This year’s high jewellery collections reflect the creative expression of the jewellers and brands involved. The collections are filled with elaborate pieces, many of which have taken years to complete and showcase the finest gemstones available. These are one-off pieces, often never to be made again.
For this reason, it’s best to seek advice from the people who know the jewels best — their makers.
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Cyrille Vigneron, CEO of Cartier
“My favourite piece is the Panthère Jaillissante. First, it is a stunning masterpiece. It is a piece of art which you can wear. It gives the wearer protection and confidence. Second, it illustrates the symbolic meaning of the collection. The panther is inside us, part of our nature. You do not only wear a panther, the panther is you.”
Cartier High Jewellery Nature Savage Panthère Jaillissante bracelet / ring in white gold, emerald, sapphire spots, onyx nose, emerald eyes and diamonds, POA, www.cartier.co.uk
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Lucia Silvestri, creative director at Bulgari
“The Earth Song necklace from the Aeterna High Jewellery Collection is particularly close to my heart. It brings me back to the first necklace I ever created from start to finish, when I was not yet creative director: a layout of yellow and blue sapphires. I had found these gems and Mr. Bulgari asked me, ‘What do you want to make with them?’ and I proposed a necklace. The Earth Song is a contemporary reinterpretation of that creation. The colours are obviously different, in fact this is a combination never used by Bulgari before. The gemstones were all hand-selected and cut for us in Jaipur, in a process which I personally oversaw.”
Necklace in pink gold with rubellite, kunzites, amethysts, topazes, green tourmalines and diamonds, POA, www.bulgari.com
Patrice Leguéreau, director of the Chanel Fine Jewelry Creation Studio
“The Chanel Print cuff is very emblematic of this Haute Joaillerie Sport Collection. This cuff, like twenty other transformable pieces, offers multiple looks, in a diamond version or a carbon fiber version, or a combination of both. Gabrielle Chanel proposed pieces that were transformable or adjustable from the outset, in her first and only high jewellery collection in 1932, Bijoux de Diamants. The carbon fibre version of the cuff is unexpected but very sophisticated. This high-tech material allows us to create a sporty cuff that’s both resistant and ultra-light. And I love the contrast of the white diamond and the black carbon fibre, like a Chanel signature.”
Chanel Print transformable cuff in white gold, diamonds, rubies, carbon, black lacquer and red aluminium, by Chanel High Jewellery, POA, www.chanel.com
Cindy Chao, jewellery designer and founder of CINDY CHAO The Art Jewel
“While creating the 20th Anniversary Collection, I reflected upon the seasonality of my life and my 20-year creative journey, using the form of a leaf to capture fleeting moments in Nature. The pair of Spring Leaves resonate deeply with me at this point in my life, with the gradual retreat of diamond-drifted winter, and the fresh green buds of early spring spreading out at the tips, they encapsulate the anticipation of fresh beginnings.”
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20th Anniversary Collection Leaf brooch in white gold, titanium, resin, emerald, diamonds and tsavorites, by CINDY CHAO The Art Jewel, POA, www.cindychao.com
Charles Leung, CEO of Chaumet
“I’m inspired by many pieces from the Chaumet en Scène High Jewellery collection, but if I were to choose just one, it would undoubtedly be the Harmonie transformable necklace. The blue not only recalls Chaumet’s signature hue, but this creation represents a true tour de force of craftsmanship. I am astounded by the flexibility that the workshops have managed to achieve: the piece is linked to create a second-skin that embraces one’s contours. It exemplifies Chaumet’s treasured ‘art of movement’”.
Harmonie transformable necklace in white gold, diamonds and sapphires, POA, www.chaumet.com
Vincenzo Castaldo, creative director of Pomellato
“Choosing a favourite piece from this collection is a challenge, as each jewel plays a vital role in the narrative, like a cast of characters in a story. To elevate one creation above the others would be to disrupt the delicate balance and cohesion of the collection. The true allure lies in experiencing the pieces as a whole, allowing each to reveal its unique charm. However, the Arengario necklace currently resonates with me most profoundly, as our craftsman have translated architectural inspiration [the façade of the Palazzo dell’Arengario in Milan and the rationalist architecture of Piero Portaluppi] into a wearable work of art.”
The Dualism of Milan Arengario high jewellery necklace in rose gold with white and brown diamonds, POA, www.pomellato.com
Victoria Reynolds, chief gemologist, Tiffany & Co
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“The Blue Book Collection showcases some of the rarest gemstones that nature has to offer. Given that, it’s hard to choose a favourite. But considering Tiffany’s incredible legacy in diamonds, the Wings necklace featuring an internally flawless, D-colour, oval diamond of over 20 carats is a must.
Another extraordinary necklace in the latest launch is the Ray of Light necklace which transforms into a brooch. It features a suite of 17 pear-shaped red spinels of over 44 total carats, each punctuated by diamonds that are designed to evoke rays of light.”
Wings necklace in platinum, yellow gold and diamonds, POA, from the Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Celéste Collection
Ray of Light necklace in platinum, yellow gold, spinels and diamonds, POA, from the Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Celéste Collection www.tiffany.co.uk
Celine Assimon, CEO at De Beers Jewellers
“The Dignity Tassel necklace is my favourite from the Forces of Nature collection. The blend of warm rough diamonds and polished white diamonds, designed to resemble a giraffe’s skin pattern, creates a striking contrast. The multi-layered construction offers endless styling possibilities, whether worn as a single row or a more dramatic statement. The removable rough diamond tassel adds a touch of sensuality and can be worn on its own chain, adding to the versatility of this unique piece.”
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De Beers Forces of Nature Dignity Tassel necklace in yellow gold and diamonds, POA www.debeers.co.uk
