Chaumet’s tiaras, a mainstay of the French jewellery house’s collections since their inception in 1780, are intertwined in historical references. The Empress Josephine was enamoured with their intricate forms and they quickly became her favourite pieces, marking the start of a fruitful relationship. Upon appointing the French jewellery house her official jeweller, the Empress inspired many of the designs which continue to endure today.
Precious Foliage
This year, Chaumet’s tiaras continue to play on the naturalist themes which have become a cornerstone of the brand’s design identity. Classic motifs such as the laurel – a favourite of Empress Josephine’s – are revisited here in Precious Foliage. Its fluid branches drawn in diamonds prove a comfortable perch for a diamond bee, who can be removed and worn as a brooch.
Perspective de Chaumet 'Lacis' tiara
The pieces in Perspectives de Chaumet cut stronger silhouettes. The collection is traditionally inspired by architecture, in the past nodding to movements from the Italian Renaissance to deconstructivism and Italian futurism. The new additions develop these original influences; in its elaborate diamond mesh, Lacis recalls a twisting maze of narrow streets. The structure, rendered almost invisible in a technical feat, makes for a light and airy result. In Mirage, Chaumet plays again with the ways a piece can be worn and references fluid structures in its own form, two sections of which can be removed and worn separately.
Lady Edwina Mountbatten wearing her Chaumet tiara for George VI's coronation
Piece from the archives
Piece from the archives
INFORMATION
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Welcome to Polymath Park, where you can spend the night in a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieceA pair of determined Wright devotees have turned four endangered modernist houses into an overnight design retreat
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These are the jewellery pieces which have defined a generationFrom established jewellery houses, to up-and coming designers and avant-garde artists, a new book by Phaidon spotlights the stand-out jewellery from the last two centuries
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Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThe clocks have gone back in the UK and evenings are officially cloaked in darkness. Cue nights spent tucked away in London’s cosy corners – this week, the Wallpaper* team opted for a Latin-inspired listening bar, an underground arts space, and a brand new hotel in Shoreditch
