Chanel marks 90 years of high jewellery with heavenly new necklace
The ‘Allure Céleste’ necklace nods to Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite celestial design codes
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Chanel is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the ‘Bijoux de Diamants’ collection with the ‘Allure Céleste’ necklace, which intertwines Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite motifs – the moon, the sun and the star – into one fluid design.
The necklace is the first release from Chanel’s new ‘1932’ collection, which looks back to the maison’s first high jewellery creation ‘Bijoux de Diamants', released during the Depression as a beacon of hope. That 50-piece collection, in white and yellow diamonds, platinum and yellow gold, drew the brilliance of the night sky in classic diamond cuts and simple silhouettes.
Chanel high jewellery: ‘1932’ collection
This new piece stays faithful to these original design codes, casting round-cut diamonds, an oval sapphire and pear-cut diamonds into simple geometrical forms. True to form, it can be worn in multiple ways, with the halos detaching to become brooches or chic hair jewellery, and the central row of diamonds a bracelet, creating a shorter necklace.
‘The spirit of movement, freedom and flexibility inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel in 1932 is celebrated in the transformable nature of some of the pieces,’ says director of the Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio, Patrice Leguéreau. ‘Elements of the necklaces may be detached and worn as brooches, while the central stones can be used to enrich a ring or earrings. Each jewel is composed of a line of diamonds adorned with a celestial motif. The purity of the lines is specifically designed to enhance the beauty of the stones, especially the diamonds, which have been selected in a variety of shapes to create depth and different graphic rhythms.’
‘The date marks a milestone for Chanel,’ says global head of watches and fine jewellery product marketing, clients and communication at Chanel, Marianne Etchebarne. ‘In November 1932, designer Gabrielle Chanel presented “Bijoux de Diamants”, her one and only high jewellery collection, commissioned by the Diamond Corporation Ltd. Sales of diamonds had been badly hit by the economic crisis of 1929, and they put their trust in the creative talent of Gabrielle Chanel, then at the height of her fame, to revive them.
‘With her contemporaries – the artist Paul Iribe for the design of the jewellery, the poet Jean Cocteau for the collection manifesto, and Robert Bresson (later a celebrated film director) for photographs of the pieces – Gabrielle Chanel created a collection that was unique. It caused a sensation at the time, and still today it remains the cornerstone of our jewellery designs.’
INFORMATION
chanel.com (opens in new tab)
Hannah Silver joined Wallpaper* in 2019 to work on watches and jewellery. Now, as well as her role as watches and jewellery editor, she writes widely across all areas including on art, architecture, fashion and design. As well as offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, Hannah is interested in the quirks of what makes for a digital success story.
-
‘A crossover of ideas and emotion’: Simone Rocha on introducing menswear to her label
As the collection arrives at London’s Dover Street Market with a special installation and zine, Simone Rocha speaks about the roots of the menswear offering, the art of collaboration, and a campaign which subverts ‘the archetypes of masculinity’
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Colour Clash is a bold compendium of dazzling supergraphics and logos that pop
Polychromatic perversity in graphic design is celebrated in Colour Clash, a monograph that looks at the new wave of visual expression
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Beacon House is the contemporary rebirth of a midcentury San Francisco home
Beacon House by Edmonds + Lee Architecture is a renovation project that sensitively brings a modernist San Francisco home into the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
The stars align in Chanel’s new high jewellery collection
Patrice Leguéreau pays tribute to Gabrielle Chanel with the ‘1932’ collection
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Peter Marino’s refurbished Chanel boutique reopens its doors in Paris
The Chanel boutique at 18 Place Vendôme is dedicated exclusively to watches and jewellery
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Introducing Chanel’s new capsule watch collection, the Wanted
The Wanted collection adds a cool edge to Chanel’s much-loved watch families
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
New Chanel watch for men revels in racing car chic
Chanel Monsieur Superleggera Edition makes for an exhilarating and elegant watch, inspired by racing car design codes
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Chanel marks No.5 centenary with dazzling high jewellery collection
New Chanel high jewellery nods to the design codes of Coco Chanel’s original 1932 collection, and celebrates Chanel No.5
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Rave on with Chanel’s electric new watches collection
Chanel has infused its new watches with bold colour in an irreverent rethink of classic designs
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Boundary-breaking Chanel watch is tweaked for a new generation
The Boy.Friend Skeleton appeals to both men and women with its distinctive octagonal silhouette
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Chanel’s 2021 high jewellery collection launches at Paris Couture Week
The Escale à Venise collection takes inspiration from one of Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite cities
By Hannah Silver • Last updated