AUTUMN WINTER 2022
©2019 Harry Winston, Inc.
CLASSIC WINSTON™ RINGS
Yasmin and Amber Le Bon wear ASHOKA
16 ROCK ON Francesca Fearon brings us the latest news from the jewellery world
20 CLOCK OUT
Tim Barber has the watch updates we need
26 BOTANICAL BLEND
Feel the power of plants with these blooming nature-inspired designs
28 COOL CUTS
The jewellery world is embracing different ways of shaping its gems this season
30 ENAMELLED WITH YOU
An age-old craft with a new young fanbase
32 WHITE HEAT
White metal is hotting up the jewellery world right now
34 OF THE ESSENCE
Be in two places at once with these world and dual timers
36 SMALL PACKAGES
Petite models packing some impressive mechanical movements
ON THE COVER Models wear Boucheron Ailleurs Cristaux pendant earrings in smoky quartz, pavéd with round and baguette diamonds in 18ct white gold TEAM Fashion director: Nicole Smallwood; Photographer: Rachell Smith; Make-up: Lan Nguyen-Grealis @ Eighteen Management using Dior Capture Totale Super Potent Serum & Forever Foundation; Hair: Davide Barbieri @ Caren using Balmain; Manicurist: Christie Huseyin @ David Artists using Personality Tools, Chanel Particulière & Daydream; Videographer: Tracer Ital
AUTUM N/
38 DEEDS NOT WORDS
The watch brands proving you don’t need to greenwash to get ahead
40 THE SKY’S THE LIMIT Diamonds made from the sky? Charlotte Metcalf meets the man making it happen
42 BETWEEN THE LINES
The latest exquisite gems to catch our eye
51 IN PURSUIT OF ART
When does jewellery become art? Melanie Grant has some answers
Shane C Kurup on the rise of men rocking gems
The uncut gems bewitching a new generation of jewellery lovers. By Avril Groom
Mary Sanderson uncovers the covetable – and collectible – new names in jewellery
The new limited-edition watches worth collecting
74 ARE YOU IN THE MARKET?
How to get ahead in watch investing. Simon de Burton meets the experts
79 BEYOND THE BOUTIQUE
Go behind the scenes at your favourite maison
80
Cindy Chao’s latest masterpiece
12 EDITOR’S LETTER
CONTRIBUTORS
The reset of recent years has encouraged more people to invest in the lasting, emotional beauty of jewellery and watches. So this issue works at all levels, from the pinnacle of high jewellery, beautifully photographed by Rachell Smith (p42) with soaring images like the cover shot of ethereal earrings by Boucheron’s visionary designer Claire Choisne, to advice for the novice collector. It’s never po-faced –photographer Matthew Shave and stylist Ursula Lake had fun debunking the pretensions of rare watches by teaming them with other, unexpected, collectibles.
Our tone is set by writer and curator (including the current Brilliant & Black exhibition at Sotheby’s) Melanie Grant who examines the boundaries of jewellery and art, explaining how jewels are increasingly collected by the same individuals, and exhibited at the same shows, as high art (p51). We also asked expert writers to stick their necks out and suggest, with a little help from industry insiders, the names and brands to consider for building a modern collection. Mary Sanderson picks young jewellers with the creativity and craft to make wonderful wearing and a lasting impact (p63), while Shane C Kurup hands out urbane advice to men with growing confidence to wear jewellery, on what to buy and where to find it (p54).
We couldn’t launch the C&TH Watches & Jewellery Collector’s Issue without celebrating one of the world’s greatest jewellery wearers. Queen Elizabeth II made the most of the wonderful royal collection, often to great symbolic effect, shared it generously with her family and encouraged public exhibitions of its highlights. As in many ways, she was a lesson to us all.
Because even if you only have a single hand’s count of fine jewellery pieces or watches that you wear and cherish you are already a collector. You have chosen, or been gifted, these items that enrich your life, and which one day you may wish to pass on to those you love.
Simon de Burton , meanwhile, examines the currently volatile watch market – both new and resale – and taps his best contacts for advice on preventing burnt fingers (p74). We also look at new movements – the watch industry rushing to catch up on sustainability (p38), the new jewellery passion for rough stones, au naturel or cut and polished into stunning, traceable gems (p58), and the places where enthusiasts can gain deep, and often practical, knowledge from master craftspeople (p79).
Our usual features – shopping and news – include items that should last several lifetimes while Jewellery by Numbers illustrates an exquisite, true collector’s piece. Enjoy it all, and maybe be inspired to start your own collection.
Ideally, we’d love you to pass it on to a friend or a community place which might enjoy it (doctor or dentist surgery, community centre etc), but you can also rest assured that your issue can be recycled.
The magazine (including cover) can be disposed of in your paper waste recycling bin.
The outer plastic wrapping is made entirely from 100 per cent compostable material sourced from potato starch. It can be disposed of in a compost heap, your garden waste bin or your food waste bin (why not use it as a liner?). Please do not put it in your recycling.
Queen Elizabeth II was one of history’s greatest jewellery collectorswww.cindychao.comrsvp@cindychao.com
I collect jewellery books, which for me are like a historical map of art history. I love flipping through them looking for obscure facts and little known stories, the smell and texture of their glossy pages.
If money was no object, what would you buy? I’d buy a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 in rose gold with the brown dial. I’ve coveted that watch right from the beginning. For jewellery, that’s an impossible question! It’s a toss up between JAR’s sheep’s head brooch, Wallace Chan’s peacock brooch, Hemmerle’s Egyptian Eye earrings and Jacqueline Rabun’s Matanoia gold torque. I couldn’t choose between them if you tied me to a post and tickled me with a first edition of Tiffany’s Blue Book! Which new name are you most excited about? I love Francis de Lara’s wooden heart pendants, Studio Renn’s Cacti fierce serrated earrings and NN by Nghi’s Emerald Rush ring.
Typewriters, watches and hand fans. Typewriters are mechanical works of art and each model has its own personality and design quirks. Like a steam train, they are almost living entities, with moving, animate parts that clunk and click. It’s also why I’m partial to a mechanical timepiece. As for fans, I’ve always said you can tell a lot about a culture from the artistic flair of its practical objects. The design elements, materials and mechanisms differ hugely from country to country and region to region.
If money was no object, what would you buy? I’ve wanted a Santos de Cartier for a while.
I love the armour-like metal bracelet and the perfectly balanced dial. But if I was going to step into the realms of fantasy, it would have to be the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222. That 1970s integrated bracelet and mid-century dial always whisper ‘take me home’ whenever I have it on my wrist.
If money was no object, what would you buy? Oh my goodness, this is impossible! I have always loved Sophie Bille Brahe’s jewellery, she does diamonds in a very chic and understated way, so it would have to be her diamond ribbon (Rossette) earrings and then I would sneak in a doublestrap Hermès watch too with a sprinkling of diamonds on it. Which design era would you like to return to? I love the 1970s – I tend to wear gold instead of silver as it suits my skin tone, so big gold hoops are my go-to for any party outfit. Carolina Bucci does a great pair of gold disco hoops. I love the whole vibe; lots of gold bangles, chunky rings, a watch such as Gucci’s Grip, and you’re good to go.
Which new name are you most excited about? I have my eye on Cece Jewellery for her hand-painted tattoo signet rings and the Parisian design duo Viltier for their modern and playful fine jewellery.
Do you collect anything?
I have several classic cars, a 1948 Ferguson tractor, 18 motorcycles and quite a few more watches than wrists. I also have a few dozen fountain pens, a few hundred paintings and more than 1,000 books. I blame my late mother, an antiques dealer with whom I spent my formative years in auction rooms.
If money was no object, what would you buy? The Patek Philippe Trossi Leggenda, a unique, early 1930s wrist chronograph made for Count Felice Trossi, the first president of Scuderia Ferrari. He wore the watch over the top of his shirt cuff, pre-dating Gianni Agnelli by at least 30 years. The watch was sold at Sotheby’s 14 years ago for $2m and is probably worth three times as much today.
Which design era would you like to return to? The 1970s for dress watches and the 1960s for chronographs and dive watches – designs then were new, original, imaginative and chic.
In Pursuit of Art, p51 The Right to Bear Charms, p54 The Next Generation, p63 Are You In The Market? p74
The latest news from the world of jewellery.
By Francesca Fearon
Over 225 years, a Liverpool family has crafted a dazzling path from local jeweller to Bond St darling. The story of Boodles’ achievement, Pure Brilliance: The Boodles Story, opens at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in its home town on 22 October, chronicling the city’s early vibrant jewellery industry, from which grew this modern luxury brand. Until 5 March 23, liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
In 2010 artist Cindy Sherman bid at a fundraiser for the opportunity to commission a piece from high jewellery designer Anna Hu.
The result, the Yin Yang hand ornament, has a new home in Paris at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs. The serpentine design demonstrates Anna’s contemporary versatility and, as she says, is an expression of two artists ‘speaking the same language’. annahu.com
Elisabetta Cipriani persuades world-leading artists to create imaginative boundarybreaking jewellery designs that are snapped up by collectors. Her latest dramatic exhibits come from Italian artists and sculptors Giuseppe Penone and Giorgio Vigna, which will be on show at PAD and thereafter in her Heddon Street gallery. elisabettacipriani.com
American created-diamond brand Smiling Rocks takes a bold step with its first couture collection of one-off handmade pieces using best quality lab-grown diamonds up to 6 carats in weight. Our top picks are the Rays necklace with 82 pear-shaped gems and a dramatic double drop (shown here, £POA) and the Olivia earrings, with cluster-style pear and marquise diamonds elegantly caressing the ear (£32,000). A proportion of each sale goes to environmental charities. smilingrocks.com
Talented Brazilian jeweller Fernando Jorge takes the step up from emerging designer to established brand with the opening of a studio showroom on Grafton Street in the heart of Mayfair. Known for his sensuous fluid lines and smooth tactile materials, Fernando’s new collection, High Series, composed mostly of gold and diamonds, will feature in the new showroom and before that in neighbouring gallery Sprüth Magers during PAD (10-16 Oct) and Frieze (12-16 Oct). fernandojorge.co.uk
Flight, Annoushka’s new collection of arrowhead jewellery, is inspired by the spirit of change and empowerment. This same idea motivated the designer to establish The Brilliant Breakfast two years ago. Each autumn, the event raises money to assist young women helped by The Prince’s Trust – empowering them to live, learn and earn.
Annoushka’s message, for Flight and The Brilliant Breakfast, is to follow your dreams. 10-16 October, thebrilliantbreakfast.co.uk; annoushka.com
Boodles Greenfire necklace, diamonds, emeralds, platinum, £POA Annoushka Flight stud earrings, £1,900; earring drops, 18ct yellow gold, lapis lazuli, diamonds, £1,400 Giuseppe Penone Salvia (Sage) rings, £21,800. Each in limited edition of ten Fernando Jorge Disco Fringe earrings in 18ct yellow gold and diamonds, £POA; Disco small bracelet in 18ct yellow gold and diamonds, £30,000
Shhh, this is between you and me. Van Cleef & Arpels has just extended its popular Perlée range with diamond-trimmed open bangles. Featuring colourful turquoise and coral, or carnelian and black pietersite and based on the Toi et Moi style, they hide a secret – this stunning piece of jewellery is in fact a watch. £POA, vancleefarpels.com
Lylie coral bracelet, 9ct yellow gold, recycled peridot, £460; Royal Mint 886 T-bar pendant, 18ct yellow gold, £2,195
Hard to imagine genteel pearls coming with a warning, but ‘Danger Signs’ is the title of Tasaki’s punkish new non-gendered pearl range featuring menacinglooking thorns. Fear not, they don’t scratch (tasaki.co.uk). Equally playing it cool with pearls that don’t scream pretty are Yoko London’s ultra-modern, asymmetric designs attracting attention at its brand-new Knightsbridge store (yokolondon)
Combing the Thames foreshore for lost gems during lockdown led seasoned mudlarker Ruth Tomlinson to find and reset the precious materials she discovered into rings that, in a mudlarking tradition of offering to the water, she then threw back into the river. Except for one, which is now on display at the V&A. To mark the occasion, Tomlinson has designed WondeRings, a collection of one-of-a-kind rings, made from unusual stones that she has collected over her 20 year career, and inspired by the OffeRings now lying somewhere in the muddy waters, to be found by future mudlarkers or washed out to sea. ruthtomlinson.com; vam.com
A fortunate few may make it to their 60th wedding anniversary and receive a diamond. Raising the bar is one of Chanel’s lucky client’s husbands, who presented her with the showstopper Allure Celeste necklace from the new 1932 high jewellery range, an homage to the diamond collection that Gabrielle designed that year. While its prices may be stratospheric, these are extraordinarily collectible pieces based on her favourite themes: the sun, moon and comets, including the Soleil Talisman diamond and yellow sapphire open ring (above, £POA). chanel.com
Italian luxury brands star in preserving their nation’s heritage by funding conservation projects. Pomellato is the latest, supporting Venetian heritage with the urgent restoration of the pulpit in St Mark’s Basilica after the 2019 flood. Paying homage to Venice’s artistic tradition, Pomellato has designed a capsule of unique gem-set Iconica rings created from the rare porphyry being used for the pulpit’s restoration. Available only in the Venice boutique, or by special request. pomellato.com
An astonishing seven per cent of the world’s gold sits in our digital devices. It can now be salvaged from discarded tech, and recycled into gold for jewellery. Young designer Eliza Walter, founder of Lylie jewellery, transforms e-gold into fine pieces. The Lylie ethos is all about sustainability, turning antique gemstones, e-waste or clients’ scrap gold into modern heirlooms (lylies.com). Meanwhile, The Royal Mint’s second Britishcrafted 886 collection (named after the year it was founded) is designed by Dominic Jones, and features earrings like tiny gold ingots, chain bracelets, a signet ring and button pendant that reference the organisation’s long history (886.royalmint.com).
The 40th anniversary of the Goldsmith’s Company fair for modern jewellery and silverware has just closed, but its website makes it easy to discover the creators of these captivating gems. Hannah Bedford’s granulated jewellery glistening with droplets of silver and gold, Teri Howes’s extraordinary ‘crochet’ earrings, still on their gold needles (above), and Romilly Saumarez Smith’s organic designs inspired by nature, from mosses to barnacles, are highlights. goldsmithsfair.co.uk n
(L-R) Yoko London necklace, Akoya pearl, diamond, 18ct white gold, £POA; Tasaki Danger Tribe earrings, yellow gold, freshwater pearls, £1,750 and cuff, yellow gold, Akoya pearls, £1,920
Ruth Tomlinson WondeRing, garnet, tourmaline, £3,650
Rose gold, green porphyry and green tourmaline, £8,000; Rose gold, red porphyry, garnet, £7,500
Having revamped its Navitimer aviation range earlier this year, Breitling now tackles another long-term favourite, the SuperOcean dive watch. This first appeared in the 1960s, and Breitling has gone back to the boldly handsome original look (luminous blocks for the hours, a squaretipped minutes hand), though in some very modern colourways. Dials in turquoise, deep green or bright orange are included across a range of sizes and straps –though a bronze-cased option (a first for Breitling) with racing green is the stand-out. From £2,840. breitling.com
After several years’ absence, MB&F, the firm that combines the horological technique of Switzerland’s finest with the conceptual imagination of a sci-fi auteur, is again available in the UK, at the London flagship of luxury retailer Watches of Switzerland. The brand’s six-figure ‘kinetic sculptures that happen to tell the time’ (in the words of founder Max Büsser), like the newly announced LM Split Escapement Evo, now occupy their own mini-boutique within the Regent Street showroom, joining the likes of Rolex and Patek Philippe. watches-ofswitzerland.co.uk
Rolex has announced the line-up for its 2023-2024 Arts Programme, in which five of the world’s most renowned artists will each mentor an outstanding emerging talent. These include British author Bernardine Evaristo, who has selected Ghanaian writer Ayesha Harruna Attah as her protégée. Rolex established its mentoring programme in 2002 to aid the transmission of artistic knowledge and craft from one generation to the next. rolex.com
Audemars Piguet’s ceramic-cased Royal Oak perpetual calendars are among the brand’s rarest and most soughtafter watches. Thus far, they’ve only come in black or white ceramic (sported by Ed Sheeran, Anthony Joshua and John Mayer), but a new electric blue version leaves those pieces in the shade. The remarkable surface finishing – exceedingly hard to achieve on scratch-proof ceramic –is really to the fore, while the blend of haute horlogerie grandeur and vivacious sportiness is truly decadent. Expected waiting lists will lengthen as the brand is popularised by Bill Prince’s new book, Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon, (Assouline, £195) which celebrates this remarkable design by putting it into the context of the art, culture and famous owners of its 50-year era. £POA, audemarspiguet.com
Bulgari’s current theme is ‘Unexpected Wonders’ and this ultraminimal collaboration with Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima is a surprise after recent ornate models. Known for clean lines and modernist geometry, Sejima was bound to empathise with the ultra-slim Octo Finissimo Automatic’s sleek architectural form, to which she’s applied true wonder with a completely mirrorfinished surface. There are 360 pieces available. £12,100, bulgari.com
Black is back in the watch world. In Dior’s small-but-perfectly-formed La D de Dior Black Ultramatte, the dial is stripped back to a dark matte surface with three black diamonds, while the case is textured with an arresting satine pattern (from £3,500, dior.com)
Rather more glossy is Girard-Perregaux’s latest Laureato, with a dial of hand-cut onyx that contrasts majestically with a case of highly finished rose gold (£42,000, girard-perregaux.com).
With their respective ‘Carrera’ icons and backstories carved out amid the dust and glamour of motor racing’s golden age, TAG Heuer’s partnership with Porsche seems written in the stars. Now it has a watch that lives up to it, celebrating the much-loved 1972 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 – with the ‘Carrera’ script striping the car’s body. The stripe is recreated on the case flank of this elegant retro chronograph, available in steel with blue details (£6,100, limited to 500) or rose gold with scarlet details (£19,550, limited to 250), and will be catnip to Porsche collectors and fans. tagheuer.com
Congratulations to Linde Werdelin, the Swiss-made, Danish-based independent brand founded by Jorn Werdelin and Morten Linde, which is celebrating its 20th birthday with a watch that sums up the brand’s bold design, rugged functionality and deep-rooted whimsy. The case of the all-black Oktopus Moon 3DTP Black Ink, limited to 20 pieces, is made of 3D Thin Ply Carbon, an ultra-tough, lightweight polymer, while its dial is dominated by the brand’s unique moon phase display. £19,200, lindewerdelin.com
Watch brands don’t often get involved with cricket, despite the game’s huge global footprint. Credit, then, to Oris, which this summer became the official timekeeper at Lord’s. That put the brand’s logo squarely on the Mound Stand clocktower, while Test Match centurions will have their pick of Oris watches. Maybe the cricket pitchcoloured, brand new Aquis Date Calibre 400, with the brand’s five-day in-house movement?
£3,200, oris.ch
From the brand made famous by Italian World War II commandos and the patronage of Sly Stallone, Panerai’s new take on the idea of the ultimate tough-guy timepiece. Inspired by modern day Special Forces, this hulking chronograph has a 47mm case in blackcoated titanium, a blue ceramic bezel, crosshair sub-dials and a distinctly tactical air. Its ‘time to target’ function
– a variation on the yachttimer complication – allows you to count down to a given event. Tick, tick… boom? Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali £25,500. panerai.com
Richard Mille’s new 1.75mm thick RM UP-01 Ferrari model is a sight to behold. Okay, it’s tough to read the slimness necessitates a tiny dial –and you have to stick a tool into sockets on its surface to wind and set it. But it’s an engineering marvel, and a more-than-appropriate setting for the logo of Richard Mille’s partner, Ferrari. There’ll be 150 watches made, each almost $2 million. richardmille.com
Two new models make a strong case for golden oldie watches. Zenith’s Defy Revival A3642 recreates the 1969 watch that first carried the ‘Defy’ name, with 250 editions in steel, powered by its modern Elite 670 automatic movement. (£5,900, zenith-watches.com). Doxa, meanwhile, goes back another year to a watch equally bold and even more rugged: the Doxa Army, a diving watch made for Swiss military use. Available in steel with two bezel variations: black ceramic, or green ceramic with bronze grip. (Rubber strap, £2,070. doxawatches.com)
LONDON NEW BOND STREET
Feel the power of plants with these stunning nature-inspired designs
1 Chaumet L’Épi de Blé brooch, diamonds and 18ct gold, £16,600. 2 Graff Wild Flower double diamond pendant, diamonds, 18ct white gold, £8,500. 3 Van Cleef & Arpels Frivole Eight Flowers ring, rubies, emeralds, 18ct rose gold, £10,200. 4 Cece Jewellery enamel flower signet ring, enamel, diamonds, 18ct gold, £2,860. 5 Asprey F1 Winner’s Wreath pendant, pavé diamonds, red garnet, 18ct gold, £8,350. 6 Christopher Thompson Royds Forget Me Not earrings, £175 (£100 to Refuge). 7 David Morris Miss Daisy ring, diamonds, Akoya pearl, 18k gold, £7,200. 8 Theo Fennell Autumn Leaves ring, peach tourmaline, diamonds, enamelled 18ct gold, £14,750.
9 Annoushka Marguerite ring, diamonds, moonstone and 18ct white gold, £15,500. 10 Chopard For You ring, amethysts, tanzanites, 18ct ethical white gold, £POA.
11 Goossens Tribute Leaves necklace, metal with 24ct gold bath, natural crystal pearls, £1,300. 12 Shaun Leane Blackthorn Drop Leaf earrings, black spinel, black pearl, silver, £1,200
1 Eva Fehren Prism earrings, geometric champagne diamonds, 18ct rose gold, £12,250 @ Harrods. 2 Messika M-Rainbow earrings, 18ct rose gold and coloured diamonds, £POA. 3 Ara Vartanian Pulsar earrings, heart indicolite, trapeze diamonds, 18ct white gold, £POA. 4 Tomasz Donocik x Clive Christian Art Deco pleated brooch, smoky quartz, amber, citrine, yellow topaz, white crystal, 18ct yellow gold, £17,500. 5 Patcharavipa Kite Hoops earrings, kite diamonds, 18ct Siam gold, £4,400. 6 Almasika Terra Nova ring, marquise diamond, recycled gold, £4,567. 7 Cassandra Goad Flower Crown earrings, hexagonal watermelon tourmalines, Ethiopian opals, fuchsite and synthetic zirconia briolettes, £9,120.
8 Matilde Jewellery Constellation ring, created diamonds, 14 ct recycled gold, £880. 9 Stephen Webster Rocket Girl ring, Dynamite-cut amethyst, Paraiba tourmalines, diamonds, purple and blue sapphires, blue titanium, 18ct gold, £29,600. 10 Rachel Boston Priapus ring, octagonal cognac diamond, emerald-cut diamond, 18ct gold, £18,000. 11 Ming Jewellery Treasure ring, hexagonal diamond, red ceramic, 18ct gold, £POA. 12 Mark Nuell earrings, Australian freeform sapphires, 18ct recycled gold, £4,697
Bye bye baguettes, so long cushion cut – the jewellery world is embracing di erent ways of shaping its gems this season
An age-old craft with a new young fanbase, enamel is having (another) moment in the sun
1 Loev Jewelry Toi & Moi ring, created diamonds, enamel, 18ct recycled gold, £4,392. 2 Dior Color Dior earrings, diamonds, lacquer, 18ct gold, £13,200. 3 Boochier Fruit Hoops necklace, diamonds, enamel, 18ct gold, £21,705. 4 Boucheron Le Toucan ring, diamonds, coloured sapphires, enamel, 18ct gold, £27,630. 5 Robinson Pelham Arena ring, lilac amethyst, pink enamel, 14ct gold, £3,840. 6 Alice Cicolini Sari Chanderi jacket ring, pink tourmaline, lacquer, 14ct gold, £6,510. 7 Sig Ward Crawford earrings, green sapphire, enamel, $3,930. 8 Bea Bongiasca Sugar, Spice & Equal Rights earrings, tourmaline, diamond, enamel, 18ct gold, €4,400. 9 Nada Ghazal Blossom ring, pink sapphires, handpainted enamel, 18ct gold, $5,405 @ Objets d’Emotion 10 Sarah Ho Suki Flame ring, yellow sapphire, diamonds, enamel, 18ct recycled gold, £6,000. 11 Cleopatra’s Bling Patrika ring, green sapphire, black enamel, 22ct gold, £4,234. 12 NeverNoT Show & Tell, Ready to Multiply earrings, blue topaz, enamel, 18ct gold, £8,230. 13 Fabergé Heritage egg bangle, diamonds, guilloche enamel, 18ct gold, £7,800
Forget yellow and rose gold – it’s the white stu that is hotting up the jewellery world right now
1 Giovanni Raspini Bubbles pendant, silver, £240.
2 Fope Luna Flex’it necklace, 18ct gold mesh chain, £17,000. 3 Kiki McDonough Petal Open Circle earrings, lavender amethyst, diamonds, 18ct gold, £6,900. 4 Liv Luttrell Stratum bangle, 18ct gold, £17,200. 5 Bucherer Peekaboo ring, prasiolite, 18ct gold, £1,400. 6 Louis Vuitton LV Volt multibracelet, 18ct gold, £6,450. 7 Maria Tash earring, 18ct white gold, diamond, £800 @ Mappin & Webb.
8 Chanel Lune de Chanel single earring, diamonds, 18ct gold, £POA. 9 Tabayer
Oera ring, Fairmined white gold, diamond pavé, £4,860. 10 Adler Caméléon ring set, 18ct white gold, diamonds, £9,100.
11 Melanie Eddy Trinity faceted bangle set, recycled sterling silver, £7,820.
12 Ute Decker Orbit arm piece, recycled silver, £2,600
TRUE SQUARE OPEN HEART
These new models may be petite, but they pack some impressive mechanical movements
1 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, Oystersteel, white gold, diamonds, self-winding, 31mm, £8,500. 2 Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle manual-wind, rose gold, diamonds, 33mm, £25,000. 3 Raymond Weil Maestro, steel, gold PVD, diamonds, automatic, 31mm, £1,295.
4 Omega Constellation, aventurine, Sedna gold, leather strap, 29mm, £19,700. 5 Harry Winston Premier Automatic, rose gold, mother of pearl, diamonds, alligator strap, 31mm, £POA. 6 Claude Meylan Tortue Lady Blue Moon, steel, automatic, satin strap, 31mm, CHF 3,850. 7 Tudor Black Bay steel, yellow gold, diamonds, automatic, 31mm, £5,750. 8 Longines Master Collection, steel, diamonds, automatic, 34mm, £2,050. 9 Michel Herbelin Ladies Galet Automatic, steel, gold PVD, 33.5mm, £855
Lots of brands may talk the talk when it comes to sustainability, but do they walk the walk? The watch world in particular has been slow to get on the eco train. In last year’s edition of Watches & Jewellery we reported on the brands tackling environmental issues through ocean conservation and sustainable working practices. A year on, though, and things have improved again, with big names like IWC, Chanel, Breitling and Panerai all releasing sustainability reports to assess their carbon footprints and plan for a greener future.
IWC’s report included a foreword by its new Environmental and Community Projects Advisor, the supermodel and environmentalist Gisele Bündchen. ‘My own journey began in 2004, during a trip to the Amazon, where I saw up close the impact of deforestation and pollution on the health and lives of indigenous tribes,’ she writes. ‘I knew I had to do something. Since then, I’ve used my platform to call attention to the protection of nature and native communities.’
Gisele will be working with IWC on identifying biodiversity and community initiatives worldwide to support, two areas that were identified in its 2022 report.
Oris, which was certified carbon neutral in 2021, also has a more 360-degree attitude to its eco-efforts. ‘Sustainability is more than a mission statement for us,’ explains the brand’s Corporate Sustainability Ambassador Sven Mostögl. ‘It’s an attitude that influences what we do
internally and externally, every day and everywhere.’
The brand spotlights environmental initiatives around the world, like Plastic Bank, which works to prevent plastic entering the ocean. Its new limitededition model, the Oris Aquis New York Harbor in olive green, supports the Billion Oyster Project, an ambitious non-profit aiming to restore one billion oysters to New York harbour.
A lso in the ocean conservation arena, Panerai has recently partnered with UNESCO to launch the Ocean Conservation Initiative, working with 100 universities around the world to educate students about ocean protection and plastic pollution, and encourage them to take action. It recently developed eSteel, made from pre-consumer recycled scraps.
Another brand looking at the footprint of its raw materials is Breitling, which has committed to only using Swiss Better gold (improving conditions in smallscale gold mining communities). By 2025 it plans to use only renewable energy across all its touchpoints and lab-grown diamonds in its models.
Meanwhile, boutique watch brands like Solios and Nordgreen are transforming the mid-range space with their innovative eco watches. The former is the world’s first BCorpcertified watch brand, making minimalist solar powered timepieces that have a six-month power reserve after two hours of sun exposure and are made of recycled stainless steel. There’s no single-use plastic to be seen in its supply chain, and through its partnership with the Rainforest Trust it protects one acre of forest with every Solios watch sold. ‘We believe big changes start with small actions that don’t compromise one’s lifestyle and habits,’ explains founders Samuel Leroux and Alexandre Desabrais.
A lso on its way to becoming a BCorp is Danish watchmaker Nordgreen, which launched its Guardian watch earlier in 2022. It’s designed to last 100 years and is made from recycled stainless steel and durable sapphire glass. Its packaging, meanwhile, is 3D printed and made from third-generation recycled plastic.
Small steps forward, but enough to show that the watch world is starting to take sustainability seriously.
These watch brands are proving you don’t need to greenwash to get ahead, says Amy WakehamOris Aquis New York Harbor, £1,975
Skydiamond pendants in recycled platinum, £9,961.95, recycled yellow gold, £3,459.67, and recycled white gold, £2,759.53; classic-set engagement ring in recycled white gold, from £2,000; classic-set solitaire earrings in recycled yellow gold, £376.60
kydiamond’ could be the title of a James Bond film, a name that conjures up a wild flight of imagination worthy of any of Ian Fleming’s villains. How could anyone other than a mad creative genius wrest diamonds out of the sky? And, even more extraordinarily, how could anyone be doing this to save the world? Yet that is exactly what Dale Vince, founder of Skydiamond, is doing.
‘We are making the first truly sustainable diamonds from the sky to protect the earth,’ asserts Dale, the flamboyant eco-warrior and accidental businessman, who left school at 15 to travel the world until 1996 when he ‘dropped back in’ and – in his words – ‘went from being an enemy of the state to a green energy tycoon’. He is the founder and owner of Ecotricity, one of the world’s first green energy companies, was a pioneer of electric vehicle charging, and backed the film Seaspiracy. He’s written a book, Manifesto: How a Maverick Entrepreneur Took on British Energy and Won (Ebury, £20), and is on a third series of his podcast Zerocarbonista. The sports world knows him for taking Forest Green Rovers football club vegan and carbon neutral. He fast gained his reputation as the eco-warrior who
took on the establishment and has since been recognised by it, becoming a UN Climate Champion and receiving an OBE from the late Queen for services to the environment.
With Skydiamond, he’s taken a further bold step. ‘Diamonds are the perfect frontier for the new environmental movement,’ Dale enthuses. ‘We’ve harnessed a combination of technology and imagination to come up with the ultimate piece of climate bling. And the beauty of it is that this isn’t about giving anything up, but about getting something we’d all rather like to have. Turning something base into something precious is perfect 21st century alchemy. Above all it’s fun, which is central to our ethos, as this is how we can win hearts and minds.’
Dale came up with the idea while thinking hard about how to remove CO2 from the atmosphere on a planetary scale and store it in the most permanent way. ‘A diamond is the ultimate form of carbon,’ he says. ‘The idea was the easy bit. Making them took a little more time!’ Indeed, it took five years of research and development to realise his idea.
The process is complex but in short it uses a technique called Chemical
Vapour Deposition, whereby a thin slice of diamond seed is placed in a sealed chamber and heated. The chamber is then filled with carbon-rich gas from the atmosphere, along with other gases, which are then ionised into plasma using microwaves. The ionisation breaks the molecular bonds in the gases and the pure carbon adheres to the diamond seed, slowly building up into a crystal, atom by atom, layer by layer. During the process, which takes about 14 days, temperatures range between 900-1,200oC, powered solely by solar and wind energy at Ecotricity’s home in the Cotswolds.
‘In creating this method we’ve set a new industrial standard fit for the 21st century,’ says Dale, ‘and the air we put back into the atmosphere is cleaner than the air we take out. Besides our process is unique in bringing wind, sun, rain and atmospheric carbon together at one British facility to produce diamonds, with the result that Skydiamonds are far kinder to the planet even than lab-grown diamonds, which are mass-produced, often using brown energy and gases that are by-products of the fossil fuel industry. We are the only diamond producer on the planet to be carbon negative through our design process rather than just offsetting.’
Skydiamonds are optically, physically and chemically identical to mined ones and at the end of September, they launched their first jewellery collection. It includes necklaces and stud earrings, in a range of beautiful, classic and contemporary designs for everyday wear, with prices starting at £350 and go up to £14,000, depending on the diamond’s carat. There will also be five designs of engagement rings, and a collaboration with jeweller Stephen Webster in December.
Because production is so limited, buyers are in possession of some of the rarest gems on the planet. Every stone is laser etched with a certification number from Birmingham’s internationally recognised AnchorCert Gemological Institute and Skydiamond
also worked with Imperial College London to carry out an independent life cycle analysis of its process.
Dale has no qualms about taking on the powerful diamond mining industry. ‘Shops often don’t know where their stones come from and diamond mining is notorious for its negative environmental, social and ethical impact,’ is his view. ‘We’re not urging people to deprive themselves or stop buying beautiful things but to do things better. Skydiamond gives you an exquisite gem entirely free from conflict, pollution and guilt.’
The model and environmental activist, Lily Cole, is an early adopter and fan. ‘Skydiamond blew my mind,’ she says. ‘We can mine the sky, turning an existential problem into this coveted thing of beauty. Skydiamond represents the perfect metaphor of how we ought to be evolving every industry in the face of climate crisis. I’m delighted to be supporting Skydiamonds because they’re carbon negative by design, a brilliant solution, rather than a problem.’ skydiamond.com n
Tuesday 29
Tickets
FROM L-R:
Please join us for a glittering dinner to explore how luxury and sustainability can successfully coexistRIGHT: Supermodel and environmentalist Lily Cole is a Skydiamond ambassador BELOW: Stephen Webster x Skydiamond Stars Aligned ring and Polyamorous ring, both from £2,000
FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER RACHELL SMITH
Pragnell Masterpiece fancy vivid orange yellow heart diamond ring in yellow gold
From top: Boodles hoop earrings featuring 32 heart shaped diamonds, pear shaped diamonds and pink diamonds set in platinum and rose gold; Florentine ring featuring emerald cut diamond set in blue enamel and yellow gold; earrings, same as before; collar featuring heart shaped aquamarines and white diamonds set in platinum; Singapore ring featuring an Ashoka cut diamond surrounded by pink diamonds, set in platinum and 18ct rose gold
Tiffany & Co. High Jewellery sapphire pendant in platinum necklace with one emerald-cut sapphire, over 23 carats, 430 round brilliant diamonds, over 7 total carats, and 51 baguette diamonds, over 3 total carats
Cartier Reflection de Cartier ring in white gold and diamonds; Pluie de Cartier bracelet and earrings in white gold and diamonds
De Beers Portraits of Nature butterfly earrings and ring in white gold; Diamond Line classic eternity line round brilliant diamond necklace
Harry Winston Winston Candy pink spinel ring with sapphires, tsavorites, garnets and diamonds set in platinum; sapphire and diamond necklace set in platinum
Chopard Haute Joaillerie necklace with cultured pearls and diamonds in 18ct white certified gold
TEAM
Make-up: Lan NguyenGrealis @ Eighteen
Management using Dior Capture Totale Super Potent Serum & Forever Foundation
Hair: Davide Barbieri
@ Caren using Balmain
Manicurist: Christie Huseyin
@ David Artists using Personality Tools, Chanel Particulière & Daydream
Digital cover: Tracer Ital
@ Adrenalin Management
Fashion assistant: April McCarthy
Photographer’s assistant: Kate Whelan & Cameron Smith
Model Casting: Kate Whelan
Dior Joaillerie Dior Print earrings in pink gold. diamonds, emeralds and pink sapphires; Dior Print ring in pink gold, diamonds, emeralds and pink sapphires
with the
n dappled light at the entrance of TEFAF Maastricht this summer swayed a resplendent flower installation, akin to a modern-day Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It transfixed all who entered one of the world’s most important art fairs. Here, art of all disciplines rested side by side, from the oldest of old masters to freshly crafted contemporary jewellery, giving cross-collecting buyers a visual feast of epic proportions. Master jeweller Hemmerle was showing its own bejewelled blooms in anodised aluminium, bronze and bisque porcelain as part of ‘Infused Jewels’, a collection inspired by herbal tea, and as I walked to its stand through the hushed aisles my heart rate soared. When jewellery transcends to art, I can feel it in my soul and, in its presence, I experience a physical reaction. I can’t murmur innocuous words about its beauty because it means more, and demands more, than that. As a curator I’m always waiting for that bone-shaking moment when a seemingly simple combination of gemstone and metal rises up to become an expression of our collective humanity. Then my job is to make sense of if for those who need to know more.
Over the last couple of decades, world-class museums, auction houses and art fairs have cautiously welcomed jewellery (at the pinnacle) into their selective embraces. Jewellery, which once languished as a decorative art near the bottom of an unspoken hierarchy, has now taken flight. ‘What greater validation than TEFAF?’ asks Christian Hemmerle, fourth-generation family member. ‘The gap is closing. People are not categorising anymore. There is now great design
and not great design.’ Jewellers such as Hemmerle, Taffin, Bhagat and Vamgard have overpowered precious stones, the harbingers of traditional value, with signature styles so compelling that the materials have become immaterial.
None of these jewellery artists are easy to buy from and some are reclusive, making only a handful of pieces annually. Wallace Chan makes 15 to 20 unique pieces a year from his base in Hong Kong and if you appear unannounced at Joel Arthur Rosenthal’s (known as JAR) Paris atelier, his door remains firmly closed. Specialist dealers and galleries create a relationship between the world’s greatest jewellers and their congregation. ‘We are frustrated collectors,’ says Sophie Jackson, director of Symbolic & Chase, a London-based gallery that recently began offering the work of acclaimed sculptor and goldsmith Daniel Brush. ‘The expansion of the fine art market has had a huge effect on jewellery.’
Now that one can buy Jacqueline Rabun via The Carpenter’s Workshop, wearable sculpture by the likes of Frank Stella and Ai Weiwei at The Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery and Theodoros at Symbolic & Chase, jewellery is truly merging with the art world. None of these jewellers are making products to be sold as a commodity. They create, without compromise, for themselves. This isn’t the sole preserve of independent designers, though. Push past the more commercial collections of some of the bigger houses such as Buccellati, Dior and Chanel and an array of art emerges. Boucheron is a rare example of a heritage brand that consistently combines independent artistic thought with global sales, giving its creative director Claire Choisne
FROM ABOVE: A piece from Hemmerle’s life-like ‘Infused Jewels’ collection; Jacqueline Rabun’s Metanoia necklace and A Beautiful Life ring in 18ct yellow gold and aventurine
free rein. Many others choose to collaborate with fine artists to create that biting point between art and commerce – famously, Piaget worked with Salvador Dalí in the 1960s, Tiffany with a number of artists, most recently Daniel Arsham, but the division separating fine and jewellery artist in terms of respect and desirability is increasingly less relevant. A more democratic time is upon us so if you can feel the force, it is art no matter who makes it.
The market bears that out. At Sotheby’s, the category of Jewellery now sits in third place behind Contemporary Art and Impressionist & Modern Art, and ahead of Old Masters and Chinese Art in terms of value. Jewellery sales at the auction house grew by a staggering 42 per cent globally to $440.5M last year. The most popular global houses for Sotheby’s by volume are Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, and by value Harry Winston, Cartier and Bulgari. The top independents by value are Hemmerle, Reza and JAR.
This colossal appetite for bejewelled masterpieces has been fuelled partly by the pandemic driving online sales ever higher but also by younger buyers, with 30 per cent of jewellery collectors at Sotheby’s now under forty. Asian buyers now account for nearly half of all jewellery sales. An art-jewellery sandwich is now on the menu. ‘In terms of collectability we talk about rarity, provenance, quality and condition. All the same value points we use to evaluate art are applied now to jewellery,’ says Frank Everett, Senior Vice President of Jewellery at Sotheby’s. He cites the historic 42-lot sale in 2017 of Shaun Leane’s designs, originally made for Alexander McQueen, as a milestone moment when two aluminium corsets were sold as sculptures for $711,000-$807,000 respectively.
In the East, where much of this growth is coming from, the stubborn notion of intrinsic value still holds firm. Stones like The De Beers Blue, a 15.10carat fancy vivid blue diamond that sold recently in Hong Kong for $57.5 million at Sotheby’s still captivates the market but there is a new generation of designers worth collecting, too. In India Studio Renn mixes concrete with diamonds, in Hong Kong Nicholas Lieou creates almost invisible necklaces from rock crystal and the Lebanese designer Dina Kamal, with
her baguette-tipped cuffs in smooth beige gold, represents a new type of modernism. Artist jewellers of African descent – such as Jariet Oloyé who uses twisted gold wire and frosted glass, or those who mint their own gold coin jewellery in the case of Sewit Sium – show us that our appreciation of art itself is fi nally expanding beyond aristocratic European men. Art, after all, is about challenging the status quo. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon did just that in Iraq during the sixth century BCE, as one of the rumoured seven wonders of the world. They represented a gateway to a city known for its culture and learning. That metaphor made me smile as I marvelled at the jewellery treasures of TEFAF. The best of jewellery has finally come of age and art is all the richer for it. n
‘When jewellery TRANSCENDS to art, I can feel it in my SOUL and, in its presence, I experience a PHYSICAL reaction’FROM ABOVE: Studio Renn’s On the Edge ring made from concrete and diamonds; Coiled Corset by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen; Boucheron Serpent Bohème Solarité earrings
As men’s jewellery goes from tawdry to tasteful, consider curating your own armoury, says Shane C. Kurup
Notso long ago, a pair of gilt cufflinks and perhaps a wedding band or crested signet ring would have been the extent of a man’s jewellery arsenal. But scan the men propping up the bar in any urban locale now and you might well be dazzled by the hardware on show.
The conspicuous rise of the bejewelled male has been driven by a Gen Z fully engaged with supercharged social media platforms where trends go viral in nanoseconds. Public figures, too, have long been a barometer of taste and with 24/7 new media connectivity the effect is even more potent. ‘Influential men in the public eye have been experimenting with style in recent years, embracing self-expression and gender fluidity,’ says Maxim de Turckheim, senior buyer of fine watches and jewellery at Mr Porter. ‘Runways have followed suit, with fashion houses elevating jewellery’s creative potential. This visibility and variety has given men confidence to invest in classic pieces and trial new, braver styles.’
Look no further than Harry Styles, A$AP Rocky, Timothée
Chalamet and Jared Leto as prime examples of this new breed of bijouterie-bedecked brothers for whom jewellery has become a style signifier, just as a Savile Row-cut three-piece or bench-made Northampton Oxfords were to another generation.
‘More men are buying into more unusual, ornate pieces – the want their jewellery to feel unique and individual,’ says Damien Paul, head of menswear at Matchesfashion.
While there’s a rich history of men donning jewellery – from the gem-encrusted doublets of Tudor heavyweight Henry VIII to the hardhitting body armour of hellraiser Billy Idol – it’s often been the preserve of privilege and seen as brash and blingy outside such circles. But this new renaissance has a more egalitarian, considered feel – and doesn’t necessarily require the capital of a blueblood dynasty or rock royalty to buy into.
Beyond the obvious aesthetic advantages of amassing a magpie’s cache, there are fiscal merits too: a rock-solid jewellery collection can pay future dividends.
Maria Tash’s rocker-inspired earrings are worn by both men and women Ara Vartanian necklace, £POA. aravartanian.com Timothée Chalamet at the 2022 Academy Awards
Although pearls are more associated with wellheeled women of a certain age, men have long favoured them – court charmer Sir Walter Raleigh, peacocking Maharajahs and Cockney costermongers included. Now the pearl is taking on a renewed sheen among menfolk, with the likes of Pharrell, Shawn Mendes and the totem of modern masculinity, Harry Styles, all stepping out with a neckful of nacre beads. While synthetic pearls can be had for a paltry sum, they lack the patina, warmth and, crucially, investment value of the real McCoy. ‘Lustre is the giveaway of a good quality pearl – look for a crisp reflection and a deep seated yellow,’ advises Maxim. Hatton Labs, Polite Worldwide and Éliou are worthy ports of call for walletfriendly freshwater pearls, while Tasaki and Mikimoto are go-tos for premium Akoya and South Sea pearls. And if the idea of a glossy twinset is just a little too outré, a nacre-detailed bracelet or ring lets you dip your toes in pearlescent waters without going too deep.
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend – as Ms Monroe purred – but if the current throng of men sporting ice is to be believed, they’re a boy’s, too. Even Centre Court maverick Nick Kyrgios isn’t immune to their charms, donning a custom brilliant-cut choker and double hoop earrings for this year’s Wimbledon – appropriate for the game’s undisputed rough diamond. The earring – once a symbol of non-conformism – has been refashioned in precious materials as the ultimate ear candy by Maria Tash, Kolours and Shaun Leane, while coloured stones of note are rising in rank. ‘Earthy and neutral stones like emeralds and white diamonds are easy to wear with most outfits, while sapphires are great for adding verve to a formal look,’ says Kyron Keogh, co-founder of jewellers Rox Diamonds & Thrills. The brooch – once the preserve of grandmothers and grand duchesses – is now also firmly on the male style agenda thanks to the creative efforts of high-end jewellers like Dior and Tiffany, with the late Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman and Bridgerton man-about-town, Regé-Jean Page known for favouring lavish lapel hardware for the red carpet.
6 Shaun Leane Talon white gold and black diamond earrings, £3,900. 7 Bleue Burnham sapphire and sterlingsilver signet ring, £395 @ Matchesfashion. 8 Kolours Jewelry Hexagon gold and diamond earcuff, £918 @ Mr Porter. 9. EÉRA Green Key white gold, silver and diamond pendant necklace, £1,565 @ Mr Porter. 10 Dior Victoire de Castellane and Kim Jones collaboration brooch in white gold, diamonds and sapphires, £POA
Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon 2022 in a necklace and earrings by Unique Diamonds
Regé-Jean Page wears a
to
2022
Homme
runway
Thanks to Blue Planet II and Greta Thunberg, we’re well aware that Mother Earth is in peril. And with fashion brands reassessing their environmental impact, it’s logical that such ideals should shape the narrative at the jeweller’s bench. Contemporary brands like The Ouze, Bleue Burnham and Spinelli Kilcollin utilise recycled precious metals, improving sustainability and working conditions for those in the trade. It’s not just about enhanced hardware – ethically sourced and lab-grown stones are part of the conversation, while buying vintage eliminates the impact of processing virgin materials.
‘Some ethical industry practices are difficult to achieve but an honest, transparent approach is key. Look for gold certifications like the Fairtrade Gold licence or origin certificates for gemstones,’ says Josephine Odet, head of buying & client services at vintage jewellery specialist Omnēque. Many of these forward-thinking modern brands also use rustic craft techniques to bring out the materials’ natural qualities, which not only give pieces a rugged simplicity, but reduce energy and waste. Sometimes there’s no need to gild the lily. n
Precious gems might garner the glory, but their lesser-sung cousins –hardstones – have aesthetic virtues of their own. This broad genre of mineral and ore-based rocks comes in a wide spectrum of hues, making them ideal for signet rings and pendants – styles that Phira, Tom Wood and Fernando Jorge excel at. Tiger’s eye, with its earthy, golden-brown patina, is a worthy option if you don’t have the gall for pink diamonds; black onyx is a solid choice for the monochromatic dresser; and bloodstone with its red-flecked, forest green shade has a dark, decadent appeal.
If you’re no shrinking violet there’s vivid green malachite or deep blue lapis lazuli.
The very quality that makes hardstones so appealing – their depth of colour –also indicates a good gem: ‘The rule of thumb is to look for rich hues and shine.
Lower quality stones often look dull,’ explains Kyron. Hardstones are also a great value proposition, so building up a cache of decent specimens won’t leave your wallet looking malnourished.
c.1970s, £26,000
Hancocks London
We all know a rough diamond: someone – or something – unrefined and, to use another jewellery word, unpolished, but with the potential for brilliance. Ever since cut stones appeared the rough has not been part of the magic. What counted was the symmetry and sparkle of the finished gem, representing many hours of disciplined craft and human mastery over the hardest materials of the earth.
Yet in a world that now challenges accepted norms, and as jewellery enthusiasts delve deeply into gems’ backstories, the rough has come into its own. Maybe that’s why at this year’s London Masterpiece exhibition one stand drew crowds.
In a bright white environment, perfectly lit vitrines displayed New York-based Fine Minerals International’s brilliantly coloured specimens, like an über-cool geology museum. Some were vast, natural gemstone crystals, others other-worldly, a few borderline obscene. Every natural work of art was the latest collectible objet, the rarest with price tags around $2 million.
At jeweller Hirsh London’s Mayfair HQ the intimate relationship between mineral and jewel is writ large, with giant geodes of amethyst and citrine like sculptures on display. Joint MD Sophia Hirsh is a third-generation collector. ‘We buy gemstones at the Tucson fair and invariably come back with a specimen too,’ she says. ‘They’re our hobby though I’ve been persuaded to part with a few. We love meeting like-minded people who come in to chat and may invite us to view their collection or buy a rare jewellery piece.’
Roughs in jewellery have a long history. Primitive cutting meant dependence on crystals’ natural shape, like the diamond’s prized octahedron, thought to protect its wearer, and emerald’s hexagon, notably in the circa-1600, lidded, enamelled watch found in the Cheapside Hoard – a natural shape still used today, as Cartier’s new high jewellery ring shows, its crystal softened into an angled cabochon, teamed with coral and diamond.
As improved cutting created more brilliant stones, roughs were viewed simply as raw material. That changed in the 1960s, says gemmologist, Antiques Roadshow guru and co-founder of Omne¯ que vintage and bespoke jewellery website, Joanna Hardy. ‘Designers led by Andrew Grima used roughs as beautiful objects which chimed with that era’s art,’ she says, ‘but they were never diamonds, usually opals or agate.’
Hippies began wearing gem crystals for perceived healing properties, which she sees mirrored today. ‘My godmother was a gemmologist who had a shop selling mineral specimens and crystals so I’m used to it though not convinced,’ she says. ‘But I appreciate, after the
pandemic and with current uncertainties, why you would want something beautiful that might help your spirit.’
Influenced by Grima’s work, in the mid-2000s New York based Kimberly McDonald began creating upscale, diamondtrimmed pieces with natural agate, opal and geode slices.
‘I believe these materials have an energy from the earth’s core’, she says. ‘The younger generation hadn’t been exposed to that thinking but as concern for the planet grows, they are rediscovering it along with these stones’ beauty. I am intrigued to see which stone a client chooses – I believe you will be drawn to one with the right energy for you.’
I nspired by historic museum jewellery, in 2005 RCA graduate Ruth Tomlinson started using small, rough diamonds and ancient-looking encrusted gold.
‘There’s a preciousness in the unexpected yet it’s everyday wear,’ she says. ‘The earth presents these imperfect crystals, some of which could be waste, but I love their subtle colours and glow.’ She mixes roughs with toning faceted stones, small antique diamonds, hardstones and pearls while smaller pieces feature diamond pyramids or hexagonal, milky emerald baguettes. Each piece is a unique composition, and, like Kimberly’s, all stones are ethically sourced and gold recycled or Fairmined.
Roughs entered the big league in 2005 with De Beers’
FROM TOP: Kimberly McDonald rutilated quartz and diamond pendant, £31,150; the 10-carat Botswana rough that was transformed into Messika’s Egyptian-inspired Beyond the Light collection; Hirsh London black opal supernova ring, £POA;De Beers Alchemist of Light Ascending Shadows necklace, £POA; Ruth Tomlinson aquamarine drops with grey diamonds and barnacles, £1,750; George Weil 1960s brooch in 18ct yellow gold, £4,940 at Omnēque; De Beers Talisman bangle in rose gold, £9,050
‘Talisman’ collection in textured gold featuring small rough diamonds sparked with brilliants. It was a major hit, is still going and acted as a springboard for roughs in high jewellery.
Now designs like Cartier’s ‘Ryu’ necklace, with an array of partially-cut yellow diamonds totalling almost 80 carats and surrounded by tiny brilliants, De Beers’ ‘Ascending Shadows’ necklace where pale green diamond roughs form an organic edging with conventional cuts set in aluminium and titanium pleating, the large rough aquamarines or moonstones in Pomellato’s ‘La Gioia’ collection, or Glenn Spiro’s sumptuous cuffs of tumbled morganites the colour of pink Tudor bricks, mixed with cognac diamonds, raise the rough to the level of classic precious gems.
T he latest game is to glory in exceptional roughs themselves. ‘In modern mining, big roughs don’t break so often,’ says Joanna. ‘Under the old sightholder system they were sent for cutting before brands saw them but some years ago Graff, which has mining interests, started naming its big, top-quality roughs, like the 1109- carat Lesedi La Rona, and presenting them to clients who could then trace where their
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
Van Cleef & Arpels Atours Mysterieux ruby necklace containing the largest diamond from the 910 carat rough, £POA; Cartier Beautés du Monde Ryu necklace in platinum with yellow gold, yellow diamonds, £POA; La Gioia di Pomellato Light Blue Reef Riviere necklace in white gold with aquamarines and diamonds, £POA; Laurence Graff looks at the uncut Graff Lesedi La Rona, the largest highest colour, highest clarity diamond ever certified by the GIA; Boodles Peace of Mined platinum diamond necklace, £POA; G by Glenn Spiro cuffs in red gold set with peachy morganites, honey zircon, orangy brown diamonds and pink sapphires, £POA
eventual gem came from.’ Other brands followed. In 2017 Chopard revealed the 342-carat Garden of Kalahari which resulted in 23 flawless, large diamonds, five over 20 carats. In January it unveiled the 6225carat Insofu emerald from Zambia, currently being worked on (see title page). Then there is Louis Vuitton’s mysterious, 1,757carat Sewelo diamond from Botswana, shown over two years ago but since shrouded in secrecy just as its potential is hidden under a layer of black carbon, leaving speculation over its true value.
Boodles works with smaller roughs averaging five carats, from the legendary Cullinan mine in South Africa, source of the world’s biggest-ever flawless diamond. Director Jody Wainwright says, ‘it produces superb, type 2A diamonds which cutters can recognise by eye. The roughs, which we bid for, are beautiful but too good to leave natural. Though hard to polish they have an extraordinary brilliance. We average two or three stones from each rough and try to keep them together – they are totally traceable.’ Valérie Messika has worked 15 major diamonds, including a 33-carat cushion cut, from a 110-carat Botswana rough into her Egyptian-inspired ‘Beyond the Light’ collection (see previous page) ‘Customers today want to understand the traceability of their stones and the journey from rough to final piece,’ she says.
Now normally discreet house Van Cleef & Arpels has launched the ‘Legends of Diamonds’ collection made from one 910-carat, astonishingly brilliant, type 2A rough from Lesotho’s Letšeng mine and 25 pieces featuring 67 stones cut from it, including gems of almost 80 and over 51 carats. They are paired with its signature mystery-set classic gemstones, where virtually no metal appears, and the deep-coloured stones acquire a velvety texture. The combination of rare craft and quality makes these items the nearest to cast-iron investments that jewellery can offer.
T hat is not the only reason for this unique collection. ‘We rarely work with rough stones; this is the first time in decades that we have been involved from extraction of the rough to the creation of a high jewellery collection, a four-year story,’ says CEO Nicolas Bos. ‘The mystery setting is one of our craftspeople’s most complex techniques. Its texture references an emblematic theme, couture, and contrasts with the purity of diamonds whose physical and optical properties are unique. Drawing a parallel from the rough to the finished pieces enables us to pay tribute to the beauty of these true earth’s treasures.’ In the end, the power of the rough – natural or cut – lies foremost in beauty. n
Responsibly sourced Zambian emeralds and Mozambican rubies.
Cleopatra’s Bling was born from an adoration of travel, the ethereal, and the symbolic. A fusion of Eastern allure and Western style. Dreamed up in Paris, Olivia moved to Turkey to learn the art of adornment in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. Olivia wishes that her creations remind us all of our innate connectivity and hopes that they accompany you throughout your discoveries.
Shop treasures from our handmade jewellery range - gold earrings to frame your face, gem-encrusted pendants to drape your neck, and glowing resin rings for abundant style. Each piece tells a story.
JAR, Hemmerle, Grima, vintage Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Bulgari and Lalique. These are the big guns of the jewellery world. Highly collectible, they are the grandes dames, fetching soaring prices at auction; they have been around for decades and are unlikely to let you down as an investment piece. If I asked if you would like one of the names above in your jewellery box, you would leap at the chance (money no object of course). But I’m not talking mega-baubles here, rather the new names to know. There’s a whole host of rising jewellery talent on the scene, so if you’re a young investor, then look closely at the names below.
First, take heed from the top. When I ask Kristian Spofforth, Head of Jewellery at Sotheby’s, about starting a collection, he says cautiously, ‘The best advice I give to anyone is go with what appeals to you, especially if your budget isn’t unlimited. Start small, but crucially, start by choosing pieces you will genuinely love and want to wear. This means that,
regardless of whether the piece you’ve bought increases in value, you will love and cherish it. As your collection builds you can learn and develop your taste, be more adventurous and chase the rarer pieces. Don’t be afraid of going for colourful jewellery and vary the styles you buy — this will broaden your options when choosing what to wear.’ Jewellery comes in all shapes and guises nowadays, so whether you pick a modern classic, or something bold and outrageous, there’s a piece for everyone.
Take a peek at the renowned artist-jeweller Christopher Thompson-Royds, whose 18-carat gold jewellery is inspired by nature. His pieces feature in prominent galleries across the US and are already on display at the V&A in London. Christopher’s contemporary all-gold tiara was chosen to star alongside 50 other diadems at Sotheby’s exhibition last June. While staying with his mother during lockdown in the English countryside his following began to grow. With exhibitions cancelled he focused on selling a pair of simple ‘Forget-Me-Not-Earrings’ (see p30) that went viral when he put them on Instagram, raising £12,500 for the victims of domestic violence. Renowned for recreating wildflowers into delicate gold pieces, his understated jewels include an 18-carat gold daisy chain necklace and a multifunctional gold poppy sculpture that transforms into an earring or a brooch. Magic!
I f gold is your thing Lucie Gledhill is one to watch. Her chunky chain pieces are expertly hand-crafted using recyclable 18-carat gold, although she’ll switch to silver for anything supersize. Try her bespoke Curb Chain ring with graduating links that perfectly frames the finger. Lucie regularly exhibits at Goldsmith’s Fair in London, a well-known showcase for emerging
Mary Sanderson uncovers the covetable –and collectible –new names in jewelleryChristopher Thompson-Royds 18ct gold Poppy earring (part of set), £16,000 Lucie Gledhill 18ct gold Fishbone necklace, £9,500; earrings, £2,200
contemporary talent. The 700-year-old Goldsmiths’ Company has been spotting designers for years, famously launching the careers of legends such as Andrew Grima and David Thomas. It was here the young engraver Castro Smith fi rst cut his teeth, landing a prestigious apprenticeship with the company in 2010. After a brief stint in Japan working with master metalworker Kenji Lo he returned to Britain, where his elaborate signet rings were snapped up by über-cool store Dover Street Market. Castro’s secret weapon is an ancient technique called ‘seal engraving’ where bespoke symbols are etched into the ring. His fantastical designs include dragons, fish and sailing-ships and turn the old English signet ring on its head. Today his bespoke pieces fetch around £2,000 and are sought after by an A-list following that includes Elton John and Daniel Day-Lewis. When big name buyers start investing it has a knock-on effect. ‘Contemporary jewellers are the same as artists. If you are bought by one of the main collectors, they know this will add to their value – who their pieces are worn by and who, by investing in them, will impact the market. It’s all about taste and style,’ says Benoît Repellin, Head of Jewellery at Phillips.
A nother newcomer making waves is the Italian jeweller Bea Bongiasca, whose squiggly enamelcoloured rings and earrings have been causing a stir. Her whimsical, fun-loving creations appeal to a younger audience and have attracted stars such as Dua Lipa, Zoe Kravitz, Katy Perry and Gigi Hadid. Keep your eyes peeled for her funky ‘B-Colour 2’ collection launching this season. Less well-
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Castro Smith Anatomical Heart ring, £3,400. Jessie Thomas 18ct white gold and diamond cluster necklace, £15,000. Bea Bongiasca B-Colour letter M charm in 9ct yellow gold and snake enamel, £715. Emefa Cole lapis lazuli collar, £750. Lapilli ring, £835. Gaelle Khouri La Refraction earrings, 18ct yellow gold, circular cut diamonds, oval cut pink sapphires, £12,620
known, but still a star in the making, is designer Jessie Thomas who honed her skills with her father, the master goldsmith David Thomas. The dynamic duo work together from their shop in Pimlico, where Jessie handcrafts all her pieces using age-old techniques, whilst giving them a contemporary twist. Her ethically sourced ‘Cluster’ earrings that bejewel the lobe are on every jewellery editor’s wish-list.
More avant-garde is the Lebanese fine jeweller Gaelle Khouri whose sculptural pieces are bedecked with diamonds and twinkling gemstones. Her La Réfraction earrings, which appear to explode from the ear, were selected for a prestigious online auction at Christie’s in Paris under the title Jewellery Talents of Today
It’s a huge coup for Gaelle, who had to flee Lebanon in 2021 due to her studio being caught in the fertiliser blast. As a philosopher, Gaelle’s pieces have a deeper meaning; the earrings are part of the ‘La Trahison de L’Objet’ collection, which reflects on beauty and how we perceive it, something the jeweller thought about deeply after the explosion. Last on the list but not to be missed is the Ghanaianborn Emefa Cole, whose striking designs are like wearable works of art, inspired by the earth’s geology and ancient casting techniques. Emefa focuses on using sustainably sourced materials that are fully traceable from mine to metal. Her giant volcanoinspired ring, complete with bulbous black shell and glistening gold leaf crater, is already in the V&A’s permanent gallery (she has just joined the curating team there), while her rings, cuffs and collars inspired by geological features like faults, lava flows and geodes are more accessible. A must-see, Emefa is another glorious example of the innovative new talent bursting on to our jewellery scene today. n
ART DIRECTION URSULA LAKE PHOTOGRAPHER MATTHEW SHAVE
Rolex Air King navigator’s watch, Oystersteel, 40mm. Vintage Dinky cars, Andy Morant Toys
Chopard L.U.C Strike
One limited edition hourly chime watch, self-winding L.U.C 96.32-L COSC certified chronometer, Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, visible gong, hand-guilloché grey ruthenium dial, 18ct ethical rose gold, 40mm, grey alligator strap
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic, Bulgari cailbre
BVL 388 ultra-thin movement, limited edition, 42mm, 7.4mm thick, in platinum with leather strap
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak self-winding Carolina
Bucci limited edition, ceramic, rose gold details, multi-coloured reflective dial with metallised sapphire crystal, 34mm. Soldiers, Andy Morant Toys
Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur GMT with revolving travel time module, Hermès H1837 self-winding movement, steel, 38mm
Cartier Coussin de Cartier watch, medium model, quartz movement, rhodiumised white gold, diamonds, spinels and leather strap
Patek Philippe Ladies’ Chronograph Ref 7150/250R-001, mechanical manualwound, pulsimeter, rose gold with silvery opaline dial, gold applied Breguet numerals, diamond bezel, 38mm, alligator strap
Breguet Tradition 7035 limited edition automatic, offset dial with mother-of-pearl hour ring, retrograde seconds, exposed movement, ruby, pink sapphire and diamond-set dial and bezel, 37mm, alligator strap
According to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index published in March, watches (and wine) proved to be the equal best place to put your cash during the last quarter of 2021, with ‘average growth’ of 16 per cent. That figure certainly beats the still-measly interest rates being offered on savings by even the more generous banks – but does it mean that all you have to do to make your money grow is to buy a watch and sit back as its value outruns inflation? Er, no. And the reason is that such ‘indexes’ invariably fail to paint a full picture.
True, certain watch models did soar in value throughout the pandemic, but many were driven by a combination of hype and lack of availability at retail –Rolex Daytona, Patek Philippe Nautilus, for example – while others were produced by ‘independent’ makers in minuscule numbers and were already way beyond the amount that any rookie collector would be willing to pay – George Daniels,
Roger Smith, Philippe Dufour. Even if you add in a few other makes and models that soared in value (Rolex Oyster Perpetual with brightly coloured dial: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak; various Richard Mille references) the percentage of watches showing true ‘investment’ value compared to the myriad available –and, of course, the number that fall in value as soon as they leave the shop – is almost incalculably small. And if you got caught-up in all the hype and ‘went large’ on a Nautilus, Royal Oak or Daytona, you may now be licking your metaphorical wounds: according to a report published by industry news site WatchPro, the prices of some once red-hot models have now dropped to half what they were at their peak.
The benefit of this cooling, however, is that it creates far more of a buyer’s market – but the question is, what to buy? To find out, we spoke to four people whose livelihoods depend on knowing the business inside out...
Investing in watches could be a canny move. But how to spot the best models in the business? Simon de Burton asks the expertsA trio of George Daniels rarities are up for auction at Phillips Geneva on 5 and 6 November 2022 Pilot Amy Johnson’s Longines Wittnauer Sidereal, sold for £88,200 at Sotheby’s
Danny Shahid is from the new generation of young watch dealers who buy, sell and source using social media channels. He, too, has a store in Burlington Arcade.
‘We really have entered a buyer’s market. In reality, prices haven’t fallen dramatically – what has actually happened is that many people who have been able to buy sought-after watches from authorised dealers (ADs) have discovered that people won’t pay hugely inflated prices, so they are being forced to offer them more realistically. That means it’s not entirely accurate to say the market has ‘gone down’, because those heavily over-priced watches were never going to sell in the first place. There is also a lot of talk about waiting lists at ADs and people being given preferential treatment because they are long-standing customers. I’m not sure I believe that now –it’s more to do with being in the right place at the right time, and I have seen many instances of that. Far from wanting to deter the ‘flippers’ [people who buy a watch at RRP and quickly sell it on for profit] I think the AD’s are actively encouraging them. My advice to anyone starting a collection would be to look towards true vintage pieces and, if they can afford them, genuine rarities. Independent makers such as F.P. Journe and MB&F should also be considered but, above all, condition is vital – don’t worry too much about boxes and paperwork. Worry about condition, originality and provenance. Don’t follow the crowd and don’t buy a watch simply because you see prices rising. Wait, and buy when the price goes back down.’ diamondwatcheslondon.com
Adrian Hailwood has a wealth of experience in the watch business, having been the manager of a Breguet boutique before moving into the auction world with traditional firms such as Fellows, Dreweatts and Woolley & Wallis. In 2020, however, he was instrumental in setting-up online auction sitewatchcollecting.com , which promises a ‘fresh approach’ to buying and selling.
‘We have a blanket ban on the use of the word ‘investment’. That is because we don’t regard watches as investment vehicles, and we don’t want people to think that, because they buy a watch and see it rise in value, they are therefore expert investors. If that happens, lovely. If not, the fact that you have bought something that you enjoy looking at, wearing and using and which you can probably leave as an heirloom should be regarded as your ‘return’. The idea of buying a watch simply because you think some mythical person in the future might want to pay more for it is depressing – it’s an old adage, but just buy what you love. In my opinion, the very best way to buy a watch is to completely ignore the name on the dial. Look at what you’re getting for your money, the fit, the finish, the material, the level of complication. Right now, I would say Vacheron Constantin is a make to look at – excluding the steel sports models which are having a moment in the sun – and, in particular, anything by JaegerLeCoultre. Cracking value at the moment.’ watchcollecting.com
David Duggan is one of the most respected watch dealers in Europe, if not the world – he has been buying and selling top quality timepieces since the 1970s and his shop in Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade has become a mecca for discerning collectors on the hunt for the best of the best from a trusted source.
‘The market is definitely settling down and that comes as no surprise, because the values of certain watches had become so inflated that a correction had to happen. For that reason I would always advise people not to follow the crowd – if you are lucky enough to buy at a fair price before a watch becomes hyped, that’s great. Otherwise, look to the models that other people are ignoring. At the moment, I think Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watches and other complicated models look like very good value. They are made from precious metals and they are almost invariably rare, but they seem to have been left behind in the favour of the steel Nautilus and Aquanaut. As a general rule, I would always recommend people buy watches that need a lot of labour to create – and a perpetual calendar model in gold clearly takes a lot longer to make than a time-only Nautilus in steel.’ daviddugganwatches.co.uk
Steve McQueen’s Heuer Monaco brought home $2,208,000 at Phillips in 2020 Karl Lagerfeld’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak reached £771,000 at Phillips Geneva in May 2022 Rolex’s coloured dials have proved especially popular Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Complications Saatchi 175th Anniversary Limited Edition, £82,950 at Chrono24 @ xupes.comPaul Boutros has been collecting watches for more than 30 years and was appointed US head of watches for auction house Phillips in 2016 . He has since overseen the sale of Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona for $17.8m (the most ever achieved for a wristwatch at auction), the sale of Marlon Brando’s Rolex GMT-Master, worn in Apocalypse Now, for almost $2m and, last year, the charity sale of a new Patek Philippe Nautilus ‘Tiffany Blue’ for $6.5m.
‘The sector I always recommend considering is vintage – historically, vintage watches have returned slow, steady growth but have lately been overshadowed by the shift towards more modern, steel sports watches. As a result, vintage dress watches now seem hugely undervalued. Time-only Patek Philippe Calatravas from the 1940s to the 70s are exceptionally well made and offer tremendous watchmaking for the money. Likewise time-only Vacheron Constantin pieces are rare and beautifully made and designed. It’s important to
remember, however, that tastes do change. The rectangular Rolex Prince, for example, was a collector’s favourite 20 years ago, but there has been a decline in interest for such shaped dress watches – but a Prince in excellent, original condition is still a fabulous watch. Prices have levelled, too, for many Heuer models, although the best Monaco and Autavia pieces remain very sought after. When buying such sports watches of any make, I recommend looking for a minimum case size of 35mm.’
On 5 and 6 November, Phillips will auction near-unique pieces such as a trio of George Daniels rarities (see pXX) headed by the one-off yellow gold Spring Case Tourbillon (over CHF 1m), remarkable Patek Philippe models including a unique, steel ref.530 chronograph from 1945 (CHF 500,000 - 1m), several rare Rolex Daytona Cosmographs with Paul Newman dials, including a 1969 ref. 6264 in yellow gold with famed ‘lemon’ dial (CHF 550,000 to 1.1m), and superb pieces from independents like Philippe Dufour, F.P.Journe and Vianney Halter. On view from 2 November, phillips.com
The only official retailer of preowned Richard Mille watches in Europe and the Middle East, Ninety has built up a reputation for quality and exclusivity. Its location at 90 Mount Street, Mayfair, has a workshop and a Richard Mille tourbillon trained watchmaker with 10 years’ experience. Every model in its collection comes fully serviced by Richard Mille, and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, as well as a two-year Richard Mille international warranty. ninetymountstreet.com
Stocking a comprehensive list of around 70 luxury brands, all of Watchfinder’s models are serviced, restored and authenticated by its expert in-house team of watchmakers, who are certified by the likes of Audemars Piguet, Omega and Cartier. Its eighth UK boutique opens in Bicester Village in November 2022. watchfinder.co.uk
On 6 November, Christie’s Geneva weighs in with 112, never-auctioned, one-collection items including a sapphire-cased and titanium Richard Mille RM 56-01 (CHF 2.5 million - 4.5 million) and a Vacheron Constantin doubleretrograde Mercator with unique cloisonné enamel dial (CHF 100,000-200,000). On view from 2 November. christies.com
XUPES X CHRONO24
Xupes, the British brand at the forefront of the luxury pre-owned market (it covers everything from watches to handbags to jewellery) has teamed up with global online watch marketplace, Chrono24, to launch two new ventures. Together, they present The Watch Atelier, an online offering of preowned watches, and The Barn by Chrono24, a new immersive destination in Hertfordshire, just north of London, where watch fans can discover models in rooms furnished by Soho Home. xupes.com; chrono24.co.uk n
Where to look when you want to add to your collection – and when you want to sell up, tooRichard
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The more you get, the more you want applies as much to collectors’ thirst for knowledge as to owning beautiful pieces. As well as brands allowing clients privileged access to designers, ateliers and private museums, now you can try your hand with masterclasses in jewellery and watchmaking.
Jewellery galleries are increasingly prominent in applied arts museums, notably at London’s V&A, New York’s Met and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, while jewellery exhibitions draw crowds.
For hands-on experience, Van Cleef & Arpels’ L’ÉCOLE School of Jewellery Arts reigns supreme. On a warm, late summer morning I arrived at its elegant, surprisingly intimate HQ, which has jewellers’ work benches and full gemmological equipment for each participant (max. 12). My course title – Engagement Rings – did not do it justice as it ranged widely, from the history (far more ancient and varied than I expected) through to a demonstration of diamond setting to (the hardest part) learning to assess diamonds’ quality by their colour and inclusions, each part taught by an acclaimed expert.
A fter ten years, the School is now a full-time enterprise with a wide range of courses, talks and exhibitions. There’s even a portable version that takes the School and its experts worldwide, to Japan, the US and the Middle East. BBC’s current All That Glitters jewellerymaking series will undoubtedly heighten interest in getting hands-on. (lecolevancleefarpels.com)
Switzerland’s watch museums began in the 1970s after the quartz crisis, amid worry that the craft of handmade watches could be lost. Happily, it wasn’t and public museums have been great successes, like Omega’s, next to its high-tech Biel HQ since 2019, and including its early history and avant-garde 1960s jewellery watches alongside the iconic Moon and Bond watches (omegawatches.com) Another example is Patek Philippe’s Geneva museum, where enthusiasts queue for its eccentric opening hour (2pm on weekdays) with its visual encyclopaedia of watchmaking history (patek.com)
Jaeger-LeCoultre initiated masterclasses in watchmaking at its museum and brings watchmakers to instruct clients in movement making or gem-setting at events in its stores. Its Atelier d’Antoine at its Le Brassus HQ is a centre for client classes and meeting the brand’s artist collaborators. This year’s programme explores watches featuring cosmic time (jaeger-lecoultre.com)
Audemars Piguet’s museum, opened in 2020, is a gamechanger. Its extraordinary architecture by Bjarke Ingels is based on a hairspring spiral, its glass structure and plant roof making the Alpine environment a background to horological wonders in airy displays. It segues effortlessly into the historic HQ, part atelier, part masterclass venue. Plan ahead – all tours are guided, for eight at most, and classes are held on Thursdays. The accompanying luxury hotel, by the same designers, celebrates both watchmaking and the natural surroundings. The best treat for any watch lover or design fan. (museeatelier-audemarspiguet.com) n
and
lovers are getting to go behind the scenes at their favourite maisons,
GroomJaeger-LeCoultre’s d’Antoine L’ÉCOLE School of Jewellery Arts in Paris Audemars Piguet’s ultra-modern museum by architect Bjarke Ingels
Avril Groom breaks down Cindy Chao’s Black Label 2022 Masterpiece VII, the Gentlewoman Ribbon Cu
unique piece, inspired by ribbons and cufflinks
matched fancy intense, cushion mixed-cut yellow diamonds, totalling 12.88 carats
handcraft steps, including wax sculpting, titanium techniques and three gem setting techniques for four shapes of stone
supporting gemstones, totalling 185.02 carats
craft hours to complete
years to design and make the cuff
colours of 18ct gold – white, yellow and pink – to best complement the gems
white diamonds, yellow diamonds, brownish-yellow diamonds, pink diamonds, blue sapphires, pink sapphires, rhodolites, purple garnets
Time does not respect machines, or the desire to be quick. It exists to measure the margin of victory in a sport where precision is paramount.
The Bremont WR-22 is the first o cial timepiece designed in collaboration with Williams Racing, drawing on a shared British heritage and dedication to engineering expertise.
