Next level luxe Collecting the world’s rarest gems and jewels

NEXT LEVEL LUXE

What to get the jewellery and watch lover who’s got everything? Discover the gemstones, designers, brands and specialists that garner next level appreciation from luxury seekers

Words: Sarah Jordan

An opal adds a touch of glamour to this poppy brooch

Ammolite gems mined in Canada by specialists Korite

JUST 0.01% OF THIS MINE’S TOTAL PRODUCTION IS PINK DIAMONDS, BUT FINDING A RED, VIOLET OR BLUE DIAMOND IS AN EVEN RARER TREAT

When money is no object, the interlinked worlds of luxury jewellery and fine watches become a playground of sparkling, technically-impeccable proportions. With a safe full of pieces from the most highlysought after houses – Rolex, Patek Philippe, Boucheron, Chaumet, Harry Winston – to name a few, where else is there for the serious collector to go? Well, it turns out there are quite a few areas to stretch your opulent limits.

The first place to start is gemstones, or more specifically, those once-in-a-lifetime rare stones that would give Elizabeth Taylor a run for her money. In the sphere of fancy colour diamonds, it’s the ultra-rare red shades – typically found in Rio Tinto’s Argyle Mine in Western Australia – that result in a flurry of excitement. Just 0.01% of this mine’s total production is pink diamonds, but finding a red, violet or blue diamond is an even rarer treat. Earlier this year, Rio Tinto unveiled its largest ever Fancy Red diamond, named the Argyle Everglow, at a staggering 2.11 carats. To put this in perspective, in the entire 33- year history of the Argyle Mine’s diamond sales, there have been less than 20 carats of Fancy Red certified diamonds sold.

To really generate a gemstone collection worthy of royalty, you will also need to consider history and geography. The Indian region of Kashmir is universally considered to have produced the world’s finest sapphires with a rich blue colour and velvet-like appearance. Today, new sapphire finds are rarely discovered in Kashmir, which is why gems mined in this area – some more than 100 years ago – are so highlyprized. The same kind of story exists around Burmese rubies, and the elusive ‘pigeon-blood’ colour that warrants so much attention. For the serious gemstone collector, a highly-skilled gemologist and a testing laboratory must be on speed-dial. And why stop there? A genuine Paraiba tourmaline (mined in Paraiba, Brazil) with its almost neon-blue colour is an exciting sight. This rare gemstone can also be found in Nigeria and

Aquamarine cockatoo carved by Patrick Dreher

The incredibly rare red Argyle Everglow (centre) surrounded by Argyle’s hero diamonds

Mozambique, but many consider the original deposit in Paraiba to be the crème de la crème. Then, there is beautiful Russian alexandrite to source, alongside real colour changing garnet and iridescent ammolite – an organic gemquality material formed by the fossilised remains of extinct, sea-dwelling ammonites.

And speaking of the sea, no collection is complete without beautiful pearls. Pastel-hued conch pearls – produced by the Queen conch mollusc – cannot be farmed or cultivated by man, which makes them exceptionally rare. London-based jeweller David Morris currently boasts one of the largest conch pearls available to buy, weighing 44.55 carats and set in a pink diamond ring.

With an enviable array of diamonds and gemstones, the avid collector will also need an encyclopaedic knowledge of big name brands and designers. Aside from high jewellery pieces by houses like De Beers, Van Cleef & Arpels and Chanel, it is worth seeking out the more unusual contemporary creations by Place Vendome-based jeweller JAR or London-based creator Lauren Adriana. To do your search justice, you will need a jewellery expert on your side. Antique jewellery expert Susannah Lovis in London’s Burlington Arcade is an excellent source of information and fabulous jewels, while ShinyPrettyThings founder, gemologist and jewellery expert, Rona Bierrum, can guide you through the big names to snap up at auction. As Bierrum explained: “For 20th century pieces, Belperron is very important and hard to find. Other important, collectible and less well-names are Flato, Boivin, Templier, Despres, Sandoz and Dunand. For whimsical designs, look for Claflin or Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. Cartier has stood the test of time, and large important pieces are rare and highly-desirable.”

For vintage watches to make the seasoned timekeeper green with envy, you will need to visit Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo at Phillips auction house in London. If you have money to spend and a penchant for the incredibly rare, this world-renowned duo can find you a treat, such as the stainless steel Patek Philippe Ref.1518 wristwatch that sold in November 2016 for $11m (£8m). For a brand new timepiece, make friends with master watchmaker Roger Smith on the Isle of Man and get on his waiting list for a bespoke, hand-made timepiece. It could take up to eight years, but it will certainly be worth the wait.

With this level of luxury acquired, now is the time to turn to jewelled objects and novelties, like the iconic Fabergé Eggs. The opera-ready Broadway Glasses by Harry Winston, complete with black onyx, white gold, titanium and

hundreds of carats of brilliant and baguettecut diamonds, are an equally ostentatious example of jewelled excess. For more demure tastes, the Poppy Brooch by award-winning jewellery designer Fei Liu, features Australian opal petals draped over a stem of tsavorites, complete with stamens of yellow diamonds and a jade centrepiece.

Finally, anyone who dares to call themselves an enthusiast should boast a gemstone carving by Patrick Dreher, who brings animals to life with skilled, sculptural precision. Add to this a specially-cut treasure by gemstone artist, John Dyer, a gemstone photomicrograph (a photograph of the microscopic internal world of a gem) by the inimitable Danny Sanchez, and a painting by diamond portrait artist, Angie Crabtree, and you won’t just have the most financially impressive collection, but also the most artistic.

IT COULD TAKE UP TO EIGHT YEARS, BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE WORTH THE WAIT

THE BEST IN SHOW

Brazilian Paraiba Tourmaline ring by Kat Florence

A sensationally blue 0.79 carat Paraiba tourmaline from Brazil, featuring D flawless diamonds totalling 0.85 carats in 18k gold. Priced at £12,400.

Russian Alexandrite ring by Kat Florence

A beautifully rare 1.29 carat Russian alexandrite ring surrounded by 0.81 carat D flawless diamonds. Priced at £36,400.

Tutti Frutti by Dior

Riotous blends of coloured gemstones are both in-vogue and highly collectible at the moment. Contemporary examples include the 2017 Dior à Versailles Côté Jardins High Jewellery collection by esteemed artistic director, Victoire de Castellane. A highlight includes this Bosquet de L’Encelade Saphir brooch, set with pink and yellow diamonds, black opal, rock crystal, emeralds, spessartite and tsavorite garnets, pink spinels, yellow sapphires, Paraiba-type tourmalines, turquoise and red spinels.