In the difficult conditions of the pandemic, jewelry manufacturers faced a problem: how to convey precious beauty to the press and customers, not only to tell the concept, but also to create the effect of tactile perception of things. The Cartier press office organized a Zoom conference for each individual market, with a professional cameraman filming the jewelry so that they could be viewed in great detail. In the Boucheron video, the brand's creative director, Claire Chuan, explained in detail the history behind each piece.
The house Chaumet has also used the video format, which is celebrating 240 years since its foundation this year. The video turned out to be very informative. The head of the brand, Jean-Marc Mansvelt, took a short tour of the restored mansion at number 12 on Place Vendome, and then, together with the brand experts, including the head of the atelier Benoit Verul, talked about how the Perspectives collection was created. The main inspiration was architecture: the design of each of the more than 80 jewelry pieces created is based on the play of light and shadow and the search for the right proportions. And at the same time it refers to different architectural trends: for example, the Labyrinthe set reveals the theme of Russian constructivism, and the Skyline necklace clearly embodies the principle of deconstructivism.
The Perspectives collection is not just a collection of new jewels around a particular theme. Designers recall the works of Pierre Sterlet, who worked for the jewelry house for many years, rethinking signature techniques such as forged gold or fil couteau, the thinnest gold thread on which stones are attached. This technique is used in Lacis jewelry - a gold mesh with diamonds serves as the basis for a necklace, tiara and rings.
1 of 6 Tiara Lacis © press service Ring Double deconstruction © press service Skyline necklace © press service Labyrinthe ring © press service Lacis ring © press service Lacis bracelet © press service
Frenchwoman Valerie Messica came up with her high jewelery collection in just two months. “We returned to the atelier after quarantine in mid-May and I started to actively create,” she said during a Zoom presentation given to the international press. Guest journalist Peggy Frey helped her show and try on new jewelry. A small collection of about 20 pieces, the Voltige collection is a metaphor for aerial acrobatics. This art does not allow for an extra step or movement - so does Valerie: only white gold and brilliant-cut diamonds, which sometimes perform unthinkable tricks, violating the laws of gravity. In Danseurs Aeriens Creole earrings, a 5-carat pear-cut stone and a 6-carat emerald-cut diamond are held together by invisible fixtures within a large hoop - a pair of empty hoops, no diamonds.
In rings with two or three fingers, the setting is almost invisible, so it feels like the stones are just lying between the fingers. The Illusionistes earrings consist of crossbar strokes with large pear-shaped diamonds at the ends - jewelry asymmetry helps to maintain balance. Messika's precious minimalism is surprisingly technical this time around.
1 of 7 Danseurs Aeriens Earrings © Press Service Illusionnistes Earrings © Press Service Bascules Creole Earrings © Press Service Trapezes Earrings © Press Service Diamond Equalizer Necklace © Press Service © Press Service © Press Service
Piaget limited itself to sending out an electronic release. The new collection of jewels and highly artistic watches, Wings of Lights, exploits the motif of bird plumage, exotic plants, Gardens of Eden and other favorite Piaget themes. Therefore, in it, as in previous collections of high jewelry, an important role is assigned to colored precious stones. The Secret Cenote necklace is adorned with a 22.68 carat Ceylon sapphire, the Rainbow Light cuff bracelet is a magnificent 22 carat rubellite, and the Flora necklace is a red spinel from Tanzania weighing over 10 carats.
The headpiece of the collection is the unique Majestic Plumage necklace, imitating the plumage of an unusual tropical bird. A rainbow of colored sapphires, red spinels, Paraiba tourmalines (the largest weighs almost 7.5 carats) is complemented by a natural feather marquetry created by longtime Piaget partner, craftsman Nellie Saunier. However, it's not just a bright palette of components. The transformer can be worn in four different ways: part of the plumage can be detached and turned into a cuff earring or even an asymmetrical pair of earrings.
More than half of the nearly 90 planned Wings of Lights items are still in the sketching stage.
1 of 4 Wings of Light Necklace © Press Office Wings of Light Ring © Press Office Feather Marquetry for Majestic Plumage Transformer Necklace © Press Office