Based on the spring collections from the giants of the jewelry world, the consensus is clear: No matter how unpredictably the economy behaves, luxury goes on. See a selction of their creations:
BULGARI
Chances are good that even the casual observer, if asked to characterize the jewelry made by Bulgari, would describe it as bold, colorful and utterly recognizable. The firm, founded in Rome by a Greek immigrant named Sotirios Voulgaris, celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, cementing its place among the pantheon of 20th century jewelers. The occasion has prompted a return to the styles that made the house famous: namely, a series of haute joaillerie pieces, including this cabochon aquamarine and ruby ring, that combine the finest stones with a bigger-than-life approach to design.
CARTIER
Cartier’s new Trinity collection, an updated version of an iconic motif in which bands of pink, white and yellow gold are intertwined, makes evident the mystical power of threes. You might say the bands represent friendship, love and fidelity; past, present and future; or simply a distinct brand of French elegance. But one thing is certain: Whether it’s the Trinity XXL bracelet, entirely paved with 126 carats of diamonds; a coiled sautoir; or the Trinity Crash ring shown here, good tidings come in threes.
CHANEL
Coco Chanel preferred the camellia to the rose — “for its sobriety, its almost geometrical roundness and the classical arrangement of its perfectly regular petals” — so it’s no surprise that the house she built has made the white flower its emblem. Paired with one of Mademoiselle’s timeless little black dresses and glistening with diamonds, the camellia, seen here in the Fil de Camelia bracelet, is a seductive flower, indeed.
CHOPARD
Chopard debuted the Happy Diamond line in 1976 as a tuxedo watch for men but over the past three decades, it’s become closely linked to the brand’s jewelry. Featuring free-floating diamonds sandwiched between thin slices of bezel-set crystal, the collection welcomes yet another variation into its midst with this spring’s launch of the Teddy Bear pendant in 18-karat rose gold. Set with three mobile diamonds, the pendant also comes in a mini version, conveniently just in time for Mother’s Day.
DE BEERS
With the Diamond Trading Co. focusing its marketing message on the notion of owning “fewer, better things,” it makes sense that its retail progeny, De Beers, is back to promoting the classics. Simple studs, bridal basics and straightforward solitaires, as in this selection of single-stone pendants, will be front and center throughout the company’s global network of retail stores this spring, proving that when times get tough, the tough embrace that which is timeless.
DIOR
That Dior Artistic Director Victoire de Castellane is one of the most extravagant personalities in Paris goes without saying. Simply look at her jewels. The former costume designer and descendant of French aristocracy creates ornate, gem-set pieces — including this Carnivora Devorus ring from Dior’s new collection of garden-inspired confections, in yellow gold with diamonds, tsavorite garnets, sapphires, Paraíba tourmalines and lacquer — that never fail to capture her motto: “It’s not because it’s real that it has to be boring.”
H. STERN
Giverny, the village in northern France where Claude Monet kept his garden, his lilies and his home, lends its name to H. Stern’s new collection of rose gold leaf-shaped pendants and rings dusted with beige diamonds. The Brazilian jeweler is sticking to a favorite theme — the colors, textures and elements found in nature — but has decided that a global brand needs a global approach to style, promising that more collections inspired by the world’s gardens are to follow.
MIKIMOTO
Not long ago, baroque pearls were seen as sub-par, mis-shapen lumps of pearlescence, valued, sure, though not nearly as highly as their round counterparts. The design renaissance of the 21st century has squelched that belief and has instead elevated the baroque pearl from reject to rarefied. Witness the new Baroque Couture collection from Mikimoto, whose one-of-a-kind jewels, like this diamond-accented pendant, prove that the distinctive shape of the baroque pearl is by far its most charming attribute.
PIAGET
Piaget celebrates life on the high seas with its new Limelight Paradise collection, a clever take on the yachting lifestyle. From the coral-inspired diamond pendant at left to a bracelet strung with whimsical charms such as an 82-carat citrine cut to resemble a pineapple, to a series of cocktail rings that take their mandate all too literally (one ring, called “Sex on the Beach,” features a pink tourmaline center stone accented by a peridot lime), Piaget offers a vicarious escape to the tropics, even, or perhaps especially, for the deskbound.
TIFFANY & CO.
Tiffany & Co. dug into its archives to develop its new Keys Collection of pendants and charms evoking a time of keepsake boxes, diaries, steamer trunks and country manors, all the while channeling the jeweler’s great legacy. Designs of vintage skeleton keys are rendered in medallion or heart shapes, decorated with flowers or diamonds, and suspended from fine 18-karat gold, platinum or silver chains. Designed to be worn alone or layered, the keys, in Tiffany’s expert hands, are nothing less than talismans.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
The art of gardening is the ultimate expression of man’s desire to tame nature, but each culture approaches the task differently. The French garden is a masterpiece of spatial geometry, while the classic English version is overflowing and unruly. The Italians emphasize nature’s relationship to architecture. In the Orient, harmony, balance and tranquility are key. At Van Cleef & Arpels, the new Les Jardins collection offers a glorious tour of this sublime garden universe, with jewels, like these Pavillon d’Or sapphire and diamond earrings from the Orient series, that speak to the enchanting power of Eden.
