Jeweller Alix Ferracci honed a subversive design aesthetic while working alongside John Galliano at Maison Margiela, where she landed after graduating from Central Saint Martins. Upon later joining Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton as Head of the Men’s Jewelry Department, Ferracci reconsidered jewellery’s contextual orbit, continuing to place it as part of a wider cultural conversation in her current work at Louis Vuitton alongside Pharrell Williams.

‘Working with larger luxury houses early on gave me a rare opportunity to observe how a fashion house functions from the inside,’ says Alix Ferracci. ‘Designing is a process of constant trial and error, of starting over again and again. Having the chance to witness and experience this in fashion houses made me aware of how much time was being spent on details no one would ever consciously notice, yet details that would be immediately felt if they were wrong. It also showed me how to design real pieces that are meant to be worn, lived with, and sold.’

Working with major brands encouraged Ferracci to consider feasibility alongside creativity, navigating challenges of timing, materials and costs in ways which supported, rather than limited, creative possibilities.

Her experiences were key when launching her own brand in 2025. At the core of Alf is an eschewing of trends and fast-fashion fixes – Ferracci considers what a timeless piece of jewellery is, referencing early adornments worn by our ancestors in jewellery rooted in birth and renewal.

‘When I started, I think that I was unconsciously looking for discomfort,’ Ferracci adds. ‘Having to make decisions without external validation is most of the time hard, but also challenging - it keeps me sharp. I’m interested in objects that feel playful at first glance, but slightly unsettling the longer you look at them. I would describe my style as quite eclectic. It’s often colourful, but there’s always something slightly darker underneath. I love pieces that remain a bit ambiguous and hard to place. In fact, I enjoy the idea that my work might seem to belong to one world one day, and then surprise you the next.’

Childhood themes run throughout. There are teeth, in gold vermeil and sterling silver, strung on chains interspersed with enamel beads. In earrings, preciously rethought molars are studded with green tsavorites or amethysts; in bracelets, they dangle from nylon cords which loop around the wrist. Elsewhere, the figure of the baby itself hangs from an oversized chain. Babies’ heads, their eyes specks of golden or orange citrine, aquamarine or red garnet, are piled up on necklaces of gold or silver.

‘I’m also very drawn to the aesthetic of toys, things that look artificial, almost fake, like plastic objects,’ Ferracci says. ‘I like the irony of that language, and what it says about our relationship to objects and consumption today. And to me, this is what jewellery should be: a mirror of our identity, a symbol of what shapes our culture. That interest connects to a certain 90s/2000s visual culture, which I find both playful and slightly unsettling.’

When thinking about a new piece, she begins with familiar and conventional symbols, before given them an ironic, or darker, spin. ‘For example, skull necklaces are usually associated with biker culture, so I like replacing them with baby heads,’ says Ferracci. ‘In the same way, surfer tooth necklaces, often made from shark teeth worn on the beach, become a starting point for me. I reinterpret them in metal, in a less expected way, playing with refinement and craftsmanship. I enjoy working with symbols that feel standard or widely recognised, and twisting them just enough to make them feel unfamiliar again.

‘There’s a spiritual layer to the symbols I use – something tied to innocence, childhood, and the unspoken. I want my jewellery to hold meanings that resist being fully explained, but that people can relate to and understand instantly.’

alfjewelry.com

A horological honour

Bill Prince, editor-in-chief

On Thursday evening I presented the award for Best Men’s Watch (which went to Urban Jürgensen) at the 25th edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, otherwise known as the ‘Oscars of the watch industry’, held annually in the Swiss city. The event celebrates watchmaking excellence, whatever and wherever its source, and thus attracts a huge number of entries from across the globe. These are whittled down by the GPHG Academy and then adjudicated by a jury made up of industry insiders, collectors and journalists, of which I was one, and whose final decisions are recorded by secret ballot and revealed on the night. Among the evening’s big winners: Breguet, which picked up the ‘Aiguille d’Or’ (Grand Prize) for its Classique Souscription 2025 timepiece, recreated in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the company’s founding by the 'father of modern watchmaking’, Abraham-Louis Breguet, and Zenith, whose legendary Calibre 135 won the Chronometry prize for supreme accuracy in timekeeping.

A colourful collaboration

Anna Solomon, digital staff writer

Last week, I popped into Rixo’s sumptuously vintage-inspired Chelsea flagship to celebrate the brand’s new collaboration with Ruggable – makers of the machine-washable rugs I’m a little bit obsessed with (I have one in my living room, and honestly, I don’t think I could ever go back to stain remover and scrubbing). The collection, which has now launched and is available to shop, fuses Rixo’s playful, hand-painted prints with Ruggable’s life-proof tech. The result is a whimsical mash-up of vibrant florals, intricate geometrics and painterly motifs. These personality-packed pieces are every maximalist's dream, served with a side of nostalgia but sleek enough for the modern interior.

A riveting read

Ailis Bickford, digital project manager

This week, I welcomed the cold weather and the barrage of Christmas reminders by locking myself in my flat like Ebenezer Scrooge and finishing my book, Flesh by David Szalay – the winner of the Booker Prize for 2025. The story follows a man throughout his life – from growing up in Hungary and joining the army to marrying a wealthy older woman in London. At each stage of the narrative, he is desired for his body. As the story unfolds, the disconnect between his body and mind becomes increasingly, heart-wrenchingly apparent. A short but emotional read, this is definitely one to pick up this winter.

A drizzly drive

Jonathan Bell, transport and technology editor

A swift trip to the drizzly Midlands to visit RBW EV, a company that builds all-new bespoke electric sports cars infused with the spirit of the classic MGB. It wasn't quite top down weather but the driving experience managed to rekindle an authentic connection to the road, thanks to RBW's proprietary engineering know-how. These delightful machines are wrapped up in a finely crafted package and shipped around the world to enthusiasts who want a bit more emotional engagement from their EVs.

Relics in Rome

Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches & jewellery editor

I visited Rome this week to celebrate the opening of Cartier & Myths at the beautiful Capitoline Museums, which places Cartier showstoppers in context with ancient sculptures and artefacts, a celebration of how classical codes have always been an inspiration. A stop to see the exquisite new high jewellery collection at Palazzo Talia’s and a fun dinner at Pierluigi Restaurant made for a whirlwind 24 hours.

Innovation at an institution

Ellie Stathaki, architecture & environment director

A visit to the new Backstage at The Old Vic this week reminded me to book some nights out at the theatre. Beyond creating functional and joyful – much-needed – spaces for the South London organisation's own operations (from a marvellous green room to dressing rooms and a Writer's Room I’d love to book for myself one day), the building also has a new bar and café, open to all – conveniently just around the corner from the main stage. Warm crimson, terracotta, yellow and orange hues (I have always been partial to that colour palette) bring the interiors alive, beautifully complemented by a sturdy, exposed timber frame. An unexpected highlight is the façade’s sunshading screen, which is, in fact, ingeniously made of refurbished and painted old barn doors. You will find me at the bar, having a pre- or post-performance drink soon.

A Scotch sojourn

Anne Soward, production editor

I had a Brigadoon moment this week, lost in the magical mist and fog of the Scottish island of Islay with two Americans (designer Ini Archibong and his manager brother Archie). Known as the whisky island, the tiny Hebridean enclave (home to 3,000 people and a lot of sheep) hosts ten distilleries, but I was here to visit Port Ellen as it prepares to launch a new artwork by Archibong to welcome visitors (more on this to come in a few weeks). Founded in 1825 but closed for more than four decades, this ‘ghost’ distillery recently reopened after the discovery that some of its single-malt casks, left quietly maturing during the closure, had turned into some seriously palate-blowing Scotch. As a cult following clamoured for the liquid gold, the decision was made to rebuild the distillery in contemporary form, adhering to a Scandinavian aesthetic that both suits its setting and presents a fittingly cosy environment for savouring the whisky’s intense flavours. I’ve never been much of a whisky drinker but I was spirited away by the passions of the Port Ellen hosts, who attuned my palate to the amber nectar’s peaty smokiness, heavily imbued with notes of fruit and spices, conjuring up visions of autumn walks, crackling campfires, and Christmas.

A dazzling duo

Ellie Stathaki, architecture and environment director

I recently came across jewellery entrepreneur The Diamond Lab, and this week, I had the opportunity to meet its founders, sisters Ruby and Jamie Patel, at their Selfridges pop-up with Maddox Gallery. Beyond their mission to bring ethical, lab-grown diamonds to the forefront of the luxury industry, the pair also plans to establish their own laboratory in Kenya, where the sisters hail from. Working within the country’s Special Economic Zones – which aim to boost local manufacturing and exports and to create jobs – they are hard at work, picking their architect and crafting their business's spatial representation. More to come.

A London institution

Charlotte Gunn, director of digital content

On Monday, it was off to The Connaught to celebrate editor-in-chief Bill Prince's new book about the hotel, with martinis served by the master Agostino Perrone. In attendance: the cute little white pooch from the cover.

A photographic pilgrimage

Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches and jewellery editor

I was lucky enough this week to have a walk around the exquisite new Diane Arbus exhibition at London’s David Zwirner gallery with curator Jeffrey Fraenkel. The intimate exhibition of 45 rare photographs focuses on the works Arbus created in private spaces between 1961 and 1971. Raw, honest, and respectful – they speak to Arbus’ massive talent.

A visual voyage

Jamilah Rose-Roberts, social media editor

I previously went down to Sadie Coles HQ for the opening of Arthur Jafa’s GLAS NEGUS SUPREME. Having missed his presentation in Croydon earlier this year, I was determined not to miss this one. There was an undeniable pull to this exhibition: the scale, the sound, the weight of it all. The highlight of the evening was meeting Jafa himself. Our brief, easy chat left me with a sense of privilege and a deeper connection to his work. His exacting yet generous nature made me want to return – to sit longer with the work, to let the sound and imagery seep deeper.

For his first exhibition at Sadie Coles, Jafa fills the Kingly Street space with a charged edit of new and recent works: two moving-image pieces, several paintings, silkscreens, and cutouts, all orbiting the same gravitational force – the depth and complexity of Black life. His films unfold with a cosmic and intimate allure, a surge of imagery and music that catches you off guard and carries you into a world of profound intrigue and captivation.

There’s a rhythm to Jafa’s world, a ‘Black visual intonation’, as he calls it, that folds sound and image into one another until they feel inseparable. Clips, faces, fragments, and beats move as if guided by pulse rather than sequence; everything vibrates. Musical figures appear as apparitions, passing through history’s veil with ghostly defiance. And yet, even in that spectral space, the work feels vividly alive.

The new paintings and silkscreens extend this dialogue: Kurt Cobain’s body hovers in a void; Foxy Brown glows, commanding her crowd. Fame, pain, transcendence – all held in tension, all rendered through Jafa’s unmistakable visual cadence. To witness his work is to feel language reshaped; it’s to understand how sound, image and memory can coalesce into something beyond narrative: a collective vibration.

GLAS NEGUS SUPREME continues that conversation with force and tenderness, expanding Jafa’s lexicon of Black being and becoming. On view at Sadie Coles HQ until 22 November 2025.

A Middle Eastern medley

Tianna Williams, staff writer

On Wednesday evening, I headed over to Lamb’s Conduit Street to enjoy a Middle Eastern feast at Honey & Co. The evening, which coincided nicely with Bonfire Night, was a display of festive dining that made me consider swapping the Christmas turkey for spiced lamb and stuffing shawarma. Honey & Co founders Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich (who also run sister outposts Honey & Smoke and Honey & Co Daily) served a vibrant mezze, complete with dips and salads. Mains followed, ranging from smoked duck with pickled cherries to slow-roasted lamb shoulder with plums and roses. The evening was rounded off with desserts, from feta and honey cheesecake (divine) to spiced apple mince pies, paired perfectly with Persian tea. The great news is that this delectable menu is available throughout the festive period if you fancy a fragrant feast for yourself.

A theatrical tempest

Gabriel Annouka, senior designer

If an apocalypse had a dress code, it would take the form of BULLYACHE: WHO HURT YOU? at Southbank Centre this week. Part of the Kunsty festival, and staged in the ample setting of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the performance – directed by Bullyache, the artist duo Courtney Deyn and Jacob Samuel – unravelled as a drag requiem: an end-of-days cabaret that played with glitter as much as it did with grief. East London drag star Barbs, sequins blazing, ruled the stage as a diva in disarray, balancing Deyn’s singing and the dancers with a lawless, intoxicating narrative. Music and lights begged for mercy, and surrender never looked so good. I may have cried, probably laughed, and most definitely both. Absolute mayhem, pure perfection.

A scent-sational history

Anna Fixsen, US editor

‘There are three things no respectable woman should do: smoke, dance the tango and wear Shalimar,’ a famed 1920s-era adage went. Unfortunately for those upright citizens, the appeal of Shalimar – a hypnotic amber fragrance dreamed up by French perfumer Jacques Guerlain in 1925 – has remained a favourite of bad girls everywhere (Frida Kahlo, Brigitte Bardot, Rita Hayworth… need we go on?) for exactly a century. To celebrate the milestone, Guerlain has concocted a 21st-century version of the flapper-era fragrance, Shalimar L’Essence, which emphasises the perfume’s mouth-watering, vanilla notes for a scent that’s suited to today’s rebel. I popped by an exhibition at the Waldorf-Astoria (now home to the world’s largest Guerlain spa) to experience both new and old formulations and geek out over the fascinating history of this storied art deco aroma. Time travel hasn’t been invented yet, but Shalimar might be the next-best thing.

American interior designer, entrepreneur and author Kelly Wearstler has launched a bold new venture: Side Hustle, a curatorial platform that reimagines the possibilities of creative collaboration. While the term ‘cross-disciplinary’ has become a trope in the design world, Side Hustle takes the concept to a new level – bridging sculpture, painting, craft, jewellery, music, performance, film, video, culinary culture, automotive design, and even sport.

Side Hustle proposes a framework where disciplines collide and evolve, emphasising experimentation and exchange. But what does this actually look like?

The platform will operate in both digital and physical spaces. Online, it will serve as a living archive, chronicling exhibitions, offering behind-the-scenes insight, and delving into conceptual threads. Physically, Side Hustle will debut at Wearstler’s Beverly Hills residence before expanding to other cities and venues worldwide.

‘My studio practice has long integrated work from across such a wide range of creative disciplines, it is this exploration that led to the birth of Side Hustle – a space for ideas to unfold beyond the logic of client or commission,’ says Wearstler, adding that she hopes to ‘contribute to the ongoing evolution of design as a cultural practice’.

The debut exhibition, Again, Differently, opens October 16 2025 in the Pool House at Wearstler’s Beverly Hills home – a space once used by the Broccoli family for private James Bond screenings, now reimagined as a gallery. The show features an international roster of artists, including Dozie Kanu (Portugal), Joana Schneider (Netherlands), Mariko Makino (United States), Nynke Koster (Netherlands), Sam Klemick (United States) and Sonia Gomes (Brazil). Working with salvaged textiles, architectural remnants and laced garments, the artists transform the familiar into sculptural works and performances.

Meanwhile, the digital platform will extend access to global audiences, offering insights into the artists’ processes and other enhancements to Again, Differently. These include an original essay by gallerist and cultural impresario Jeffrey Deitch, and a soundtrack from Grammy-nominated producer and DJ Kenny Beats. Rather than functioning as a secondary experience, the online component is complementary, showcasing how digital tools can deepen engagement with physical design.

Side Hustle defies any fixed aesthetic or agenda. It’s designed as a flexible, evolving platform – an open invitation for artists and designers to share ideas, push limits and blur boundaries. As such, it stands out as one of the more exciting launches on our radar, setting a blueprint for interdisciplinary collaboration and proving that it’s more than the sum of its parts.

‘Again, Differently’ debuts online on October 16 2025, with public viewings by appointment through the site beginning October 17

sidehustlegallery.com

A lively lunch

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director

Margaret Ravenscroft and I met for lunch this week at the recently refreshed Audley in Mayfair – the 18th-century establishment that was relaunched a couple of years ago, now showcasing a curated selection of art interventions. We enjoyed heart-warming pub food beneath the colourful ceiling – an installation by British artist Phyllida Barlow – and caught up on life and work. Margaret is head of engagement and cultural programmes at HGG London, the City-based, design-led developer helmed by Dicle Guntas. I learned more about their exciting new initiative, Forefront, which they developed in collaboration with Professor Sadie Morgan. Focused on injecting culture and creativity into the capital's underused spaces, it’s an initiative we’ll no doubt be hearing more about soon.

Jewellery in Japan

Hannah Silver, Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor

This week, I’ve been in Tokyo to celebrate the opening of Van Cleef & Arpels’ ‘Timeless Art Deco’ exhibition at the extraordinary Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum. Marking the centenary of the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, the show features a remarkable collection of 250 pieces of jewellery and objects – many of which have never been seen before.

An autumn-inspired menu

Ailis Bickford, Digital Project Manager

This week, I indulged in a seasonal lunch to celebrate the continuation of the collaboration between New York restaurant and aperitivo bar, Dante, and Claridge’s. The success of their summer residency has led to an autumn iteration that is no less delicious. Linden Pride, Dante’s co-founder, brings New York flavour to London’s Mayfair streets, combining apple, pumpkin and sage with braised lamb and NY strip. My personal highlight, however, was the dessert selection, which includes a dangerously rich chocolate cake. We finished with an espresso martini, set against the backdrop of Claridge’s Art Deco dining room, with black-and-white photography inspired by Dante’s West Village interior. Autumn has well and truly arrived in London. You can book a table to experience ‘Dante Takes Claridge’s’ until 31 December 2025.

A Soho staple

Anna Solomon, Digital Staff Writer

A breakfast meeting is rather wasted on me. In a world of pancakes and açaí bowls, all I can manage at 9am is a humble scrambled egg. That said, I can confirm that Dean Street Townhouse – the setting for this week’s meeting – does an excellent rendition of the classic. For those more adventurous than I, there’s Lorne sausage with tattie scones, grilled Manx kippers, and kedgeree on offer, alongside an all-day menu. All of it is served in elegantly eclectic surroundings that nod to the building’s Georgian heritage, blended with the sophisticated members’-club ambiance you'd expect from a Soho House outpost.

A dreamlike display

Jamilah Rose-Roberts, Social Media Editor

North London always feels like an expedition, but sometimes the pull is strong enough to make the trip – and for me, Kudzanai-Violet Hwami was worth it. At Victoria Miro’s canalside gallery, her exhibition 'Incantations' pairs large-scale paintings with photographic wall vinyls, turning the rooms into something that feels almost cinematic. Gorgeous online but so much better in person, I was amazed by her brushstrokes – the way she shifts between oil and acrylic paint, printmaking, pastel, pencil, and charcoal, pulling together intimate and political themes in a single frame. Drawn from family photographs, religious iconography, and mythological narratives, the works unravel stories across generations, moving between the unconscious and the communal, tenderness and defiance. Saturated in electric blues, acid greens, and deep reds, they oscillate between fragility and power, grounding spiritual and historical legacies in lived memory. On until 1 November 2025.

A jolly good laugh

Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

On Monday, I attended Notting Hill pub, The Fat Badger's inaugural comedy night. The surprise billing boasted Michael Odewale and Jack Whitehall, the latter of whom joked at length about never feeling more at home at a gig full of 'Telegraph readers'. It was true; the clientele gave the whole experience a bizarre edge. The compere 's usual 'And what do you do?' shtick fell flat when it emerged that almost no one in attendance actually worked. A man in a gilet did some decidedly unfunny heckling as Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing watched on with delight.

But to The Fat Badger's credit, you'd be hard pressed to find a comedy venue with a better menu. They're currently taking requests for which funnyman to book next (the night runs every other Monday). I, for one, would pay good money to see Stewart Lee work that room.

This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story, Wallpaper’s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design.

Gunia Project, the Ukrainian design and lifestyle brand, has opened a new flagship in Kyiv. The traditional-meets-contemporary space occupies a historic building that once served as the Embassy of the Republic of Panama.

It took nearly six months to find a location that would effectively embody Gunia’s aesthetic vision. Though the building settled upon had remained unused for some time due to perceived building constraints, Anastasiia Tempynska of Kyiv-based architecture and interior studio Temp Project, who worked on the design, saw its potential.

Designed with the customer experience in mind, the space prioritises clarity and flow. A recessed reception desk facilitates intuitive movement, while a children’s area adds a family-friendly touch. Mirrors in the fitting rooms create a spacious, airy feel, and each section features comfortable waiting areas.

The original dark timber ceilings and wall panels have been preserved, now brightened with soft pastels and cool materials like stainless steel, milky glass and crisp white acrylic, as well as contemporary lighting. Carpeting was introduced not only for its warm, domestic feel, but also for practicality – to help protect the fragile ceramics on display.

The furniture selection draws from classic Ukrainian interiors, and consists of contributions from largely local makers, including Noom, Woo and Cegla Studios; being an artisan studio itself, Gunia was committed to championing Ukrainian craftsmanship. A wooden table, mirror and chair pay homage to traditional carving techniques, as well as the nearby Golden Gate, the ancient entrance to Kyiv. Such cultural references repeat throughout; a colour pairing of chocolate brown and pale blue, for example, is inspired by the refectory at the city’s Saint Sophia Cathedral.

The space is, essentially, a continuation of the story told by Gunia’s products: a conversation between past and present. The brand’s offering – which ranges from whimsical ceramics and jewellery to clothing and accessories – evokes a sense of innocence and nostalgia, like a stroll through a pastoral landscape or old-world village. The store’s design mirrors this with its palette of forest greens, sky blues, floral pinks and water-like reflective materials.

Every detail – from layout to lighting – echoes the brand’s philosophy: that craft, context and culture are inherently linked. The resulting experience reflects both the spirit of Gunia and the soul of Ukraine.

We’ve long kept an eye on Greek jewellery brand Lito for the evocative way it fuses historical symbols and traditional techniques with a modernist approach to shape, colour, style and precious stones. Founded by Lito Karakostanoglou, the brand is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and, to mark the occasion, it has chosen to add nine one-of-a-kind designs to its striking ‘Tu Es Partout’ collection.

Instantly recognisable for its reimagining of the all-seeing-eye motif, used for centuries by a wealth of cultures to ward off negative energy and protect from evil, the original collection features bracelets, necklaces and earrings, with each piece individually hand-painted, in a variety of colours, then enamelled, encased in gold and adorned with precious stones.

Launching on 16 June 2025, the nine new amulets elevate Lito’s signature eye motif into bold new realms of artistry, creativity and collectability. ‘“Tu Es Partout” has always been the soul of the brand, its gaze, its story, its magic. It only felt right to dress it in its finest, most radiant form for this milestone moment,’ says Karakostanoglou, who always sets out to create jewellery that her clients can connect to.

‘I wanted every piece to tell a different story. Each carries a different message on the back, which is one of my favourite things to do when designing – creating secret messages between me and the wearer. There is more than what the eye can see! Once you read the message, the jewellery resonates in so many more ways. It becomes more than a piece of jewellery. It’s that message that you carry with you always.’

Crafted in Athens in gold and hand-painted enamel, alongside a rainbow palette of semi-precious stones, from tanzanite to spinel, the new pieces include a spectacular pink and yellow gold brooch, featuring mother of pearl, diamonds and rubies, and a yellow gold necklace with sapphires and brilliant-cut diamonds.

The 25th Anniversary Eyes collection starts at £7,000 and will be available online from Lito Jewellery and at Lito’s flagship Athens boutique

One of the most prominent jewellery trends to emerge from the resurgence of maximalism is layering necklaces. Although the style is about making a statement, it also feels casual – the throwing of styles on top of one another to create something coherent. But if you’re looking for lower-effort still, many jewellery designers have created ready-made stacked styles.

How to layer necklaces

The layered necklace look might look like an afterthought, but there is method to the madness. The trick is variation – combining different styles, lengths and even metals.

Balance is key: think about a graduation of length, from chokers to plunging pendant necklaces, and mix sleek, minimalist pieces with chunkier, more detailed statements. Numerous textures will also help to create variety: snake chains, rolo chains, rope chains, and so forth. Don’t be afraid to mix stones and metals or add beads, pearls and pendants, from charms to T-bars. Start with just two or three necklaces, and then layer on as many as you feel works.

To prevent tangling, you can try clipping the clasp from one necklace to the extension of another, allowing you to change their lengths.

A necklace detangler may also come in useful: you can attach multiple necklaces to this accessory, which essentially turns them into one multi-chain necklace, keeping them separated on your neck so that they don't twist around each other.

Wallpaper’s favourite layering necklaces

Two Antwerp-based creatives – Katrin Wouters of jewellery house Wouters & Hendrix and legacy model and meditation coach Hannelore Knuts – have joined forces on an unexpected piece of design: a scented ring called L’Issence.

Although this is a decidedly innovative project – the L’Issence ring cleverly conceals a wick infused with soothing essential oils – the history of aromatic jewellery spans centuries, from tiny perfume flacons fashioned into pendants to rings with secret compartments containing solid perfume. But with L’Issence, the concept is updated for 2025, created to punctuate an ‘always on’ lifestyle with small moments of calm.

Wouters & Hendrix makes Hannelore Knuts’ L’Issence ring

The ring’s name subtly plays with the word ‘essence’, replacing the ‘E’ with an ‘I’ in a nod to the act of ‘self-care’. ‘When I inhale the blend of essential oils contained in the ring, it helps me to anchor myself,’ Knuts, a 2023 Wallpaper* cover star, explains.

Knuts studied photography at Antwerp’s Royal Academy during the late 1990s, getting her start in modelling by walking the graduate runways for Bernhard Willhelm and Veronique Branquinho. Soon after, she became one of the most sought-after faces of the 2000s, shooting with the likes of Steven Meisel, Juergen Teller and Inez & Vinoodh, alongside forging relationships with designers including Miuccia Prada, Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld and Martin Margiela during his tenure at Hermès.

Seeking to ground herself after years navigating the whirlwind of the fashion industry, Knuts eventually retrained as a mindfulness and meditation coach to find equilibrium in her daily life – and also help others to do the same. ‘A small gesture has a profound impact on your being and your stress levels,’ she says. ‘If you are less stressed out, you can be much nicer to yourself and others. To anchor myself during modelling, essential oil was so helpful. It became a part of my life. Then, several years ago, I started to dream about scented jewellery,’ recalls Knuts.

What started as a dream became reality when, by chance – or perhaps fate – Knuts received a proposition from Wouters & Hendrix to become an ambassador for the jewellery brand, founded in 1984 by fellow Royal Academy graduates Katrin Wouters and Karen Hendrix. ‘What I like about Wouters & Hendrix is that it is rooted in craft, but combined with a sense of playfulness – there’s almost a sense of humour to its designs, but it remains elegant,’ adds Knuts, speaking of how their shared vision helped to bring L’Issence to life.

Crafted in two variations: sunstone set on a gold-plated chunky band, or labradorite mounted on a solid sterling silver base; the selection of these gemstones was guided more by instinct than by any belief in their mystical properties. The scent mechanism in each piece is ingeniously concealed behind small pieces of Iolite, flanking a bold, faceted cabochon. On one side, the round-cut Iolite turns, revealing a compartment for a scented wick. On the other side, another Iolite disc slides open with the lightest of touches. Then, wearers need only to bring the ring close to their nose and inhale Knuts’ custom blend of rhododendron, neroli, and ylang-ylang, developed in collaboration with Bioflore.

The making of the L’Issence ring was, at times, a challenging technical process for Katrin Wouters and the Wouters & Hendrix team, particularly when incorporating its scented component. ‘I thought about the right coating for the inside of the ring – the small tunnel bridging two Iolite covers – so that the oil does not cause any oxidation and the scent stays fresh,’ she tells Wallpaper*. ‘It was a slow process of almost two years. Slow but strong,’ she says.

When both iterations of the ring were finalised and in hand, Knuts turned to one of her long-time collaborators, Dutch artist and photographer Viviane Sassen, to capture the L’Issence campaign. Here, Sassen chose to work with her signature style of collage, juxtaposing an assemblage of images from the natural world, such as flowers and rocks, with shots of Knuts wearing the L’Issence jewellery.

As the limited-edition L’Issence ring nears its debut later this month (May 2025), Knuts reflects on its purpose. ‘Though a beautiful piece of design, the rings are not just an object,’ she says. ‘By bringing L’Issence into the world, we’re also sending out a message: take care of yourself.’

The L’Issence ring by Hannelore Knuts x Wouters & Hendrix is available in a limited-edition on the Wouters & Hendrix website, wouters-hendrix.com

It’s been ten years since Aesop launched Tacit, a perfume created by French nose Céline Barel. Last week, I met with Barel in Paris at Aesop’s Rue de Sevres store to mark the imminent debut of Aurner, her second fragrance for the brand. In contrast to Tacit’s citrussy notes, Aurner is a floral composition; its name comes from an Old Norse verb meaning ‘to be adorned, to be embellished with flowers’.

However, in keeping with the contemporary codes of Aesop, there is nothing florid or frou frou to be found in a bottle of Aurner, with Barel using the magnolia leaf, rather than its petals, as its hero ingredient. Cardamom, pink pepper, cedar heart and the ‘metallic’ aroma of roman chamomile provide nuance and complexity. (It is described by Aesop as a ‘subversive’ and ‘defiant bloom’, attributes which Bangkok-based fine jewellery designer Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura has also interpreted into a limited run of bespoke rhodium-plated silver Aurner ear cuffs).

In the below conversation, Céline Barel shares the story of how Aurner was brought to life.

Aesop’s Aurner: a new floral perfume by Céline Barel

Wallpaper*: What first drew you to perfume-making?

Céline Barel: I am what you might call appellation d’origine contrôlée; because I’m a perfumer and I was born and raised in Grasse. (In my generation of perfumers, this is especially rare). As a child, I soaked in the atmosphere of Grasse, even though I didn’t grow up with a perfumer in the family. But, my nanny's husband used to work in one of the biggest factories in the town and whenever he would come back home at the end of the day, it was like he had almost bathed in perfume ingredients, such as ylang-ylang, patchouli and vetiver. I began collecting miniature bottles of perfume and I would enjoy describing how they smelled. Growing up in the 1980s, the bottles were like sculptures. It was also a time when you had the most marvellous and breathtaking perfume advertising campaigns. This is how I gained a huge knowledge of the perfume market, just through fragrance being a hobby and passion of mine.

W*: What was your first professional experience in the perfume industry?

CB: I wanted to take business studies at university, because I wanted to be on the brand side of perfumery, doing the marketing, building all those dreams. So, I did internships at different houses, including Dior and Chanel. But it was during an internship at Manne, which is another fragrance creation house, that I really discovered the backstage of perfumery. It was something that seemed so inaccessible, as in France you have to have studied chemistry, not business. But it was International Flavors and Fragrances, who gave me my chance, when it re-opening its internal perfumery school in Italy. They accepted just a few people onto the course and I was one of the lucky few and trained there for three years before moving to New York. I stayed there for 16 years before returning to Paris four years ago.

W*: How did you first come to work with Aesop?

CB: It was a very long process, but a natural and authentic one. It all started nearly 20 years ago when I met Dennis Paphitis, the founder of Aesop, here in Paris. I was fresh out of perfume school. We bonded over a mutual love of literature and philosophy. Also how we both loved travelling off the beaten track and preferred the ‘weirder’ things in life. So, we kept the conversation going. Sometimes he would be travelling and send me, without any context or a written letter, some elements of his trip: dried herbs, a particular bark of wood, spice, some Pantone colours. And I think this way, he was slowly shaping my creative process with Aesop. In 2012, seven years after we first met, he briefed me for Tacit. It then took a further three years to create due to his unique briefing process. We always start with a blank page. Then there will be a song, a colour, a film – and so on – that forms the inspiration for a perfume.

W*: And was the process the same for Aurner, too?

CB: It was rigorous. I always knew this was going to be a floral perfume. A ‘genderless’ floral perfume. There is a quote from Baudelaire that I love: ‘Strangeness is a necessary ingredient in beauty’. This is how I approached its creation. Aesop is a brand that is rooted in antiquities and the meaningful quest for beauty. But at the same time, it’s a contemporary brand inspired by art and design, movements such as Minimalism and Brutalism. I had to find a way to make a floral perfume that felt in keeping with this universe. The song Lilac Wine by Nina Simone was a starting point for Aurner. When you’re listening to the song, it’s a bit melancholy. And there is a huge depth in it through her voice. There’s almost a ‘gong’ sound; a metallic vibration. But it is soothing, calming… Not strident or sharp. This song helped me to understand the tension and contrast required in Aurner; opposing the luminosity and the fragility of a flower with something deeper.

W*: How did you arrive at the final ingredients and notes in Aurner?

CB: We didn’t want to go down the route of rose, tuberose, or jasmine, for example. It was important to choose an ‘anti-conformist’ floral. Once we defined that the hero ingredient would be the magnolia, we subverted this by using the leaf and not the flower. Then, we had to find that element of ‘strangeness’, which comes from the chamomile; a ‘metallic’ sensation, so cold that it burns. I also used patchouli crystals together with cedar wood heart and sandalwood to give Aurner texture and strength. This woody background, by necessity, had to be very strong to become the backbone of the fragrance. And provide longevity; a vibration that would be working over many hours. But at the same time, I wanted a woody accord that could feel like it was disappearing and almost subliminal. Then, the inclusions of geranium, petit grain and neroli, which are Aesop signatures, anchor Aurner with a touch of familiarity.

W*: What are you most excited about in the world of perfume at the moment?

CB: I’m excited about the development of new ingredients and molecules, which allow a perfumer to innovate. There are exciting new geographic zones to be explored in countries such as South Korea, for example. But the most exciting part, I would say, is in working with different brands. Working with Aesop, and with Dennis, has had a huge impact on me. He’s one of the people in my life that really shaped me – a true mentor.

When you’re collaborating with a brand it is important to remember that you are not creating a fragrance for yourself. It’s for the customer and their consumer. I tend to lean towards the maximalist, rather than the minimalist. But Aesop has opened my eyes to other horizons, thanks to the briefs I was given for Tacit and Aurner. In a way, when I create a perfume it is almost like I’ve been an actor, getting under the the skin of a character. And the character is the brief; the story that is being told. I spend a few years with that character in my mind, writing dialogues between ingredients. When the process is over, you feel a bit blue – like an actor does when they say goodbye to a character they’ve been portraying. But, you’re also so happy to see it come to life and hopefully become immortalised by the people wearing it.

Aesop Aurner eau de parfum, £145, is available now. The Aurner ear cuff by Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura is available at select Aesop stores in a limited edition run of 200 pieces.

aesop.com

Taking over the windows at Selfridges in London this month, Tiffany & Co pays homage to its nearly 200-year history and the famous window displays at its Fifth Avenue store in New York. Celebrating the luxury jeweller’s longstanding love of art, design and exquisite craftsmanship, this open-to-all gallery features works by four British contemporary artists alongside window displays inspired by the Tiffany Archives.

From the very first store opening in New York in 1837, the striking windows have been a signature draw and a proud tradition, with its enduring allure epitomised by iconic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, in which the lead character, played by Audrey Hepburn, is constantly drawn to the store’s creative displays. When Gene Moore joined the company in 1955, he revolutionised the look of window displays, with his pioneering designs juxtaposing Tiffany jewellery with unexpected, everyday materials like string, popcorn and toys. He also enlisted the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns to collaborate with him. Meanwhile, to celebrate the world premiere of The Great Gatsby film in 2013, director Baz Luhrmann and production designer Catherine Martin created windows glistening with Jazz Age glamour.

Honouring this longstanding connection to the arts, Tiffany & Co commissioned four artists – Damien Hirst, Rana Begum, Jason Bruges and James Righton – to reimagine Selfridges’ windows, with the designs displayed against the backdrop of heritage displays from the jewellery house’s archives. Hirst and Begum both took inspiration from Elsa Peretti’s sculptural bone cuff for Tiffany, with Hirst’s creation intertwining Tiffany’s signature blue with the butterfly, a recurring theme for the artist, and sculptures of medical packaging that reflect his Pharmacy series.

Meanwhile, Begum’s geometric reflective composition explores the interaction of her artwork with the body, movement and light. Bruges uses mathematics and algorithms to explore how generative beams of light interact with the internal volume of a diamond, creating a stunning kaleidoscopic effect. And Righton’s hypnotic, ever-changing piece is an aural expression of life’s ongoing cycles, its illuminated circles undulating to evoke a heartbeat. Within this immersive interplay of light and sound, Tiffany’s HardWear collection seamlessly takes centre stage.

After taking in the Tiffany & Co windows, which are on display until 20 October, visitors can explore the jeweller’s new store within Selfridges, inspired by its Fifth Avenue flagship in New York.

selfridges.com, tiffany.com

As we head into the season’s golden phase, a jewellery style-shift beckons. From light, shimmering leather to abalone shell and vibrant semi-precious stones, this summer, independent designers are combining natural, man-made and precious materials to highly wearable effect.

Sterling Silver

Silver gleams in sunlight and, as it blends well with most skintones, it's a great choice for summer. That it's not as precious as gold allows for bigger pieces and those signs of wear, destined to add the unique, time-worn patina that adds a personal stamp. Belgian brand Lore Van Keer offers a covetable line in super-fine 18kt gold and precious-stone pieces. It also presents a seriously stylish collection of sterling silver jewellery. Each piece is responsibly made and goldsmith-created at the brand ateliers in Belgium and that, perhaps, gives the Lore Van Keer aesthetic its classic appeal. Yet, volumes are toyed with, semi-precious stones and diamonds are thrown into the mix, and there’s a defining architectural feel to the designs. Coupled with contrasting curves, cloudy moonstones, olive-green tourmalines and cognac citrines, the whole is an intriguing complete collection.

Finematter.com

Faux-gem Fusion

Beads have always surfed the waves of popularity as a jewel choice. Their humble, often-organic, or plastic beach-jewel nature has tended to render them worthless in both monetary and style terms. Increasingly, however, leading houses, including Chanel and Dries Van Noten, are weaving them through collections. It’s a good moment to revisit the creations of Vicki Sarge who, as well as creating bespoke pieces for Rihanna, and catwalk jewels for designers such as Raf Simons and Erdem, was co-founder of famed costume jeweller, Erickson Beamon. This year, she established an eponymous boutique in South Kensington. While Sarge continues to create one-off commissions in her trademark fusion of faux gems, hand-painted stones, beads and gold- and silver-plate metals, the boutique is also designed as a springboard for a new generation of costume-jewellery designers. At present, the website doesn't quite live up to the boutique's wares, so it's worth popping in.

Vickisarge.com

Casual Diamonds

New York-based Jade Trau is a former diamond buyer. But then, the casual way in which she incorporates them into her signature chain designs displays an expert’s lightness of touch. Trau also has a natural talent for layering, so that her ensembles never look too trend-driven. Here’s how she does it: 'When wearing necklaces, I generally start with our long “Betty” chain, as its malleable hook allows it to be worn at differing lengths. Then I would add a heavier link chain, and top everything off with a diamond piece.' When it comes to earrings, Trau is a self-confessed 'Queen of the huggies. In fact, I sleep in them, as I find them so comfortable.' Bracelets, she advises, should be simple, 'As sun-creams can get in the way'. Her go-to mix is a light, ID chain, slim, gold bangle and a heavy tennis-style diamond-bracelet. 'This wrist combo is my version of a tattoo as I never take them off.' As a final point, Trau advises keeping rings low-key. 'I prefer to wear one on my pinkie and another on my thumb.’

Jadetrau.com

harrods.com

Precious Colour

A touch of candy colour in summer feels as good as a warm ray of light on the skin, and jewellery designer Kia Schwan offers a supremely elegant solution: diamond rings with lush geometric stacks of semi-precious hardstones, framed in gold and precious gems. Working in precision-cut stone rounds, the New York designer is, above all else, continually drawn to colour, 'I find a semi-translucent, lavender chalcedony just as alluring as a flawless diamond,' she admits. There’s architectural harmony in Schwan's trademark semi-precious stone stacks, too. The designer, who previously worked at Harry Winston and Tiffany & Co, is consistently enamoured by the beloved cityscape of her home city, citing it as a key design inspiration.

Kiaschwan.com

Carved Hardstones

Lito, the Greek jeweller who has worked for Jean Paul Gaultier and collaborated with L'Objet, has a gorgeously playful approach to jewellery. But then, not being professionally trained, she’s not shy of trying new things and embracing imperfection. Her "La Bouche" collection is made for summer, or indeed any celebration. It’s clear that the designer trained as a sculptor, as she was determined that her luscious lip pendants be carved in various hardstones, including pink quartz, ruby, aventurine and agate, so that 'they looked as real as possible'. Also, their opaque nature allows for sun-filled colour. 'It was important to me that the lips were full, both front and back, and that they sit perfectly on the skin, as a kiss should,' she adds. The stones were chosen to create different moods and feelings. 'You can have a light kiss, soft kiss, hard kiss, fun kiss – whichever kiss most suits your spirit,' she says.

litofinejewelry.com

Shell and Found Objects

A former ready-to-wear designer at Karl Lagerfeld, where she was a steady presence in his Paris studio throughout the 1990s, Clare Corrigan went on to work as costume-jewellery design director to Marc Jacobs. Her most recent stints have included creating catwalk jewels for Grace Wales Bonner (Spring 2023) and with Louise Trotter for Carven. The one-of-a-kind commissions she creates today brim with a vivacity that encapsulates her cultural passions, from David Bowie to Navajo American crafts, Andrew Grima and The Bauhaus' Anni Albers. In short, she admits to a 'love of humble materials and the way things achieve opulence through the way they are treated.' Corrigan particularly likes working with mother-of-pearl- like abalone shell, a prized material in Native American crafts, while her penchant for collected and found articles adds an Arte Povera character to her creations.

Instagram.com/clare_studio

Gleaming Leather

So-Le Studio's sculptural earrings, rings, cuffs and necklaces are so expertly, precisely created that, at first glance, you don't question they are crafted in gold and silver. It’s always a surprise, then, to find that they are super-light to wear and actually made of leather. A Central Saint Martin’s graduate, Maria Sole Ferragamo has been using material offcuts from factories run by her family's Italian shoe-design business since 2019. Today, she has collaborations with Sotheby’s and Elisabetta Cipriai Gallery under her belt, and tours the globe exhibiting her jewels at art fairs including Art Basel and Miart, Milan. As her designs become ever more ambitious, it's obvious that the more she explores leather as a jewel material, Maria Sole Ferragmo's design vision only gets stronger.

So-le-studio.com

Cockpit, the Bloomsbury craft studios nestled in a storied enclave in North London has been producing noted designer-makers since a cabinet maker took over the former cockfighting arena in 1745. Today, it is home to 150 craft businesses, of which jewellery designers make up a good number. K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery, known for educational courses that mix conventional and experimental traditions in jewellery design is also based at Cockpit. Their ‘Introduction To Grillz Making’ course has become such a hit that a July Summer school has just been added to the curriculum.

The course was a passion project for K2 employee and jeweller Karolina Brodnicka, who had made her own distinctive ‘Silver Drip Grillz’. She tracked down self-taught grillz maker and jewellery designer Melvin Faria and together they launched the first course in September 2023, which attracted students from as far afield as Berlin and Antwerp.

It was a set of ill-fitting custom-made grillz prompted K2 student Luke Wilson to sign up at Cockpit and make his own. That it was taught in person, in small groups allowing for one-on-one attention, stood out to him against a sea of more expensive and less interactive online courses. Plus, he had experience of handling tools (a requirement of the course) from making rings and a pendant.

On the course, supplies nod as much to the dental technician’s lab as they do to the jeweller’s bench. Think plastic trays filled with colourful putty for taking dental impressions. Faria teaches students how to carefully carve gum lines, which helps give the grillz grip. And, when tooth jewellery or ‘grillz’ fail to hug incisors and canines as intended, a niche product like Poligrip – once associated with false teeth and the elderly – is a must. The grillz are first modelled in wax or dental resin before casting and at this stage specialist tools are introduced that help achieve the same precise thickness of the tooth covering, front and back.

As the class progresses drills hum as prototypes are shaved to help create the perfect fit. Students leave armed with a fistful of printouts detailing the process with suggestions of casting companies to visit in the intervening weeks before the next session. When they return for the final class, teeth coverings have been cast, mostly in silver. These are polished, fitted, and perfected under Faria’s watchful eye.

Brixton bar manager Andre Baptiste made his in 9ct gold to match those he already wears. Like many who enrol on this course the outcome is to launch a business. “I have people lined up and now feel confident to do my own thing,” he says, with a smile.

Grillz Summer School for Beginners starts July 19 at Cockpit

k2jewelleryacademy

Emerging jewellery designers – denied the usual platform and supportive community that usually greets a debuting brand – have been discovering unexpected inspirations for sculptural jewels in gold, pearl and resin. The result is a host of new talents who are exploring sensual and playful concepts in jewellery, showing the benefits of all those extra hours put in at the workbench. Here, we present the new jewellery designers exploring both sustainable and comtemporary methods who we are looking forward to seeing more of this year.

Héloïse & Abélard

As the first Parisian jewellery house to use secondhand diamonds, Héloïse & Abélard is putting a thoughtful spin on jewellery design. 

Founder Héloïse Schapiro brings more than a decade of experience in the Place Vendôme to jewels which encompass a relaxed fluidity, describing her design aesthetic as having a ‘joyful disorder’: ‘asymmetry, a vintage style, easy to wear, modern but timeless and romantic’. She adds: ‘I play with diamond forms and dimensions to create rhythmed arrangements. My inspiration comes mainly from geometric abstraction and the work of essential figures of abstraction such as Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Theo van Doesburg. I also love Italian designers such as Ettore Sottsass. 

heloise-abelard-joaillerie.com

Angharad

British jeweller Meghan Griffiths of Angharad creates her pieces in reclaimed gold and silver from her east London studio. She unites traditional methods including lost wax casting and smithing with the ancient Welsh mythical Mabinogion texts which inspire her to create textured pieces which are both sensual and magical in their curved forms. 

angharadstudio.com

TiniCoterie

London-based brand TiniCoterie was founded last year by Inti Yeung, who focuses on organic lines and sensual curves for understated and beautiful jewellery. The Roll'a Pearl collection adds a playful edge to everyday adornments by setting pearls into bars for earrings, rings and necklaces which are just made to be played with.

tinicoterie.com

Megan Brown

Yorkshire-born Megan Brown draws on her family's history in the textile industry for her collection, Woven, which knits sterling silver and gold together for flowing, tactile pieces. In her hands, metal becomes as soft and pliant as fabric, whether coiled into elegant hoops or thickly spun around the finger.

meganbrownjewellery.com

Nigel O'Reilly

Nigel O'Reilly crafts his high jewellery from his base in Mayo, in the west of Ireland. Nigel's background as a precision engineer and diamond setter informs his architectural jewels which cast lattices in precious metals, creating arches which support the central stone while allowing for an easy interplay of light. 'By exposing yet supporting the gemstones as much as possible, negative space becomes important; a sculptural and playful aspect on the wearer's hand,' Nigel says. 'A precious gemstone is so rare, I as designer must advance its potential in an elevated composition. I often joke with clients that one ‘would never fit a Ferrari engine into a Ford car’.  As a designer and maker I consider, understand and then advance the potential of that gemstone, with a view to making wearable pieces of art.'

nigeloreilly.com

Sadé

Brooklyn-based emerging jewellery designer Sadé Hooks is inspired by mystical cultures, creating pieces that take familiar symbols – the evil eye, Medusa, the curving loops of the Earth – and twist them into sensual jewellery silhouettes. Materials are highly polished to create gleaming works; the ‘Medusa’ ring, crafted from brass, sterling silver and gold vermeil, brings a legend to life. In another piece, angled grooves draw an evil eye dotted with beaded metal eyelashes framing an onyx pupil. Hand-carved, the designs embrace imperfection.

sade.gold

Sister Morphine

Sarah Lamsika handmakes her jewellery in Paris for the playful Sister Morphine pieces, which celebrate irregular and oversized forms. Crafted from polished resin or Plexiglas mirror, the earrings draw organic shapes that are refreshingly light and easy to wear. In a rainbow of hues, from delicate pastels to fiery primary colours, this is jewellery that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

sistermorphine.fr

Mason Feyz

For Mason Feyz, jewellery is synonymous with movement, his series of rings appearing to ripple around the finger in undulating forms that celebrate volume. ‘Each ring tells its own story and no two rings are alike,’ explains the designer of his pieces, which are made individually with wax before being cast in silver and plated with rhodium for the gleaming, smooth effect. His designs reference the movement of fabric. ‘I am drawn to the free flow of wrinkles,’ Feyz says of his rings. ‘The entire surface is shaped unevenly to give it a light and soft undulating look. Rings can be among the most restricting forms of jewellery because of their flat surface. They lack humour, volume and motion. I wanted to make pieces that have undulated surfaces and volume. The fun design brings a sense of calmness.’ For Feyz, the process of making the sculptural jewels, of molten metal being poured into moulds, is part of the sensuality of the finished product. Currently based in Maryland, he is at work on new pieces – we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

masonfeyz.com

Jewellery is unique for its transformative and evocative powers, a feeling especially resonant for jewellers for whom their creations - from alternative engagement rings to showstoppers - have always been inextricable with meaning. Below, we speak to established and new jewellers around the world who value both sustainability and strong design, asking them to snap a picture at home and share with us their most treasured pieces.

Annette Welander

Our pieces  are designed to be balanced in terms of ergonomics, variety and quality. We’re continuously pushing the limits of our jewellery innovation. I often seek inspiration from architecture with the variation of its form to develop designs that offers unique perspectives from different angles. Our team stems from different professions, from Architects to designers and poets. We strive to find a  balance of time, form and function with a freedom of expression and design. Annette Welander Jewelry have set up the highest requirements when it comes to sustainability of our brand. All our designs are unique and have a series of control marks guaranteeing Swedish origin and the purity of the metal, as well as the ethical sourcing for all of the precious metals and gems we use. The Lemniscate ring boasts a feminine and sinuous form that I have come to wear every day.

Annette Welander is a Swedish design house founded in Stockholm, known for its minimalist and sculptural jewellery

Discover Annette's jewellery here

 Christie Wollenberg, Otiumberg co-founder

We designed our Name Bracelets after my first child was born. I wanted something to wear everyday in solid gold which was subtle enough to never take off but would make me feel close to them whenever I wasn’t with them. I now have three children and wear all three bracelets every day and the kids all know that I have them on me. They are incredibly special heirloom pieces designed to be passed down.

Otiumberg was founded in 2016 by sisters Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg

Pick up your own personalised piece here

Catherine Sarr, Almasika

One of my most cherished jewelry pieces is my Ibeji Ring, which means twins. My twin girls and the sacred nature of twins were the inspiration behind the design. This ring is also meaningful because it’s an extension of the first collection I designed, Le Cauri Endiamanté. I love to wear it as a part of an everyday, sculptural ring stack as an adornment and memento of my twins and family. I can’t wait to see my girls wearing their own Ibeji Rings when they grow up. 

Catherine Sarr is the founder of the Chicago-based fine jewellery brand

Almasika jewellery is available here

Liv Luttrell

I love my paravent earrings: they make me feel confident and bold. I don't think they are particularly showy but they do get noticed. I think that the domed shape makes them look quite chunky but they are in fact extremely light to wear. The Florentine hand engraving on the surface gives them a beautiful lustre and a texture that is quite unique. I have different pieces of jewellery that I wear for different occasions but these I can wear at any time.

London-based Liv Luttrell is celebrated for her minimalist designs.

See an edit here 

Anissa Kermiche

I love the geometry and lightness about this earring, the morganite that floats in the middle of the circular arch has this elegant yet simple look that I can wear day or night time and makes me feel festive whatever the mood is.

Annisa Kermiche brings a playfulness to interiors and accessories

Get a taster here 

Hannah Martin

I can't leave the house without my full stack of ear gold! My right ear has grown its collection over the years and I love that it tells the stories of my jewellery lines. I have to keep adding piercings to accommodate new pieces as I design them and fall in love with them. These earrings act as both armour and an expression of self. The combination of the quite hard punk look, made from rich, sensual yellow gold and pearls - for me this is everything about what I make and who I am. And that is what the essence of jewellery is! The way you, as an individual, choose the pieces for your collection and then the way you put them together is a very personal, intimate form of expressing a part of yourself. It’s one of the things I love most about being a jewellery designer - giving this process to people.

Punk meets chic in Hannah Martin's super-cool jewellery designs

Discover her piercing service here

Bea Bongiasca

The most prized jewels are the ones that have a intrinsic meaning to you. My mother paid the first instalment for the little baguette diamond ring with her first ever pay check when she was 19 years old. So she gave it to me as a good luck present when I started my company. The Lavender enamel and diamond ring took a lot of attempts and a lot of patience to perfect technically so I decided to keep it as a ‘never give up’ token! 

Bea Bongiasca's colourful jewellery coils around the body for sculptural accessories

See the pieces here

Valery Demure

‘I could have sent you a picture of my engagement ring, or my pendants by Francesca Villa, but I am sending you this one-of-a-kind rock crystal carved ring. It has an 18ct gold pendant with enameled flowers and tiny diamonds and is by Alice Cicolini. It was instant love when I saw it at the studio of Assat Kumar (Alice’s enamel artist) in Jaipur. I had never ever seen anything like this in jewellery, and I had never expected to fall in love so madly with India. I really felt moved and bedazzled by this ring; at the time it was just a carved rock crystal dome with a plaque of gold metal on which were drawn small flowers and I asked Alice if I could have it set as a ring. I grew obsessed with it for months, I could only think of this ring, there were no other jewels in my wishlist. This ring whilst confined takes me back to wondrous India.’

Valery Demure is celebrated for her spot-on jewellery eye

See her curation here 

Shaun Leane

‘I recently crafted this rose gold, black diamond and onyx seal ring for myself as a symbol of a very important turning point in my life. The ring holds personal inscriptions and symbolism for the future. The beauty of jewellery is that it can hold memories and remind us of our strengths – to wear jewellery and feel it is a constant comfort in these times.’

Shaun Leane's punk, precious designs have a special place in fashion history

Discover his looks here

Sophie Bille Brahe

‘I often work with pearls and diamonds that graduate from small to big. The first piece I created in this style was the Croissant De Lune single earring which consists of a row of graduating diamonds that climb up the curve of the earlobe. I have since developed this style within other designs including the diamond Tennis bracelet and Grand Ocean Ensemble ring and pearl Peggy necklace and Sienna earrings.'

Sophie brings a dose of Danish design cool and ethereal charm to fine jewellery

Peruse her designs here

Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura

‘These rings remind me of my time with family and loved ones and their stories, from teaching to preaching. Home is where your heart is.'

Patcharavipa imbues her bold jewellery design with an edge, thanks to irregularly-shaped stones and thickly drawn gold forms 

See her designs here

Ana Khouri

‘Jewellery is my medum and to make it, by nature, is to be mindful of its techniques and the value of such fine materials. But this is secondary. The feeling I want to impart is one of radiance, in every sense: that of light, of emotion, of energy and of course, that of beauty.'

Ana Khouri's subversive designs are at the intersection of art and jewellery.

See more here 

Over the last decade, a host of contemporary jewellers, both new and established, have been drawn to the possibilities of a pearl, removing it from its traditional home in high jewellery and reinventing it for a new generation. Now, driven by undercurrents of sustainability and a mood for rebellion, these more affordable and playful pieces feel more timely than ever. Drilled or recycled, with every imperfection celebrated, today’s pearl jewellery captures the irreverent mood of a post-pandemic world.

Mary MacGill

Baroque pearls take centre stage in the hands of Mary MacGill, who suspends freshwater pearls on delicate, hammered gold wire.

marymacgill.com

The 'Vit

Japanese brand The 'Vit sources its pearls in Japan, pairing them with titanium, amethyst and blue topaz in an unexpected, but fabulous, combination.

thevitjewelry.com

A La Vieille Russie

We love A La Vieille Russie's clever take on vintage pearls. Whether paired with surprising stones or teased into subversive shapes, pearl jewellery is more modern and chic than ever. 

alvr.com

A Sinner in Pearls

Freshwater pearls join Swarovski charms, enamel smiley faces, beads and rainbow stones in A Sinner in Pearls' fresh and fun pearl jewellery.

brownsfashion.com

Lil Milan

Jewellery brand Lil Milan infuses pearls with an Italian irreverence. We love this Nineties take on classic pearl jewellery in a very modern choker.

lilmilan.com

Mizuki

Mizuki Goltz brings a rich focus on craftsmanship to her modern designs. Tahitian or freshwater pearls cradle the wrist or dance from the earlobes - we love the pearl cuff, which plays on graduated sizing for a fun and wearable design.

net-a-porter.com

Tasaki

Tasaki imbue lustrous pearls with a fierce edge when trapping them in spikes of precious metal. Inspired by the beauty and danger of carnivorous plants, the Danger Fang earrings encapsulate the exquisite craftsmanship and offbeat design aesthetic Tasaki is celebrated for.

farfetch.com

Eera

Forget all the traditional connotations of a pearl earring with this deceptively simple piece. Only Eera would have thought to dangle a single freshwater pearl from a sharply-drawn square of lime green 18k gold - and that's why we love them.

matchesfashion.com

Ragbag Studio

Clear crystal beads make an elegant foil for freshwater pearls in Ragbag Studio's take on a traditional pearl necklace. Cutting an asymmetrical silhouette, this piece will look good layered or worn solo.

ragbagstudio.com

By Pariah

British fine jewellery brand By Pariah shifts the focus to raw and sculptural silhouettes in pearl jewellery which celebrates natural forms. The baroque lariat earrings graze the shoulders for an easy elegance.

farfetch.com

Anni Lu

Anni Lu's boho new collection, 'Echo Beach', brings a playfulness to easy adornments. We love this juxtaposition of freshwater pearls with glass frogs in a multitude of bold hues - layer it up, or add to a working wardrobe for a dose of cheerful chic.

anni-lu.com

Suzanne Kalan

Suzanne Kalan builds on last year's pearl collection with new pieces in a joyous riot of colour. Perfectly round pearls teeter on a slim band , in a bold take on a classic trend.

net-a-porter.com

Sarah Madeleine Bru

Sarah Madeleine Bru brings a background in furniture and ceramic design to her eponymous jewellery brand. Her new collection unites sustainably-sourced pearls with sensual curves of recycled gold in a very modern play on pearl earrings.

sarahmadeleinebru.com

Pearl Octopuss.y

The Diamond Snake earrings from Oslo-based jewellery brand Pearl Octopuss.y at Koibird lace oversized acrylic pearls over silver plated squardelle beads for a fun, fashion jewellery take on the trend. 

koibird.com

Mara Paris

Mara Paris celebrates the irregularity and offbeat beauty of pearls in the new Haven collection. The new pieces, which encompass an ear cuff, earrings and a ring, pair freshwater pearls with gold vermeil in a modern rethink of traditional styles.

mara.paris

Carolina Wong

Carolina Wong utilises an intricate lace making technique in her Buoyant 20 collection, bringing a surprising fluidity to gold-filled metal wire. The oversized proportions of the blooming design bring a delicious sculptural sensibility to the uneven silhouette of the organic freshwater pearl at the ring's heart.

carolinawong.co.uk

Mindi Mond New York

Traditional cuts take centre stage in the dazzling Freshwater Diamond Claws from Mindi Mond New York. Freshwater pearls, when embraced by brilliant-cut diamonds and set in silver, are lent an Art Deco edge made modern by an asymmetrical silhouette and offbeat design cues.

mindimondny.com

Sandralexandra

Sandra Alexandra crafts her pieces in her London studio, playing on a fascination with natural materials such as cultured pearls or lamp work glass for fun and relaxed forms. In the Froot Loop and Pearl necklace, glass beads made by Barcelona artisans are paired with freshwater pearls in a contemporary take on the trend.

sandralexandra.com

Pyrrha

Sustainable jewellery brand Pyrrah combine freshwater pearls with talismans for contemporary pieces inspired by the Victorian period. The symbols, cast using wax seals, add a sentimentality to the warm luniscience of the pearls.

pyrrha.com

Deborah Blyth

We love the traditional codes embedded in classic pearl earrings, but they take on a whole new meaning when intertwined with contemporary references. Deborah Blyth is adept at bringing a fluid sensuality to textured gold which appears to come to life in her hands - when paired with the gorgeously asymmetric silhouettes of white baroque pearls, tradition is wholly rethought. Pearl studs, worn oversized and cradled in gold, are the new classic for your collection.

deborahblyth.com

Rachel Quinn

Rachel Quinn combines surrealist influences with playful motifs for jewellery joyful to wear. These Petite Stormy Day earrings tease hand-carved mother-of-pearl into clouds which rain white topaz, for adornments which will keep you smiling whatever the weather.

objetdemotion.com

Vermeer Studio

Australia-based Vermeer Studio create simple, sustainable pieces from beautiful materials including smokey quartz, jade, lapis and orange calcite. In this simple pair of earrings, a freshwater pearl absorbs the warmth of a rich orb of tiger-eye - dangling from an elegant golden thread, they bring a seductive earthiness to pearl's natural milky light.

vermeerstudio.com

Hannah Martin

Hannah Martin typically subverts traditional jewellery codes for an alternative take on fine jewellery - when translated to pearls, it brings an edge to their warm luminescence. Here, Tahitian black pearls are spiked with rose gold for earrings both delicate and disruptive.

hannahmartinlondon.com

Mikimoto

Mikimoto's M Code collection incorporates a more modern silhouette for pearl jewellery which is fresh and fun. The new additions to it string Akoya cultured pearls on to yellow or white gold chains for chic necklaces, bracelets and earrings which banish pearls' occasionaly stuffy repuation once and for all. 

mikimoto.co.uk

Freya Rose

Freya Rose has been incorporating pearls into her shoe designs for the last decade, and has now launched a jewellery collection which utilises the same skilled techniques. The 19 pairs of earrings which make up the new collection include delicate seed pearls, mother-of-pearl and freshwater pearls in warm hues. These hand-carved mother-of-pearl rose gold hoop earrings are our pick for pearl jewellery which is both intricate and contemporary.

freyarose.com

Mondo Mondo

Natasha Ghosn was inspired by a family collection of Mexican artefacts for jewellery which cuts playful silhouettes. Boldly coloured gems and imperfect forms may be her calling card, but here it is the pinky hues of dangling pearls which bring a warmth to a mischievious pair of earrings.

mondo-mondo.com

Mikimoto Comme des Garçons

Comme des Garçons and Mikimoto have unveiled their second collection of subversive and elegant pearl jewellery. Collection Two is composed of seven styles from Rei Kawakubo, who has toughened up white Akoya Mikimoto pearls with sterling silver fangs, studs and safety pins. It is a reworking of last year's pieces which married tradition, creativity and crafstmanship to breathe new life into a classic piece.

mikimoto.co.uk
comme-des-garcons.com

Mariko Tsuchiyama at Objet d'Emotion

Mariko Tsuchiyama crafts her contemporary fine jewellery by the sea in Brighton, England. Inspired by organic textures – shells, seeds, stems – Tsuchiyama celebrates the smooth tacility of pearls by keeping design elements to a minimum. Suspended on an 18 carat gold fine wire stem, the pink hues of this freshwater pearl are the star here.

objetdemotion.com

Wilfredo Rosado

Wilfredo Rosado is fresh from the excitement of the inauguration, which saw Kamala Harris sport his elegant pearl necklace. She has good taste – Rosado's pearl designs add a chic edge to traditional pieces, such as in this pearl brooch which adds a mischievous touch to a classic. ‘For my Hello brooch, I wanted to design a luxe version of the traditional name tag sticker,' he says. ‘There is an inherent cheekiness to it, considering my approach features exceptional, Australian South Sea Pearls, black and white diamonds and 18K white gold. The curvature of the pin adds an additional playful element.'

wrosado.com

State Property

State Property weave functionality into their design with the Anaphora choker, with each link acting as a clasp for perfect simplicity when putting it on. Interspersed on links of gold, the pearls bring a softness to a classic chain necklace.

thisisstateproperty.com

Anni Lu

The new collection from Danish jewellery brand, Anni Lu, is just the thing needed to brighten dark January days. In Wave Dancer, golden detailing and clashing silhouettes add a fun irreverence to pearls. Here, mismatching beads make an effortless in to the trend which looks set to stay for 2021.

Nancy Newberg

Nancy Newberg handcrafts her jewellery in Los Angeles, imbuing her pieces with surprising design ticks for a fresh and modern result. Here, the traditional rows of pearls form a perfectly imperfect rainbow of hues, all the warmer when juxtaposed against dark diamond rings. 

Katkim

Pearl earrings, when worn in new ways, leave their traditional fusty reputation far in the past. The Pearl Crescendo earring from Los Angeles-based fine jeweller Katkim is a chic example - designed to curve around the earlobe, a floating pearl studded with a diamond appears to rest on the jawline for a cool play on the trend. 

Polite Worldwide

"'Pearls are such a delicate accessory, we wanted to be able to integrate them in a way that could be universal for males and females, dressed up or dressed casually, and made to last,’ say the duo behind LA-based Polite Worldwide, designer Christian Azzinaro and entrepreneur Tavia Azzinaro. The pair combined their fashion experience and drive for socially responsible business to launch their ready-to-wear, accessories and jewellery brand with the circular economy at its core. 'We are inspired by the opulence of nature, the treasures that the natural world represents, the meaning of the pearl offering protection and positivity to its wearer,’ they say, sourcing their pearls in small quantities from ethical, traceable sources to create chokers, wallet chains and charm brackets. 'Our pearls are hand-knotted as traditional pearls are assembled in Japan, preserving this technique to bring in the quality in craftsmanship and styling.'" Tilly Macalister-Smith

Jessie Thomas

London-based jeweller and goldsmith Jessie Thomas brings out the rosy warmth of pearls by marrying them with textured gold and opulent gems. Here, five round pearls nestle in contemporary golden links, for a precious update on the classic chain.

Maviada

Maviada breathe new life into mother-of-pearl with these diamond drop earrings which can be worn three ways. The diamond hoops can be fully removed for a more understated aesthetic, and the slices of mother-of-pearl flipped – on one side, milky white pearl, and on the other deeper hues of brown and cream.

Sophie Bille Brahe

Sophie Bille Brahe's capsule collection for Net-a-Porter is inspired by modernist Dutch painter Piet Mondarin, the gentle rosy hues and edged silhouettes he favoured reflected here in square freshwater baroque pearls. The collection is composed of five pairs of earrings and one pendant, from long statement pieces to elegant drop-shaped pearl dangles. The irregularities inherent in baroque pearls become a chic statement in their own right, celebrated in hues of white and palest pink.

sophiebillebrahe.com

Anita Berisha

Anita Berisha's pearl jewellery may use classic symbols as a starting point - she has referenced flowers, simple shapes and bold architectural lines in the past - but by adding surprising elements into the mix her pieces are anything but outdated. Whether paired with glass stones or resembling globular bunches of grapes, jewellery is always firmly playful. The historical inspiration behind these Victorian Pearl Earrings is clear, but their chic mismatch and a pop of colour ensure they are wholly modern.

Pacharee

Thai-Swiss designer Pacharee-Sophie Rogers works mainly with baroque and keshi pearls, framing their raw edges in plated gold for accessible and easy-to-wear results. This pair plays with birch-shaped pearls, celebrating their curved silhouettes and tapping into the hoops trend with sculpted gold. 

pacharee.com

Motley

Motley’s collaboration with jeweller Frances Wadsworth Jones quite literally skewers traditional concepts of fine pearl jewellery by taking a drill to sustainably sourced freshwater pearls. Silver or gold vermeil screws appear to go straight through the pearls, all high quality but with minor irregularities. ‘The screws are a clever optical illusion,’ Motley explains. ‘The pearls are drilled string pearls – each part of the screw is made and cast in bits and then the piece is assembled with the pearl at the centre. Interestingly, the challenge was more the precision of the screw itself – getting the ridges to be sharp, consistent and clean on a bend took our makers a few attempts.’

The rebellious nature of the pieces speaks to the times: ‘Amidst a world pandemic, climate change, leaders we cannot trust and so many ‘givens’ that serve only a few, we need as much rebellion as possible, even from a pair of earrings,’ adds Jones. ‘Taking something classically conservative and feminine like a pearl and combining it with a piece of hardware is a way of playfully challenging those gender stereotypes and reflecting more complexity. I love creating narrative in my designs and to screw through a pearl seemed like a suitably irreverent gesture for right now.’

motley-london.com

Olivia & Pearl

By putting an emphasis on using cultivated pearls only – pearls in which man has intervened in the process by implanting the original pearl nucleus in the mollusc, rather than leaving it to chance – British jewellery brand Olivia & Pearl are able to offer pearl jewellery which is both modern and affordable. The new Keshi collection celebrates the irregularity and imperfections of individual pearls, looping asymmetrical silhouettes together into necklaces, or pairing larger uneven pieces as earrings. In subtle undertones of pink and blue, the final results shimmer in an irregular rainbow.

oliviaandpearl.com

Presley Oldham

Artist Presley Oldham sources his freshwater pearls from Los Angeles and New York’s flea markets, and in a purposeful move against fast fashion, creates new pieces from the old. ‘I embrace their natural irregularities in the pearl,’ says Oldham. ‘I’ve had to let go of any ideas of perfection, and have learned to work with my materials and not force anything. Each pearl is a little different from the next and these variations heavily influence the design and have their own beauty.’

During the pandemic, Oldham has focused on sourcing all materials more locally: ‘All of the 925 sterling silver wire I use is made and sourced in Albuquerque, and most of the pearls are from small shops in Santa Fe or ones I had leftover from my first collection. I try to work in tandem with my environment, and then let the materials inspire me to create from there.’ The results are charmingly off-kilter, adding a raw edge to the historically filtered beauty of pearls.

presleyoldham.com

INFORMATION

annilu.dk
katkimfinejewelry.com
politeworldwide.com
jessiethomasjewellery.com
maviada.co.uk
anitaberisha.com

Eternity rings, traditionally markers of lasting relationships, can make for romantic anniversary gifts or act as precious promise rings in place of an engagement ring. As their purpose can be suited to each couple, so should their style, and jewellers are creating a wealth of tantalising options. Conventional eternity rings may subscribe to the simple band studded in diamonds, which, while beautiful in its simplicity, may not be the right choice for those looking for more offbeat, design-led options. In our edit below, find an eternity ring as personal as your relationship.

Discover our picks of the finest eternity rings here.

Ruth Tomlinson

‘I am always looking for new ways of working with beautiful materials but they need to be in keeping with our values too,’ says jewellery designer Ruth Tomlinson. Loved for her ethereal, magical designs that celebrate textured twists of gold and scattered diamonds in offbeat placings, Tomlinson is inspired by found objects, imbuing her own pieces with this casual consideration. This ruby piece makes an eclectic eternity ring choice.

ruthtomlinson.com

Yvonne Leon

Grey diamonds become fluid in Yvonne Leon's literal twist on a classic eternity ring, an elegant foil for the sinus curves of its yellow gold band.

yvonneleon.com

Maya Brenner

California jewellery designer Maya Brenner imbues the classic loop of an eternity ring with a vintage warmth thanks to the subtle addition of a single, perfect pearl.

mayabrenner.co.uk

Sardo

Elena Sardo subverts traditional concepts in her eponymous jewellery brand. We love these eternity rings, with overlapping circles of gold and diamonds adding a three-dimensional play.

farfetch.com

The offbeat eternity ring: Otiumberg

A glimmer of diamonds brings an offbeat elegance to Otiumberg's Solid Gold Twisted Diamond Thread ring, which tweaks a traditional design to cool effect.

otiumberg.com

The bespoke eternity ring: Dyne

Sarah Ysabel Dyne Narici's unique take on the eternity band means no two pieces are the same. Crafted from 18k gold, diamonds and gemstones, rings are made to order, staying faithful to the specifications of the wearer.

dedyne.com

The offbeat eternity ring: Loev

Lab grown diamonds meet bold silhouettes in Loev's jewellery. We love the classic form of this piece, brought bang up to date with a seductive circle of black enamel.

loevjewelry.com

The colourful eternity ring: Sydney Evan

Who says eternity rings have to be plain? Sydney Evan embraces both colour and texture in the joyful gold and turquoise fluted eternity ring, flirting with vintage detailing for a beautifully timeless design.

sydneyevan.com

The curving eternity ring: Anita Ko

The luxury eternity ring: Nour by Jahan

Eternity rings are given a luxurious finish in the hands of Nour Jahan, who imbues a traditional aesthetic with sharply modern accents. Brilliant-cut white diamonds ride an undulating wave of golden rails in the Dancing Diamonds ring, bringing a welcome geomtrical play to the simple loop of an eternity ring.

nourbyjahan.com

The cool eternity ring: Grace Lee

Pear- and marquise-cut diamonds punctuate a broken loop of gold in this understated eternity ring from Grace Lee. Stack up with other pieces for a more relaxed take on the trend.

gracelee.com

The symbolic eternity ring: Oberig

Ukrainian jewellery brand Oberig draw on the cultural codes of their country for pieces which encompass a carefully considered symbolism. In new collection, 'Boomerang,' jewellery in 18k gold speckled with rubies and diamonds become precious talismans, with the 37 limited edition pieces pairing this heritage with modern design codes.

oberig.jewelry

Diamond eternity rings: Solange

Solange's bold and irreverent aesthetic puts the fun into fine jewellery, and the sparkling Cinderalla eternity ring is no exception. Blackened 18 karat white gold sets off three sides of brilliant-cut diamonds to dazzling effect, adding an edge to a classic piece. 

solange.co.uk

Simply symbolic eternity rings: Celine

No-one does sleek simplicity quite as well as Celine, and this knot eternity ring is a case in point. Crafted from brass and finished in gold, its sensual silhouette is both symbolic and stylish.

celine.com

Eternity rings in recycled gold: Kimai

The Eternity ring from Kimai makes a chic compromise between style and sustainability. Crafted from recycled yellow, rose or white gold, it is dotted in a single row of manmade diamonds, keeping proportions slender for an elegant take on this very special everyday piece.

kimai.com

Eternity rings with an edge: Marrow Fine Jewelry

Jillian Sassone plays with traditional jewellery silhouettes in her brand, Marrow Fine Jewelry, here rethinking the classic curve of an eternity band. The Diamond Squiggle Ring is playfully fluid and will look good slotted between an engagement ring or wedding band, or worn simply on its own for an unexpected statement.

marrowfine.com

The eternity ring for the modern minimalist: Jenny Sweetnam

Jenny Sweetnam distorts traditional ideas of fine jewellery with her collection, Inverse. The 2018 Wallpaper* Design Award has perfected classic silhouettes over the years, with previous collections rethinking staple pieces - hoops split open and flipped upside down, rings elongated and drawn in zigzagging patterns - for modern classics. Here, simple forms belie design tweaks which swathe pieces in significance. The Encased Eternity Ring is, at first glance, a generously drawn loop of fairtrade yellow gold – look closer, however, and the speckle of lab grown diamonds inside will be revealed. Diamonds, here, are not for show but rather to mark a private moment, encapsulating the essence of an eternity ring itself.

jennysweetnam.com

The untraditional eternity ring: Nancy Newberg

Love isn’t a tale to be told in pastel colours only, and we love the black ruthenium trim on Nancy Newburg’s cigar band, which adds a seductive edge to diamonds. It is right on point for the Los Angeles-based jewellery designer who creates ultra-modern jewellery which shies away from the occasional staid connotations often associated with fine jewellery. Rather than a full coating of diamonds or a single central stone, glittering stripes add a welcome playfulness to this classic piece. For those looking to avoid a slender band which becomes interchangeable from a wedding ring, this thickly drawn piece is not only set apart from other adornments but also makes for an alterntive statement piece in its own right.

nancynewberg.com

Graphic forms make for alternative eternity rings: Gucci

Eternity bands take on a fun edge when teamed with other items in your jewellery box - and why not? Pieces swathed in significance don't have to be staid. Gucci’s new Link to Love collection are the perfect pieces with which to explore this lighthearted mentality, with rings in white, yellow and pink gold just made to be stacked. Subscribing to strong geometrical codes, the octagonal rings come in varying degrees of thickness for pieces which can make as much of a statement as you choose. Let the sharp silhouette speak for itself, or choose a piece studded with green tourmalines, rubellites or baguette-cut diamonds for a bit of razzle dazzle.

gucci.com

Classic eternity rings with a twist: Hannah Martin

British jeweller Hannah Martin can be relied upon to consider classic pieces from an offbeat, design-led perspective, and her precious punky pieces have in the past brought a welcome irreverance to fine jewellery. I’m With the Band, her new collection of rings, takes the simple form of an eternity ring as its starting point, subverting its clean loop with plays on depth and texture. Simple tweaks bring the rings to life, creating a tactilty for rings you'll want to play with. This piece in platinum invites a sensual tactility with its ridged form which replays the endless circle in precious metal. The perfect choice for those who want to complement a wedding band.

hannahmartinlondon.com

The eternity ring with diamonds: Laud

Creative director Awah brings a contemporary cool to the jewellery of his brand, Laud. Signet rings, simple earrings and eternity bands are all reimagined through his lens which takes stained glass as the inspiration, their delicate patterns referenced here in curved facets and irregularly placed diamonds which fragment light. 'I have an affinity for the classic and modern sensibilities that have been very prominent and co-existed in the spaces around me,' says Awah on his aesthetic which rethinks tradition. 'The marriage between the two worlds is an organic one and collides with minimum debris. Through exploration of classic jewellery and objects such as eternity rings which originated from Egypt or Akan gold weights from West Africa, I’m able to explore stories and re-imagine them through the Laud lens.'

shop.doverstreetmarket.com

The glittering eternity ring: Sydney Evan

Traditionally, eternity rings are smooth bands of gold, platinum or silver, making a seamless addition to an engagement ring and wedding band stack. As we have seen, they don't have to be, and jewellers who play with precious stones and unexpected colours can really bring this typically understated piece to life - and with no need to match the stones in an engagement ring, the sky is the limit when it comes to colour choice. For those who prefer a bit more glitter with their eternity ring, Sydney Evan’s rose gold ruby eternity band strikes the right note between simplicity and dazzle. With proportions kept to a minimum, this slender piece, dusted with a sprinkle of rubies, makes for an elegant choice.

sydneyevan.com

Hair jewellery goes from functional accessory to chic adornment in the hands of jewellery designers, who imbue even the most practical pieces with an easy elegance. Barrettes, hair clips and jewelled pins in sleek shapes are a relaxed way to upgrade your look, spelling the end of bad hair days once and for all.

Alighieri

For Rosh Mahtani, founder of jewellery brand Alighieri, the company’s tenth anniversary is a significant milestone – a chance to pause and look back, celebrate everything the brand has achieved so far, and cement core values. Mahtani has translated this emotion into a collection of ten pieces that encapsulate the brand. ‘This anthology feels like a capsule of memories for me: ten classics – objects that have defined the last decade of Alighieri. Designs include the ‘Armour Unlocked’ screw bangle, and the ‘Spellbinding Amphora’ necklace - and a beautiful flawed swirl of gold, making for a romantic accessory in the ‘Over-Thinker‘ hair tie.

alighieri.com

Leandra

We love the way Spanish brand Leandra subverts classic styles. In this gold hair band, minimalism reigns, with sculptural proportions and the gleam of the gold doing all the work, making for effortless style.

leandrastudio.com

Boucheron

Creative director Claire Choisne brings a bold playfulness to a collection which subverts traditional methods and materials for the new Boucheron high jewellery collection. In her hands, floating hairbows are crafted in weightless bio acetate and magnesium.

boucheron.com

Georg Jensen x Stine Goya

Classic and contemporary Danish design collides in a collaboration between Georg Jensen and Stine Goya. Building on last year’s initial partnership, the brands have again considered the daisy motif, a staple of Georg Jensen design since the Forties, here drawn in a summery vivid green and adorning collarbones, wrists and hair.

georgjensen.com

Kara Yoo

Minimalist codes reign in Kara Yoo's elegantly-formed half moon hair slide, with a hammered finish bringing a pleasing tactility to its simple form.

karayoo.com

Goossens

Goossens have unveiled their first collection of hair jewellery in a new bridal range, encompassing oversized rock crystal silhouettes and textured gold in a gloriously baroque take on the trend.

goossens-paris.com

Georg Jensen

Sculptural silhouettes in sterling silver rule in Georg Jensen's Arc collection. Hair jewellery, whether curving barrettes or elegant clips, are just the ticket for nailing minimalist chic.

georgjensen.com

Khaite x Elhanati

Khaite and Elhanati's latest collaboration is rich in Art Deco references. The bold geometric silhouette of this hair clip will pop when holding up a classic chignon.

elhanati.com

Deborah Blyth

Deborah Blyth brings her signature textured gold aesthetic to hair jewellery with the Oceanus hair slide. Eschewing a smooth form, it is delightfully tactile, making it the perfect piece for everyday wear.

deborahblyth.com

Bar Jewellery

Bar Jewellery's new bridal collection imbues wedding day attire with a welcome elegance, with necklaces and earrings cutting distinctive swirling, sculptural silhouettes. We love this Triple Twist hair pin which will bring a touch of cool to a classic chignon.

barjewellery.com

Assael

Pearl jewellery brand Assael play with sculptural silhouettes in the Bubbles by Sean Gilson collection, with this hair jewellery piece making an offbeat way to bring a pearly luminescence to your look.

assael.com

Agmes

Sculptural forms unite with sensual references in the hands of New York-based jewellery brand Agmes, who draw on surreal motifs in their offbeat collection of hair jewellery, perfectly encapsulated in the Dali hair clip in sterling silver.

agmesnyc.com

Elhanati x Khaite

Elahanti have collaborated with fashion brand Khaite on a six-piece collection which infuses minimalist forms with a Scandi cool. Pieces, which encompass belts, brooches, a barette and a pair of earrings, are crafted from 24-carat gold-coated silver and playfully rethink traditional latticework in a nod to chic Art Deco design codes.

elhanati.com

EN Studio

EN Studio make their delicate hair jewellery pieces in New York, hand-carving unique slabs of rock quartz and teetering them on sterling silver pins for ethereal and romantic accessories. Add to a contemporary chignon for an easy understated elegance.

enstudionyc.com

Julietta

Julietta use upcycled vintage fabrics for hair jewellery both sustainable and fun, with materials including Celine scarves and vivid cabochons. Available in a plethora of bright colours and cast in playfully oversized silhouettes, this is jewellery to get your head around. 

shopjulietta.com

Rosy Collective

Rosy Colllective's hair jewellery encompass simple design codes, drawing simple lines in gold-plated brass. This piece comes in a set of three, differently sized so you can choose whether to hold back an errant strand or a whole ponytail. 

rosycollective.com

Misho hair jewellery

Misho brings a bold joy to functional items – its earrings for AirPods are useful and fun – and it applies the same philosophy to hair jewellery. Whether winding around neat knots or clipping into casual plaits, the brand’s hair jewellery in vibrant gold is just as playful as its more traditional adornments. 

mishodesigns.com

Ariana Boussard-Reifel

New York-based jeweller Ariana Boussard-Reifel crafts undulating hair jewels in brass or sterling silver. Designed to coil around a neat bun at the nape of the neck, pin back loose waves or slip into a half-up half-down style, her pieces will bring an elegance to everyday style. 

arianaboussardreifel.com

Deborah Pagani

Hair pins have come a long way since the bobby pins of old, disguised in the hair – no longer something to hide, they are now carefully considered and made to be shown off. Deborah Pagani’s Dp Pin comes in gold, rose, silver or black. Strong enough to hold a thick head of hair and chic enough for an evening chignon, these gleaming pieces are as pretty as they are practical. 

deborahpagani.com

Patcharavipa

Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura’s fine jewellery celebrates the sensuality of gold and her hand-crafted design, a philosophy she carries through to hair jewellery. The scalloped edges of the Rose hairclip in brass rethink an everyday essential, which is given a pop with a subtle emerald. 

patcharavipa.com

When it comes to jewellery brands and NFTs, humour is key. A knowing nod to alternative reality is the best entrance something very – well – tangible can make into the metaverse. And so it is for Tiffany & Co, which has sidestepped NFTs entirely and gone straight to the NFTiff – and why not?

Tiffany & Co is putting the question of what people want from its NFTiff directly to its customers, who are invited to bring their CryptoPunks to real, jewelled life. CryptoPunks – the pixel art images that can be personalised – may usually reside in cyberspace, but some of the luckiest can now be transported straight onto a Tiffany & Co pendant.

NFTiff: Tiffany & Co CryptoPunk pendants

The jewellery brand has partnered with blockchain infrastructure company Chain to make this a reality, with both brands working together on the technology. From this month, CryptoPunk holders will be able to purchase the NFTiff pass, and will then have the opportunity to create the custom Tiffany & Co pendant. The resulting piece, inspired by the owner’s CryptoPunk, will be accompanied by a digital render of the pendant as an NFT and a certificate of authenticity.

‘We are incredibly excited to announce the debut of NFTiff, bringing our clients the rare opportunity to turn CryptoPunks into custom Tiffany & Co jewellery designs through a fully digital experience,’ says Alexandre Arnault, Tiffany & Co. executive vice president, product and communication.

Jewellery designers will seek to match the characteristics and colours of the CryptoPunks in a multitude of gemstones, diamonds and enamel. Only 250 rose and yellow gold pendants will be created.

‘As a CryptoPunks holder, I saw a partnership with Tiffany & Co as a way to make NFTs accessible to new collectors as well as strengthen the existing community that has embraced the art,’ says Deepak Thapliyal, Chain chief executive officer. ‘Tiffany’s vision and Chain’s technologies are the perfect combination to produce a beautiful product and a secure online experience.’

INFORMATION

tiffany.co.uk

Costume jewellery takes a dramatic form in the hands of creative director Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood. The collection, composed of statement earrings and romantic necklaces, takes its inspiration from the natural world, translating a juxtaposition of materials into flouncing, flirtatious forms.

‘All the world’s a stage – costume jewellery helps you be seen,’ says Kronthaler of the sensual pieces. ‘It’s a celebration. You can make an occasion out of any situation in this jewellery.’

Resin beads are coaxed into pearl-shaped silhouettes for pretty pastel necklaces and earrings, while paper beads become shells in earrings and a tiara. Design codes of the house run throughout the collection, with Westwood and Kronthaler’s beloved heart motif drawn in crochet brass.

‘These pieces should be worn to frame your personality,’ Kronthaler says. ‘For example, the best thing at the [Queen’s 2022] Jubilee was Diana Ross’ earrings, and of course her Royal Majesty’s green ensemble.’

The jewellery is a natural extension to this year’s autumn/winter Vivienne Westwood collection, which saw Kronthaler play with theatrical proportions, emphasising tailoring’s sleek lines in a play on classic design. His tribute to theatre itself took shape in religious-inspired nods to icons, and made for clothes that celebrate volume.

‘I want to make an elegant tribute to the world of theatre. It’s there where everything is possible. We need space where people express themselves freely without censorship. If you lose that, you don’t have culture,’ Kronthaler said of the joyful spirit behind the pieces. ‘Art is an imitation of life. It stands outside time. It’s more about making clothes than fashion. I wanted to do something noble and formal. To make a moving painting – a picture come to life in order to seduce the mind through the eyes. You discover the truth through working. You learn something from it. Clothes are able to mirror your inner being, whether it is happiness, harmony, fear, kindness, anger, respect. But more than any other quality, I am looking for lightness.’

INFORMATION

viviennewestwood.com

Fope brings an Italian elegance to intricate artistry in a new jewellery collection, ‘Luna’, which imbues heavy gold chains with effortless flexibility. The 18ct gold mesh chains encircling the wrist and neck are elasticated in a patented system, for a comfortable and flawless fit.

‘There is an incredible craftsmanship component in all Fope jewels, and the human interaction still plays a great role – but so does technology,’ says Fope product development manager Claudia Piaserico. ‘The Vicenza factory has implemented an industrial approach where every step of the process is integrated. Most of the machines here are custom-designed and sometimes custom-made in order to be able to optimise production, all the more when it comes to our patented Flex’it lines.

‘The Flex’it system is a unique invention of the Fope factory: tiny gold springs are hidden in the intricate mesh chain and make it stretchable, providing a feeling of unprecedented comfort while being precious and elegant.’

The new chunky chains, in white, yellow and rose gold, bring a contemporary edge to a classic design, although the innovative technology didn’t come without its challenges.

‘The first challenge related to design, as the new “Luna” collection features a choker-style necklace, a groundbreaking style choice for a brand like Fope,’ Piaserico adds. ‘The second challenge pertained to the technological aspects of making a Flex’it necklace – as it obviously needed a different approach from our roll-on bracelets. Our R&D team managed to create a virtually invisible clasp that blends in the 18ct gold mesh, while rendering it very easy to wear. You really need to try one on to understand how incredible the result is and how comfortable the jewellery is against the skin. These statement pieces are intrinsically Fope’s and yet they tap into contemporary trends where geometric shapes are the protagonists.’

INFORMATION

fope.com

Bea Bongiasca brings her distinctive brand of colourful irreverence to her new series of initial necklaces. Spelling out the letters of the alphabet in gold and enamel, the new pieces make the perfect playful summer accessory.

‘I started with bi-colour combinations. Once we perfected this effect, it then allowed me to go more deeply into creating the tri-colour and then the multiple colours,’ Bongiasca says. ‘The other jewels have a gold and enamel look, which was also great because it allowed us to use four to five different colours at a time.’

The jewellery designer was inspired by everything from interiors to painting and fashion for the pieces, part of the new ‘B Colour’ collection, which unites contrasting colours in both the initials and vine and flower motifs.

‘We saw an increased demand for personalised pieces and noticed the gap in the market for beautiful and affordable enamel initials,’ she adds.

Each letter encompasses a different design, with some stripped-back pieces leaving the gold exposed in a new move for Bongiasca. Other pieces mix jewel, pastel and bold hues in an amalgamation of colour and styles, which can be worn alone or stacked for greater effect.

The letters necklaces join enamelled earrings in new shapes, from freely drawn flowers to her distinctive coiling tendrils, while the addition of a smaller hoop for the first time brings an added wearability to jewellery. 'I think that there is always a place for a splash of colour in people’s lives, so why not in their jewels?’ Bongiasca has commented in the past, when discussing diamond and enamel rings. ‘It’s a small, mood-boosting escapism that, applied to fine jewellery, is something that you wear and cherish forever.’

INFORMATION

net-a-porter.com

Sophie Bille Brahe often draws on a personal narrative for her romantic pearl and diamond jewellery, weaving a story through pieces in a sentimental and precious play on traditional design codes. Her new collection launched exclusively with Net-A-Porter, ‘Marguerite de Mariage’, continues this theme, taking inspiration from her brother’s wedding for her floral pieces.

‘I thought of the finest wedding I have ever attended, the wedding of my brother Frederik Bille Brahe and his wife Caroline Bille Brahe,’ says the jewellery designer. ‘Festive, ceremonious, and unceremonious at the same time. I wanted to create a collection that encapsulated Caroline’s wedding outfit. Timeless pieces that can be worn while dancing on a wedding night, yet right for everyday wear. I feel that this collection provides a modern-attitude aesthetic, and I’m very thrilled to be collaborating with Net-A-Porter for this exclusive collection.’

The nine new styles nod to both Frederik’s wedding and Sophie Bille Brahe’s earlier designs, which rethought the forms of flowers and ties. Here, pearl earrings riff off the traditional chandelier or edge studs in delicate pearl petals, playing with proportions in a juxtaposition of differently sized orbs.

‘Flowers have always had a special meaning to me,’ Bille Brahe has commented in the past. ‘When I was young, my dad would take me out in the garden of my childhood home, telling me stories about the flowers that he had planted. He would telephone me to say: “The blue Ipomoea is close to blooming.’ These little things had extremely big meaning in our family. I lost my father in 2018, but sometimes when I’m in the garden of my childhood home, I find myself having a conversation with him. He planted the garden and I hear his voice when I am with the summer roses in the late afternoon light – he never tired of the beauty of roses. I really believe that my father was my earliest inspiration.’

INFORMATION

net-a-porter.com

The course of a day is traced in Pomellato’s new high jewellery collection, La Gioia. The collection, divided into seven chapters, begins with sunrise and rain storms, taking us through to sunset and shadows drawn in precious stones.

The first part, Secrets of the Rising Sun, marks Pomellato’s first flirtation with a softer silhouette, with the baroque forms of moonstones and aquamarine strung onto the distinctive Iconica chain, while proportions are also playful in Summer Storm with a juxtaposition of differently-sized stones. White South Sea and grey Tahitian pearls make a sensual foil for spinels, sapphires and white diamonds in suspended sautoirs; in earrings, they are a textured waterfall.

Gems in 24 shades form a rainbow of colour in the next chapter which celebrates the calm after the storm, while the golden hour of midday which follows is drawn in contemporary gold oblong links edged in diamonds. The centre stones, hanging from their rose gold cable links, are oversized and faceted in a nod to the drama of high noon.

The warmth of rose gold is carried through in Into the Sunset, encapsulated in amber beads and a rare Melo pearl. A necklace, intricately embellished with bamboo leaf openwork, is rethought in a pair of earrings, while mandarin garnet cabochon, brown diamonds and orange sapphires build on romantic autumnal hues.

The final two chapters look to the dark side, with Evening Shadows interspersing diamond-set links with rock crystal on a white gold necklace, while a flower in gold wire hangs from a diamond-studded chain. A play on light defines Discoveries in the Darkness, with white and black diamond pavé composed of over 1,400 stones and jet pendants dangling from a cord necklace imbuing jewels with a sharp modernity. 

INFORMATION

pomellato.com

Technical accomplishment meets elegant design in the hands of A. Lange & Söhne, which has enriched its 1815 watch collection with a useful new complication.

The limited edition 1815 Rattrapante now boasts an increased chronograph function, with two chronograph hands which are able to be controlled independently meaning it is now possible to measure specific events, such as lap times. Housed in a platinum case, the classic design of the face is a clean foil for the enhanced technicality of the piece.

‘With every new watch we develop, it is important to harmonise technology and aesthetics, tradition and modernity, in the best possible way,’ says director of product development at A. Lange & Söhne, Anthony de Haas. ‘During the process, we question everything and take great care to ensure that every aspect of a watch, every design feature and every function, fulfils its intended purpose. With regard to the 1815 Rattrapante as a chronograph watch, optimal readability takes on a very high priority. This is for example ensured by the high contrast between the bright argenté- coloured dial and the dark blued hands.’

The watch design nods to distinctive A. Lange & Söhne codes, from the case shape to the arched lugs and distinctive hands and typography. ‘Each collection has its own geometric codes for the dial layout,’ de Haas adds. ‘In this respect, the 1815 Rattrapante is inspired by traditional style elements which include the peripheral railway-track minute scale and the prominent Arabic numerals, but also the subtle characteristics like the red hour dots at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. All these features are clearly reminiscent of the historic Lange pocket watches and the model family that is named after Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s birth year.’

As the first pure rattrapante chronograph from the brand, the watch can enable stop time and additive time measurements up to 30 minutes, as well as split time and comparing time measurements up to a duration of 60 seconds, with no compromise on design. ‘There is a high level of craftsmanship, expertise and patience. This is particularly reflected by the engraving of the balance cock and the polishing of the chamfered inner corners – jobs that can only be performed manually.’

INFORMATION

alange-soehne.com

Chanel commemorates the year it introduced high jewellery with the launch of ‘1932,’ a 77-piece collection encompassing the celestial motifs of the original pieces.

The comet can be found on half the jewels, drawn in white or yellow diamonds or as a detachable brooch, bracelet or ring. On a necklace, it curls around the neck in an interrupted circle, with the diamonds removable, becoming rings. A moon, depicted against a starry sky, makes for a dazzling brooch, its passage through the night traced on a bracelet and hoop earrings, while the sun rises and sets on spectacular high jewellery sets.

‘I wanted to create a different vision of this legacy, by setting these celestial elements in Motion. To do this, I have given figurative expression to the shimmer of the comet, the halo of the moon, and the radiance of the sun,’ says director of Chanel Jewelry Creation Studio, Patrice Leguéreau. ‘These graphic motifs, often detachable, amplify the brilliance of the jewels. The choice of stones and their settings were also designed with this in mind. In addition to diamonds, I have also introduced colour, using exceptional gemstones to represent the celestial universe: blue diamonds, yellow diamonds, blue and yellow sapphires, opals, and rubies.’

‘Gabrielle Chanel had a visionary approach to jewelry,’ says Marianne Etchebarne, global head of watches and fine jewelry Product Marketing, Clients and Communication at Chanel. ‘She had the idea of creating the first High Jewelry collection in history to revolve around one overarching theme - the symbols of her universe (celestial shapes and couture) - which was showcased in her own apartment for fifteen days, another forward-thinking move.’

Ultimately, the collection pays tribute to Gabriell Chanel’s original innovative spirit. Adds Leguéreau: ‘’I wanted to cover women in constellations,’ she would say. I hope that this is what we have achieved, by sprinkling showers of diamonds over their décolleté, putting scintillating comets around their wrists, and presenting them with celestial shapes, illuminating womens' own radiance.’

INFORMATION

chanel.com

Slender gold chains cut endless silhouettes in the hands of Atelier VM, which has grown its bestselling ‘L’Essenziale’ collection of necklaces and bracelets to include a minimalist anklet.

Defined by a lack of hardware, pieces in the collection are welded together, and can be removed only by severing the chain. Customers can choose the thickness of their chain, and the option to add charms.

‘At first it seemed an impossible idea, full of obstacles and limitations, starting with the fact that, being an experiential piece of jewellery, there was a need for the person in attendance during the purchase to be a specialised operator, with sophisticated machinery and much more,’ say Atelier VM founders Viola Naj Oleari and Marta Caffarelli of the challenges of creating the piece. ‘However, by persisting with our commitment and dedication, we successfully overcame the challenges, creating a unique experience and storytelling based on the truth of the idea and its multiple meanings.

‘This is why we like to emphasise the origins of the welded jewellery being here at Atelier VM, because as much as it may flatter us to see the concept of welding jewellery onto the body spread as a worldwide trend, it is good to remember where it came from and the values it refers to.’

Available in yellow, rose or white gold, the anklet is light to wear, designed to move with the body to ensure maximum comfort. ‘The desire and the need to bind an important memory to the body was the original inspiration behind the collection,’ the jewellery designers add. ‘In 2014, Viola was going through an emotional time in her life and already working with a local goldsmith in Milan on the main Atelier VM collection. One day she went to the goldsmith’s workshop and while there she saw a piece of gold chain sitting in his studio. She looked at it and told the goldsmith that she wanted him to use the laser welding machine to weld this piece of gold onto her wrist. She wanted a permanent memory of this time in her life, and the emotions that she was feeling – the beginning of the “L’Essenziale” collection.’ 

INFORMATION
ateliervm.com

Stay cool, in all senses of the word, with a necklace made from graphic facets of ice. The ‘ooOoooOoooOh la l’ice’ necklace, which comes with its own custom-made silicone tray, can be frozen when the mood takes you or simply worn as a silver beaded necklace.

The brainchild of Amsterdam-based art jeweller Laila El Mehelmy and architecture, art and design studio Golem, the necklace can be enjoyed for half an hour before returning to its liquid state, making it the perfect accessory for a hot and sticky night out on the tiles.

‘The idea came to us during a hot 24-hour party in Club Der Visionaere, Berlin, during one of the hottest heat waves Germany has ever experienced,’ Mehelmy says. ‘In some kind of survival move, party people started to grab ice cubes from the freezers and rub each other with them. At a time when water sources are being privatised and water scarcity is striking all countries across the globe, water is turning from an overlooked commodity into one of the most sought-after luxury goods. That’s how we got the idea to make a piece of jewellery with solid water gems instead of what rappers call “ice”: diamonds.’

The prototype for the tray began as a 3D concept, with Ariel Claudet of Golem sending his designs from Paris to Mehelmy in Amsterdam, who would digitally laser-cut and cast the moulds. The playful result gives wearers a sense of control usually lacking in jewellery.

‘There is a choreography to it,’ Mehelmy adds. ‘We like the idea of the wearer appropriating the piece. As designers, we are very happy to put something out there and see its potential grow with what people make of it, from a techno party to a fancy dinner. It adds different dimensions to the work, and that’s what makes it exciting for us.’

With or without ice, the necklace makes for a fun accessory. ‘When worn as a simple solid silver necklace, the larger beads mark where a water gem once stood and where a new one will one day solidify again. It was important to us that when not frozen it is still a beautiful piece. The modularity of the piece. introduced by the fact that the clasp is smaller than the large beads, allows one to choose how to wear it.’

INFORMATION

@golem.digital:
https://instagram.com/golem.digital?igshid=NDBlY2NjN2I=

@lmehelmy:
https://instagram.com/lmehelmy?igshid=NDBlY2NjN2I=

Giorgio Armani intertwines the art deco design codes that influenced the house’s A/W 2022 runway collection throughout the bold pieces of a new fine jewellery collection.

First making an appearance in November 2019, Giorgio Armani’s fine jewellery makes a bold foil for the label’s clothes, drawing on the geometrical codes and clean forms that run throughout.

This new fine jewellery collection builds on these classic foundations, imbuing them with a shot of bright colour.

Blacks, reds and oranges define the new earrings, necklaces and bracelets, which cast warm carnelians against black and red sapphires.

The lustrous orbs of carnelians are left unembellished save for minimalist charms left to dangle freely. Slender gold lines of a necklace and a bracelet are interrupted by a pattern of diamonds, rubies and sapphires for an understated dose of chic. 

INFORMATION

armani.com

Anissa Kermiche draws on the literary and cultural links between flowers and female sexuality in new fine jewellery collection, ‘Deflowered’. Kermiche was inspired by artists including Georgia O’Keefe, Robert Mapplethorpe and Edward Weston and the sexual undertones of flowers they portrayed in their work, drawing these same curving forms in sculpted gold and pearls.

‘Through the use of curves and folds, we strove to translate the same sensitivity we would give to the female nude into a sensual floral form,’ the jewellery designer explains. ‘The idea was to advocate for women's carnal desire but to do so delicately through the use of abstract yet provocative shapes. The sexual nature to the pieces was then softened through elegantly carved details and stone embellishment.’

The resulting pieces curve round necks and ears, casting the sensual silhouettes of flowers onto delicate, gleaming branches. ‘In order to transcend the classic femininity, we chose to play with the structures and mechanisms of the pieces and how they could be manipulated on the ear,’ Kermiche adds.

‘[In] the “Budding Romance” earring, for example, the flower stem goes in through the lobe and out the other side and can be turned and twisted in lots of directions. This flexibility of movement empowers the piece. We wanted to evoke a sense of wildness and liberty. The flowers move, nothing is stagnant. They are unashamedly brazen and one piece that really aligns with this idea is our “No Shrinking Violet” earring.’

Kermiche was careful to navigate a path between the explicit and the understated, opting to celebrate female desire without being crude.

‘We wanted jewellery that aligned with the female form but wasn't too vulgar, so that it would still be appealing to the eye. The goal was always to communicate our theme but achieve a subtlety in the final product – hopefully we managed to achieve this.’

 INFORMATION

anissakermiche.com

Hermès emphasises the beauty of light with a celebration of the dark in a new high jewellery collection. Shadow is as essential as light in ‘Les jeux de l’ombre’, with diamonds edged in shadows of jade or titanium in an arresting and contrasting interplay.

For his seventh collection, creative director of Hermès jewellery Pierre Hardy explores ideas of duality, with pieces that are split in two in an extension of children’s desire to escape their shadow. ‘We always talk about light and sparkle in jewellery, so I wanted to take the opposite approach,’ he says. ‘In the performing arts, I’ve always loved the incandescent effect of the spotlights as well as the shadows they cast onto the stage floor. I find this distortion of light very appealing. The collection is a response to this desire: to poeticise the form taken by shadows.’

This approach takes shape in jewellery that distorts natural silhouettes by placing gems on billowing clouds of titanium. The contrast becomes embodied in the design of the jewellery itself, with black spinels and blue sapphires making a seductive foil for flat-cut white diamonds in the ‘Chaîne d’ombre’ necklace. In other pieces, the gradients of colour are highlighted, with rough, uncut stones adding a sharp intensity.

‘It’s been a dream of mine: to leave the stones as they are,’ Hardy adds. ‘It came from something I experienced when visiting a gem-cutter, who showed me diamonds and tourmalines. When I shined my phone’s flashlight on them, the light cast shapes around each of them. I have simply highlighted the shadow projected by the stone. I have invented as little as possible, even in terms of how the colours are distributed over the pavé settings. I worked almost like a geologist, as close to the mineral as possible. Projecting light onto a rough stone is a revelation, a wondrous experience.’ 

INFORMATION
hermes.com

Creative director Alessandro Michele goes on a fantastical Grand Tour for Gucci’s third high jewellery collection, ‘Hortus Deliciarum’. Beginning in the mid-19th century and tracing a route through to the 1970s, the collection begins with Roman landscapes and the brilliance of India’s architecture before travelling through to ancient Eastern and Western traditions, finally arriving in the New World with its nods to the beginning of the modernist movement.

The collection is divided into five themes, each of which takes its cue from a different era. The first part looks to the Grand Tour, the rite of passage for Europeans in the 19th century, whose bid for culture and beauty is reflected in jewels that depict cultural landmarks from Rome in miniature form. The Colosseum, Piazza San Pietro, Pantheon, waterfalls at Tivoli and the Pyramid of Cestius are all drawn in cameos that sit in necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches set off by a rainbow of precious gems, including peridot, yellow beryl, red and pink spinel and fire opal.

Colour also defines the second part of the collection, which is inspired by those who travel to India, their experience of the architecture and verdant gardens married with the bold silks of traditional Mogul garments, creating joyful and vivid high jewellery. Gold threaded with diamonds and enamel make for textured bracelets, while a necklace in a rainbow of coloured stones is a brilliant centrepiece.

The third theme interprets ancient Greek myths in its celebration of the pearl, with white, cream and black pearls a milky foil for vivid topaz in earrings, brooches and pendants. It is an arresting juxtaposition that sets the tone for the fourth theme, nodding to the modernist codes of the 1930s and 1940s in a play with geometry and sharp architectural forms. Pop culture is the defining reference of the final theme, with pieces bringing the hedonism of the 1970s to life in a psychedelic explosion of emerald, green tourmalines and aquamarine.

INFORMATION
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Stripes, checks, tie-dye and Liberty prints, more commonly the preserve of garments, are drawn onto swirling loops of diamonds in Victoire de Castellane’s high jewellery collection, ‘Dior Print’. The artistic director of Dior Joaillerie is inspired by the intricacies of an haute couture gown for the 137 new pieces, which are adorned with playful motifs.

‘The idea was to “draw prints on ribbons or flowers”,’ de Castellane tells us of her interpretation of both classic and figurative prints. ‘Each printed pattern is thought of as a hand-stitched fabric, [on which the] positioning of the stones gives a deliberately rowdy appearance to the whole.’

The collection imbues ribbons of precious gems with delicate gradients of colour or draws the ubiquitous Liberty print in ruby, spinel and yellow diamonds. Graphic rings, cuffs and necklaces eschew traditional symmetrical silhouettes to embrace random design codes, while floral prints and stripes are imposed on gold strands which become an intricate necklace.

‘For me, colour in jewellery is very important and I like to use all kinds of coloured stones; mix them and play with gradations, contrasts or monochrome,’ de Castellane adds. ‘I have the chance to work with the best Parisian workshops, who realise my designs and adapt or develop the necessary manufacturing processes in order to achieve the design I have in mind.’

The technically accomplished Dior high jewellery collection draws on traditional watchmaking skills to create articulated lightweight links for a necklace that drapes over the collarbone, its fluid form and entanglement of multicolour ribbons more material than metal.

‘New techniques have been developed that pay tribute to the designs at the origin of the creations. The necklaces, whose necklines are formed by jewel ribbons, challenged the ateliers, who had to create fine volumes that perfectly mould with the skin.’ 

 INFORMATION

dior.com

A play with texture and fascination with form characterises Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura’s jewellery, which draws tantalisingly textured forms in 18ct gold. It is a sensual philosophy carried through to the new ‘Lignes d’Été Couture’ collection, which unites rings, watches and a combination of the two in a rethinking of classic horological codes.

Rings, in 18ct white or yellow gold, are punctuated with clear sugar-loaf emeralds or candyfloss-pink tourmalines cradled in thickly drawn gold or strung onto smooth beads.

Patcharavipa worked with partner Kenzi Harleman on sourcing the new watch pieces. ‘Kenzi is always on the hunt to discover and find intricate old designs inspired by our current jewellery lines,’ she says. ‘Neither of us particularly wears watches, but it’s so fun to work with these amazing pieces of art. The 1970s designs are so interesting – [their designers] were not scared to try something different, and weren’t trying to please the market. All the watches are different, so we are adapting and creating something new every time.’

The watches in the new collection include a vintage Piaget Polo model, a Patek Philippe and a rare Rolex, all of which have been customised in Patcharavipa’s distinctive style. ‘We love to work around the original patina of each piece. I think it makes them unique and gives them a feel of an old, found treasure. Some of our watches will have some oxidation forming or the dial might be cracked: it gives them a one-of-a-kind look.’

Harleman also sourced delicately sized Rolex watches, which have become a series of rings. ‘We wanted to experiment with them,’ Patcharavipa adds. ‘We developed about five different models, beautiful, textured signet rings, trying to make them as comfortable and wearable as possible.

‘The main challenge was to really start from zero. It took us a few months to create and adjust the watch cases, to have a perfect fit and have the watches secured. The hardest part was customising the bezel side, as all these watches are manual winding, so there needs to be easy access so you can rewind them every day.’ 

INFORMATION

patcharavipa.com

Pearls eschew their conservative reputation once and for all in the hands of Tasaki, which continues to delight in a juxtaposition of the rough with the smooth in new additions to the ‘Danger’ collection.

Spikily formed diamonds join pearls in earrings, necklaces and rings on which glint sets of dazzling teeth, while tennis necklaces and bracelets are given a thorny edge. ‘The “Danger” diamonds, a new line to the “Danger” collection, embrace the edgy with the luxe,’ the brand says. ‘Using diamonds set with the thorn motif, the design emphasises a sharp beauty while creating a captivating and wild silhouette. The setting is carefully designed to capture maximum light and the mysterious design ensures that the jewellery emanates the utmost sparkle when worn.

‘With this collection, Tasaki would like to shine a light on the maison’s diamond craftsmanship. Tasaki is the only Sightholder of The De Beers Group of Companies in Japan, meaning that it gets first [choice of] the best diamonds. Likewise, Tasaki not only grows its own pearls but cuts its own diamonds. The new “Danger” diamond collection showcases all of these skills in a very modern and contemporary way.’

For the first time, pearl necklaces are welcomed into the collection, with long necklaces and chokers embellished with the distinctive golden spike. Other pieces embody a playful fierceness, with the new ‘Danger Trap’ design setting pearls on the point of snapping shut.

‘The “Danger” designs are the perfect contrast between the softness of the pearl and striking edges of the danger motif, which requires a delicate balance of craftsmanship and savoir faire,’ the brand adds. ‘The collection unveils a new contemporary and creative world of unique pearls and diamond creations, embracing edgy designs for an everyday style.’ 

INFORMATION

tasaki.co.uk

Sophie Bille Brahe has been quietly yet steadily building her eponymous, independent jewellery business from her home and headquarters in Copenhagen, since founding the company in 2011. Early on, she garnered a loyal following for her ‘Croissant de Lune’ earring, a curved row of diamonds in her distinctive modern setting, often worn as a single earring. Its name, meaning ‘crescent moon’, relates to her ancestor, the astronomer Tycho Brahe; the night sky inspires much of her work. Italy, too, serves as ongoing creative inspiration: ‘Rome is very contrasted,’ she tells us, of the city she has visited all her life, ‘a combination of something very classic, beautiful, yet the complete opposite at the same time.’ The city provided the canvas for the third edition of her self-published magazine, La Vita é Bella. 

Bille Brahe’s power lies in her understated approach, which has been instrumental in upending the perception of fine jewellery entirely: in contrast to jewellery once reserved for special occasions only, her beautiful and interesting designs are intended to be enjoyed and worn every day. Thus, her jewellery speaks to the varied tastes of a cohort of modern women, from romanticists to pragmatists, minimalists and design purists. 

Diamonds and pearls in graduated sizes and asymmetric designs have become her trademark. Her bridal collection launched in spring 2022 and has become the go-to for design enthusiasts searching for a wedding ring that feels as personal as it does timeless. Her recently launched A/W 2022 collection, titled ‘The Bow’, is an ode to the feminine motif, a steadfast yet delicate linear form.

Here, the jewellery designer tells us more about her work, creative process, and what makes her tick.

At home with Sophie Bille Brahe

Wallpaper*: Where are you at the moment? Describe what you can see 

Sophie Bille Brahe: I’m sitting at my work desk at home. It’s an old desk, once given to me by my father, designed by my father's oldest friend. It’s timeworn yet very simple and has a special meaning to me. I’m always listening to a podcast, something I enjoy while working on my designs. Out the window, there is a cherry tree about to blossom.

W*: Where do you live? 

SBB: I live in a terraced house in Hellerup, north of Copenhagen. It’s right by the sea and the forest, a quiet and peaceful area that works well with our family life. If I have the time, I love to start my day with a swim in the ocean, it’s rejuvenating and sparks my endorphins. 

W*: What’s the last thing you bought? 

SBB: Classic two-tone Chanel pumps. They are timeless and fit my personal style and wardrobe. 

W*: What’s the last phone call you made? 

SBB: I last called my mom or Anne-Sofie, CEO at Sophie Bille Brahe. They are the most important people in my life. 

W*: Where and when do you find you are most productive? 

SBB: When I’m at home, having a quiet time to organise my thoughts. I always make sure that there are clean surfaces and fresh flowers in my surroundings before I can start a creative process. I usually start the day with a long walk with my dog, Snoopy, in the local forest. It clears my head and creates space for new ideas.  

W*: Favourite place, anywhere in the world? And why?

SBB: I always return to Rome. The city is an eternal source of inspiration for me. I have been visiting Rome from a very young age, having my grandmom’s sister living in the city. Rome feels like my second home, it’s a sense of belonging. The city is very contrasted: a combination of something very classic, beautiful, yet the complete opposite at the same time. 

W*: If Wallpaper* came for dinner, what would you cook us? 

SBB: Spaghetti vongole. It’s an Italian classic and my favourite Italian pasta dish. My brother, chef Frederik Bille Brahe, always cooks this dish whenever we are celebrating a special moment. 

W*: What’s the one thing (in your creative field) you wish you had designed or invented?

SBB: A vernier caliper. It is a beautiful measuring device that takes advantage of a vernier scale, a scale used to provide very precise measurements. This tool is special because it’s a tool you use to do something very, very precise. I think that says quite a lot about how I work. For me, things need to be extremely precise. My eye can see it when something is off, even by a tenth of millimetre.

W*: Who would play you in a movie of your life?

SBB: I love Alicia Vikander. I’m a big admirer of her. If anyone should play me in a movie it would be her. 

W*: Any regrets?

SBB: I don’t believe in having regrets. I believe in living life on your own terms, without compromises. I’m afraid of stagnation and being stuck in a rut. If I have the opportunity to actually do something, I will always choose to do it without thinking about whether I will regret it or not. I believe that acting is always the best solution.

W*: Ten years from now you’ll be…

SBB: Celebrating Sophie Bille Brahe’s 20th anniversary surrounded by my family and loved ones. I love what I do and couldn't imagine doing anything else. 

W*: What are you reading, and what do you think of it? 

SBB: With two children I hardly find time to read at the moment, but I love Seven Gothic Tales (1934) by Karen Blixen. It’s a modern classic by one of the finest and most remarkable artists of our time. I re-read it over and over again. As a woman, I find her so inspiring. She lived without compromise; she lived her life how she wanted.

W*: Favourite indulgence and why? When did you last indulge in this?

SBB: I love to indulge in diamonds. Diamonds are the most enchanting stone; they give me a magical feeling that I can’t explain and are always the thing that has driven me as a jewellery designer. They last an eternity and have the most beautiful shades of light. 

W*: What’s inspiring you right now? 

SBB: I’m very drawn to classic elements with a modern twist. It’s a part of my designs, imbuing my jewellery with a modern assertiveness. For inspiration, I always return to places that enthuse me. I love Italy, it has been a big part of my life.

W*: Do you have a lucky mascot and is there a story behind it? 

SBB: My beloved dog, Snoopy. I used to look after my brother’s dog, named Skat, and when he had puppies, I received a puppy as a birthday present from my brother. He follows me around wherever I go and brings me so much joy. He is my lucky mascot. And he is my shadow. 

W*: How do you switch off? 

SBB: I go for a long walk in the local forest with my dog, Snoopy. It renews my energy. When I have time, I love to go for a dip in the ocean before starting work. It is the best way to wake up both body and mind. 

W*: Favourite material to work with and why? 

SBB: I love to work with gold. Gold is resilient, beautiful, and long-lasting. There is something magical and meditative about the way the heat moves in the material. It’s something quite magnificent, there is nothing like it. 

W*: Who is your dream collaborator? 

SBB: I love Goyard. It [represents] high-quality craftsmanship and [is] a beacon of luxury. The universe is stringent and yet still timeless. It has its own direction, without expectation. 

W*: If you weren’t a jewellery designer, what would you have been?

SBB: I have always had a love for opera music. As a kid, I dreamt of becoming an opera singer. I grew up listening to ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ sung by Maria Callas; it was my grandfather’s favourite. I have always loved the way she made the opera fragile, showing only the emotions. That is what I am trying to do now with my jewellery: taking away all the superficial elements to strip back to the feelings.

W*: What’s top of your to-do list?

SBB: I dream of renovating my kitchen or travelling to Pompeii. I haven't been to Pompeii and would love to explore the ancient city. I feel very drawn to the past sometimes and I love immersing myself in a place full of history, where each object tells a different story. They take on a meaning and it becomes almost magical.  

INFORMATION

sophiebillebrahe.com

Chanel nods to its rich history in the boutique at 18 Place Vendôme, Paris, which has reopened its doors after a year-long refurbishment by American architect Peter Marino.

Situated opposite the Ritz – where Gabrielle Chanel once lived – the opening of the newly rethought space coincides with the 90th anniversary of ‘Bijoux de Diamants’, Gabrielle Chanel’s first and only high jewellery collection.

The extensive boutique is reserved exclusively for fine and high jewellery and watches, encompassing a vast collection that includes exceptional, one-of-a-kind pieces such as the ‘No.5’ necklace. ‘The Jewellery Creation Studio, directed by Patrice Leguéreau, and the High Jewellery workshop will continue to have their home in this historic building, building on our history and legacy. And so will the Watchmaking Creation Studio, led by Arnaud Chastaingt,’ says Chanel watches and fine jewellery president Frédéric Grangié. ‘It is thus the private townhouse of Chanel that we are opening to the public, a highly symbolic address for us because of its history and its position.’

Peter Marino, who first reimagined the building in 2007, has revisited the space once again, with an aesthetic that nods to the design codes of the house. A palette of Chanel colours – white, gold, black and beige – sit alongside a juxtaposition of textures, from the lacquer that was a personal favourite of Gabrielle Chanel to the distinctive tweed, hammered bronze, wood, and gilded Goossens chandeliers.

‘Working with specialist ateliers and the rare crafts they deploy is a commitment to time,’ says Marino. ‘Chanel is an extraordinary company, with great craftsmanship. I'm always awestruck by the constant creativity of the brand, from its fine jewellery collections to haute couture. It is not a static house.’

The boutique is defined by works of art, including pieces by Idris Khan, sculptors Johan Creten and Joel Morrison and a 1950 oil painting by Nicolas de Staël, Composition. ‘I had originally purchased Composition from Sotheby's in London more than 20 years ago on behalf of a client, who later sold it,’ says Marino. ‘When Chanel mentioned this was the painting they considered buying, I thought it was wild. But the house felt it really represents the same kind of luxurious modernism, forward thinking but at the same time, bearing this sort of ancient eternalism that represented the values of Chanel well. I was thrilled.’

INFORMATION

chanel.com

Best known for his pared-back lighting creations, Cyprus-born, London-based designer  Michael Anastassiades has turned his hand to minimalist jewellery, partnering with Japanese brand Shihara. ‘The most important thing to consider when designing jewellery is its relation to the human body and the space it occupies when worn,’ he says. ‘I love the improvisation behind an abstract piece and the challenge it presents when it comes to wearing it. A strong design can exist in multiple ways. Shihara jewellery has that quality.’

A shared focus on clean, minimalist silhouettes meant the brand was a natural fit for Anastassiades, whose streamlined aesthetic is reflected in a bracelet and necklaces in 18ct gold, with disrupted loops inspired by the construction lines on architectural drawings. For Shihara founder Yuta Ishihara, the collaboration was an organic one. ‘I have been a fan of Michael’s work for some time now, but it was after I saw him speak in Tokyo in 2018 that we got to know each other well, and the idea of creating a collection together was born. Our work, although very different, shares many similarities, with a minimal aesthetic and a focus on functional design.’

Adds Anastassiades, ‘Yuta’s work seems to evolve from a mathematical sequence and everything is made with incredible precision. It was so similar to my own way of thinking.’

The pair have built jewellery pieces on structural foundations, stringing short and long slender 18ct gold pipes into a pattern of interrupted lines. ‘The chains are like the construction lines used by an architectural draughtsman. They are guides with which the user can build their own ideas,’ Anastassiades says. ‘I have enjoyed exchanging ideas with Yuta. I am always surprised by how ingenious his mind is technically.’

Ishihara’s jewellery integrates hardware into the design itself, with screws and springs creating imperceptible metal fittings and rendering the clasps invisible. ‘I like to come up with designs reimagining the functionality, and honing in on how functionality can be incorporated into the overall design,’ he says. ‘Good design to me is when the form and design best suit the intended use. Even if a design is aesthetically unfamiliar to us, it should be functional,’ he says, adding that those who see his work for the first time can be puzzled as to how to wear it.

The collection also encompasses a mirror, floor lamps of varying heights, and a tray. The last is crafted from wood sourced from Japan and treated with Japanese shiro-urushi lacquer, resulting in a glossy brown colour that will naturally fade over time. The lighting is an extension of Anastassiades’ ‘One Well-Known Sequence’ collection, teasing elongated metal tubes and LED bulbs into the same repeating pattern as the jewellery. His brass ‘Beauty’ mirror has also been rethought in a handheld size and shaped into a convex circle shape, a suspended liquid droplet of metal. ‘The homeware pieces were designed as props around the jewellery,’ says Anastassiades. ‘They are simple designs to present and reflect these ideas.’  

INFORMATION
This article originally appeared in the July 2022 issue of Wallpaper*, now on sale and available to subscribers. 

shihara.com
michaelanastassiades.com

Audemars Piguet’s third collaboration with Carolina Bucci marks the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary in sleek style, with the limited edition Royal Oak Selfwinding rethought in black ceramic.

In this newest piece, Bucci turns her attention to the dial, imbuing it with a rainbow of colours. The prismatic effect is created using the tapisserie technique, where little squares are intricately laid on top of the brass dial plate in order to create a prism of colour. ‘I felt like I had unfinished business with the famous tapisserie,’ Bucci says on why she chose to work with this technique. ‘It is one of the main codes of the original 1972 design. In my previous collaboration, I had eliminated it completely – trying to find a perfect counterpoint to the complex finish of Frosted Gold. I loved the way the mirror dial worked within the octagonal bezel, but here I think we found an amazing blend – a tapisserie that appears and disappears in different light.’

Patterns of squares vary from piece to piece, making each rainbow design unique. For Bucci, the result had to find the right balance between subtlety and drama in the way the dial refracts the light. ‘Too much of one and the effect would be under or overwhelming,’ she adds. ‘I read the phrase “opulent subtlety” the other day in a review of the watch. I think that is a good way to describe my intentions.’

The dial makes a brilliant foil for the clean and distinctive design of the case, accentuated only with subtle design details such as the pop of hexagonal pink gold screws against the smooth black ceramic of the dial.

‘The Royal Oak is the perfect platform for experimentation,’ says Bucci. ‘It is such a well-known design with various clear codes – the tapisserie, the octagonal bezel and its screws, and the tapered bracelet. Because it is so recognisable, it means as a designer you can push and pull those codes in different directions to achieve a totally fresh look.’ 

INFORMATION
audemarspiguet.com

For Misho founder Suhani Parekh, moving from jewellery design to ready-to-wear was an organic extension of her jewellery designed around the contours of the body.

‘I've always designed jewellery as architecture for the body,’ the jewellery designer says. ‘In fact, our very first few collections often included body jewellery, metallic corsets, and shoulder pieces. Life imitates art and art imitates life; I feel this is true to my approach to design. Over the two years of the pandemic, we focused on creating more minimal, meaningful pieces of jewellery. For instance, we launched the ‘Pebble Pods’, our first earrings designed for AirPods.’

Parekh builds on this inherent functionality with body pieces crafted in gold-plated bronze that string together sensual waterfalls of black onyx stones and red beads. ‘It feels like the perfect time to take a deep dive back into maximalism and bring more ambitious pieces to life,’ she says. ‘But whether it's a pair of sculptural earrings that hold your AirPods or a 22ct gold-plated metal bikini – in the end, we love creating pieces that make a statement.’

She builds on her training as a sculptor for these new pieces, which accentuate parts of the body usually overlooked in traditional jewellery design. Creating the body pieces came with its challenges, with the intricate mixes of delicate semi-precious stones adding a fragility to the process.

‘Sculpted bronze is a beautiful yet challenging metal,’ Parekh says. ‘It's always been associated with art and sculpture and we wanted to bring that quality to these pieces. Bronze is both hard and ductile, so it takes a lot of skill and time to craft it. However, this also means that it allows for both detail and consistency. As a piece of wearable art, it felt like the perfect material to create something that will stand the test of time, multiple wears, and never lose its form.’

INFORMATION

mishodesigns.com

British brands Otiumberg and Hunza G have united for a capsule jewellery collection, with the three pairs of gold earrings destined to become our summer go-to.

‘We first met in London and were both customers of each other; the partnership grew naturally from our mutual love of each other’s brands,’ say Otiumberg founders and sisters Christie and Rosanna Wollenberg of the collaboration’s beginning. ‘In particular, we have always been drawn to the bold yet elegant spirit of Hunza G. From this, creating the perfect gold hoops to pair on the beach with a Hunza G bikini felt like the ideal synergy and natural next step. As [the brand proposes] – there’s nothing sexier than a bit of glistening gold on the beach.’

The brands took inspiration from imagery of the sea, the smooth surface of the ocean and the curl of a wave drawn in gold vermeil on recycled sterling silver. ‘We wanted to create the ultimate gold hoops for the Hunza G / Otiumberg woman – we always love how collaborating brings something fresh and new to the collection,’ the duo add. ‘The pieces are inspired by the soft flow of the ocean, glistening in a warm sunlight hue. These waves are imitated by the archetypal crinkle fabric, which forms Hunza G’s iconic swimsuits.’

The earrings – large and medium ‘Crinkle’ hoops and ‘Crinkle’ huggies – echo this fluidity, juxtaposing angles and curves for a fresh take on classics.

‘Both our brands are wearable and chic with a slight element of fun,’ the jewellery designers add. ‘Hunza G brings a pop of colour, and we add an edge to classic forms.

‘We both want to make you feel great without trying too hard, by designing summer staples that you never want to take off. One of our shared core values is respect for the materials we use, which we believe is the foundation of both brands.’

INFORMATION
otiumberg.com

Milan-based jewellery brand Antonini cements a century of jewellery expertise in a colourful new fine jewellery collection that takes inspiration from the warm tones of Tuscany.

‘The Renaissance architecture, the nature, the hills and vineyards of Tuscany have inspired this collection,’ says the brand’s art director Sergio Antonini. ‘The stones that I have chosen recall the light blue sky (blue topaz), the green of the hills (the green amethyst) and the brown of the ground (the smoky quartz). Idyllic landscapes.’

It is a tranquillity reflected in the ‘Lucca’ and ‘Troi et Moi’ collections, which riff off both the colour spectrum and proportions, pairing faceted round stones in differing sizes or offering options of how to wear earrings.

‘In this collection, I loved to play with colours, while maintaining the DNA of Antonini Milano, which has simple lines and simple shapes,’ Sergio adds. ‘I’m passionate about architecture and contemporary art, so in our collection you can see geometrical, pure shapes – no decorations, no useless additions. My philosophy is less is more, and I pay a lot of attention to the details in the object.’ He strikes a balance between the generous sizes of the stones and the fluid loops of the gold in the forms themselves, which cut unique graphic silhouettes depending from which angle they are viewed.

For the art director, the challenge lay in imbuing the familiar toi et moi design with the distinctive Antonini identity. For the ‘Troi et Moi’ collection, he says, ‘I played with the proportions between the stones and the stem of the ring, and the colour of the gold that matches with the colour of the stones. I also do this in other collections; I like to work with black rhodium and blue (topaz or sapphires), with rose gold and pink or violet (sapphires or amethyst) and with yellow gold and orange or brown (citrine or smoky quartz).’

INFORMATION

antonini.it

Bulgari is marking the Platinum Jubilee with a unique high jewellery set. The spectacular Jubilee Emerald Garden collection, encompassing a tiara and high jewellery watch, is a celebration of both highly skilled craftsmanship and Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign.

An intricate, 63.44ct Zambian emerald sits at the tiara’s centre; carved with a lotus flower in a feat of technical engineering, it is the culmination of over 1,500 hours’ work by a master goldsmith. Surrounded by a boutique of diamonds and emeralds that bloom around the main stone, it is set into platinum in an appropriate nod to the Jubilee.

‘This high jewellery creation represents an homage to celebrate the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II,’ says Bulgari high jewellery creative director Lucia Silvestri. ‘I was inspired by the Queen, and by her historic admiration of emeralds, to design a piece centred around this striking carved emerald, which showcases Bulgari’s mastery in craftsmanship and creativity.’

The tiara, like many of Bulgari’s jewels, is completely transformable, and can also be worn as a necklace. It sits alongside a high jewellery watch in white gold, with Zambian emeralds, round brilliant-cut diamonds and pavé diamonds teased into playful fan-like silhouettes, encircling a dial studded in snow-set diamonds.

The Jubilee Emerald Garden set is the latest jewellery suite with a design that directly pays tribute to powerful women, with Grace Kelly, Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Rania of Jordan and Elizabeth Taylor, Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren all particular inspirations for the Italian house in the past. Their appreciation of emeralds, nodded to in this set, promises to continue to be a feature in the future, with the one-of-a-kind pieces offering a teasing glimpse into what we can expect from Bulgari’s upcoming high jewellery emerald collection.

INFORMATION

bulgari.com

French men’s jewellery brand Le Gramme has teamed up with swimwear brand Orlebar Brown to mark the latter’s 15th anniversary. A jewellery capsule collection intertwines design references from both brands, with the two new bracelets drawing on Le Gramme’s minimalist silhouettes, and featuring nato straps in navy or red.

‘Our two brands share many things in common,’ says Le Gramme co-founder Erwan le Louër on the organic nature of the partnership. ‘Collaborating at this point in our respective histories was pretty obvious. We both offer timeless, basic pieces for men. In both cases, the creations proposed are pure and minimalist with an increased sense of detail.’

Men’s bracelets by Le Gramme x Orlebar Brown

It is an ethos translated into the bracelets, which knit recycled nato fabric into simple loops, offset by the brushed silver of the magnetic clasp. ‘Whether for Orlebar Brown or Le Gramme, the question of using only recycled materials was not even asked,’ Louër adds. ‘The sustainable approach is [integral to] both brands. For example, Orlebar Brown uses only recycled fabrics for its products, and Le Gramme today uses more than 80 per cent recycled precious metals for its jewellery and aims for 100 per cent soon.’

The red and navy hues of the new bracelets nod to the colours of the pieces Orlebar Brown has created in celebration of its anniversary, while the minimalist silhouettes pay tribute to Le Gramme’s focus on clean and classic forms.

‘These new creations had to be faithful to the DNA of both brands’, in line with Le Gramme’s ‘minimalist and graphic’ approach to jewellery and Orlebar Brown’s ‘sportswear for everyday use’, says Louër. ‘So this design with a braided nato bracelet and cable clasp came very naturally.’

INFORMATION

legramme.com

Wedding bands encompass fluid curves in the hands of Sophie Bille Brahe, whose new bridal collection slots seamlessly into her popular diamond engagement rings.

Thirteen diamond styles in total stay faithful to the undulating curves of the jewellery designer’s engagement rings. The first collection of eight pieces fit into familiar styles such as the Ensemble Escargot, Ensemble Croissant and Grand Ensemble Ocean collection. A second collection of five pieces shifts the focus to a pavé setting for the first time, featuring one and two carat designs.

‘The starting point for this collection and previous collections is cemented around diamonds that I wanted to wear myself,’ says Brahe on the collection which continues her love affair with diamonds. ‘I have always been inspired by the sea - that point on the horizon, where the sea and the sky blur into one. This is also embedded in the design code of this collection, and something that fires my work in general.’

She explored new directions for these pieces inspired by love letters, intricately designed so they fit flawlessly together - much like how paper fits into an envelope, she says. ‘I wanted to capture the essence of effortlessness as well as understated luxury in these new pieces. For me, it is all about capturing the light in simple exclusivity, and effortless designs using diamond as the focal point.’

Using diamonds exclusively - rather than her ubiquitous pearls - was not without its challenges. ‘Not doing something that everybody else has already done is the biggest challenge for me when working with diamonds. But it is the ultimate luxury and gives me a magical feeling that I can’t explain. I love trying to use diamonds in a way that I want to wear them. Extremely classic but modern.’

INFORMATION

sophiebillebrahe.com

Bulgari: The rectangular form of baguette-cut diamonds presents the gemsetter with a graphic tool, here adding depth to Bulgari’s white-diamond spirals and figurative definition to the ‘Serpenti’ brooch. Pictured, ‘The Magnificent Inspirations’ brooch (far left) in platinum with 60 round brilliant- (29.28ct) and tapered baguette-cut diamonds (7.02ct); the ‘Magnificent Inspirations Serpenti’ brooch (top) in white gold, with baguette- and tapered cut diamonds (6.92ct) and standout square- (2.01ct) and pear-cut diamonds, both by Bulgari.

De Beers: Baguette-cut diamond spokes form an abstract framework for De Beers’ diamond medallion. Pictured, brooch (bottom), detachable from the ‘Elizabeth Tower’ necklace, in white gold with 356 diamonds in four cuts – round, princess, baguette, pear – including the central round brilliant (3.03ct), by De Beers. Jacket, by Christian Wijnants.

Fashion: Jason Hughes. Watches & Jewellery director: Caragh McKay

The brooch as a jewel form has been somewhat undervalued in recent years. Commonly perceived as being out of sync with contemporary tastes, its often-baroque nature is often dismissed as being too narrative rich for simpler, cleaner tastes. But brooches are best viewed beyond fashion, in high jewellery terms, as three-dimensional sculptures that push expectations of the materials used. Unlike like rings or earrings, they are not restricted to a particular part of the body – brooches allow designers and makers broader artistic scope. Toying with scale, perspective and traditional notions, as our story (first published in Wallpaper’s October 2016 issue) shows, when designed and crafted at this level, the brooch can become a powerful art object in its own right.

Harry Winston: A spray of knife-set diamonds forms this meditation on two classic stone cuts – round- brilliant and pear. ‘Cascading Drop’ brooch in platinum with 169 round brilliant and 16 pear-shape diamonds (totalling 35.21ct), by Harry Winston. Dress, by Boss

Tiffany & Co: Legendary Tiffany jewellery designer Jean Schlumberger was drawn to the irregularities of natural forms, slight ugliness being a necessary 
foil for an overtly romantic outcome. In turn, their intricate twists and turns allow gemsetters to display their own talents, as with 
this re-edition of a 1950s Schlumberger brooch. ‘Jean Schlumberger Guadeloupe’ brooch (top), from the 2016 Masterpieces collection, in 18ct gold with 79 round pink spinels (11.21ct) and eight round spessartites (1.37ct), by Tiffany & Co.

Cindy Chao: The freedom to express 
her sculptor’s instincts 
in various jewelled forms 
makes brooches the standout design in each Chao collection. Her 
fine art approach manifests 
in the ‘Rose Petals’ brooch, created in four parts. ‘Rose Petals’ brooch in silver and 18ct yellow gold (only two pieces shown), with central oval-cut diamonds (1.51ct and 2.05ct) and various cuts totalling 48.12ct, by Cindy Chao. Jacket, by Cédric Charlier

Chaumet: a pear-cut exclamation point highlights the vivacious character of Chaumet’s summer wheatsheaf. Its elegant nature is distinguished by exquisite craftsmanship. La Nature de Chaumet ‘Offrandes d’Été’ brooch (on collar) in white gold and brilliant-cut diamonds, with 2.21ct pear drop.

Dior Joaillerie: Interior details from the Château de Versailles are translated into tangled, sculpted jewels shimmering with sizeable velvet-hued stones. Designing the pieces as if viewed by candlelight led designer Victoire de Castellane to consider alternative materials, such as blackened silver.
Dior à Versailles ‘Salon de Diane’ brooch (left) in white, yellow and pink gold, and darkened silver, with 154 round- (6.21ct) and three pear-cut diamonds (1.51ct; 1.01ct; 0.70ct) and pear-cut emerald (2.18ct), by Dior Joaillerie.

Piaget: the watchmaker-jeweller’s distinct house engraving techniques add a lush, organic feel to this fan of red-gold palm leaves, pinched artfully together with a 2.51ct green tourmaline baguette.
Brooch (right), detachable from The Sunny Side of Life ‘Golden Palm’ necklace, in 18ct red gold with green tourmaline baguette (2.51ct), and 60 white diamonds (15ct), by Piaget. Cape; coat (worn underneath), both by Agnona

Suzanne Syz: Her pop art background and craftsman’s approach are
 the fundamentals in Suzanne Syz’s postmodern creations, 
as this grotesque mélange 
of rare materials and cartoon-
like references reveals. ‘Kermit on a Lilypad’ brooch (top) in yellow gold with chrysoprase, spessartite garnets (38.03ct), tsavorites (45.89ct), cabochon rubies (0.66ct) and diamonds (0.29ct), by Suzanne Syz.

Chanel Fine Jewellery: The ancient symbolism 
of wheat inspired Chanel’s 
Les Blés de Chanel collection, which is why 
it is quietly, beautifully rooted in Classicism. Moisson Ensoleillée’
brooch (right) in 18ct white and yellow gold, with 19 marquise-, seven pear- and 168 brilliant-cut diamonds, 209 brilliant-cut yellow sapphires and one central octagonal-cut African yellow sapphire (10.22ct), 
by Chanel. Jacket, by Victoria Beckham

Louis Vuitton: the new era of brooch designs reflects 19th-century tastes, where the highly precious nature of materials did not inhibit scale, nor restrict a brooch to a particular area of the body, as in Louis Vuitton’s ‘lace’ garland of diamonds. ‘Diamonds’ brooch (top) in white gold with diamonds (10.74ct), from the Dentelle de Monogram collection, by Louis Vuitton.

Boucheron: Designer Claire Choisne’s plush peacock plume of diamonds is crafted in two pieces, designed to create the illusion of bird feathers transforming into a flock. ‘Plume de Paon’ brooch (below) in 18ct white gold with one pear-cut diamond (0.08ct) and 499 round brilliants (3.33ct), by Boucheron
Top, £395, by Pringle of Scotland. Skirt, by Marni

Amrapali: Polished perfection is not typical of the traditional Indian fine jewellery aesthetic, where the 
visceral power of stones 
is paramount. This white-gold wreath design of 
non-uniform pearls and tumbled 45.64ct rubellite tourmaline underlines 
the organic Indian style. Brooch in 14ct gold and sterling silver, with 
128 round brilliant-cut diamonds (0.76ct); 
oval-cut emerald (1.15ct) and 14 South Sea pearls (9.46ct), with central tumbled rubellite tourmaline briolette (45.64ct), by Amrapali.

Cartier: The French jewellery house’s creative links to India 
and its particular jewellery design codes are reflected 
in the compelling nature 
of this carved rubellite. ‘Caresse d’Orchidées’ brooch of rubellite tourmaline (414.45ct), 
with one diamond pear- (0.73ct) and 186 round brilliant-cut diamonds (2.08ct), by Cartier. Jacket, by MaxMara

Graff: Gradating tiers of marquise-cut diamonds add a natural sense of movement to Graff’s magnificent ‘Bird of Paradise’ and its everlasting delivery of a 2.02ct pear drop. Pavéd brilliants add volume and texture to its narrative form. ‘Bird of Paradise’ brooch 
in 350 diamonds (27ct), including pavé set, 
pear- and marquise-cut, with central 2.02ct pear, 
by Graff. Top, by Bally

‘It's important to highlight that pearls can be so much more than perfect round objects onto which we attach so many connotations,’ says jewellery designer Melanie Georgacopoulos, whose work slicing, carving and faceting pearls has revolutionised traditional pearl jewellery. ‘I think the time has come to set them free and explore their potential in more creative ways.’

She has continued to do just that in her latest collections for Japanese pearl and diamond jeweller Tasaki. In the ‘Triple Pearl’ series, differently sized pearls in graduating hues encircle the ear lobe and the neck. In ‘Square Leaf’, the luminescent hue of the pearl is juxtaposed against a chunk of square-shaped gold, while in ‘Wedge’, the gold dissects the pearl itself, reducing it to three-quarters of its size.

‘Over the last decade, since Tasaki and I founded M/G Tasaki, we have been actively and consciously establishing and exploring our own design codes for contemporary pearl jewellery,’ Georgacopoulos says. ‘The new pieces are a perfect balance between the exquisite Tasaki craftsmanship and my disruptive design ethos. I have always felt that Tasaki gives me creative freedom to design what I want and trusts me to follow my creative instinct. The new pieces feature pearl cutting at an angle and hollowing techniques in my ongoing exploration of the pearl as a material, whilst resulting in wearable everyday pieces that are subtle yet individual.’

Technically, the minimalist aesthetic of the pieces made creating them a challenge, while matching the delicate hues in the ‘Triple Pearl’ series to achieve the consistent graduation also proved difficult. For Georgacopoulos, the process was a rewarding one. ‘I enjoy working with Tasaki because of the creative freedom they give me, their technical excellence and execution, and of course the fact that they have introduced me to and enabled me to connect with Japanese culture,’ she says.

INFORMATION

tasaki.co.uk

‘I like the unexpected, though I avoid the unpredictable,’ says Italian jewellery designer Francesca Villa, who translates a love of travel and cosmopolitan cultures into playful and innovative designs. ‘Many people work in their own atelier, considering it to be a place to hide. I prefer to free myself and get in touch with the world by travelling, a unique chance for discovery and enrichment, inseparable from my work.’

Her new collection ‘Twiggy’ draws on the easy bohemianism of the 1960s, inspired by the eponymous supermodel’s natural aesthetic. Vintage buttons on a minidress and a plethora of bold hues are translated into irregularly set stones and vivid gems in the capsule collection of seven one-of-a-kind pieces.

‘All my creations look for the eclectic, because it’s an aspect I very much value, knowing that jewellery is a practice open to ideas and experimentation. Actually, unusual materials must be carefully managed, as they can easily become overtly extravagant and spoil the appeal of the jewel,’ adds Villa.

In the new alternative rings, composed of rose gold, semi-precious stones and titanium, a thoughtful play on contrasts celebrates the joy of juxtaposition. Stones including peridots, orange sapphires, tsavorites, amethysts and aquamarine frame vividly drawn patterns enamelled by hand. ‘The biggest challenge is to consider such patterns as a starting point to be built upon. For this reason, the regular geometry decorating the vintage buttons is sort of counterbalanced by the ostensible disorder of the coloured stones set all around,’ says Villa.

The ‘Twiggy’ rings are not only a celebration of the 1960s, but also of the supermodel herself. ‘I admire Twiggy’s capacity to be way ahead of her time while being fully part of it,’ Villa says. ‘I’d love my creations to bring forward new paths as much as plunge into the present.’ 

INFORMATION

francescavilla.it

Chaumet translates architectural codes into high jewellery in the ‘Torsade de Chaumet’ collection, which imbues the traditionally inflexible nature of precious metal with an easy fluidity. Its centrepiece is a technically accomplished Chaumet necklace featuring undulating twists – torsades in French – inspired by the frieze that winds its way around the Vendôme Column in Paris’ Place Vendôme, in a nod to the home of the maison’s first boutique in 1812.

Chaumet necklace nods to the past

The intricate négligée necklace is a contemporary play on its predecessor, initially created a century ago for the Maharaja of Indore. Rather than the pear-cut diamonds of the original piece, it comes with elegant diamond springs that form a neat end to the diamond rope. In this necklace, diamonds are caught mid-twirl in an asymmetrical pattern that spins past its elongated outlines.

The necklace is a highlight of a collection that pays tribute to the history of Chaumet, in particular celebrating its significant relationship with Napoléon and Joséphine, marking the maison’s status as imperial jeweller. These new pieces, released to coincide with the bicentenary of the emperor’s death, encompass a tiara, curved in coils of diamonds, and rings that spring diamonds dynamically off the finger. Earrings coil tantalisingly up the lobe, or dangle down in a brilliant refraction of light. In a brooch, a diamond web brings a modernity to a traditional adornment.

In some jewels, deep red Mozambique rubies are knitted into the twists of a necklace in an elegant asymmetrical play. In rings, rubies nestle in between diamonds. Shades of blue, too, are drawn in cushion-cut Ceylon sapphires that weave their way under the diamond springs in necklaces, bracelets and rings. A Colombian emerald takes pride of place on a diamond tiara, and brings a vividness to stud earrings and a ring.

INFORMATION

A version of this article appears in the Design Awards February 2022 issue of Wallpaper* (W*274). Subscribe today

chaumet.com

Pippa Small

Pippa Small has worked in collaboration with the Turquoise Mountian charity for these elegant pieces created by local artistans in Afghanistan. The resulting collection celebrates bright gems and oversized links, but it is this ebullient zigzag of gold which we'll be reaching for to brighen up the endless Zoom calls. 
pippasmall.com

YSSO

Greek-based jeweller Alexia Karides works with her mother, an archaeologist, to design their textured and sculptural gold jewellery. The pieces, hand-crafted in Greece by local artisans, are inspired by the swirling patterns of Greek lace for an understated take on modern adornment. Looping twists and swirls of gold pay homage to classical or natural concepts – here, a golden ribbon nods to the headbands traditionally worn in the cultures of the Mediterranean, Levant and Persia.

theysso.com

Milamore

Milamore’s Kintsugi collection is inspired by the Japanese tradition of mending broken pottery with lacquer dusted with powdered gold. Founder George Root was keen to reflect this sense of acceptance in his sharply defined jewels which curve around the neck, wrists and fingers in jagged golden lines. ‘I knew I wanted to make a collection based on Japanese culture, which is the country where I grew up,’ says Root. Fittingly for a world mid-pandemic, his abstract lines are created to bring peace to the wearer: ‘This collection wouldn't be complete without the human body. Let’s say humans are the “broken pottery”. By wearing the Kintsugi pieces, you complete the design and you become the Kintsugi repaired artwork.’

Jaclyn Moran

‘I am drawn to geometric shapes and simplicity and generally prefer order over chaos,’ says LA-based jeweller Jaclyn Moran. Her first piece of jewellery, the Hoop & Post earring, encapsulates this fuss-free aesthetic. A contemporary take on the classic hoop, it combines form with function in perfect simplicity. The pieces are available in varying sizes, although proportions remain the same: ‘The ratio of the post and the hoop remains consistent throughout the different size variations,’ she says. One version comes edged with clean pavé diamonds; in the Melted version, the hoop is gently distorted in a play on geometry. Moran adds: ‘Ultimately, whatever one chooses to focus on when approaching a design should reflect and express a personal philosophy – I believe the Hoop & Post does that for me.’

Morf

The stark architecture of Serbia is translated into contemporary jewellery by young Belgrade-based brand Morf, who were inspired by the concrete architecture of their childhood for jewels which get back to basics. ‘Growing up in Belgrade, a city famous for its Yugoslav architectural experimentations, we were surrounded by a lot of modernist, exposed-concrete architecture built by previous generations,’ says co-founder Nina Lazic. Their jewellery redraws these Brutalist lines in speciality concrete, embracing the imperfections which are an unavoidable consequence of working with the unforgiving material. ‘This feature is something we love – this honesty and inhomogeneity gives it a distinct personality that’s generally not seen in more conventional jewellery materials.’ Despite its traditionally mascuine connotations, the jewellery itself is feminine, even elegant. ‘What helped give it this look and feel were elongated and clean forms. By jewellery standards, these are chunky pieces, but when it comes to concrete, we keep it slender.’ 

INFORMATION

jaclynmoran.com
milamorejewelry.com
madebymorf.com