'Brilliant' diamond exhibition at Masterpiece London 2012
![Sun Wave Earrings by Michelle Ong.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jB4j8eLnhSmCgGCFJgsg8V-415-80.jpg)
There's a general perception that diamonds are simply the world's most expensive, shiniest stones destined to take centre stage in the design of rings, earrings and necklaces - the bigger the gem, the better. So, when we visited Brilliant, an exhibition of diamonds now on show at Masterpiece London, we were fascinated to see how designers at the world's top jewellery houses continually seek to swerve traditional notions of diamond design. In fact, we've never seen a collection like it.
The show, one of the biggest draws at the annual art, antiques and design fair (on until July 4) - is curated by Carol Woolton, jewellery editor of British Vogue, and includes over 30 exceptional pieces by designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Shaun Leane and Victoire de Castellane. The great houses, such as Cartier, Harry Winston, Boucheron and Tiffany & Co are also represented.
The fact that Woolton has taken the route of viewing diamonds as a material - 'technically, a diamond is nothing more than a lump of crystallized carbon' - rather than the more obvious path of displaying them as dazzlingly pretty gems has served her subject very well indeed.
That's not to say that Brilliant is not made up of some of the most inventive jewellery you are likely to see, it's just that you know you are seeing diamonds from a refreshingly alternative perspective from the word go.
The De Beers Talisman Wonder, for instance, is set with unruly rough and polished diamonds, giving this uniquely precious plate an 'unearthed' quality. Karl Lagerfeld, meanwhile, offers his first ever diamond design: inspired by his signature high collars and set with over 1,000 black diamonds, it doesn't so much dazzle as glint mysteriously, like a piece of medieval cloth woven with precious thread.
The Hermès Chaine D'Ancre Sac Bijou - a handbag bracelet created from 'tough, tangled and tumbled diamond ropes' was chosen for its tough appeal and the fact that 'diamond' translates from the Greek adamas - 'unconquerable'.
'Diamonds are unique; no two are ever the same,' Woolton points out. 'So, in the hands of each new generation of jewellers, diamonds become contemporary and exciting. Something of great power is created when a diamond's natural beauty is harnessed into a strong design and because they never age, diamonds are eternally modern.'
Brilliant, then, is in effect a design exhibition, with the creative thinking behind each piece as intriguing as the carefully considered, compellingly beautiful stones that comprise it.
Hippo Bracelet by Fawaz Gruosi for De Grisogono. Says Woolton: 'We are used to seeing jewelled animals, but I've never seen a muddy, lumbering hippo brought to life in diamonds'
Duchess Hibiscus Ring by Anna Hu. 'Hu reveals the full beauty of her childhood gardens growing up in Taiwan,' Woolton explains. 'In her design, an Eastern sensibility meets old-style French haute joaillerie'
The Diamond Queen by Asprey and Chris Levine. 'I like the pure essence of majesty captured in a 21st century portraiture method, using the sparkle of diamonds in the diadem'
Black Diamond Pave Collar by Karl Lagerfeld for Net-a-Porter. 'The boundaries between fabric and jewellery are blurred in Karl Lagerfeld's soft leather, metal and diamond collar. It creates a statement about fashion now'
Tiffany Radiance necklace by Tiffany & Co. 'I love the powerful effect of the diamond step patterns and heavy semi-circular links, reminiscent of facades of Manhattan skyscrapers around the Tiffany & Co store on Fifth Avenue'
Ultimate Adornments Caftan Double Row Diamond Necklace by Harry Winston. 'Traditionally, jewels in clothing had practical functions, used as fastenings and the likes, but the diamonds in this Caftan collar are purely decorative'
Hermès Chaine D'ancre Sac Bijou in white gold and diamonds. 'The strength of the white gold iconic Hermès Chaine d'ancre chimes with the invincibility of the diamonds'
A sketch of the Hermès Chaine D'ancre Sac Bijou
Chandelier by Solange Azagury Partridge. 'A well-cut diamond makes the light perform in breathtaking ways. Solange's chandelier exacerbates the shine of diamonds'
'Majestic Beauty Fan' by Cindy Chao. 'Cindy has portrayed the curves, textures and veins of tree branches and trunks with realism'
Cypris Tourbillon Diamond Watch. 'This masterful horological complication needs to be set with the King of Stones to show it off in all its glory'
'Oval Bird Cage Earrings' by Bochic for Annoushka. 'The combination of diamonds with mammoth ivory, somewhat paradoxically invests the earrings with a contemporary look'
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Caragh McKay is a contributing editor at Wallpaper* and was watches & jewellery director at the magazine between 2011 and 2019. Caragh’s current remit is cross-cultural and her recent stories include the curious tale of how Muhammad Ali met his poetic match in Robert Burns and how a Martin Scorsese Martin film revived a forgotten Osage art.
-
Take off: Mathieu Lehanneur's Olympic Cauldron rises into the Parisian night sky
The Paris 2024 Olympics’ opening ceremony was closed with a soaring cauldron spectacle that will go down in history
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
Phaidon’s new Graphic Classics is a lavish greatest hits of graphic design
Graphic Classics is a compendium of seven centuries of visual culture, from the everyday and ephemeral to visionary works that reshaped our world
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Birley Chocolate hits the sweet ’n’ chic spot in London’s Chelsea
The new Birley Chocolate shop, a sibling to Birley Bakery, is a confection of colour as delicious as its finely crafted goods
By Melina Keays Published
-
Self-Portrait launches first jewellery collection
Self-Portrait rethinks traditional motifs in its first jewellery collection, turning the feminine flounces of the bow into chic, contemporary pieces
By Hannah Silver Published
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hit
What started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
By Elisa Anniss Published
-
Seiko shines a light on conceptual Japanese watch design
Seiko’s Power Design Project 2024 at Japan House London explores watchmaking potential with seven ‘incredibly specialised watches’
By James Gurney Published
-
Van Cleef & Arpels' immersive London exhibition takes visitors inside the watchmaking world
Van Cleef & Arpels’ exhibition, ‘Poetry of Time’, at South Kensington’s Cromwell Place gallery, traces the early days of the maison
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to know
These independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Giddy up for Hermès’ Arceau Mon Premier Galop watch
Is that a joyful little Hermès silk and diamond pony I spy galloping towards your wrist? The Arceau Mon Premier Galop watch enters the arena
By Caragh McKay Published
-
Michèle Lamy and Loree Rodkin’s zodiac jewellery is on show at Carpenters Workshop Gallery
Michèle Lamy and Loree Rodkin’s zodiac jewellery, ‘HunRod Gold’, is at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London, alongside furniture by Rick Owens
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Bulgari welcomes BAFTA 2024 with a London show of its era-spanning film-star jewellery
For BAFTA 2024, Bulgari spotlights its rich cinematic connections in a jewellery exhibition at its Bond Street store
By Caragh McKay Published