ‘Herz-Belperron’. Bernard did not survive the war. Madame Belperron received at least 13 offers to escape France during the war years, but chose instead to remain in occupied Paris, eventually earning the Légion d’honneur for her efforts on behalf of the Resistance. Herz-Belperron flourished until Madame Belperron’s retirement in 1974, though her influence as a designer has continued to grow even after her death in 1983. Having long admired her work, Ward Landrigan, former head of Sotheby’s jewellery division and owner of Verdura, purchased her archive of designs in 1999. Today, Nico Landrigan, Ward’s son and President of Verdura and Belperron, is responsible for the revival of Madame Belperron’s work.’ I sat down with Ward Landrigan, owner of both Verdura and Belperron. In the following Q&A, he shares his insights into quite an extraordinary journey. Olivier Dupon - What makes you passionate about jewellery design?

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“Cambodian” Cuff in smokey quartz

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Artichoke ring with diamond set in yellow gold and smokey quartz

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“Wai Gu” earrings, with jade and gold

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“Coquillage” earclips in platinum with diamonds and lacker

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“Leaf coronet” cuff, in platinum with diamonds and rock crystal

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In October 2015 we relaunched Belperron New York with Nico as head of the new business. Our book, Jewelry by Suzanne Belperron: My Style is My Signature was published by Thames & Hudson in February 2016.

Ward Landrigan - When I was 14 and working as a clerk in a smalltown jewellery store, I was intrigued to observe that the moment a woman puts on a jewel something magical happens: she feels special and more attractive. OD - How long has the relaunch of Belperron been in the making and how did it come about? WL - In the late 1960s I became head of Sotheby’s New York jewellery division and it was in that role that I first saw Belperron’s work, but I found little information about the designer. I attended the auction of the Duchess of Windsor’s jewels in 1987, and was fascinated that although the sale contained 16 pieces by Belperron only 5 were identified as such. A couple of years later I was shown the Belperron design archive and offered the opportunity (by Jean Herz and two others) to help revive the company. Although I had only just acquired Verdura I couldn’t resist; thus began a 10year process that finally led me to buy her archive of about 9,300 jewellery designs and worldwide rights to the Belperron name in 1999. In his early teens, my son Nico became fascinated by Belperron’s renderings not so much as jewellery designs but more as bold works of art. He joined me at Verdura in 2004, with the stipulation that he would eventually take on the Belperron project – beginning with publishing a definitive book on her career. In October 2015 we relaunched Belperron New York with Nico as head of the new business. Our book, Jewelry by Suzanne Belperron: My Style is My Signature was published by Thames & Hudson in February 2016. OD - Suzanne Belperron died in 1983. You acquired Verdura in 1985. At that time, was there any clue, hint or feeling that you might end up also owning Belperron one day? WL - None whatsoever! OD - What is your favourite personal memory of Belperron jewellery? WL - The auction of Ganna Walska’s jewellery collection in New York in 1971 (when I was at Sotheby’s). There was a pair of cuffs and an enormous butterfly brooch that were so extraordinary. I am thrilled that these pieces found their way back to my desk several decades later and are now part of the Belperron Museum collection. It was seeing these designs that started me on my path of discovery. OD - How has news of the relaunch of Belperron been received? WL - In 2012 Cathy Horyn, a highly respected fashion editor, wrote a very complimentary article for the style section of the New York Times on Suzanne Belperron entitled ‘Modern, Before the World Was’. She admired Belperron’s work and our plans to relaunch the company. More recently, the same newspaper ran an article by Rachel Garrahan on the relaunch of Belperron that was also very positive. London’s The Telegraph said we ‘offered a second chance to worship at Suzanne Belperron’s altar’ in their luxury / jewellery section, which I rather liked.

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“Sakura” vintage brooch in platinum and gray gold with diamonds and sapphires ( Herz-Belperron private collection )

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“Wave” necklace in yellow gold with diamonds

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We review the archives on a daily basis. Inevitably, a particular design will speak to us as something today’s Belperron client would wear and enjoy.

OD - Are there any synergies between Verdura and Belperron? How does Belperron now complement your business? WL - Suzanne Belperron and Fulco di Verdura were contemporaries and in many ways their careers ran in parallel; however their styles couldn’t be more different. To our knowledge they did not know one another, but they certainly shared clients – such as the Duchess of Windsor, Countess Mona von Bismarck, Daisy Fellowes, Diana Vreeland and others. It’s exciting for my son Nico and me to have these businesses physically adjacent to one another at 745 Fifth Avenue and to run them as two distinctly different companies. OD - You are in a unique position as custodians of two important names in the highly competitive world of fine jewellery. What is your attitude to legacy? WL - We are not concerned about our own legacy – Verdura and Belperron’s legacies are what we will nurture going forward. OD - Can you describe the process of how a Belperron piece is made? WL - We review the archives on a daily basis. Inevitably, a particular design will speak to us as something today’s Belperron client would wear and enjoy. Once we’ve selected the design we source the materials and begin the creative process with the workshop. It often takes many months of back-and-forth before we approve the finished piece (some of the more challenging designs can take between two and three years to perfect). Suzanne Belperron had the most exacting standards and we are proud to emulate them. OD - Do you allow yourself a little bit of creative freedom, or do you adhere strictly to Suzanne Belperron’s drawings? WL - Most of the jewellery will be made exactly as Madame Belperron envisioned it. Occasionally a piece may be slightly amended, but keeping always to her distinctive style. We are fortunate to have such an amazing quantity of her brilliant designs to draw from. OD - Her style is said to be both ‘brilliant’ and ‘barbaric’. How do you instil these qualities in the new pieces? WL - Her designs are so unique; her signature style permeated everything she touched. On one hand, the brilliance is in how the pieces are made: their technical qualities, their articulated elements and hinges. Her brilliance is also in the bold simplicity of her designs. On the other hand, the press deemed her jewels ‘barbaric’ because of their large scale and her global design influences. She drew her inspiration from Oriental paisleys, Pre-Columbian motifs, Japanese calligraphy and African tribal decorations.

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“Triple Wave” cuff in yellow gold with diamonds

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“Corne” earclips in platinum with diamonds

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“Godrons” ring in yellow gold with diamonds

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“Torsade Clasp” necklace with diamonds and mutli-color sapphire beads, with detachable vintage brooch.

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“Pendulum” earrings in yellow gold with citrines

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“Toi et Moi” ring in 22K “virgin” gold

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OD - What is it that make the pieces quintessentially Belperron?

Suzanne Belperron’s work is known for her use of unusual materials such as warthog tusks, lacquer and Peking glass, as well as her exceptional and innovative lapidary work in chalcedony, smoky quartz, rock crystal and tropical hardwoods.

WL - Suzanne Belperron’s work is known for her use of unusual materials such as warthog tusks, lacquer and Peking glass, as well as her exceptional and innovative lapidary work in chalcedony, smoky quartz, rock crystal and tropical hardwoods. Her sensual abstract jewellery is sculpted in subtle colours, usually with a hint of ethnic or organic inspiration. There are several techniques that were distinct to her designs. One is the serti couteau (knife setting), also known as serti maison (house setting) since it was an invention for the house of B. Herz. It resembles the tracery of an irregular honeycomb. The technique makes it possible to nestle a 15-carat cabochon emerald next to a half-carat diamond, which had never previously been possible in an attractive or disciplined way. This serti couteau approach was unapologetically practical in its structure but so beautifully novel that it quickly became an integral part of Madame Belperron’s designs. Another signature of Belperron’s was the use of 22-carat or vierge (virgin gold). Belperron loved the buttery glow of pure gold; unfortunately, it was too soft to be used in most designs. Groëné et Darde (her manufacturer) experimented with 22-carat gold, developing a method of stiffening the pliable metal with an 18-carat-gold backing to produce a reinforced plaque. Hammering, chiselling and burnishing achieved the antique patina Belperron favoured. The talent of stonecutter Adrien Louart allowed Suzanne to design gemstones as mounts: rings, cuffs, earrings and brooches were struck from single crystals of extraordinary size. OD - What were Suzanne Belperron’s favourites gems? WL - She is known to have said that her favourite stones would wink at her. They were chosen not necessarily for their value but rather for their character; they were often flawed and irregular. In her personal jewellery collection she favoured blues and greens, including many emerald pieces, turquoises, sapphires and pearls, as well as coral. OD - How would you yourself best describe Belperron’s creative philosophy? WL - Belperron pioneered a new aesthetic in jewellery: sensual, arrestingly modern and organic. She drew inspiration from nature – starfish, shells, butterflies, leaves, flowers and fruit – abstracting these into jewels. She was the only woman in the 20th century to achieve the status of having created her own jewellery brand. OD - What is the piece of jewellery that most represents ‘Belperron style’? WL - It’s hard to pick one, but the ‘Wave’ necklace and the ‘Triple Wave’ bangle come to mind as signature Belperron.

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“Double Coronet” vintage cuff in yellow gold with aquamarines and cabochon rubies ( Belperron private collection)

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We are focused on staying true to her original designs, introducing a new generation of collectors to the Belperron aesthetic.

OD - Can you describe the aesthetics of the Belperron boutique in New York City? WL - Architect Daniel Romualdez designed the salon – my son Nico Landrigan was an admirer of his work and involved him in the early stages of our plans. Daniel has beautifully captured the aesthetic of a 1930s Parisian apartment, harking back to a time when Madame Belperron’s originality first achieved widespread recognition. In this new space we have four galleries, featuring black-lacquered trim, sable-coloured cases, vertical mirrors, marble fireplaces and chalcedony blue walls; there is an extensive design library (including her sketches and inventory books) and we’ve also installed comfortable, intimate seating areas. The inspiration came from Belperron’s vast archive of original gouache paintings, tracings and other archival materials. Daniel wanted to create an environment that spoke to the modern elegance and glamour of the location at 745 Fifth Avenue – it has sweeping views overlooking Central Park – while still evoking the intimate and private world of Suzanne Belperron in Paris during the 1930s. The salon will sell both vintage and new pieces. OD - What next for Belperron – what is your main ambition for the house? WL - We are focused on staying true to her original designs, introducing a new generation of collectors to the Belperron aesthetic. Of course we are also excited about our recently published book, Jewelry by Suzanne Belperron – over 300 photographs of jewellery from private collections, contemporary editorial and images from her vast archive of designs. This is the definitive volume on Suzanne Belperron’s extraordinary career. That said, we feel that we haven’t even scratched the surface! www.belperron.com.#

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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE

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BVLGARI SERPENTI

The perpetual rebirth of Serpenti : a new aesthetic dimension for the enchanting lucky-charm symbol of the Rome-based House.

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Bulgari is a true snake-charmer. Witness the new collections reinterpreting this unmistakable signature of the Romebased Maison. A symbol of perpetual renewal, the animal figure slides its way into countless fresh fields of expression this year, reborn in the form of captivating contemporary interpretations.

The legendary creature coils its way to ever broader creativity as the entire range enters whole new fields of expression, renewing the theme through high jewellery and haute horlogerie, ceramic and five-coil Tubogas interpretations Bulgari is a true snake-charmer. Witness the new collections reinterpreting this unmistakable signature of the Rome-based Maison. A symbol of perpetual renewal, the animal figure slides its way into countless fresh fields of expression this year, reborn in the form of captivating contemporary interpretations. In a nutshell, Serpenti plays with every imaginable option in the creative palette, once again adapting to each of them with disconcerting ease. Serpenti Incantati gives a new lease on life to this animal symbol. After coiling around the wrist, the snake is now reinvented by wrapping itself for the very first time around the case of a round watch: the reptile literally twines itself around the watch dial, admirably framing an entirely skeleton-worked Manufacture tourbillon calibre. This airily graceful movement is a work of art: the mainplate and bridges are crafted in pink or white gold, the flanks are straight-grained, the rims and sinks are all chamfered and systematically polished. The steel parts are complemented by the kind of surface finishes cherished by Haute Horlogerie: circular graining and snailing set the finishing touches to this precious craftsmanship contributing to a spectacular result. Available in two versions, the new Serpenti Incantati Skeleton Tourbillon entirely renews the theme through a modern design. The splendid Serpenti Incantati – or enchanting snake – is magnificently tamed in a whole new way, through a bewitching interpretation celebrating the union of Haute Horlogerie and High Jewellery. Each part of the snake’s head and body has been entirely rethought and redesigned through extremely contemporary, soft and stylised lines. Although Bulgari domesticates its serpent, the latter continues to appear as if in perpetual motion.

Boundless expressive territory The new expressive territory opened up by Serpenti Incantati is literally boundless. Just it does in a version equipped with a horological complication, the entrancing serpent appears with equal ease in the form of a dainty jewellery watch, smoothly gracing four variations in which it steadfastly embraces the precious case. Serpenti Incantati comes in a rubellite-set version with a pink gold case and satin strap or a matching jewellery bracelet; or in a diamond-set white gold variation with a satin strap or matching jewellery bracelet – all in a 30mm size. This precious and refined watch testifies to the high degree of technical mastery cultivated by the master artisans in Bulgari’s High Jewellery ateliers. The finesse and the quality of the gemsetting, as well as the ways in which the stones are assembled and adjusted, are truly remarkable. One also notes the amazingly flexible feel of the gemset bracelets that are extremely pleasant to wear, since Bulgari focuses on achieving a distinctive sensuality for its jewellery that makes each piece supremely comfortable as well as radiant. The snake’s tail flows over the wrist and coils around it with supple grace, testifying to the flexibility and sense of movement characterising Bulgari jewellery creations. >

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Jewellery Historian

Serpenti spiga: boldly rock’n’roll!

The snake in perpetual motion lends itself to all manner of bold moves. Before being a watchmaking success, the Serpenti watch by Bulgari is first and foremost a style statement. An attitude. This watch is a true classic. The animal symbol revisited by Bulgari is smoothly and surely reinvented in a black or white high-tech ceramic version. Serpenti Spiga: the fresh and youthful charm of this snake, featuring a touch of precious metal evoking the jeweller’s DNA, is bound to turn heads wherever it appears. The diamondset pink gold bezel, along with the bracelet lug and the serpent’s tail, also in pink gold, create a subtle contrast with the highly contemporary overall ceramic look. Serpenti Spiga embodies a technical challenge, since making a flexible and articulated Tubogas type bracelet in ceramic represents a new form of prowess from the Romebased Maison, known for its excellence in working with materials and presenting ever renewed innovations. But Spiga is also a bold move in style terms, once again overturning the style codes of precious watchmaking to infuse them with a modern, fresh and sensual touch. This new watch immediately exudes a sense of voluptuous glamour. It makes no secret of its seductive appeal, starting with the soft feel of ceramic on the skin. Voluptuous charm is a theme dear to the heart of Bulgari designers and a natural part of the Italian temperament. The snake is the lucky-charm animal among Bulgari creations. It now appears in an incredible seductive, modern and powerful guise. It pops up where one least expects it, while remaining entirely in harmony with the spirit of Rome. Aesthetically daring while renouncing none of its inherent elegance, Serpenti Spiga flaunt its rock’n’roll extravagance and diverts aesthetic codes, the better to modernise and transcend them.

Serpenti Jewellery: colourful and sparkling interpretations. Given the timeless nature of the snake theme, Bulgari naturally also offers a new interpretation of the collection jewellery line, more classically fitted on a traditional watch bracelet, featuring a characteristic design in which the head of the reptile rests on its tail. The Serpenti Jewellery line gives pride of place to colour combinations created by diamonds, coloured mother-of-pearl, coral, onyx and turquoise, all set on an underlying pink gold structure. In a formal register suited to this interpretation, the Maison presents three colourful jewellery models providing sparkling interpretations: one features a bracelet adorned with mother-of-pearl and coral, a second combining mother-of-pearl and turquoise, and a third featuring onyx and coral. A dainty row of diamonds runs over the elements composing the bracelet, extending to the head of the snake in diamond-set pink gold. The onyx and coral version has a lacquered black dial with brilliant-cut diamond hourmarkers, while the other executions both display a pink mother-of-pearl dial also graced with brilliant-cut diamond hour-markers. These exquisite contemporary, perpetually renewed tributes to the snake testify to this motif’s enduring capacity for regeneration through perpetually inspired creativity.

Serpenti five-coil Tubogas: both adornment and second skin. In parallel and equally in association with the serpent theme, Bulgari offers a fresh twist on another of its symbols: the Tubogas, introduced in three new interpretations, starting

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The enduringly fascinating snake has glided its way through eras and civilisations. Rooted in the culture of Ancient Rome, it has been tamed by Bulgari in an eminently contemporary way over the past few decades since the Romebased jeweller introduced it into its collections and earned it a place in the watchmaking world.

with an incredible version on which five rows of steel and pink gold literally set a magnificent stage for the forearm of the woman wearing it! From wrist to inner elbow, the five splendid coils of the Serpenti showcase the full measure of its infinite suppleness and its exceptional adaptability. A bracelet, an adornment that becomes a second skin. Striking a more demure note, Serpenti Tubogas also appears in a two more discreet versions with a single-coil bracelet and an amethyst-like purple dial. One features the gleam of polished steel, which enhances the architectural and technical nature of the articulated bracelet; while the other plays on shimmering chrome- and gold-toned reflections, vividly demonstrating Bulgariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique mastery of the art of fashioning materials, and particularly metals. Named after the modernist, industrial-style aesthetic of the exhaust pipes on luxury sports cars during the Art Deco period, the first flexible Bulgari jewellery models appeared on the scene in 1932. The jeweller soon also introduced a unique watch collection with a highly distinctive style featuring the key asset of a double wrap-around bracelet. Enthusiasm for this watch has remained undimmed. It remains a unique yet never standardised timepiece, since Bulgari regularly renews the range that represents one of its major creative signatures. New versions fitted with Tubogas bracelets feature an appealing blend of fresh charm and bold design, introducing new faces of an emblematic watch that has become an integral of the Bulgari identity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; instantly recognisable yet ever unique. A perfect jewellery watch for any time of day or night.

Infinite variations. In 2016, thanks to the vast range of possible variations afforded by different gemsettings, associations of colours and materials, as well as bracelet lengths, a huge number of versions is available. This almost individually personalised offer meets the varied desires of contemporary and active women. With such a delightful palette of combinations, each watch becomes virtually one of a kind and there are countless options to meet the expectations of the women who choose a watch from the Serpenti line. A choice guided by the wish to wear a precious, unmistakably recognisable watch powerfully symbolising the Bulgari style, while remaining discreet, urban, modern and sometimes romantic. The enduringly fascinating snake has glided its way through eras and civilisations. Rooted in the culture of Ancient Rome, it has been tamed by Bulgari in an eminently contemporary way over the past few decades since the Rome-based jeweller introduced it into its collections and earned it a place in the watchmaking world. Serpenti is enchanting. It belongs firmly to the traditional bestiary of Ancient Rome and has long since been adopted by the Roman jeweller in countless multi-faceted and ever successful guises, as is once again brilliantly demonstrated by the new creations launched in 2016. For further information visit www.bulgari.com

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Horla â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we are alone for a long time, we fill the emptiness with ghostsâ&#x20AC;? Guy de Maupassant, Le Horla, (1887)

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OPEN CALL new talents

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You are a young fashion designer or a young jewelelry designer ? You want to see your creations in the Jewellery Historian ? Go to our website and submit material today !

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Jewels we

Love In every issue we handpick the finest jewellery for you to choose, enabling you to add a sophisticated, elegant touch to the most important times of your life.

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Vhernier

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Pasquale Bruni

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Zolotas

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Antonini

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Sutra

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Yoko London

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Lydia Courteille

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Boucheron

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Carla Amorim

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Nikos Koulis

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Jack Vartanian

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Roberto Coin

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Vanleles

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Lalique

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Victor Mayer

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Gumuchian

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Massimo Izzo

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Michael Aram

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Mousson Atelier

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Picchiotti

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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE

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mille feuilles The Jewellery Historian supports French language & literature. In each issue discover our selection of books in French language.

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Joël Dicker, Le Livre des Baltimore Jusqu'au jour du Drame, il y avait deux familles Goldman. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore et les Goldman-de-Montclair. Les Goldman-de-Montclair, dont est issu Marcus Goldman, l'auteur de La Vérité sur l'Affaire Harry Quebert, sont une famille de la classe moyenne, habitant une petite maison à Montclair, dans le New Jersey. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore sont une famille prospère à qui tout sourit, vivant dans une luxueuse maison d'une banlieue riche de Baltimore, à qui Marcus vouait une admiration sans borne. Huit ans après le Drame, c'est l'histoire de sa famille que Marcus Goldman décide cette fois de raconter, lorsqu'en février 2012, il quitte l'hiver new-yorkais pour la chaleur tropicale de Boca Raton, en Floride, où il vient s'atteler à son prochain roman. Au gré des souvenirs de sa jeunesse, Marcus revient sur la vie et le destin des Goldman-de-Baltimore et la fascination qu'il éprouva jadis pour cette famille de l'Amérique huppée, entre les vacances à Miami, la maison de vacances dans les Hamptons et les frasques dans les écoles privées. Mais les années passent et le vernis des Baltimore s'effrite à mesure que le Drame se profile. Jusqu'au jour où tout bascule. Et cette question qui hante Marcus depuis : qu'est-il vraiment arrivé aux Goldman-de-Baltimore ? Passé par le cours Florent à Paris, Joël Dicker étudie le droit à Genève. Passionné d'écriture dès son plus jeune âge, il publie sa première nouvelle à 25 ans. Il reçoit le Prix des écrivains genevois en 2010 pour son premier roman, "Les Derniers jours de nos pères", qui relate l'histoire vraie d'une branche des services secrets britanniques pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. En 2012, il est récompensé par le Grand Prix de l'Académie française pour son deuxième roman, "La Vérité sur l'affaire Harry Québert". Editions de Fallois , 480 pages

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Édouard Louis, Histoire de la violence "J'ai rencontré Reda le soir de Noël 2012, alors que je rentrais chez moi après un repas avec des amis, vers quatre heures du matin. Il m'a abordé dans la rue et j'ai fini par lui proposer de monter dans mon studio. Ensuite, il m'a raconté l'histoire de son enfance et celle de l'arrivée de son père en France, son père qui avait fui l'Algérie. Vers six heures du matin, il a pris plusieurs de mes affaires, il a sorti un revolver et il a dit qu'il allait me tuer. Il m'a insulté, frappé, violé. Le lendemain les démarches médicales, policières et judiciaires ont commencé, qui, plus qu'elles ne réparent la violence, la prolongent et l'aggravent." Ce livre retrace l'histoire de cette nuit et des jours suivants. Construit comme un huis clos, il tient son originalité de la puissance de son sujet, et de sa construction formelle. En effet, plus tard, Edouard se confie à sa soeur, qui décrit à son tour les faits à son mari. Edouard l'entend par une porte entrouverte. Les deux récits s'entremêlent dans une spectaculaire opposition de langages, offrant des points de vue différents sur ce qui s'est passé cette nuit-là, sur ce qui peut permettre de comprendre les dynamiques de l'agression et du traumatisme. Ils évoquent l'enfance d'Edouard, mais aussi celle de Reda et de son père, les effets de l'émigration, du racisme, de la misère. Et posent des questions sur les mécanismes judiciaires auxquels les victimes sont confrontées ou encore sur le rôle de l'amitié. Ce livre propose une histoire de la violence, de ses origines, ses raisons et ses causes. Edouard Louis est écrivain. Il a déjà publié En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule (Seuil, 2014) et, sous sa direction Pierre Bourdieu : l'insoumission en héritage (PUF, 2013), traduits dans une vingtaine de langues. Il a créé et dirige la collection "Des Mots" aux Presses universitaires de France.

Seuil , 229 pages

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Catherine Poulain, Le grand marin Quand Lili Colt arrive à Kodiak, un port de l'Alaska, elle sait qu'elle va enfin réaliser son rêve : s'embarquer sur un de ces bateaux qui partent pêcher au loin. Pour la jeune femme, une runaway qui a fui jadis le confort d'une famille française pour " faire la route " , la véritable aventure commence. Le choc est brutal. Il lui faut dormir à même le pont dans le froid insupportable, l'humidité permanente et le sel qui ronge la peau, la fatigue, les blessures...Seule femme au milieu de ces hommes rudes, au verbe rare et au geste précis qui finiront par l'adopter. A terre, Lili partage la vie des marins -les bars, les clubs de strip-tease, les motels miteux. Quand elle tombe amoureuse du " Grand marin " , elle sait qu'il lui faudra choisir entre sa propre liberté et son attirance pour cet homme dont la fragilité la bouleverse. Entre Jack London et Marguerite Duras, Catherine Poulain fait entendre une voix unique dans le paysage littéraire français, avec ce magnifique premier roman qu'on devine très autobiographique. Catherine Poulain commence à voyager très jeune. Elle a été, au gré de ses voyages, employée dans une conserverie de poissons en Islande et sur les chantiers navals aux U.S.A., travailleuse agricole au Canada, barmaid à Hong-Kong, et a pêché pendant dix ans en Alaska. Elle vit aujourd’hui entre les Alpes de Haute-Provence et le Médoc, où elle est respectivement bergère et ouvrière viticole. Le Grand Marin est son premier roman. Éditions de l’Olivier, 372 pages

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Traditional ceramic art has never been more modern Casale Blu: the new décor on Artesano Original The new Casale Blu collection from Villeroy & Boch is a good example of how contemporary a century-old design template can be. It's simple when you know how. The new décor on the successful design of Artesano Original takes lovers of a contemporary country look to southern Europe, to be precise to Italy. Here, in the Umbrian town of Deruta, traditional hand-painted ceramics have been produced since the Middle Ages. The brilliant blue tone of Casale Blu creatively echoes the famous art nouveau majolicas from Villeroy & Boch but is also absolutely on-trend, picking up on the penchant for strong blue recently found in product and fashion design. Delicate details and selected colour compositions The Casale Blu décor is based on hand-painted patterns that have been reproduced using modern lithographic techniques. The impression of hand-painting underscores the particular charm of the series, which is further complemented by the colour composition. The basic design is dominated by the colours blue, white and a delicate green, giving all the individual pieces a fresh Mediterranean flair. In addition to this blue décor, four additional décors have been applied to three selected articles: breakfast plates, bowls and handled mugs are available in the décors Alda, Bella, Carla and Dorina, also displaying elegant tones of green. The four additional décors can be combined with the basic design to conjure up individual accentuations, while the pure white porcelain of Artesano Original provides an opportunity to tone down the colours on the table. >

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> Artesano Original: further developing the original The distinguishing design characteristic of Villeroy & Boch's well-loved Artesano Original collection is its distinctive flat rim. Artesano Original thus unites an exacting design language with perfect craftsmanship to create a fle x i b l e , m u l t i f u n c t i o n a l collection for everyday use. The material mix of ceramic, acacia wood and cork breathes life into Artesano Original, lending the collection a unique tension and complementing the great craftsmanship of the concept.

Made in premium bone porcelain and decorates using lithographic techniques is dishwasher proof.

www.villeroy-boch.com

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GANT Spring/Summer 2016 Second Drop: Golf Club GANT is all about classic and sporty American Sportswear staples, with an added European sophistication when it comes to the t, tailoring and style details, says GANT’s CEO Patrik Nilsson. GANT is the main collection under the House of GANT, also consisting of the two other collections GANT Diamond G and GANT Rugger. GANT SPRING/SUMMER 2016 For SS16, GANT presents a perfect wardrobe for an active outdoor lifestyle, split into three drops. First Drop: Yacht Club. The inspiration behind the first drop of the season is the Manhattan Yacht Club – the urban and cool version of the classic East Coast clubs. – I love the idea of being able to grab your weekend bag, leave the office and just take the bike down the city beach club to meet up friends and family. It’s a new and more modern way of being close to the sea, without leaving the city, says GANT’s Creative Director Christopher Bastin. The silhouette is casual and comfortable, where the base is unconstructed garments and summer-in-the-city fabrics such as denims and light cotton twills. For the bike trip down to the club or when a light summer rain graces us with its presence, jackets feature special technical fabrics. Colors are featured in classic navy and white but with a splash of bright yellow and red as well as stripes and dots.

The Golf Club drop takes its inspiration from the relaxed Miami and Palm Springs mood, where the silhouette is casual but the look is smart and neat. The drop is fresh and clean and the garments are light, in fabrics such as cotton, jersey, piqués, fine knits plus linen and silk blends. Colors are strong but with a touch of white, navy and beige. The dominating patterns are flowers and strong color-blocking. Third Drop: Beach Club The Beach Club drop is all about that carefree summer feeling. The drop draws its inspiration from the colors and fabrics of Hawaii, featuring easy to wear products with a loose feel and allover printed tees and graphic swimwear in bright summer colors such orange, turquoise and navy. Materials are kept light, with slub-yarns and washed cottons as a base. Key Pieces for Men “The Sea Coat” is GANT’s spring version of the classic pea coat, first used in the British Royal Navy,. Made from a high-tech material, this coat features a water-repellent shell, a breathable, bonded interior lining and taped seams. www.gant.com

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Book

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AMRAPALI

GUCCI Jewelry & Timespieces

SOTHEBY’S

www.amrapalijewels.com

www.guccitimeless.com

www.sothebys.com

ANNA HU

GUMUCHIAN

SUTRA

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www.gumuchian.com

www.sutrajewels.com

ANTONINI

JACK VARTANIAN

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

www.antonini.it

www.jackvartanian.com

www.vancleefarpels.com

BAVNA

KULMALA

VANLELES

www.bavna.com

www.kultaseppakulmala.fi

www.vanleles.com

BELPERRON

LALIQUE

VHERNIER

www.belperron.com

www.lalique.com

www.vhernier.it

BOUCHERON

LYDIA COURTEILLE

VICTOR MAYER

www.boucheron.com

www.lydiacourteille.com

www.victor-mayer.com

BULGARI

MASSIMO IZZO

VILLEROY & BOCH

www.bulgari.com

www.massimoizzo.com

www.villeroy-boch.com

CARLA AMORIM

MICHAEL ARAM

WALLACE CHAN

www.carlaamorim.com.br

www.michaelaram.com

www.wallace-chan.com

CASPITA

MORATORIUM

YANNIS SERGAKIS

www.caspita.ch

www.moratoriumstudio.com

www.yannissergakis.com

CHANEL

MOUSSON ATELIER

YOKO LONDON

www.chanel.com

www.moussonatelier.com

www.yokolondon.com

CHOPARD

NIKOS KOULIS

ZOLOTAS

www.chopard.com

www.nikoskoulis.gr

www.zolotas.gr

DE GRISOGONO

PASQUALE BRUNI

www.degrisogono.com

www.pasqualebruni.com

FARAH KHAN FINE JEWERLY

PICCHIOTTI

www.farahkhanfinejewelry.com

www.picchiotti.it

GANT

POMELATTO

www.gant.com

www.pomelatto.com

GORALSKA

ROBERTO COIN

www.goralska.com

www.robertocoin.com

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