Shine in Beauty

BLUE FLUO ISSUE • n°38 • 2024

SHINE IN BEAUTY

From the birth of the planet to the dawn of life, the second chapter of the Louis Vuitton Deep Time high jewelry collection takes us on an extraordinary romantic journey through the millennia

by Gianfilippo Versari - ph. courtesy by Louis Vuitton

Acaptivating odyssey, an imaginative voyage that commences with the planet’s birth and the emergence of early life forms, is curated by Francesca Amfitheatrof, Artistic Director of Watches and Jewelry for the esteemed Parisian Maison Louis Vuitton, marking her fifth venture into the realm of high jewelry, a testament to her remarkable creative prowess.

Featuring 50 new creations, augmenting the 95 from Chapter I unveiled in mid-2023, this chapter unfolds along 10 fresh themes, meticulously crafted with some of the most precious gems. The voyage embarks from the dawn of time, an epoch when our world consisted of two supercontinents, Gondwana and Laurasia. The latter, symbolized by a fusion of radiant and distinct yellow diamonds, takes center stage alongside a masterful blend of platinum, yellow gold, and rose gold, notably showcased in a seven-row masterpiece necklace adorned with the Maison’s signature V motif, requiring 2,465 hours of meticulous craftsmanship.

A leap into history transports us to the seismic upheavals that shook our planet millions of years ago, evoking apocalyptic atmospheres that reshaped its visage, serving as inspiration for Drift. From here, the emergence of new life, leading to the proliferation of cells containing DNA’s double helix, inspires the sinuous Myriad jewels, before progressing to Symbiosis, inspired by the earliest ecosystems that flourished on our

Opposite page: The Seeds, double-strand necklace with gray pearls, white pearls and nearly 1,200 diamonds. This page: left, white gold and diamond ‘Myriad’ necklace based on the double helix structure of DNA. Right, Flower, in white gold and white diamonds, a tribute to the Louis Vuitton Monogram

planet, namely fungi and mycelia. The evolutionary saga of the planet continues with the Fossils jewels, described by Amfitheatrof as “time and place treasures,” offering an extraordinary means of charting the geological metamorphoses of our world. Progressing along the evolutionary continuum they metamorphose into Plants, which in this Chapter II, assume a more literal representation of luxuriant flora and fauna, exemplified by a convertible necklace adorned with leaves crafted from over 400 custom-cut emeralds and diamonds, showcasing Louis

Vuitton’s unparalleled expertise in jewelry creation. The journey of Deep Time collection continues with Skin, one of the new themes, celebrating Umba sapphire, whose pink and orange hues harmonize with rose gold in a contemporary jewelry collection. Bones pay homage to humanity’s architectural prowess with opulent choker-style necklaces featuring intricate arrangements of diamonds, including an LV Monogram Star-cut diamond and a captivating 16.92-carat Australian opal.

Seeds, symbolizing the treasures of birth, introduce magnificent pearls into Deep Time, including a double-strand necklace pairing luminous gray Tahitian pearls with a white gold band adorned with nearly 1,200 diamonds. Beyond necklaces, bracelets and earrings also embrace the theme, intertwining Tahitian pearls with a plethora of diamonds in striking patterns.

The journey culminates with the Flower theme, the final chapter of Deep Time, a dazzling homage to the Louis Vuitton Monogram. “At Louis Vuitton, we remain as ever adventurers, journeying to extraordinary, unforeseen realms,” remarks Amfitheatrof. Chapter II serves as the epilogue of Deep Time, this vast and extraordinary odyssey through time and space, a narrative of exceptional gemstones that propel us deep into the past, while Louis Vuitton’s robust and distinctive design codes propel us forward, toward the future. https://en.louisvuitton.com

This page: Plants ring inspired by flora and fauna. Opposite page clockwise: The sevenrow Laurasia necklace; The Drift necklace with large yellow diamond and white diamonds; Bones choker-style necklace homage to the architecture of humanity; Fossils single-strand necklace and matching bracelet