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19 May 2019

The elephant: a precious beast

The elephant, which in its wild state may well have disappeared from the planet in twenty years’ time, is a great favorite with jewelers, who impart grace to the pachyderm’s unprepossessing physique, excessively long trunk and impressively huge ears. The most spectacular pieces include a head in agate and titanium by JAR (Joel Arthur Rosenthal), belonging to the Al Thani collection. Those interested take note: along with some 400 other pieces from this collection, it will be up for sale on 19 June, with Christie’s New York.

The elephant, which in its wild state may well have disappeared from the planet in twenty years' time, is a great favorite with jewelers, who impart grace to the...

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05 May 2019

Pascale Monvoisin x Sauvade

To support Sauvade, the French designer Pascale Monvoisin has created a pretty ring with a gold plaque on which a message can be engraved. “This association takes in abandoned cats and dogs in Reunion Island where there is no sterilization policy. Animals are often mistreated, puppies are still used as bait for fishing,” says Pascale Monvoisin. The animals are then repatriated to Paris for adoption. Of the €290 paid for each ring, 50 are donated to this association madeup entirely of volunteers. Essential if you’re looking for a pet.

To support Sauvade, the French designer Pascale Monvoisin has created a pretty ring with a gold plaque on which a message can be engraved. "This association takes in...

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01 May 2019

Tabbah's cigarette-holder ring

This ring in the form of a magnificent snake set with diamonds has a secret mechanism. When you press it, a stem appears with a ring – into which you can pop a cigarette. Developed and patented by Lebanese jeweler Tabbah for one of his customers, this ring is a reinterpretation of the traditional cigarette-holder invented to prevent contact between the fingers and nicotine. Today, only elegant, liberated women would make use of this feature.

This ring in the form of a magnificent snake set with diamonds has a secret mechanism. When you press it, a stem appears with a ring – into which you can pop a...

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The French Jewelry Shop

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16 April 2019

The CFOC's precious bowls

Precious stones are not only used in jewelry. The Compagnie Française de l’Orient et de la Chine proposes four hardstone “Taje” bowls hand-carved in India, in amethyst, agate and onyx. On the bowls, here veins, cracks, fissures and meandering lines appear, forming imaginary landscapes or “natural paintings”, to quote Roger Caillois (see “La lecture des pierres” – “Reading stones”).

50 euros the “Taje” bowl – Diameter : 13.5 cm

Precious stones are not only used in jewelry. The Compagnie Française de l’Orient et de la Chine proposes four hardstone "Taje" bowls hand-carved in India, in...

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27 March 2019

10 jewels for Egyptomaniacs

Pharaonic motifs, hieroglyphics, beetles… The influence of Egypt is a classic theme in the jewelry of contemporary creators and jewelers. This stylistic vocabulary became phenomenally popular at the very end of the 18th century, after Napoleon’s campaigns. Having first emerged during the Second Empire, Egyptomania was revived in 1922, during the Art Deco period, by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Will the current exhibition of the treasures of this pharaoh revive the craze?

Pharaonic motifs, hieroglyphics, beetles... The influence of Egypt is a classic theme in the jewelry of contemporary creators and jewelers. This stylistic vocabulary...

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14 March 2019

GemGenève, exceptional stones

GemGenève is a trade fair largely dedicated to gemstone dealers – which you may recall was the profession of its two founders, Thomas Faerber and Ronny Totah. The display cases are full of loose diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals, tourmalines, and spinels. The most beautiful specimens include the unheated Burmese ruby of 12.84 carats displayed by House of Gems and the Pink Paradise diamond of 3.5 carats at Dehres. Another star of GemGenève is the “Shirley Temple Blue Bird” presented by Windsor Jewelers. This 9.30 carat deep blue diamond was given to the actress by her father, when she was still just a little girl.

GemGenève is a trade fair largely dedicated to gemstone dealers – which you may recall was the profession of its two founders, Thomas Faerber and Ronny Totah. The...

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08 March 2019

Freddie Mercury and Queen Victoria reunited at the V&A

After several months of work, the Victoria & Albert Museum’s jewelry gallery will reopen on April 11, 2019. It has added approximately 80 new pieces to its rich collection, including two must-see items: the diamond and sapphire crown designed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1840 and Freddie Mercury’s collection of 49 vanity art deco cases, donated by his sister Kashmira Bulsara. However unlikely a match these two collectors would seem to be, the V&A has pulled it off!

Christopher Thompson Royds at the V&A Museum

After several months of work, the Victoria & Albert Museum's jewelry gallery will reopen on April 11, 2019. It has added approximately 80 new pieces to its rich...

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14 February 2019

"Les Galaxies" by Cartier: Earth from above

Cartier’s latest jewelry collection, “Les Galaxies”, takes inspiration from the cosmos. “In the past, we focused on space as seen from the earth, full of moons and stars,” says Pierre Rainero, director of style and heritage. “Today, the viewpoint is from space, and the approach is more scientific. “ The jewelry evokes Earth seen from above at night, with mobile colored stones on rails. Rows of Tahiti pearls in iridescent shades reflect the alignment of the planets; asteroids and meteorites are represented by diamonds mounted on highly sensitive “trembling settings”. Make a date for 2119…

Cartier's latest jewelry collection, "Les Galaxies", takes inspiration from the cosmos. "In the past, we focused on space as seen from the earth, full of moons and...

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06 February 2019

Swarovski x Balmain and Vauthier – SS19 Haute Couture

As every season, Swarovski has collaborated with couturiers to demonstrate the extraordinary creativeness of its material: crystal. It supplied over 385,000 to Alexandre Vauthier, and over a million to Olivier Roustaing at Balmain. In two fashion shows, crystal appeared in various forms: faceted, sewn-on, polished into cabochons, made to look like pearls, shaped like English suit buttons, used in a total look with a dress plus green sock-boots, and inlaid in torn embroideries. Missions accomplished.

Mellerio x Alexandre Vauthier

Mary Katrantzou’s jewel-box dresses

As every season, Swarovski has collaborated with couturiers to demonstrate the extraordinary creativeness of its material: crystal. It supplied over 385,000 to...

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04 February 2019

Adorned faces – Haute Couture SS19

Two SS19 Haute Couture collections recently put the spotlight on facial jewelry. With Valentino, models resembling fairies wore huge feather eyelashes in pink, blue and white to go with big, swishing flowery dresses by Pierpaolo Piccioli. With Iris van Herpen, the girls were decked out as cybrids– half-human, half-animal embryos – and sported masks formed by a network of rippling gold wires. The designer obtained these using AI, or generative design, to be precise, where a scan of the face is processed by a “grasshopper algorithm”. Hybridisation is fascinating – and disquieting.

Facial jewelry

Two SS19 Haute Couture collections recently put the spotlight on facial jewelry. With Valentino, models resembling fairies wore huge feather eyelashes in pink, blue...

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Chaumet - Brooch in carved pink opal - "Trésors d'Afrique" high jewelry collection - 2018
JAR - Clip in gold, agate, aluminium, silver, diamonds
Cartier vintage at Christie's Paris lot n°178 - Cuff-bracelet in gold and emeralds - Ca 1980
Van Cleef & Arpels - Clips en lapis lazuli, malachite and diamonds - "L'Arche de Noe" high jewelry collection - 2016
Yvonne Léon - Earring in gold and diamond
Tiffany & Co - Clip in gold, turquoises, enamel... - Blue Book collection - 2016
Boucheron - Ring "Hathi" in amethyst, colored gemstones and diamonds - 2010
Hermès vintage at Christie's Paris lot n°224 - Brooch in gold and diamonds
Van Cleef & Arpels - Clip in diamonds and a 48,13 carats topaz - "Les Voyages Extraordinaires" high jewelry collection - 2010
René Boivin - Pendant in gold and diamonds - Ca 1980

Pascale Monvoisin x Sauvade -Ring in gold to engrave
Pascale Monvoisin x Sauvade -Ring in gold to engrave - €290, 50 are donated to Sauvade

CFOC - Bowl in amethyst
CFOC - Bowl in tiger agate
CFOC - Bowl in onyx
CFOC - Bowl in agate

A scarab ring carved from the shrapnel that killed the Napoleon's horse during the battle of Dresden
Mellerio - Necklace in gold and faience - Second Empire ca 1870
Louis Comfort Tiffany - Necklace in gold, lapis lazuli, amber, turquoise - Ca 1913
Cartier - Brooch in turquoises, faience, diamonds, smoked quartz, enamel - 1924
Van Cleef & Arpels - Bracelets in platinum, diamonds, rubies,... - Ca 1920
Janesich - Bracelet in gold, rock crystal, diamonds, enamel - Ca 1930 - Estimated CHF22,000-25,000 sold CHF35,000 © Christie's (2017)
Charlotte de Syllas - Necklace in white Burmese and black Wyoming jades - 1984
Daniela Villegas - Necklace in gold, gemstones and real scarabs
Hemmerle - "Revived treasures" collection
Bare Jewelry - Ring in gold and diamonds inspired by the Egyptian pyramids

Dehres - 3,5 carats vivid pink diamond
GRS (GemResearch Swisslab) - Inclusions in a Kashmir sapphire
Paul Wild - A 5.89 carats Paraiba tourmaline and a 99.99 carats set of spinels
Filippo G&G - A 10.65 carats Paraiba tourmaline
Joseph Gad - Set of emeralds (total weight 99.99 carats)
Windsor Jewelers - The "Shirley Temple Blue Bird" diamond of 9.30 carats
Colorline
Great Diam
Emco Gem - Set of emeralds
Henn - Green, orange and purple garnets

Queen Victoria's sapphire and diamonds coronet made by Joseph Kitching - 1840-42 / Queen Victoria, François Forster after Franz Xaver Winterhalter - Engraving on paper - 1846 © Victoria and Albert Museum
Freddie Mercury
Vanity cases by Cartier, 1923, 1924, 1903 - A loan and promised gift from Kashmira Bulsara in memory of her brother, Freddie Mercury © Victoria and Albert Museum

Cartier - "The alignment of the planets" in gold and Tahitian pearls
Cartier - "The movement of the stars" bracelet in gold, diamonds, rock crystal and metaquartzite
Cartier - "Fractal-meteor" clutch in gold, diamonds, milky quartz, moonstones
Cartier - "The lights of the Earth" in gold, yellow and blue sapphires, fire opals and diamonds
Cartier - "Fractal meteor" pendant and bracelet in gold, diamonds, milky quartz, moonstones
Cartier - Clock in gold, diamonds, labradorite, rutile quartz, rock crystal, nephrite jade