The earth still gives exceptional stones. Diamonds of 30 carats, emeralds of 91 carats, opals of 115 carats… And other wonders that craftsmen transform into exceptional jewels. Some of these pieces are presented discreetly in the salons of Place Vendôme, others will be revealed at the XXVIth Biennale des Antiquaires in mid-September with a scenography designed by Karl Lagerfeld.
The prices of these breathtakingly beautiful and technical jewels are rarely mentioned and in any case are beyond comprehension. But the clientele is there because most of these pieces are already bought. High Jewelry is undeniably a dream come true. It is one of the very last places where excellence blends with creative ingenuity. In preview, a small journey in pictures in a dizzying mineral world.
BOUCHERON NATURE DE CRISTA BRACELET
Butcher’s Crystal Nature Bracelet
The prodigy bracelet. Its dome is made of 63.15 carat crystal, set with diamonds on the inside and outside. In its center are cushion, baguette and round diamonds mounted on white gold. The small pompom that adorns the clasp can be removed and become a brooch or pendant. This transformable jewel side is one of the trends of the Haute joaillerie 2012.
Boucheron is making a big comeback at the biennale, with a new artistic director and a new director presenting 150 pieces, ivy in rough diamonds and cut diamonds, opalescent snake, mother-of-pearl ball and diamond that transforms into a bracelet, in short… Wonders.
BUCELLATI G6292 ORECCHINI PEARL
Buccellati pearl earrings
Mr. Gianmaria Buccellati is 84 years old and explains in his impeccable French how this year he decided to create only earrings to “further embellish the female face”. This exceptional jeweler of delicacy and distinction has therefore designed 75 magnificent pieces made from the stones he continues to buy himself because “they touch his heart, with the same emotion as when he started at the age of 14”. This exquisite character is not at the Biennale, but it took him two years to build his sumptuous collection of B.O. Unique pieces such as these 29.53 carat pearl pendants adorned with white and yellow gold lace, brilliants and diamonds.
BULGARI
The Serpenti Bracelet by Bulgari
The Serpenti is a recurring theme at Bulgari, we have already seen it on incredible articulated watches and we were already overwhelmed by it, it arrives at the Biennale in a white gold and ruby version or as here in pink gold and diamonds. A very secret assembly technique allows the bracelet to be as flexible as a simple rubber thing. Prodigious and unique.
In September the Italian brand will reveal 18 extraordinary pieces including these head-turning Serpenti and of course other spectacular pieces including a 180.98 carat yellow gold and sapphire necklace.
CARTIER
Cartier’s Secret Watch
It will be one of the “attractions” of the biennale because the house is famous for its splendor. This sumptuous kunzite and diamond cuff with a watch face covered with white gold and diamonds is the only piece that has been shown to the public. The rest, 135 exceptional pieces of jewelry, 10 precious objects and 30 vintage pieces are preciously kept secret until September. In the house of Cartier, only a very small circle of professionals could admire them (including ELLE).
At Cartier, the creation is made according to the stones that the house has bought.
LE BRACELET CONSTELLATION DU LION DE CHANEL
The Constellation of the Lion Bracelet by Chanel
Leo is the new Chanel icon because it was Coco’s astro sign. It is in white gold set with 817 diamonds and surmounts a 1 carat round cut diamond comet. Its body is made of 349 carat rock crystal, its muzzle is paved with diamonds.
The first Joaillerie Chanel line came out in 1932, 80 years ago. To celebrate this anniversary, the brand with two CCs created 80 new pieces and presented them in an ephemeral planetarium on the roof of the Quai Branly museum in Paris. Inside, a sky full of stars and comets with diamonds signed CC revealed a breathtaking collection in the dark.
CHAUMET
The Pampille 12 Vendôme tiara from Chaumet
Chaumet enters the Biennale for the first time and pays homage to his mythical address. The house, its salons, its incredible museum and above all its exceptional workshop have been located at 12 place Vendôme since 1780. In September, we will see 12 numbered sets of jewelry, 40 pieces of jewelry, each one more breathtaking than the last. The highlight of the collection is a 115 carat opal mounted on a tiara. What we like … These are the head ornaments, shoulder jewelry, pikes and hairpins. Small everyday objects treated here in fairytale mode, a mix between “The Artist” and the great Josephine.
DE BEERS THE EMBRACE RING
The Imaginary Nature Ring by De Beers
The world diamond specialist is not at the Biennale, but his first and insane Haute Joaillerie collection takes up the challenge with flying colors. Volutes, arabesques, shapes in movement give these pure diamonds a breathtaking lightness. De Beers offers 8 exceptional pieces, earrings, brooches or rings, including this round, diamond-shelled ring which is adorned in its center with an 8.88 carat pear. A pure dream.
DIOR
Dior Opal Earrings Fishnet B.O.
This is the third time that Dior has been at the Biennial, since the arrival of Victoire de Castellane, who has dusted off the Haute Joaillerie. Bracelets, rings and soundtracks, everything is in his image, gourmet, colorful and incredibly worked. The house designer says, “it’s the real thing that looks fake and is real, like a crumble of stones” and that’s all the chic.
20 unique pieces, including a 114 carat tourmaline and a 51 carat rubellite, but also 10 reproducible pieces. The most extraordinary are the reverse sides of the jewels, all in gold fishnet, worked as finely as if they were to be shown. A very personal pleasure that makes all the class of these precious objects.
PIAGET LIMELIGHT COUTURE PRECIEUSE WATCH
Piaget’s Precious Couture Cuff
Is this the best Switzerland has to offer? We will see it at the Biennale in September, as the brand presents 72 treasures for the second time. Its workshops are in Switzerland, some of its craftsmen have been working there for 30 years and are constantly facing technical challenges. Articulated bracelets whose diamond clasps are not visible, interlacing stone necklaces that hardly touch the skin and finishes as precise on the front and back of the jewels.
A little extra soul, Piaget, a specialist in diamond-paved watches, practices Fair Trade jewelry, for example, it uses Rubellites and no longer Rubies which come from Burma.
MELLERIO NECKLACE NIGHT LILY
The Night Lili Necklace by Mellerio dits Meller
This discreet and yet enigmatic name of the Rue de la Paix is not at the Biennale. Mellerio is the name of two Italian brothers who arrived in France in 1515 and ended up being called Meller (integration obliges). It was Marie de Medici who authorized them to make jewelry. The house is always directed by the family, it makes neither publicity nor noise but excels in a stone cutting called “Mellerio Cut”. This necklace is a joint of diamonds, black onyx lily of the valley bells, all mounted on white gold.
WALLACE CHAN R
The Eyes of Infinity Necklace by Wallace Chan
A small revolution is shaking up the world of Western Haute Joaillerie, China with its large amount of precious stones is coming for the first time and exhibiting its know-how at the Biennale. The Place Vendôme is all shaken, it is whispered that a 379.21 carat aquamarine would be revealed.
Wallace Chan, master jeweler and sculptor of Hong Kong origin arrives in September with 50 spectacular creations inspired by the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, for whom all living beings are one.
This necklace tells the story of two scorpions who fall in love. Garnets, rubies, yellow sapphires are mounted on titanium, in the center an exceptional 45, 51 carats Alexandrite cat’s eye looks at the world. The object tells that things in nature must grow together without harming each other. Could it be a message for the West?
LOUIS VUITTON
Col Claudine Vuitton’s Journey through Time
Vuitton, the iconoclast of precious jewelry has just entered the closed temple of jewelers by opening a boutique on Place Vendôme. From the top of its carats, the brand has risen to become one of the biggest and, under the direction of Laurenz Baümer, offers a collection in its image, both slender and classic. This mix of vintage and modernity gives this 1900-inspired collar all in diamond lace with an undetectable paved clasp.
On the other hand, the collection features spectacular chokers with the traditional Vuitton monogram in blue ceramic projected on a mix of gold and gemstones. The brand does not present itself at the Biennale, but ….. Patience
VANCLEEF
The Miss Ring of the Legends of Luck by Van Cleef & Arpels
Here is the thirteenth and last picture of this trip in High Jewelry. 13 ? Because 13 brings luck and at Van Cleef&Arpels we put forward the famous sentence of Jacques Arpels: “To be lucky, you have to believe in luck”.
This ring in white gold, diamonds, turquoise, coral and chrysoprase, has in its center a mandarin garnet of 15, 77 carats. It is part of a fairy-tale collection of 150 unique and timeless pieces, all inspired by the different symbols that bring happiness across civilizations. Clover, unicorn, shooting star, ladybug, gray …
A dream that will leave the public amazed at the Biennale, just as we were at the presentation. The house asked the artist Alfredo Arias to reconstruct in the Palais de Tokyo a mini Place Vendôme, called the Palais de la Chance, in which each lucky jewel was displayed. We must admit that the magic worked. We picked a four-leaf clover.
