Butterfly effect
19 December
Khamama incorporate vivid butterfly wing marquetry into its watch dials, eschewing numbers for a silken, symmetrical finish. The brand worked with Parisian jewellery designer Yann Llorens - previously of Louis Vuitton Joaillerie and Van Cleef & Arpels, amongst others - to transform the ephemeral raw materials into the delicate details of timepieces. The designs are handmade in the English countryside, and abide by stringent ethical codes. The wings of farmed butterflies are only used when their life cycle has naturally come to an end.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Manhattan move
18 December
In New York, Swiss jeweller De Grisogono has moved several blocks downtown to a David Collins Studio-designed new two-storey boutique at 700 Madison Avenue. Through a Carrara marble entrance, the light, airy space is characterised by swatches of plum and amethyst. Bold sculptural details include Hudson Furniture’s La Cage chandelier, made up of concentric, angular brass rings. Sophie Mallebranche, a Paris-based textile designer, has woven the shimmering mesh screens installed across the ground floor. Upstairs, the private salon is draped with deep purple silk, and houses a custom Turkish lilac marble fireplace.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Secret keeper
15 December
A contemporary riff on a secret watch, the Gucci Constance is a Plexiglass padlock holding a miniature white mother of pearl dial. Rotate the dial into the padlock and a bumblebee spreads its wings across the case back. A symbol first introduced in Gucci’s ready-to-wear in the seventies, it has recently become one of creative director Alessandro Michele’s favourite motifs. With the festive season in full swing we've got eyes for this festive green and red padlock, shackled to a dark brown leather strap.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Bronze age
14 December
In celebration of its upcoming Patricia Urquiola-designed New Bond Street boutique in London, Officine Panerai is auctioning a unique, bronze 47mm Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic on Sotheby’s.com. By the end of the twentieth century, Officine Panerai had become the official supplier to the Royal Italian Navy, and this bronze-cased timepiece celebrates the watchmaker’s prestigious seafaring heritage: bronze is highly resistant to both the corrosive action of seawater and atmospheric agents, and develops a beautiful patina over time. The timepiece also features a brown dial, unique to the bronze design. Bidders are able to view the timepiece at Sotheby’s auction house in London, and the winner will be invited to the new Panerai boutique, which is presided over by a skilled specialist watchmaker, to learn more about the intriciacies of the purchase. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Royal Yachting Association in support of their charitable sailing programme OnBoard. With the auction ending tomorrow, the clock is ticking.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Ocean views
13 December
From Peter Pilotto to Pucci, coral-inspired pieces have popped up all over S/S 2018’s catwalks. One design duo who’ve been closer to marine life than most are Antonia Pascale and Christopher James, the founders of new jewellery brand Pascale James. ‘We’ve both been lucky enough to spend time exploring coral reefs,’ James says. ‘I lived on a tiny island in the Bahamas for three years.’ The results of this ocean view are a series of ‘molten coral’ pieces, found in the brand’s debut Orogenesis collection. Pieces sustainably hand crafted in London, from free flowing gold vermeil or sterling silver, have been made to mimic ‘intricately flowing branches of coral.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Body talk
11 December
In Ana Khouri’s new ‘Ethereal’ collection, gemstones spill out across the ear. The Izabel earrings are made up of clusters of white diamonds, gently draping down to fold under the earlobe. The Sao Paulo-born jeweller’s first consideration is how each jewel will wear. ‘My pieces are intended to be anatomical extensions of the body, with fluidity and softness,’ she says. ‘I want my designs to evoke their connection to space - it’s vastness, its majesty and its superlative form.’
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Fine taste
8 December
If you’ve got an appetite for both fast food and fine jewellery, then Christie’s latest ‘Sacs & Accessories’ auction will really tickle your tastebuds. On the menu are a selection of food-inspired pieces like these twinkling creations by American actress and handbag designer Kathrine Baumann. When the auction opens in Paris on 12 December, we’ll be bidding on Lot 212, a cheeseburger minaudière, Lot 213, a Campbell’s tomato soup minaudière and Lot 215, a Diet Coke clutch, all from the nineties and noughties. What a takeaway!
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Collar to cuff
5 December
We love Hermès’ Médor band for the new Apple Watch Series 3. Created as a dog collar during the house’s early years as a harness and bridle supplier, the Médor has moved from neck to waist to arm, becoming first a belt in the 1930’s then a watch strap in the 1990’s. Two black calfskin leather straps have been designed for the Series 3, which launched earlier this year. One is a single band for the 42mm case, the other a slimmer double tour that wraps its way around the wrist, for the 38mm model. Each is dotted with a signature pyramid stud on either side of the watch, giving just the slightest hint of punk.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Pearl power
4 December
Alexandra Jules- the LA-based jewellery brand which was founded in 2015, uses a plethora of precious materials to create graphic collections, which let the stones take centre stage. These new Harbour Island earrings are a case in point, and dreamily encapsulate the nature of the halcyon island in the Bahamas they are named after. Diamond-encrusted yellow gold is used to toughen lustrous mother-of-pearl, reflecting the prismatic nature of the ocean with an effulgent play with light.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Drum up 30 November
Louis Vuitton has transferred the Tambour or ‘drum’ shape from watch case to 65mm table clock. The result is surprisingly spherical, and made up of two convex halves: one of black PVD-coated stainless steel, the other a mineral glass dome. Partially skelentonised hands count time on graphic anthracite indexes. The emblematic Gaston ‘V’- picked as a personal monogram by Louis Vuittons’ grandson Gaston-Louis, spreads across the tilted black dial, re-appearing in miniature at 12 o’clock and at the tip of the GMT hand.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Holding court
29 November
From the Royal Academy of Arts, to the Tate Modern, institutions around London have commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Tomorrow is your last chance to catch ‘Fabergé and the Russian Revolution’ Bentley & Skinner’s exhibition of objets d’art by Carl Fabergé- one of the most renowned jewellers to the Russian Royal Court, who was made Goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown in May 1885. Fabergé created a plethora of wondrous pieces- including the first of the Imperial Eggs, for the Romanov family, until the Bolsheviks seized power in Petrograd on 7 November 1917. Our temperatures are rising for this silver-gilt and enamel thermometer, the translucent royal blue enamelling applied with ribbon-tied laurel wreaths, circa 1899-1908. Plus this distinctly coloured pink and green enamel candlestick holder from 1910, its base bordered with laurel and acanthus leaves. Fabergé and the Russian Revolution is on view until 30 November at Bentley & Skinner, 55 Piccadilly, London.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Leane feat
28 November
The success of 2015’s Alexander McQueen ‘Savage Beauty’ exhibition - which showcased pieces produced in collaboration between the late fashion designer and Shaun Leane- has prompted the British jeweller to open his archives permanently. ‘Couture Fashion Jewellery - The Archive of Shaun Leane’ will be on show with Sotheby’s from 30 November in New York, before the auction itself takes place on 4 December. It encompasses an eclectic collection, with over 45 bespoke pieces going under the hammer. One of our personal favourites, this replica of a barbed ‘Tusk Anklet’ created for Isabella Blow in 1997, captures the distinctive balance of fragility and strength Leane is revered for, with graduated tusks cutting a ferocious, yet elegant, silhouette. The design was exhibited as part of Somerset House’s 'Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!' exhibition in November 2013. 'The piece marks when my handwriting was born and you can still see it in my work today,’ Leane comments. ‘It is one of my favourite pieces as it was an important landmark in my career as a designer and craftsman - and it was Isabella who gave me the confidence to create the House of Shaun Leane.'
Writer: Hannah Silver
Norse star
27 November
It’s been a prestigious autumn for Georg Jensen. In September, the Danish design house celebrated the 50th anniversary of its collaboration with Vivianna Torun- the Swedish jeweller who created signature styles for the house, and died in 2004. Now, as part of its 'Nordic Design' showcase- which features over 130 pieces by a selection of designers and makers- the Fine Art Society in London are showcasing a selection of Jensen’s historical designs. It’s a homecoming of sorts, as the institution held two exhibitions of Jensen's work in 1921 and 1923. We’re feeling particularly at home with this Torun-designed letter opener, which the jeweller created for the Danish house in 1989, and Allan Scharf for Georg Jensen’s silver shoe horn. 'Nordic Design' runs until 3 January 2018. Images courtesy of the Fine Art Society
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Ore inspiring
23 November
What if precious metals could act as a cinematic portal to the cosmos? That’s the question that Ore, a new line of fine jewellery seeks to answer. The ambitious brand was conceived by London-based architect and graphic designer Tess O’Leary and her partner, digital strategist Daljit Singh in 2015.
For the past two years, the duo have been busy developing their brand's first product: Lucy, a handmade 18ct-gold ring comprising olivine crystals etched from Pallasite Meteorite and Vantablack, the darkest manmade substance in existence. The piece, which was designed to resemble a small planet, establishes a unique connection with a single white dwarf star. As the earth orbits the sun and the star reaches its zenith, the meteorite within Lucy gently glows. ‘We wanted Lucy to be magical, to connect people with the earth and draw their eyes up to the sky.’ notes O’Leary.
Lucy’s core components are charged via a compact dock that’s crafted from preserved wood and sprayed with iron. ‘The ring talks to the dock to update its position, then the dock talks to the servers,’ O’Leary says. This allows Lucy to log the position of its wearer at the moment of illumination, creating a constellatory map of memories. ‘Effectively, you can build a personal relationship with natural phenomena through jewellery. It’s a whole new type of heirloom.’
Writer: Natalie Rigg
Born again
20 November
When French jewellery designer Elie Top was presented with a broken bracelet by a friend, he knew at first glance what the unusual piece was: an original chalcedony and pearl cuff by Suzanne Belperron, one of the most influential jewellery designers of the 20th century. She rose to fame in the 1930s, and her pieces were coveted by the international smart set of the time. Dorothy 'Babe' Paley is seen in a 1936 drawing by Henri Matisse wearing a Belperron bangle. 'As a designer, her style was bold, modern and radical,' says Top of Belperron's appeal. Brussels gallery owner Carole Van Hoek saw the broken bracelet and commissioned Top to rework it. He didn't alter the frame, but highlighted the powerful lines of the faceted chalcedony with threads of white gold and diamonds. Available at Caroline Van Hoek, Brussels
Writer: Caragh McKay
As originally featured in the November 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*224)
(Key) ring master
17 November
We’re such fans of Paris-based label Le Gramme’s approach to design, that we featured both its sterling silver 33g cuff and 43g ruler in the ‘Clean Cut’ story of Precious Index, our debut Watches & Jewellery supplement. The mathematically-inspired label, which launched in 2012, creates pared back pieces available in a variety of densities. Now Le Gramme has added to its lifestyle roster, with a sterling silver keyring, available in 13, 27 or 41g. ‘We like to propose elemental shapes, and were inspired by the idea of creating something you use everyday,’ says co-founder Adrien Messié. The keyring, which is created using 14 steps, from punching to lacquering, is available to buy from the brand’s newly relaunched website.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Mouth piece
14 November
London-based Milk Tooth LDN’s new collection showcases a collaboration with illustrator Maria Ines Gul. Better known for her work for Gucci and The New York Times, amongst others, Gul has illustrated the shapes behind the ten piece earring collection, comprised of squiggly shell designs, key and floral motifs and figurative illustrations, all inspired by womanhood. We’re attached to these ‘Lovers’ earrings, which imagine two people entwined in an embrace.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Ahead of the stack
13 November
New additions to Repossi’s Antifer collection, launching today at Dover Street Market, represent a shift in perspective for the house’s creative director Gaia Repossi. Some design signatures remain, and this Antifer Colorblock ring retains a gently peaked silhouette, a reference to the distinctive cliffs above the beaches of Normandy. In a rare move, Gaia adds a mix of metals. An amalgamation of stacked white and rose gold adds a pleasing warmth to an otherwise uncluttered outline.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Walk the line
10 November
The creative space that Nicholas Kirkwood has introduced into his eponymous shoe brand’s flagship boutique in Mayfair, plays host to a series of carefully curated pop-ups, featuring partnerships with designers from fields as diverse as jewellery, art, literature and floristry.
Part two of the series sees Kirkwood welcome New York based-fine jeweller Eva Fehren, who will be showcasing her pieces until the new year. His curation of her brand’s new collection includes graphic rings and bracelets, the embodiment of a sharp eye inspired by the bold, industrial architecture prevalent in Fehren’s home city.
Her collaboration with Kirkwood is an appropriate one: both keen to present a subversive version of femininity, their designs straddle the line between edgy and audacious. Fehren’s mischievous treatment of precious materials is not dissimilar to Kirkwood’s play with pearls, and they share a preoccupation with strong geometric outlines, most notably hexagons. ’There’s a lot of parallels between the things that inspire us,’ the jeweller notes. She crafts her pieces in black and white gold and uses a smattering of grey diamonds, muted hues that let her modern silhouettes speak for themselves. ‘We both come from an art background and have a very sculptural aesthetic. I try to create things that are extremely feminine, delicate and minimal, but that still retain a little bit of this toughness to the end.’
Writer: Hannah Silver
Pearl power
6 November
A jewellery brand which selects only the most luscious of pearls, Yoko London’s illustrious collection includes pearls in a plethora of colours and sizes. Raw materials meticulously sourced from all over the world are skilfully married to polished contemporary design; the variances in these elegant South Sea and Tahitian pearls are barely perceptible. When viewed as a whole, the monochromatic result, edged in white and black gold, is startlingly modern.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Tis’ the season
3 November
As part of Dolce & Gabbana’s festive takeover of Harrods in London, the brand has, in a blaze of flamboyance, taken over the fourth floor with an ebullient Italian street market. It’s the pop-up boutique in Fine Jewellery and Watches which really piques our interest, however, where coral gems and seductively designed jewels take their place alongside a vibrant selection of men’s and women’s watches. Expect feminine fine detailing and a plethora of gentle hues, as evinced by these Pizzo earrings, where amethyst, aquamarines and peridots soften intricate outlines. The pop up is on view until 28 December.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Page turner
2 November
Since it was founded by Fawaz Gruosi in 1993, Swiss luxury jeweller de Grisogono has gained acclaim for its noncomformist and daring approach to design. Now, a new Assouline-published tome, authored by Vivienne Becker, offers a visual exploration of the house’s ornate and bold aesthetic. The publication includes sublime shots of pieces including the Crazy Skull- which took a year to research and develop, and 250 hours to craft, and other designs featuring uniquely coloured stones, and unusual gem combinations. In de Grisogono: Daring Creativity, Gruosi is described as someone who ‘understands the jewel rules so well he is able to break them, both subverting and preserving entrenched traditions.’ The book is a joyful representation of his approach.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Industrial output
30 October
Saskia Diez’s background as a goldsmith and student of industrial design is apparent in the fluid, easy wearability of the feather-light pieces she crafts in her Munich workshop. Oversized hoops are appealingly slender and easy to wear, while beaded lines of freshwater pearls are strung on 18ct-gold, yielding a delicate result. Curbed chains, falling from polished wire shapes, are a refined alternative to the traditional hoop earring, while ear cuffs twist onto the ear like oversized staples.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Big bang theory
27 October
Ana Thompson works with sterling silver, gold vermeil and 18ct-gold to create bold, contemporary jewels from her London studio. Fascinated by science and technology, her collections reference space, with far-away orbits embodied in looping metal chains, and distant planets depicted with lustrous white Akoya and peacock pearls. This Vortex ring is a sculptural tribute to the universe’s powerful forces, represented by a neat coil of 18-ct gold, simultaneously tactile and smooth.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Ancient and modern
26 October
The power of gold and its spiritual significance for early cultures continues to draw collectors to designs steeped in antiquity. Defined by pagan symbols, architectural influences and handworked, rich yellow metal, they are a perennial source of fascination, like mini museum objects. Particularly popular in the 1970s, when stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Maria Callas tapped into the trend for Etruscan-inspired cuffs and necklaces, there’s renewed interest in them now. Today, Collector Square, the French specialist founded by Nicolas Orlowski, president of the Artcurial Group, is holding a sale of antique-design pieces. It’s a smart move by head of jewellery Constance Lauvinerie to whittle down the offering to just 30 jewels. These include a Bulgari Monete ring, a Minoan and Mycenaean torque by Greek jeweller Ilias Lalaounis, and a lions’ head ring (right), its eyes set with rubies, by Hellenic jewellery house Zolotas.
‘All of the pieces in this sale have been selected because of their link, either in terms of inspiration, craftsmanship or iconography, to jewellery from Ancient Rome and Greece,’ says Constance Lauvinerie. ‘The lion’s head symbol featured on this ring is inspired by the Greco-Roman myths of Heracles, making it a perfect addition. Additionally, the lion’s head is idiosyncratic of Zolotas and recurs frequently in its work.’
There is a fine cache of other, unnamed, pieces, including these pink gold earrings (left), which are crafted around two beautifully engraved antique coins. These pieces are just two of the lots that caught our eye.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Water feature
23 October
Stephen Webster’s collaboration with skate label Thames London may at first seem an incongruous one. Its founder, artist Blondey McCoy is best known for his prowess on a skateboard. But the latter’s breezy, effortless style acts as an unerring foil for Webster’s seductive designs. Webster sees more parallels in their work than there are disparities: ‘It has been very exciting to work with someone from a completely different generation and background but with the same underlying spirit of our two totally different brands.’ The results are as bold as you would expect, marrying Thames London’s modernity with Webster’s traditional jewellery-making techniques. The ’T’ from the brand’s logo is a familiar theme throughout, acting as the link of a bracelet here, or inlayed with oxblood ceramic enamel there. The pieces are uniformly crafted from irradiant 14ct-yellow gold, with razor blades used to laser cut the Thames logo into gold and onyx. Webster says: ‘It was this shared passion for craftsmanship and love for jewellery - which is quite unusual for such a young person like Blondey - that led to a collection that is inspired by our experience, our intergenerational links and the things we love.’
Writer: Hannah Silver
City lights
20 October
There’s strong architectural appeal in Daphne Krinos’ ‘Ambassador Diamond’ necklace. Commissioned by the Goldsmiths’ Company for its permanent Modern Jewellery Collection, the London-based Greek jeweller drew inspiration from night-time cityscapes. She envisaged an urban-infused jewel resembling a panorama of skyscrapers, their windows illuminated at dusk: ‘I was inspired by the reflections some lights create on different surfaces in the evenings,’ she explains. That influence also dictated Krinos’ primary material: ‘I chose white gold because I could expose areas under the plating that would show as white or as silver lines.’ The result is a necklace made of blocks and slices of 18ct-white gold (plated with black ruthenium to give a slightly matt finish). Each section is set with randomly scattered diamonds in three different cuts, some flush against the metal, others set with full.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Full circle
19 October
Today, Palais Dorotheum puts a small selection of delicate Buccellati pieces under the hammer, as part of the Vienna-based auction house’s jewellery sale. Buccellati- the Milanese house founded in 1919, is renowned for its delicate focus on design. Its signature, painstaking openwork draws inspiration from fabrics like damask and silk. When taking a closer look at the Buccellati pieces on offer, it was Lot No 26 that caught our eye. This 2.3ct-gold ring is delicately carved using floral detail openwork and set with glistening diamonds. The piece's design heritage is interwoven with that of an aristocratic European family who invested in a selection of Buccellati pieces in the twenties. These also include Lot No's 23, 24 and 25- made up of a striking diamond bracelet and two pairs of pendant earrings.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Star struck
18 October
You don’t have to be a horoscope hack to appreciate the wonder of Jessie VE’s ‘Constellation Earrings’. The designs – available in white, rose and yellow gold – glimmer from the ear, and act as miniature twinkling versions of star sign constellations. So whether you see a sparkle of your inner self in the pieces, or are simply attracted to their graphic appeal, their design is one that aims for the stars.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
New rose
17 October
Alexandrine Ni’s background working for Alexander McQueen and Solange Azagury-Partridge has proved a solid base from which to launch her eponymous jewellery brand. Exploring her fascination with classic Oriental literature, she combines flora and fauna symbols and craft techniques to contemporary effect. These earrings, from her latest ‘Sa Majeste La Rose’ collection caught our eye: filled with rose petals in gently differing hues, they are hand dried and moulded in resin.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Set in stone
13 October
Despite being based in Antwerp, Karolin van Loon’s focus is on unusual, ethically-sourced geodes rather than diamonds. ‘Materials need to be out of the ordinary – a ring featuring a druzy stone will probably have people inquiring more than if you were to say it was another well-known gem,’ she says. But the jeweller has not rejected diamonds entirely – a thin outline surrounds each flat slice atop her bracelets and ring designs.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Picture perfect
11 October
This week, London’s Spencer House is playing host to a portrait series commissioned by Italian jewellery designer Giampiero Bodino. ‘Beauty is my Favourite Colour’ sees 15 of Giampiero’s female muses photographed in various editorial-style settings by Italian photographer Guido Taroni, wearing a selection of iconic necklaces, which are also on display. JJ Martin, pictured, was photographed at Villa Erba Antica Gastel in Cernobbio on the shores of Lake Como, wearing the Barocco Ghirlanda necklace from the Meditteranea collection. ‘She has great taste and a sense of irony,’ says Bodino on Martin. ‘That is why choosing her jewellery for the shoot was easy and immediate. She agreed with my choice of a bold coloured necklace at once.’
Writer: Elly Parsons
Snow show
6 October
With its love for delicate lines and sparing details, Mateo New York has captured fans with its pared down, yet elegant aesthetic. The label’s latest collection is no different, with pearls and diamonds finely set amongst thin gold rings, chains and arcs to subtly evoke one of Alexander Calder’s suspended works, Blizzard (Roxbury Flurry), from 1946. From diamond bar pearl earrings that resemble mobiles, to slender crescent hoops that feature dangling pear drops, Mateo’s interpretation of Calder’s aesthetic is fresh, contemporary and made for everyday
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
High contrast
5 October
An education in jewellery design at Central St Martins has infused Zohra Rahman’s aesthetic with keen technicality. Pakistan-born, she returned to Lahore to concentrate on her jewellery brand, which celebrates contrast in all its forms. Rough is paired with smooth and fluidity with precision for graceful, textured results. Smooth planes of earrings are disturbed by spiky perforations in the Arrakis collection, overlapping sheets of metal make for unevenly layered rings and solid sterling silver is gently tarnished with gleaming copper and gold-plating.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Time warp
4 October
Watches with intricate mechanics may not be as sought-after as they were a decade ago but it’s good to be reminded that horological engineering is a rare form of art. De Grisogono’s New Retro Skeleton Tourbillon is the memo. The curved rectangular case with its cambered sapphire crystals at either side is a feat of micro engineering that took ten years to realise – all the better to give the illusion that the movement is suspended inside. There’s also the inclusion of a tourbillon. But that’s another technological triumph altogether.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Object lessons
27 September
In what is perhaps one of the most elegant pop-ups we’ve seen in Hong Kong, L'Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels – the French jewellery house’s Paris-based school of jewellery arts – has returned for a third consecutive year with a concise programme of workshops and talks. An exhibition of eight local photographers’ works on the subject of precious stones is also on show.
The space has been designed by the American-Chinese designer Johnny Li, who has transformed a 650 sq m enclosed bridge that links a pair of heritage buildings in the city’s PMQ cultural hub. Li says he imagined classic Chinese gardens when designing the bamboo-mesh screen that forms the vaulted ceiling. It also marks the entrance to the school, which leads to an elegant lounge and library with custom design furnishings. This in turn leads through to a series of airy, minimalist classrooms.
Li’s vision steers clear of any east-meets-west clichés thanks to a subtle palette of lavender, pink and jade green, stained oak floors, a galvanised steel bar and Italian Carrara marble. One of the most novel touches, however, is the series of 19 6m long floor-to-ceiling contemporary scrolls depicting a highly pixilated verdurous landscape by Hong Kong photographer Josh Lee that pays homage to Chinese watercolour painting. ‘Our intention is not to recreate our 17th century Parisian maison but to share a sense of its creative spirit, values and excellence,’ says the school’s founder and president Marie Vallanet-Delhom. Until 1 October.
Writer: Catherine Shaw
‘BigEye’ Candy
26 September
There’s a growing demand among collectors of late for 1940s and 50s chronograph watch designs – the era that Longines was producing some of the finest the genre has ever seen. Trouble is, the originals are fetching prohibitive prices in both auctions and specialist stores. Longines has the answer: the Avigation BigEye, a new alternative in the spirit of those great timekeepers. It gets its name because – in keeping with French 'aeronavale' models of the early-fifties – the 30-minute counter is larger than the 60-second and 12-hour sub-dials to better address pilots’ needs in the pre-GPS era. A 41mm case, automatic movement, glossy black dial... the queue starts here.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Getting personal
20 September
The new signature ‘HS’ collection from H Stern sees the Brazilian jeweller inscribe itself into each piece: the lines of the company’s stylised ‘HS’ initials appear discreetly throughout in white and yellow gold. The serpentine ‘S’ is perhaps most readily incorporated – drop earrings, for example, curl up into irregular hoops. A cocktail ring is formed of two planes of satin-finished yellow gold that rise off the finger to meet in a curving, S-shaped apex. The same form is repeated in a white gold version, set with an armour-like coating of white diamonds.
Elsewhere H Stern’s initials interrupt forms: solid cuffs are split apart, with a vertical edge doubling as the ascenders of the ‘H’. The wide band of a yellow gold ring is linked by a diamond-lined curve recalling the spine of the ‘S’. For H Stern creative director and president Roberto Stern, the initials work best as a pair: ‘It is a personality statement. The H with straight lines is about strength and stability. At the same time, one needs to be flexible and creative, and the sinuous S represents that.’
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
The shard stuff
19 September
For A/W 2017, Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello looked to the 1980s for inspiration. Power-shouldered silhouettes, ruffled details and rhinestone embellishments all riffed on the fashion tropes of the decade. The designer’s oversized jewellery was also overtly eighties. These asymmetric earrings in metallic blue brass, hang like contorted shards of metal from the ear.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Spheres of influence
18 September
Fine jewellery auction season gathers pace this week as Sotheby’s puts a small cache of exceptional mid-century pieces under the hammer. They are part of its autumn sale, on this Friday 20 September. Two bangles by the Belgian sculptor Pol Bury immediately caught our eye, though we’re particularly drawn to this brilliantly outré hinged cuff. Set all over, inside and out, with rolling pearly spheres, this singular jewel reflects the themes of gravity and motion that are powerful motifs in Bury’s works. The cuff is signed by the artist and accompanied by the book Pol Bury by Dore Ashton, published in 1970 by Maeght Editeur, Paris. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s
Writer: Caragh McKay
House rules
16 September
Between 1926 and 1929, Irish architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray designed E-1027, the famed modernist house on the Cote d’Azur for herself and her architect lover Jean Badovici. Eudon Choi’s S/S 2018 collection also denotes a creative union: between London-based, Korean-born Choi and longtime friend and jewellery designer Chris Habana. Choi’s collection, shown yesterday at London Fashion Week, was inspired by the location, functional design and modernist aesthetic of E-1027. Habana – who takes inspiration from tribal and punk iconography and has collaborated with designers including Olivier Theysken, Opening Ceremony and Hood by Air – was asked to design a series of earrings inspired by a Gray-desiged circular side table in her home. ‘I did different translations of the design,’ Habana says of the catwalk creations. ‘It aligns with my brand’s own signature collection, which is clean, pristine and crafted from silver.’ Gray believed in functional furniture, and her ‘E1027 Adjustable Table’, made from glass and a chromium plated tubular steel frame, could be changed in height. Similarly, Habana’s oversized circular earrings can be worn in different ways. ‘You can play around with the designs,’ Choi says. ‘They can be worn on or around the ear.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Bid for the Black Bay
15 September
Maybe it’s the vanilla markers and snowflake hands or the rich claret bezel – but then, the weathered-leather khaki strap is a bit of a draw too. The dynamic design touches that single out Tudor’s Heritage Black Bay really make us tick. Now, early editions are becoming increasingly sought-after – an original Heritage Black Bay featured on the cover of Bonhams’ autumn watches and wristwatches sale catalogue and went under the hammer this week for just under £2,000. An original edition, it housed a movement by ETA, an external horological supplier. Now that the Tudor Black Bay boasts in-house engineering, these discontinued versions have assured rarity value. Nascent collectors should keep and eye on the Heritage Black Bay: its new-found cover-star status means its stock is set to rise.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Cuff love
14 September
The lozenge-shaped openwork that defines this simple 18ct-gold Cartier cuff adds a sensuous touch to its otherwise minimal form. It’s a fine example of the graphic yet glamorous style of the legendary French jeweller Jean Dinh Van. It is, however, a Cartier design created in the early sixties, while Dinh Van still worked for the French maison. It’s just one of a cornucopia of intriguing pieces from the collection of the Gigi Guggenheim Danziger collection, on sale at Bonhams New York on September 19.
Guggenheim Danziger was married to the former owner of Cartier Paris, the film producer Edward J Danziger. He and his brother Harry Lee, also a noted producer, acquired Cartier Paris from the remaining members of the founding Cartier family in 1968. The Danzigers owned the business for four years until 1972, hence the Cartier pieces are the undoubted star lots in this sale. As James Danziger, son of Gigi Guggenheim Danziger, reveals: ‘The Cartier pieces in her collection have literally travelled the world. Given her love of art and jewellery, as soon as she saw this cuff, my mother was attracted to it. My father bought it for her in Monaco as a surprise and gave it to her over dinner that same night in the Monte Carlo Metropole.’
Writer: Caragh McKay
Throwing shapes
13 September
For Marques’Almeida’s A/W 2017 runway show, designers Paulo Almeida and Marta Marques blasted a soundtrack composed of Nina Simone songs. This inspiration extended to the singer’s affinity for oversized and eye-catching earrings, and the brand’s catwalk looks were completed with oversized gold hoops and dangling beads of metal baubles. This pair of asymmetric earrings particularly caught our eye. The shapes – which resemble crumpled pieces of foil, are crafted from gold plated brass and handmade in Portugal.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Larger than life
12 September
In her last ‘Lost & Found’ collection, jeweller Tessa Packard created a pair of one-off earrings, featuring a camel bone bat hanging from the leaves of a fruit tree. These were crafted from 18ct yellow gold and hand-painted with green enamel. Now in her latest ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ collection, Packard has experimented with enamel once more. She has designed oversized cocktail rings and earrings hand-painted with enamel, and crafted to resemble giant gemstones. Each layer evokes the light and tone seen in the facets of her inspirations, in exaggerated, larger than life proportions.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Boxed in
11 September
Tokyo-based jewellery brand Shihara has an affinity for architectural forms. Its ‘Diamond 3D’ collection is made up of cube or triangular shaped structures, encrusted with three variations of pavé diamonds. The post of each earring is incorporated into its design- one edge of each shape is inserted directly into the ear, assimilating the lobe into its construction.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Live wire
8 September
In 2011, Zadig & Voltaire partnered with Gaia Repossi on a sought-after jewellery collection. Now, the chic French label have teamed up with Annelise Michelson- a Parisian jeweller renowned for her raw, industrial forms. We’re going knuts over this barbed-wire inspired single earring. Surprisingly long in form, it twists with a single knot at it's centre, from the ear lobe to the décolleté.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Winning formula
7 September
‘I make my compositions in response to the muddled memories of things I catch out of the corner of my eye,’ explains Daniel Curtis, the Wimbledon College of Art graduate who is one of seven winners of the debut Tiffany & Co x Outset Studiomakers Prize. The award, which inaugurates a three-year partnership with the Outset Contemporary Art Fund, offers the finest students rent-free studio space for 12 months after graduation. Curtis’ winning submission – People standing around at an after work party. People that you think you recognise, seeming familiar, but that you can’t quite put your finger on, making you wonder if you know them at all – caught our eye at Wallpaper* HQ. His minimalist sculpture, created from powder coated steel, concrete, copper, aluminium, wood, emulsion and spray paint is inspired by forms that appear recognisable, but have uncanny disturbances beneath the surface. ‘I am interested in the slippages and gaps in knowability these objects can create,’ he says. ‘In my works I fabricate and compose forms, colours and surfaces until there is a charged relationship between them. Every piece is created to be in active conversation with the others, and within their own space – a dialogue held in a frozen tableaux.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Ahead of the curve
1 September
Traditionally, signet rings have come to denote heritage, and London-based designer Victoria Tryon has added her own aesthetic lineage to the style, bringing brushed metal and curving arcs to the shape. ‘The Amulet Signet Ring has a lovely line to it,’ says the designer, who takes inspiration from natural forms. ‘With vivid vibrant stones such as emerald, the matte finish is complementary and lends a more organic feel.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Wood work
25 August
The New York-based jewellery label Aesa and Callidus Guild, an exquisite wallpaper studio based in Brooklyn, have come together to create a memorable jewellery collection that unexpectedly brings together Constructivist sculpture and Yakisugi. The 18th century Japanese technique, which involves charring wood with fire to achieve an artistic yet durable finish, has been used to treat austere orb, wand and flat rectangle forms that are then paired with metals to create seductive earrings, pendants and hair pins. Tactile and dramatic, yet delicate and refined, each design in the collection is charged with a unique tension that will easily tempt both art and design fans.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Clocking in
23 August
In its recent New York show, ‘The Art of Watches Grand Exhibition’, Patek Philippe dedicated a room to its storied US history. Alongside chronographs that belonged to Duke Ellington and Joe DiMaggio sat Admiral Byrd’s and General George S Patton’s pocket watches. But for us, the Kennedy Clock, a rectangular construct in brass that shows the time in Washington, Berlin and Moscow was the design highlight. It was presented to President Kennedy by Willy Brandt in 1963 after the famous ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech. On loan from the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, the electric desk clock exemplified Patek Philippe’s strong bonds with the USA with more poignancy than many visitors could have anticipated.
Writer: Ken Kessler
New wave
22 August
Panerai watches were was born of the sea and remain so: since the 1990s, it has resolutely avoided making any timepieces that do not have a maritime purpose. Celebrating its ongoing association with the Classic Yachts Challenge, the Italian marque has designed a series of special edition chronographs with a modern-retro feel. If we were asked pick a favourite, it would have to be this PAM00654 44mm Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback with ivory dial. The delight is in the detail: the pushers are located at eight and ten o’clock instead of the more common two and four o’clock and the dial is designed with dots and lines instead of numerals, their café au lait tone recalling the patina of vintage timepieces.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Space race
18 August
Lauren Rowden, founder of Ellie Air Jewellery, was fuelled by interstellar inspiration for her debut jewellery collection. ‘Eclisse’ – the Italian word for ‘eclipse’– takes inspiration from stars and sunbursts, and merges geometric details with more astronomical allegiances. We’re blasting off towards these oversized 9ct yellow gold hoop earrings. Their spherical shape is inspired by the curving form of a space man’s helmet, and the designs appear opened to reveal the splendour of an outer space landscape.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Dual identity
16 August
Alice Cicolini’s designs are handcrafted in India in the studio of Kamal Kumar Meenakar, one of the last master craftsmen specialising in meenakari, the art of engraving brilliant colour onto enamel. ‘This ring is inspired by a sari border that I discovered at a market in Delhi,’ Cicolini says, of the piece available at Mouki Mou concept store in London. ‘It had been woven in Benares which is one of the most important textile centres in India. The sari had been woven using real gold thread and it felt to me a perfect source of inspiration to replicate the pattern in 22ct gold jewellery.’ Its white enamel dots have a more European inspiration. ‘They are inspired by the style of overpainting onto a champlevé surface. Craftsman would create a base layer by engraving into gold and then adding detail in other colours onto the surface,’ she says. ‘I love the subtly of mixing different approaches when working with such an amazing jewellery craft.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Gold standard
9 August
An antidote to the sporty men’s bracelet designs that have adorned women’s wrists over the past decade, Piaget’s new retro-infused watches are sheer femininity. What makes this cornelian-dial timepiece the standout is the metalwork that gives the bracelet its lustrous appearance. Known as the Gold Palace technique, it was devised in the 1960s by Piaget’s goldsmith workshops. The bracelet is constructed around a carefully engineered mesh frame, into which a puzzle of chunky gold ’T’ links is set. Metalworkers gently file and chip away at the gold to reveal a unique, iridescent texture, like rich watered silk.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Watch in 18ct pink gold and 1.46ct brilliant-cut diamonds, with natural cornelian dial, £51,000 at Piaget boutiques, piaget.com. Jumper, £640, bottegaveneta.com
As originally featured in the Precious Index, our new watches and jewellery supplement (see W*218). Fashion: Lune Kuipers. Watches & Jewellery Director: Caragh McKay
All smiles
8 August
Rachel Shaw, founder of London-based jewellery brand Ruifier, has become synonymous with her diamond-set smiley-face designs. She has now added to the brand’s signature ‘Petit’ collection, which features not only rings and pendants with smiley motifs, but also a selection of delicate chain bracelets, finished with a happy face. The designs will have you grinning from ear to ear.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Paper weight
7 August
The art of origami is a central theme in emerging Thai-Singaporean designer duo Kavant & Sharart’s latest collection. Mimicking precise folding techniques in precious metals and stones, rings, necklaces and earrings become delicate geometric jewels.
Writer: Milena Lazazzera
Hot topic
2 August
Antwerp-based designer Kim Mee Hye won our Best Details Award at the Wallpaper* Design Awards in 2016. When it came to the intricacies of her latest 'Tropic Topic' fine jewellery collection, she was inspired by doodle-like designs. ‘I wanted it to almost look like someone had drawn on the face’ Hye says of her oversized ear cuffs and chokers, formed from single or double teardrop shapes, in gold and pavé diamonds. The oversized teardrop shapes of this ear cuff gently trace the countours of the jawline.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
On reflection
1 August
From 1936 to 1953, Parisian house Mauboussin and the American jewellery firm Trabert & Hoeffer embarked on a 17-year-long creative collaboration, that resulted in a series of dramatic designs which placed focus on coloured gems. Take this suite of pieces crafted in burnt orange citrine and gold from 1940, part of the partnership’s ‘Reflection’ range which launched two years prior, and also make up Hancocks London’s ‘Jewel of the Month’. The suite includes a convertible necklace featuring a loosely tied asymmetric bow, which falls in a V-shape at the décolleté, and can be removed and worn as a brooch. The pieces are as dramatic today as they were in the decade they were created.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Cut it fine
27 July
Not content with creating furniture, glassware, lighting, textiles, graphics and accessories, the British-born, New York-based designer Anna Karlin has now added fine jewellery to the mix. Inspired by the grand beauty of her family heirlooms, Karlin has created five statement rings and five jewel-encrusted eternity bands that seamlessly blend together a sense of heritage with modernity. Crafted by artisans in New York City, each vibrant ring boasts a contemporary spin. The 'Isla', for example, sees two 2.22 ct green amethysts set amongst champagne diamonds and smoky quartz, which is then paired with a white gold band inlaid with citrine baguettes. Black rhodium finishes on the rings impart an added edge.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
On the fringe
26 July
Since taking the creative helm of Saint Laurent in April 2016, Anthony Vaccarello’s sexy aesthetic for the house has had a party-inspired Eighties oomph. From rhinestone embellished knee high boots to thigh skimming leather dresses, his A/W 2017 collection is a master-stroke in proportion. Take these tassel earrings, with their cascading fronds of gold chain and black thread which dangle from the ear to the jawline. Recalling the hues of the house’s first logo, they leap as an emblem of the luxury French label’s past to the party girl’s going out must-haves of today.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Crystal craze
24 July
A mutual appreciation of Croatian market stalls selling crystals, spurred friends Hannah George and Lexi Wasowicz to launch burgeoning label Soulbands. George and Wasowicz create delicate chokers and bracelets, comprised of slivers of metal bands, finished with subtle strings of stones. Offering 27 different varieties, the pieces can be stacked and assembled, and worn and alternated according to one’s mood. We’re charmed by this series of chokers, their freshwater pearl and jade details representing new beginnings and wisdom. What a stroke of luck.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
The Midas touch
13 July
For their ‘Golden Rays of Joy’ collection, Shamballa Jewels founders Mads and Mikkel Kornerup took inspiration from the enduring radiance of the sun. Giving us the Midas touch is the Copenhagen-based brand’s Gold Bar Pendant, an 18 carat yellow gold ingot carved with ancient Sanskrit typography and encrusted with light reflecting emeralds, and an unusual combination of brown and yellow sapphires.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
On the horizon
11 July
Since its launch in 1854, Louis Vuitton has become synonymous with the sphere of elegant travel. Keeping the needs of the 21st century traveller in mind, the Parisian house launched a range of Marc Newson-designed lightweight and shock-proof rolling suitcases last year, and now the brand has cemented its smart status with a travel-friendly and technologically savvy version of its ‘Tambour’ timepiece.
Using technology developed in Silicon Valley, the ‘Tambour Horizon’-the brand’s first smart watch- not only offers its wearer notification of their emails, alarms and text messages, it is also a testament to the Art of Travel. Its Android Wear™ 2.0 technology boasts a unique ‘My Flight’ function, allowing travellers extensive access to their departure information. Its original ‘City Guide’ function also allows access to the house’s guide series, which documents must-see addresses and attractions in seven global cities.
The timepiece’s discreet Swiss-made 42mm case and concave bezel also acts as a vantage point to 24 major timezones. Incorporating elements of the house’s 2014 ‘Escale Worldwide’ design and 2002’s ‘Tambour’- the house’s first horological venture- it acts as a symbol of both a wearer’s individual travel history and the watchmaking heritage of the house.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Flower power
7 July
The final instalment of the jewellery hitting our high notes during haute couture week in Paris – De Beers’ ‘Lotus’ collection. For its latest High Jewellery offering, the house took inspiration from the beauty of the flower, one which is sacred across many cultures, and emerges from the muddy ground above the water line and into the sky. The collection charts the lifecycle of the flower, and we took particular enrichment from the ‘Awakening Lotus Necklace’. The flower’s early beginnings are represented by lines of round and marquise-cut diamonds, which extend from a diamond lotus flower. Its watery birthplace is evoked with an 18.79 carat blue-green rough diamond macle, which hangs from the necklace like a suspended droplet of water.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Power plants
6 July
Next up in the High Jewellery collections hitting our high notes- Dior Joaillerie’s ‘Versailles, act II’ collection- one which looks to the luxuriant botanical gardens of the legendary French palace. Artistic director Victoire de Castellane was inspired by the aesthetic dichotomy between the Chateau’s geometric jardins, designed by André Le Nôtre, and the verdant greenery that they contain. On our ramble we were enchanted by this ring, which was inspired by Versaille’s Girandole Grove, laid out by Nôtre in 1663, and features a water fountain spouting from a metal basket of flowers. The ring’s 10.02 ct black opal mimics the reflection of light on the fountain’s water, and is surrounded by luscious blooms crafted using emeralds, spessartite garnets, purple sapphires and green tourmalines.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Curves in all the right places
9 July
Celebrating her tenth anniversary at the creative helm of the brand, Gaia Repossi’s ‘Two Works’ presentation at the Musée Picasso was a showcase of her both her idiosyncratic minimalism and a more fluid and delicate new direction. A previously unexplored territory, the ‘Ode Collection’ introduced a series of necklaces, including a graphic circular pendant with pear diamonds encased within its curve. In the ‘Serti Su Vide Luminant’ collection, a cluster of solitaire diamonds floated from a silver of chain, designed to appear as if floating on the neck, in Gaia’s signature style. The presentation also showcased an evolution of 2010’s signature Berbère collection, a series of ear cuffs, bracelets and rings inspired by the tribal tattoos of the North African Touareg Berbers. The ‘Technical Berbère Collection’ features compressed interlaced rings, that create ellipses that twirl around the fingers. The pieces, which reveal slivers of the human body, nodded to Picasso’s omnipresent celebration of the female figure.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Brush with success
29 June
For the 19th consecutive year, Cartier has celebrated the success of second year Central Saint Martins BA Jewellery students, by funding an award for the most promising portfolios. This year, visual artist turned designer Louis Tamlyn clinched the coveted top spot. His sweeping, abstract sketches, which he plans to render in titanium and acrylic, show a deft eye for scale, texture and movement. ‘At the moment I’m at the exploratory stage,’ explains Tamlyn of his brush-shaped designs. ‘But I believe my classical, artistic approach caught the judges eye’. By impressing Cartier early, the world is Tamlyn’s (pearl) oyster – previous winners include Natalia Shugaeva, head jewellery designer at Fabergé. Providing practical support, Cartier have also offered Tamlyn a month long internship at Cartier’s design headquarter’s in Paris.
Writer: Elly Parsons
Set in stone
28 June
In an increasingly homogenised world, the Hong Kong-based watchmaker MYKU – under the baton of head designer Francois Hurtaud and founder Kuan Teo – is quietly carving out a name for creating literally individualised watches. The face of each timepiece is crafted from a unique cut of sliced precious stone, such as white marble, malachite or obsidian. Headlining the offering is the black onyx model, its matt surface marked with distinctive streaks of milky white agate and black. A choice of case materials and colours is also offered – stainless steel, ion-plated rose gold, yellow gold, and black. ‘We are not here to reinvent the concept of time,’ says Teo. ‘Instead, we’ve stripped away the complexities and focused on a design that features a unique stone for each watch.’
Writer: Daven Wu
Loop the loop
27 June
For fine art graduate Jessie Harris, a sculptural approach opened up space for a more light-hearted take on jewellery. ‘The Spiral Tassel Earrings feature a loop-the-loop motif, a design rule that I applied to all of the pieces from my upcoming collection, “Five”. I wanted them to feel dynamic and have movement whilst remaining fairly minimal and playful,’ she says. The earrings, two thick whorls of silver plated with 18ct gold and fringed with slender golden tubes, extend all the way from earlobe to shoulder. ‘I love that earrings don't necessarily need to be crafted to fit around the body and can act as stand-alone objects in their own right.’
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Animal charm
23 June
Founder Fawaz Gruosi’s irreverent take on precious jewels has been De Grisogono’s trademark since the brand launched in 1993. The 'Crazymals' - Gruosi’s 2009 collection of quirky animal character pendants and rings - have returned, this time inspired by 1950s Palm Springs and the Hollywood elite who used it as their playground. There’s 'Lady Flamingo', set with a mix of light and dark pink brilliant-cut sapphires, and 'Crooner Snake' - covered in tsavorites, his black rhodium-plated sunglasses flip up to reveal two hypnotic eyes. Another of Gruosi’s trademarks makes an appearance: 'Stogie K', a koala bear set with brown diamonds and pink sapphires, puffs on a rose gold cigar, tipped with glowing embers of orange sapphire.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Less is more
21 June
East London homeware brand Minimalux, founded by Mark Holmes in 2009, has made its first excursion into jewellery. Square rings and bangles create unexpected angles around fingers and wrists. Straightforwardly round pieces are tempered by the choice of finishes, either silver, brass, warm copper, or the unusual black nickel that has become Minimalux’s trademark. Staying close to home, all jewellery basics pieces are made in the UK before being hand-polished in London’s Hatton Garden.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Magic carpet
14 June
The Brazilian jeweller H Stern has drawn on an unusual source of inspiration for its new Journey collection: the arts of the Tekke, a nomadic Turkmen tribe of the 19th century. The Tekke excelled at finely geometric carpets and angular jewellery set with red stones. The Journey ring could be taken straight from a textile pattern: three concentric ovals made from the house’s own silvery-pink Noble Gold are set with cognac diamonds and rubies, the stones fanning across the loops in a star-shaped burst.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Over the moon
9 June
A renewed interest in table clocks brings avant-garde watchmakers MB&F’s trademark humour to a wider audience. Destination Moon is a 41cm, 4kg imagining of a space-age rocket ship, complete with a solid silver spaceman called Neil. The 8-day movement, however - designed by L’Epée 1839 - is nothing to joke about. Just below the rocket’s nose cone is the time display: two black steel discs stamped with white numerals show hours and minutes, with the time marked by a double-ended pointer. All the power comes from the base, as the huge crown is connected to the mainspring barrel via Neil’s boarding ladder.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Give the boot
6 June
We have a real attachment to Hillier Bartley’s Swarovski crystal encrusted paperclip earring. Imagine our added enchantment then, with the London-based label’s new Western-inspired Cowboy boot earring charm, which can be hung like a pendant from its clip design. What could be more rodeo ready?
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Reap what you sow
5 June
To celebrate the opening of Dover Street Market New York in 2013, Gaia Repossi designed a capsule collection of now cult rings, named 'Antifer’, for the store. Repossi and Dover Street Market are reaping the rewards of a long time relationship, with Repossi launching its new ‘Harvest’ collection at the store. The simple and clean lines in the collection are synonymous with the aesthetic of the house, and its name symbolises the brimming satisfaction found in pieces crafted with elegant simplicity. We’re finding bountiful beauty in this black gold ear cuff, set with pavé diamonds.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Pull the cord
1 June
Victorinox’s horological design department has a playful way with materials. For its latest INOX V women’s watch, it has ditched the utilitarian block colour typical of paracord straps in favour of a tonal grey and specked lilac combo. As a travel mate it’s a seriously robust tool, but as the cord strap can be satisfyingly unravelled when required, then rewoven to attach to the wrist, it doubles up as an enjoyable adventure companion too.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Drawing time
31 May
Watch families – those classic designs around which the great horology houses tick – are the subject of ‘Icons’, a collection of large-scale printed illustrations, which were originally on show at the Turker art gallery in Tesvikiye, Nisantasi, Istanbul. Tapping into collectors’ affection for particular models, the prints were commissioned by Istanbul-based Beran Toksöz, editor of fine-watch magazine Turkish QP. Artist Güneş Engin has painstakingly represented 11 horological hero designs. Among them are the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak; Chopard L.U.C 1860; IWC Big Pilot; Panerai Radiomir, Patek Philippe Nautilus and Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. ‘All of these models have an important place in the history of fine watchmaking,’ Toksöz says. ‘And because we know that collectors feel really excited about them, exhibiting them in gallery spaces presents a chance to share that passion.’
Writer: Caragh McKay
Round trip
26 May
Men’s jewellery and accessories brand Northskull may be London-based, but for S/S 2017 the label has looked further afield for inspiration. Fascinated by the historic adventure and promise of the Silk Road trade route, Northskull’s ‘Further’ collection blends Middle Eastern and Central Asian motifs with a bohemian and intrepid aesthetic. We’re journeying towards this ‘Asiri’ ring, finished in brushed gold. A discovery in itself, the ring is set with a natural matte tiger eye stone, and the the chatoyant layers of each stone are unique to every design.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Linked in
23 May
Sarah Gittoes and Robert Sebastian Grynkofki are the Sydney-based duo behind Sarah & Sebastian, who use their industrial design backgrounds to create surprisingly delicate jewels. These earrings reinterpret the heavy link as a template for modern luxury: twin thin bands of yellow gold form each free-moving link, making the finished piece a finely linear outline of a chunkier shape.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Mythic method
18 May
It was Kate Moss, friend of Ara Vartanian, who encouraged the Brazilian jewellery designer to open his first London store last year. Located in Mayfair, we immediately made moves on the boutique, which features a host of mid-century Brazilian furniture. But it was the English middle ages that Vartanian and Moss looked to when working on their new limited edition jewellery collection. With pieces inspired by Old English legends, we’re enchanted by the amulet-like graphic lines of this ring, set with rubies and black diamonds.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Top secret
17 May
Jewellery designer Elie Top revels in pieces that contain hidden elements, a signature of age-old fine jewellers, who used to bury intricate design elements in their pieces. Top has also applied this approach to the newest technologies in web design, populating his new website, designed by Havas Digital Factory, with multi-layered features. We’re gravitating Top's space-inspired 'Mécaniques Célestes’ collection, digitally rendered inside its own universe. With the click of a mouse, viewers have the ability to inspect each piece from all angles, just like a moon orbiting a planet.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Time will tell
9 May
Our friends at MAD Gallery are celebrating their fifth birthday this year. The kooky Geneva art space dedicated to mechanical art devices now has outposts in Taipei and Dubai. Of course, it would never be enough to mark the occasion with a birthday candle or two, so the gallery has asked Frank Buchwald to produce a new limited-edition series of his Nixie clock. Berlin-based Buchwald was one of the first artists to show at MAD, so the new piece is a fitting nod to the gallery’s continuing success. Handmade in burnished steel and brushed brass, Nixie Machine II reveals the time by way of three pairs of glowing digits – for hours, minutes and seconds – via contemporary Nixie tubes, or cold cathode displays, produced by engineer Dalibor Farny.
Writer: Caragh McKay
All ears
4 May
As it hits New York this week, Tefaf’s status as a must-stop for serious jewellery aficionados continues apace. The Spring outing offers a tight edit that includes Alexandre Reza’s geometric gem-set designs and Simon Teakle’s excellent heritage finds. But it’s artist jewellery specialist Didier of London’s art jewel cache that is taking our fancy in a very big way. This ‘Monorecchio’ single earring with ear-shaped cut out is a brilliant example of the rare picks Didier presents. Designed by Italian artist Getulio Alviani for the Italian fashion designer Germana Marucelli in 1968, it was made by Casa Fumanti, Rome from a large flat aluminium disc. Tefaf New York Spring, is at at the Armory, Park Avenue May 4-8.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Material matters
3 May
The intricacies of couture techniques have long been a draw for jewellery designers. Bucellati’s gold threads, Chanel’s ‘quilted’ gold rings and Dior’s undulating silk-inspired high jewellery designs are just some that come to mind. Indian jeweller Amrapali is also inspired by traditional fabric methods and patterns. The fan-shaped prints on traditional Indian dress are mirrored in its delicately drawn Zardozi earrings. Embroidered in gold and silver thread and crafted in 18 carat gold and diamonds, they are designed to wrap under the earlobe to dramatic effect.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Going for gold
28 April
With the opening of the ‘Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between’ exhibition on Monday, what better time than to celebrate the Golden Room, the new jewellery and accessories space, at London’s Dover Street Market. It incorporates the familiar quirks from Rei Kawakubo’s designs for Comme des Garçons, creating a dramatic background for jewellery brands including Tom Binns, Simone Rocha jewellery and JW Anderson Jewellery. Polka dots nod to the idiosyncrasies in Kawakubo’s clothing lines, and beget a playful interior.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Fifty facets
21 April
Fifty Facets, an exhibition at the Kath Libbert Jewellery Gallery in Salts Mill, will examine the plethora of ways in which rings can be faceted. Sheffield jeweller Chris Boland will be at the launch event explaining his fascination with inorganic structures and marks made during the construction of the work, which he allows to remain, lending textures to his design. His distinctive style is reflected in the Monolith ring set with a bi-colour tourmaline and emeralds in 18-ct gold and sterling silver. The exhibition runs from 23 April until 25 June.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Wardrobe staple
19 April
Parisian-born jewellery designer Anissa Kermiche spent three years studying engineering and computer science before turning to jewellery design. Her eye for mathematical precision is evident in the eponymous jewellery label she launched last year. The 'Noble Staple' ear jewel, crafted from plated 14-ct black gold, cuts a striking silhouette when layered up the ear.
Writer: Hannah Silver
A good egg
17 April
We’re going soft on this boiled egg-inspired ring, designed by bespoke British jewellers W&W Jewellery. Created in 18-ct rose gold, its rounded eggshell-like shape boasts a cabochon yellow opal resembling the yolk of an egg, and is circled by brilliant cut diamonds, which evoke a delicate shell cracked with the tap of a spoon.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Ring around
13 April
Peru-born Berlin-based jeweller Ina Beissner takes inspiration from the visual cues of ancient Hispanic civilisations. ‘They created their own symbolic, iconographic and visual universe, which was represented masterfully in objects and jewellery,’ she explains. Beissner's own visual language blends tribal shapes with German minimalism, embodied in this single diamond encrusted 18-ct gold hoop earring. ‘I wanted to explore new ways of wearing a circle on the ear in an unconventional way,’ Beissner says. ‘The design has been reduced to its minimum.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Puff piece
12 April
One of the 26 finalists shortlisted for the inaugural Loewe Craft Prize, we’re blown away by Kim Buck’s puffed-up signet rings. Currently exhibited at COAM, the Official College of Architects of Madrid, where woodturner Ernst Gamperl was announced as the 2017 winner on Monday, Buck’s rings, welded from a sheet of 9.999 gold have been inflated using hot air. ‘It’s a project I’ve been working on since 2011,’ the Danish jeweller explains. ‘I always put it aside because the air is so difficult to control'. Working with a ring style that has historically denoted heritage and status, Buck's signet shape has been enlarged to a hyperbolic size. ‘Working with fine gold means the material will become marked, so you will carry your own history in a physical way,’ he says. ‘Jewellery can be about showing off, but these rings will also deflate over a number of years, leaving a more modest shape.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Gucci’s timely art forms
7 April
Since he gravitated from accessories designer to Gucci’s chief creative role, Alessandro Michele has sought to highlight Gucci watches as a core product of the brand’s offering. As such, he has launched a digital meme initiative specifically to celebrate the launch of new Gucci timepieces – the classic Gucci Plexiglass watch, pictured, has been reimagined in a texture-rich rainbow of colours. The #TFWGucci (That Feeling When) horological project, now on Instagram, was produced by a collaborative collective of international meme initiators, and established and rising artists.
One of them is the LA and London-based photographer Amanda Charchian, who has produced a couple of high-glamour images of Gucci-clad girls working out in their own peculiar ways. Charchian says she was drawn to the project by the relaxed nature of the meme as a communication tool: ‘The nature of art is changing and meme can be emotional or ephemeral and cerebral. They are like film subtitles.’ The philosophical nature of time as a subject also appealed: ‘The watch is the perfect meme subject because time can be interpreted in so many ways,’ she told us at this year’s Baselworld launch. ‘It’s an investment – you assign meaning to your watch because it’s a jewel. And, I like the idea that a watch moves in time with you.’
Writer: Caragh McKay
Perfect timing
6 April
Panerai’s ‘Slice of Time’ installation-event at Salone del Mobile 2017 is making us tick. Created in collaboration with Japanese design studio Nendo, the installation riffs on the classic cushion-shaped dial design of Panerai timepieces, and is constructed using a series of circular transparent structures, which interact with each other like the mechanism of a clock. 'Slice of Time' is on display at Palazzo Visconti until April 9.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Dive in
4 April
As one who loves diving watches, I couldn’t take my eyes off this sea urchin-like homage to the genre. The mad lads (and lasses) at MB&F reimagined the form, fitting a floating bezel that recalls every classic diving watch, while creating a tourbillon dead-centre, and two concentric rings that show the hours and minutes in a manner reminiscent of a depth gauge or compass.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Hermès through the looking glass
3 April
Baselworld, the spring Swiss watch and jewellery fair, always delights with certain moments of mechanical madness. But for a guaranteed touch of lightness, the La Montre Hermès booth is the place to go. This year, the French maison bestowed us with a traditional tool – the watchmaker’s loupe – as seen from a typically witty Hermès point of view. The only thing is, we can’t stop looking at it.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Wool worth
29 March
Swiss Made watch brand Larsson & Jennings have collaborated with the New York-based menswear label Rochambeau on its first wool strap timepiece. Co-founders Laurence Chandler and Joshua Cooper used charcoal cavalry twill from the American Woolen Company in their submission for 2017’s International Woolmark Prize, and in a limited run of 200, this same weave has been applied to Larsson & Jennings’ signature Saxon design .
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Form is function
24 March
After Meistersinger’s and Glashütte Original’s new time-only watches – appropriately from Germany, the birthplace of the Bauhaus – comes Junghans’ equally clean Form A. Launched at Baselworld this week, the Form A is a watch design that pays perfect homage to the 'new minimalism'. Its time-and-date-only dial is uncluttered, the user choosing between numerals or slim hour markers. Size-wise, it’s a comfy 39mm fit, while the movement is automatic and the stainless steel case is nicely convex.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Magic cup
23 March
Taking inspiration from talismanic symbols and the lunar calendar, jeweller Delfina Delettrez interweaves alchemic imagery into her designs. As part of Nico Vascellari’s Scholomance, a performance held this evening at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the designer has created her first object, a double ring come drinking vessel, to be worn between the thumb and index finger. Vascellaris’ performance takes inspiration from the legendary Transylvanian school of black magic, and is envisaged as an aluminium casted sculpture, which will grow in size with supersitious contributions from different artists. Delettrez's glass, crafted in silver, one of nature’s strongest antibacterial materials, features a crystal geode hanging on chain. This can be dipped into a drink, like tonight's lichen based concoction, to create an empowering crystal elixir.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Daisy chain
22 March
Last autumn, Tiffany & Co collaborated with Eddie Borgo on a series of pieces inspired by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, the founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. This year, as part of its long-term sponsorship of the Whitney Biennial, Tiffany & Co’s silversmiths have created limited edition pieces in collaboration with five of this year's Biennial artists, chosen by co-curators Christopher Y Lew and Mia Locks. We’re particularly drawn to this daisy shaped sterling silver pendant, inspired by the artwork of Carrie Moyer. The curving abstract shapes in the Brooklyn based artist’s designs have been imagined as an unusual floral motif. Whitney Biennial runs until 11 June.
Left, Cloud Comb for Georgia, by Carrie Moyer, 2015; acrylic and flashe on canvas. Right, Carrie Moyer Daisy Sterling Silver Pendant Edition of 10. Photography courtesy of Carrie Moyer and Tiffany & Co.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Butterfly effect
21 March
Hong Kong holds personal importance for renowned jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas MBE. It's where she designed her first piece in the 1980s, and got engaged to her husband. Now, Ducas has returned to Hong Kong to open a boutique in the storied Mandarin Oriental hotel. The flagship launch marks the first time her collections will be available in Asia. Celebratory gold-tinted walls are embellished by butterfly designs fluttering across the windows, referencing Ducas’ signature, bejeweled insect motifs.
Writer: Elly Parsons
Pin up
20 March
The brooch may be undergoing a revival as the statement jewel of the moment but if you like precious pieces with a sculptural bent, you’ll be partial to them anyway. Good news, then, that Sotheby’s London March Fine Jewels sale has one of the finest brooch selections we’ve seen of late. Our particular favourite is Lot 175 – this 1960s style gold lattice pin, set with four circular-cut diamonds, the largest weighing 2.73 carats. Archive jewels by independent designers such as Boivin, Sterlé and Marina B are also well worth a look. Sotheby’s Fine Jewels sale takes place on 22 March.
Writer: Caragh McKay
Your move
17 March
Swatch's super-slim SKIN line has adorned wrists since the early 1980s. Now, the celebrated range has been been given a thoroughly modern makeover with 11 new models for both men and women. The remarkably slender watches benefit from a new jewel-cut crown design, sophisticated dial features and stylised two-tone moulding. The launch is supported by an innovative social media campaign, headed up by the hashtag '#yourmove'. The aim is to encourage people to be more active and self-express, with lightweight timepiece in tow. 'It's a motto that we hope will become part of the language of the future,' says creative director Carlo Giordanetti.
Writer : Aylin Bayhan
Seeing stars
13 March
Celestial spheres provide cosmic inspiration for Sammie Jo Coxon’s Stellar collection. The London jeweller uses multicoloured sapphires and freshwater pearls to reflect meteors trailing across the night sky, punctuated by huge, glittering stars. Twin gleaming pearls are encased in the Milky Way earrings, while the lines of the Gemini earrings trace Coxon’s trademark geometric patterns in a rainbow of gemstones. ‘I kept the spectrum in colour order to echo the harmony of our solar system and provide a more refined finish,’ she says.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Tooth and nail
8 March
Jean Cocteau called upon Cartier to create real diamond tears for Belle to cry in his 1946 version of Beauty and the Beast. Now, Singapore-based jeweller Carrie K has created a dedicated 15-piece capsule collection of her own-design jewels at the behest of Disney. Celebrating the latest incarnation of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot’s 18th Century tale, the jewels carry on Cocteau’s legacy of using only precious materials. Hence, Carrie K has reimagined the Beast’s tusk-like teeth as an elegant pavé zig-zag ring.
Writer: Aylin Bahan
Game face
6 March
For those brought up on the first Nintendo hand-helds, fans of Space Invaders and Donkey Kong, here's a way to spend grown-up money on something utterly silly in 2017: Romaine Jerome’s serious watches that pay homage to the pioneering gaming figures.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Set in stone
2 March
Van Cleef & Arpels’ newly opened Sydney flagship boutique is an intimate, apartment-like layout with lounge settings and cascading chandeliers. It is the first international outpost to present the 1906 Room, a space dedicated to historical creations from the French high jewellery and watch maison’s founding year to today. ‘We want to give people a glimpse of our history,’ says Catherine Rénier, Van Cleef & Arpels’ president of Asia Pacific. As such, the subtly shimmering walls are also hung with archive gouaches and photographs. Domed glass showcases reveal their modern-day incarnations and include pieces from its Alhambra and Perlée collections and, of course, the ever-fascinating Zip necklace design.
Writer: Dimity Noble
Southern spirit
28 February
Jeweller Inés Nieto was born in Madrid, but is obsessed by Spanish culture from further south. Nieto draws upon the energetic spirit of flamenco for these swirling Pegasus earrings, each set with pavé diamonds and crowned with a large oval pink sapphire. ‘This is my favourite design so far,’ she says. ‘The colours, the shapes, the Arabic influence – flamenco is one of my passions. I am now working on a small number of pieces in the same spirit.’
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Link up
23 February
Selim Mouzannar’s career has taken him from the diamond market in Antwerp to ruby mines in Cambodia; now, the jeweller has set up shop in his native Beirut. There, clusters of stones are set in the Falamank Ottoman tradition, so that silver-bottomed bezel settings provide additional brilliance. Textured silver and wood join with three-jewelled bracelet links set with white, black and brown diamonds, in Mouzannar’s now-trademark style.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Dolled up
21 February
Italian designer Maria Francesca Pepe’s sense of playful irreverence manifests itself in her ultra-feminine, S/S 2017 collection, inspired by both the symbols of childhood and the excessive lifestyle of the American West Coast. Her Beverley Hills Dolls open bangle is made from brass, coated with 23-ct pink gold - not to be confused with rose gold, this unmistakable bubblegum hue cements that this is indeed a girl’s world.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Precious orbit
16 February
True to form, Maison Margiela deconstructs traditional ring shapes in its new ‘Signature’ fine jewellery pieces, reflecting the contrasting contours and feminine pleats of the house’s classic tailoring cuts. This white-gold diamond pavé ring appears to orbit the finger in two interlocking ellipses clasping a central emerald-cut nugget of white gold.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Pocket sized
15 February
A triple whammy for those who want a unique, on-point watch: HYT’s Skull Pocket is commanding enough because of the illuminated, fluid display, but it ticks two further boxes. The first is the skull itself, a motif so prevalent in horological design that stylish types have given up predicting its demise. Second, it’s a pocket watch, a form undergoing a revival, in no small part to hipsters.
Writer: Ken Kessler
Bloomsbury set
13 February
The geometric art-deco style of this 20th-century men’s dress set caught our eye. Part of a heritage jewellery cache coming up for sale at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions on 15 February, this exceptionally crafted matching set of mother-of-pearl cufflinks and buttons was originally sold at Harrods in 1910. A sapphire cabochon is set at the centre of each, while the platinum ropetwist border adds a smart graphic detail.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Off the cuff
9 February
Carole Le Bris Perez has long been muse to her husband, the painter Enoc Perez. In her wooden cuff design, it is the artist himself who becomes the muse: Enoc Perez’s Picasso-motif eyes are reinterpreted in rose gold, studded with a blue diamond iris. Her own motif is also present, in the form of a slightly off-kilter yellow gold star.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Written on the body
7 February
Yves Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello looked to the house’s classic Cassandre logo for inspiration for his first catwalk jewellery designs. Adolphe Mouron created the instantly recognizable vertical monogramme logo in black and gold in 1961, and it was this colourway that was echoed in oversized logoed ear cuffs that fitted the entire length of the ear. Marking the eighties sensibility of Vaccarello’s ready-to-wear debut, the earrings were also created in gold, with sparkling diamante embellishment.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Volume control
3 February
Charlotte Dauphin de la Rochefoucauld’s design sensibility is driven by the idea of disrupted lines. 'Volume’, the latest collection from her fine jewellery brand, Dauphin, consists of a series of geometric rings and pendants in rose, white and blue gold. When stacked together, they form a unique interlocking system. The sole earring design in the collection is this cuff. Formed of two overlapping broken circles, in rose gold and white diamonds, the negative space highlights the bare skin beneath.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Brooching the subject
2 February
The annual graduates’ showcase at Kath Libbert Jewellery Gallery at Salts Mill in Saltaire is always worth a look, and this year, the work of Sheng Zhang, a student of Birmingham School of Jewellery caught our eye. Aspiring to a sleek minimalism, his geometric brooches and vessels are created in oxidized gilding metal for an enigmatically dark finish with hints of gleaming gold.
Writer: Hannah Silver
Two’s company
1 February
'Every woman should have one of everything and two of most', according to the philosophy New York-based jewellery house Two of Most. The definitive quote was uttered by the grandmother of founder and designer Alyssa Mishcon. Her legacy informs these highly dramatic, sculptural pieces: strong proportions meet avant-garde shapes in these statement designs, all of which are rendered in polished 14ct gold.
Writer: Ming Liu
Going for gold
27 January
Dina Kamal’s sleek and proportioned designs reflect her training as an architect, and to mark Colette’s 20th anniversary, the Beirut-based designer has collaborated with the Parisian boutique on a limited 20-piece line of refined 18-ct brushed beige gold rings.
Writer: Ming Liu
Chain reaction
26 January
The sheets of heavy rain that sweep across the verdant Rwandan landscape during the wet seasons are interpreted by Rwandan-linked brand Eden Diodati as two curtains of fine chains on the Delta rain cuff. Plated in 24-ct gold, it is threaded with Swarovski crystals. Eden Diodati jewels are made in Kigali by a co-operative of women who survived the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Theatre of jewellery
20 January
Challenging the traditional display and use of jewellery, 'FlockOmania' at London Metropolitan University's Cass Gallery merges performance with wearable art. Devised by Cass alumna and jewellery artist Zoe Robertson, the exhibition features performances from dance artists Dr Natalie Garrett Brown and Amy Voris, who interact with the theatrically-sized jewellery, creating striking silhouettes. When the dancers aren't performing, the space transforms into what Voris describes as a ‘a laboratory of making’, where visitors are invited to immersive themselves within the display. Until 26 January.
Writer: Elly Parsons
Foundrae makes its mark
18 January
New York-based fine jewellery line Foundrae is stealthily gaining a cult following. Designer Beth Bugdaycay co-founded ready-to-wear brand Rebecca Taylor, where she served as CEO for 18 years. Foundrae marks Bugdaycay’s first turn as a creative director. Her inspiration as a designer is rooted in antique jewellery, particularly signet rings. The vibrant graphics of cigar bands, here imagined in enamel, also directly inform the Foundrae style.
'I collect a lot of enamel work, from guilloche teaspoons from the late 1800s to small copper dishes from the 1960s,' Bugdaycay explains. Hence, it was enamel she chose as a means of incorporating colour into 18ct gold designs. Bugdaycay experimented with decorative methods before settling on the champlevé technique, where figurative outlines are cast in metal then filled with enamel. The results are as 'luminous and rich' as she hoped.
Writer: Ashley Davis
Tattoo you
17 January
Akasha, which translates as ‘ether’ in Sanskrit, is a fitting title for Noor Fares’ latest collection of space-age-like gems. Tattoo-like ‘Sri Yantra’ pieces pay homage to a symbol of meditation, while riffing on ancient diagrams, planetary shapes and sacred triangles. The notions of balance and harmony also inform a moonstone ring encircled by coloured stones, while an ethereal, floral choker combines grey gold with a gradating spectrum of hues.
Writer: Ming Liu
German precision
12 January
Trademarked a century ago in Leipzig by the Etzold & Popitz clock and watch factory, the DuFa name and its clean, Bauhaus-inspired dials have now been revived in a new era of watch designs. The Regulator 9017 is a 42mm lesson in legibility - the large central hand counts the minutes from a dotted track while two off-centre sub-dials display hours and seconds. The industrial typography that defines the numerals taps straight into DuFa’s German design heritage.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Precious anarchy
9 January
At her atelier in downtown Montreal, Lauren Klassen is drawn to the idea of rendering everyday hardware, such as drawing pins, paperclips and safety pins in silver and gold. Klassen’s earrings, in particular, have a vintage London punk spirit about them, albeit interpreted from an altogether more precious viewpoint. Available at SSENSE, this miniature padlock stud in 14ct yellow gold is designed to be worn on its own.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
Abstract nature
6 January
After nearly 30 years in the business, the last 10 of which she has focused on bespoke work, Notting Hill-based jeweller Ming Lampson has launched her first ready-to-wear collection, ‘Oriental Garden’. It’s her abstraction of figurative subjects that impress most: her 7.3ct opal dragonfly ring with double-layered gold pierce-work is particularly compelling.
Writer: Ming Liu
Her dark materials
5 January
Raised on New York City’s West Side, Eva Fehren designer Eva Zuckerman aims to reproduce the essence of her city’s skyline in miniature with graphic geometric shapes and dark metals. ‘I love diamonds that look like cement,’ she says. On these sharply pointed triangular studs Zuckerman sets a smattering of black diamonds into blackened white gold.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
At the bar
4 January
Following a successful career as a hairstylist, Sylvain Le Hen made the savvy decision to launch his own line of hair accessories in 2003. In his latest collection, available at SSENSE, barrettes, clips and pins take on sculptural forms in polished metal – at almost 9cm long, the sleek, disc-shaped 044 Barrette is statement jewellery for the hair.
Writer: Caitlin McDonald
A word in your shell-like
3 January
Assouline’s new jewellery tome The Pearl Necklace is a 300-page tribute to this evocative gem. Written by the ever-insightful jewellery historian Vivienne Becker, it traces the pearl through history, art and fashion. Striking portraits of distinctive pearl wearers through time also feature, from Elizabeth I to Mad Men’s Betty Draper. Richly illustrated and peppered with related quotes from an unexpected array of famous names – Albert Einstein and Michelle Obama among them – it is a lustrous, visual feast.
Writer: Ming Liu
Pictured, Tabitha Vevers, Pearlmaker VI, 2011; oil and gold leaf on oyster shell. Courtesy of collection of The New Britain Museum of American Art, Connecticut