JEW E L RY B OX
THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN PRINCE DIMITRI OF YUGOSLAVIA TALKS STONES AND STORIES OF THE PIECES IN HIS BOUTIQUE COLLECTION
De Grisogono Mascote Ring.
by Wendy Sy
HI D D E N G EM
“I
Pebble bracelets (left) Paisley sautoir necklace (bottom) Cufflinks (bottom, right) Lazy ring (bottom, lower right)
➤ Love
and the Snake As one of the oldest legendary tokens, the snake has held many meanings throughout its history: from royalty and sexual passion, to immortality and endless love.
34 | AVENUE MAGAZINE • AVENUE ON THE BEACH • MARCH 2017
The Victorian era gave birth to the widespread popularity of the serpent design, when Queen Victoria—a descendant of the Georges through her father and of the House of Saxe-Coburg through her mother—married Prince Albert. The engagement ring that he presented to her featured, yes, a snake motif, set in emeralds, her birthstone. Today, many of the most coveted bejeweled snake designs are Victorian or Art Nouveau, and slither between estate and antique jewelers. But the modern-day interpretations are equally desirable and rarified. De Grisogono’s Mascote snake ring is a contemporary piece with a nod to the past. It's made of mammoth tusk and white and brown diamonds, and is set in pink gold.
well as unisex leather bracelets entwined with small-pebbled gems such as lapis lazuli and 18k gold. As for what Prince Dimitri hopes each wearer will take away while wearing the pieces? “Good energy,” he says. “And lots of compliments.” ✦
Like the snake, no matter how many twists and turns it makes, love is eternal. —Carol Brodie Carol Brodie is a jewelry expert and the host of Rarities Fine Jewelry on HSN.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DE GRISOGONO
mother and grandmother had fantastic jewelry. I was always very attracted to it,” he says. “It was almost a chemistry between me and stones.” Prior to his current post, Prince Dimitri served as senior vice president of jewelry at Sotheby’s, then head of jewelry at the Phillips, de Pury & Luxembourg auction house. Picking up a pair of turquoise and cabochon sapphire cufflinks mounted in 20k yellow gold with a link shaped as the Knot of Savoy, he says, “This is the symbol representing true love, which binds you but doesn’t constrain you.” Similar to a figure eight, the design is also a nod to its origin, created in the 13th century and used mainly in Italian heraldry. Other notable pieces in the boutique collection include 18k gold paisley sautoir necklaces as
PHOTOS BY DK PHOTOIMAGING INC.
t’s always chic when you have a piece of jewelry with movement, I find. It looks fun and intriguing,” says HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, while holding one of his designs, the Lazy ring. As a square emerald-cut 45-carat rock crystal with a diamond center mounted in 18k white gold, the piece is designed to lie on the hand and roll around, ideal for catching glimpses of light. The Lazy ring is one of the styles featured in Prince Dimitri’s boutique collection from his decade-old namesake company, where he serves as president and creative director. The boutique collection features the same quality work that has defined Prince Dimitri, but the pieces are sold at more affordable price points, retailing from $150 to $25,000. They range in color and include rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and cufflinks. Prince Dimitri’s Midtown East apartment is filled with collectible wall art and objects sourced from around the world. Trays upon trays of gems sit on the living room coffee table, across from the desk where he sketches designs. As a descendant of Catherine the Great, Louis XIV, Charlemagne and the Medicis, not to mention the Greek, Danish, Italian, Belgian and Yugoslav royal families, Prince Dimitri grew up in Versailles, surrounded by jewels. “My