Celebrity Life

While classic white diamonds and pearls always rank at the top of our list for their timeless appeal and versatility, we can't help but be drawn to multicoloured jewellery designs that exude fun and flamboyance.

It's perfect timing then, that prominent names including Bulgari and Piaget have introduced resplendent new collections festooned with vividly-hued gemstones. Several fine jewellers have also followed suit by pairing stones in a variety of shades to create sparkling statement pieces.

Read on for our picks of the most magnificent multicoloured jewellery designs you'll want to incorporate into your wardrobe.

This story first appeared on Prestige Singapore

(Main image: Bulgari; Featured image: Piaget)

The post Fall in Love With These Glorious Multicoloured Jewels appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s love life has long been a rich source of inspiration for the jewellery lines of her namesake fashion house, and this year’s offering is no exception.

Called Le Paris Russe de Chanel, the high-jewellery collection is an ode to a chapter in Chanel’s life during which Russia inspired her and her work, even though she never set foot in the country.

A notable mention goes to Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, a cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, with whom Chanel had an affair and subsequently fell in love with all things Russian. The romance was well documented because the dashing duke had a chequered past and was known to be quite a ladies’ man. But what made the liaison intriguing was that Pavlovich had been involved in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin, the infamous mystical advisor to the Russian Imperial Court.

[caption id="attachment_162808" align="alignnone" width="1417"] Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was captivated by Imperial Russia[/caption]

When the Russian Revolution broke out, Pavlovich fled to France, like many others from the Imperial Court, including aristocrats, artists, musicians and dancers. Many of them ended up in Paris, where the arrondissements in which they congregated became known as Le Paris Russe, or the Russian Paris.

The duke was penniless when Chanel met him. But that didn’t deter the designer because the handsome nobleman embodied all the splendour of Imperial Russia, something which captivated her.

The short-lived affair lasted from 1921 to 1922, but it was intense. Through Pavlovich, Chanel began associating with many other Russians and soon formed close friendships with a number of newly stateless exiles from the former empire. The composer Igor Stravinsky, who had a scandalous affair with Chanel, and Sergei Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes, who asked her to design costumes for his dancers, were among the Russian cultural icons of the interwar years who benefited from a close relationship with the designer, and in turn influenced her life and career.

Chanel was deeply impressed by the country and its people. “The Russians fascinate me,” she remarked. “It’s the Russians who have taught women that it’s not dishonourable to work.’’

Like every high-jewellery collection since 2009, Le Paris Russe de Chanel was designed by Patrice Leguéreau, director of the house’s jewellery studio, Chanel Joaillerie. The collection is inspired by a “fantasy” vision of Imperial Russia that Chanel could have imagined based on what her Russian lover and friends told her.

Le Paris Russe de Chanel loosely covers two decades of Chanel’s life, from the 1920s through the ’30s, which were a particularly creative time for the designer. During this period, she liberated women from their corsets. Her famous little black dress -- a simple sheath in crêpe-de-chine, with long, closely fitting sleeves -- was becoming a staple of the nouveau-chic wardrobe. She also introduced her now-legendary Chanel No5 perfume with the help of another Russian émigré, Ernest Beaux, the czar’s and Imperial Court’s perfumer, who helped her with the formula.

Chanel’s fashion creations also took on a Russian aesthetic. Long tunics, robes, fur-lined coats and large blouses modelled with belts soon appeared in her collections, which also incorporated Russian embroidery. The latter came by way of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the sister of Pavlovich, whom Chanel had convinced to open an embroidery workshop named Kitmir, hence securing an exclusive supply for her fashion house.

Recognising the huge role Russia had played in Chanel’s life, the 69-piece Le Paris Russe de Chanel is presented in 11 sets and celebrates the designer’s fascination with the country in two acts: Russian Splendour, a period when the designer was first introduced to the grandiose life of refined Russia by her paramour, and Russian Folklore, which she came to know more through her association with the exiles -- an atmosphere rich in colours, patterns and intricate embroideries.

[caption id="attachment_162810" align="alignnone" width="4961"] Folklore earrings[/caption]

To add cohesion, Leguéreau peppered the collection with signature Chanel motifs, such as sheaves of wheat or the camellia, which appear in figurative and abstracted forms. The double-headed eagle, a historic Russian symbol signifying empire and found on a Baroque mirror in Chanel’s apartment on Rue Cambon, also features prominently in the collection as bold outlines or as accents.

[caption id="attachment_162812" align="alignnone" width="3059"] The designer's Baroque mirror with double-headed eagle.[/caption]

The Aigle Cambon ensemble, for instance, manifested in white and yellow gold, quartz, and diamonds, is perhaps the most emblematic homage to the Russian Empire. The yellow cuff bracelet is especially bold with diamonds set to form an insignia-like pattern.

The Médaille Solaire set alludes to the sun and military orders with diamonds and pearls blazing. A ring featuring a majestic yellow diamond in the centre, with rows of smaller yellow and white diamonds radiating out, is especially captivating in its brilliance and detailed craftsmanship.

[caption id="attachment_162811" align="alignnone" width="4961"] Médaille Solaire ring[/caption]

Other Slavic-inspired statement pieces come from the Sarafane suite, which is inspired by Russian needlework. A noteworthy piece is the Sarafane headpiece that resembles a kokoshnik, a traditional Russian headdress that became popular as a style of tiara in Western Europe in the late 19th century. Etched with camellias that resemble lace and set in white gold, cultured pearls and diamonds, the headpiece can be transformed into a necklace if so desired. The openwork Sarafane necklace, meanwhile, showcases an exquisite diamond weighing 10.18 carats, which is surrounded by no fewer than 1,347 diamonds as well as 10 cultured pearls.

[caption id="attachment_162814" align="alignnone" width="4961"] Blé Maria brooch[/caption]

Colourful gems -- diamonds, sapphires, spinels and tourmalines -- take centre stage in the Blé Maria category, which recalls Russian decorative arts. A stately yet romantic brooch set with softly-coloured sapphires and tourmalines is dedicated to the grand duke. The Blé Maria tiara –delicately embellished with pink spinels, mandarin garnets, coloured tourmaline and diamonds -- is again another modern-day reimagining of the traditional kokoshnik.

[caption id="attachment_162809" align="alignnone" width="3080"] The Blé Maria tiara is a modern-day reigning of a traditional Russian headdress.[/caption]

The Byzantine era is celebrated in the Broderie Byzantine ensemble, in which white gold, cultured pearls and diamonds form exquisite ornamental pieces, again featuring the camellia motif.

In the Folklore set, deep-ruby terracotta enamel forms the backdrop for camellia-shaped diamond petals. Vibrant pearls and precious stones of various hues and shapes glitter through ornaments in the set. A statement piece is the bracelet cuff, which is garnished with colourful garnets of spinels, sapphires, tsavorites and cultured pearls. The bracelet appeals with its Baroque-meets-folksy Russian charm.

Harking back to the glorious days of Russian nobility, the Motif Russe parure features diamonds exquisitely set in white gold. Strings of sparkling stones cascade in tassel-like formation from an ornamental pendant in a necklace or come in rows to form a bracelet.

For folk-inspired pieces, the remarkable Roubachka collar necklace, made from yellow gold and platinum and adorned with colourless and yellow diamonds, stands out. The Roubachka ring, meanwhile, cleverly layers precious stones to give the silhouette of the Russian folk dress after which the set is named.

Many pieces in the Le Paris Russe de Chanel collection are transformable, illustrating the jewellery house’s highly inventive skills in producing pieces that could magically be taken apart and then reassembled differently.

Chanel was known for breaking the rules, whether in her personal life or her work. When she started designing jewellery, it was considered a revolutionary and daring move because few fashion designers of the time dared to venture into the conservative milieu of Place Vendôme’s jewellers, but Chanel did it anyway.

A century later, Chanel Joaillerie has become a pillar among France’s grand jewellery houses. And today, Le Paris Russe de Chanel lives up tothe late designer’s reputation, showing how irreverent aspects of Chanel’s personality and lifestyle continue to mesmerise, captivate andenrich the world of high jewellery.

For more information, visit chanel.com.

The post New High-Jewellery Collection Recalls Young Coco Chanel’s Love Affair appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

From Van Gogh’s twirling sun, through flocks of wading birds on Japanese prints, to Turner’s swirling skies, the celestial world and its wild inhabitants have always inspired the most beautiful works of art. Following the example of the great masters, Parisian jewellery house Chaumet also reached up to the heavens for inspiration for its new high- jewellery collection, Les Ciels de Chaumet (Skies of Chaumet), extending a journey that has celebrated nature since the maison’s inception in 1780.

Les Ciels de Chaumet comprises four lines, all featuring a pictorial and poetic theme, which come complete with tiaras, head jewellery, brooches, body ornaments, necklaces, pendant earrings and watches. According to Chaumet’s CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt, the new collection shows how the jewellery house is moving forward with more contemporary styles by experimenting with new materials and techniques, while still adhering to house codes and trusted formulas.

[caption id="attachment_162090" align="alignnone" width="3929"] Les Ciels de Chaumet Envol Earrings[/caption]

“Elements of nature -- the sky, the sun, the birds -- have always been part of the creative DNA of Chaumet,” he says. “What we’re doing is to reinvent some aspects of fine- jewellery making by adding new perspectives and dimensions. We don’t try to adapt or twist or squeeze just to be trendy. Chaumet is what it is. This pleases our customers, even the younger ones, because they understand our heritage.”
The new collection starts with Les Caprices du Ciel (Capricious Sky), a suite of jewellery that attempts to capture the delicacy of clouds and the power of lightning. Illustrating the theme best is a stunning necklace featuring a host of glorious sapphires, amethysts and tanzanites and an exceptional 37.68-carat imperial topaz that serves as a detachable pendant.
[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/083562-Broche-Soleil-FT-OR-CTR-GRE-MAN-SPIN-OV.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/083654-Bague-Planetes-OG-D-BT-CT-OPALE-NOIRE_3Q.jpg" right-caption="Soleil de Minuit Brooch " left-caption="Passages Ring"]
Another showstopper is the Soleil Glorieux tiara. The colour palette may be simple, but this piece is still opulent and regal -- set in white and yellow gold, a huge fancy-intense yellow diamond is the focal point, surrounded by clouds of cabochon-cut rock crystals and an array of diamonds.
Meanwhile, Les Couleurs du Ciel (Colours of the Sky) captures the magical allure of the sun in all its guises. Whether it’s the soft light of dawn, the uncompromising brilliance of midday or the Technicolor vibrancy of sunset, Les Couleurs du Ciel bursts with fiery hues.

Colourful spinels from Tanzania and Vietnam, ranging from blue and red to green and yellow, run through to compose a richly hued parure. A stunning piece is the Soleil de Minuit bracelet in white gold, which is set with five pear- shaped absinthe-green chrysoberyls totalling 6.29 carats.

Twinkling stars light up Les Fulgurances du Ciel (Dazzling Sky). The star motif is a favourite of Chaumet, having existed in its library of works for the past 200 years.[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Les-Ciels_Collier-Planetes_V5-copie.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/083642-Collier-Lueurs-dorage.jpg" right-caption="Les Ciels Planetes Necklace " left-caption="Lueners d'orate Necklace "]
And what better way to show off a star-spangled night than crisp white diamonds floating like a galaxy of stars on the Étoiles Étoiles tiara? Complementary earrings feature strands of brilliant-cut diamonds cascading down like a starry waterfall.

There’s still plenty of colour elsewhere in this line. The Passages range of rings features large black Australian opals mixed with ice-blue and purple tourmalines. Exotic birds are placed in the spotlight in Les Habitants du Ciel (Inhabitants of the Sky), ably demonstrating the craftsmanship, virtuosity and creativity of Chaumet’s artisans. The Envol suite of bejewelled swallows -- bodies encrusted by garnets of green African tsavorite, while diamond wings are tipped with orangey-yellow gems -- shows the birds dipping and diving across a necklace, rings, earrings and brooches.

And in a joyous ode to the majestic crane, the Parade suite features the elegant bird in innovative designs. Standout pieces include a brooch in which a pair of birds with entwined necks dangle a large yellow diamond, and earrings that depict two separate avians clutching pink and blue sapphires.

The Les Ciels de Chaumet collection has already received rave reviews. With everything right going for it, it’s bound to become a coveted investment for those who can afford it.

For more information, visit chaumet.com.

The post Chaumet Pays Tribute to Celestial Beauty in Its New Collection appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

History always has a way of repeating itself, and in the case of throwbacks, it’s the return of the most loved (and sometimes most hated) era of the eighties. As one of the most recognisable periods of our time, when culture was so heavily influenced by new wave music, brazen fashion and the rise of technology, its iconic expression is once again embraced with arms wide open — especially in the case of luxury Italian jewellery brand, BVLGARI and in their new collection, Wild Pop.

Big hair, MTV, shoulder-padded power suits, the Rubik’s cube, Pac-Man, are just a few of the many hallmarks that come to mind when remembering the ‘80s. Not to mention the personalities that transformed pop culture as we know it, from Madonna and Michael Jackson to Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Capturing these quintessential elements, BVLGARI’s Wild Pop takes us back to the future with its approach to reinventing jewellery from the past for today.

OUR TOP PICKS: BVLGARI’S WILD POP

MTV

Paying tribute to the transitional period for music — arguably the golden era for rock and pop — is the Pop Mics set which includes a necklace, bracelet and brooch. Carefully crafted into playful mic motifs strung together in alternating order, each mic is composed of onyx and white diamond micro-pavé base with a polished cabochon of amethyst, peridots, rubellites and aquamarines for its grill.

[caption id="attachment_129842" align="alignnone" width="5341"] Pop Mics Bracelet[/caption]

Synth-Pop

Riding on music, new age electronic was introduced and popularised by music videos, inspiring the Synthesizer necklace. The black keys are made of perfectly polished black onyx, while the white keys are made of pavé radiant-cut white diamonds of varying carat weight. The beauty of this design lies in textured depth and stone arrangement making it a wearable statement piece for both casual and formal occasions.

[caption id="attachment_129846" align="alignnone" width="5341"] Synthesizer Necklace[/caption]

Over the Top Hair

Perhaps the most unexpected muse in the collection, the hot rollers of the ‘80s plays a playful tribute to the exaggerated hair trend of the time. Pushing its boundaries of high jewellery with inspiration drawn from the everyday personal item, this playful piece utilises a set of diamond hair curlers topped with cabochon-cut emeralds for a pop of colour.

[caption id="attachment_129847" align="alignnone" width="4724"] Curls, My Love Bracelet[/caption]

Disproportional Sleeves

Inspired by the overblown and exaggerated ruffles which were a fundamental characteristic definition of the fashion landscape of the ‘80s, the Magnificent Green Ruffles necklace epitomises its name in all its glory. This whimsical piece is composed of over 34 carats of Colombian emeralds droplets and diamond, turquoise and amethyst micro setting.

[caption id="attachment_129851" align="alignnone" width="5341"] Ruffles Necklace[/caption]

Recreational Cannabis

It comes as no surprise that Happy Leaves earns a title in favourite pieces of the collection with the hyper-popularity and recent legalisation of it in certain countries. Inspired by the rise of recreational use of the herb since the '80s, the elegantly risqué depiction of the plant is materialised in a chain of gold and diamond pendants with cutout silhouette of the cannabis leaf.

[caption id="attachment_129852" align="alignnone" width="2351"] Happy Leaves Necklace[/caption]

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The post The ‘80s Revived in BVLGARI’s Latest Collection appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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