A Chaumet Necklace Green Is a Symbol of Elegance
A Chaumet Necklace Green Is a Symbol of Elegance
When it comes to naturalist jewellery, the House of Chaumet is all about the organic, delicate and ethereal. Often with an added touch of sophistication, their designers ingeniously render plants and weeds such as mistletoe in graceful creations, and elevate them to the status of jewellery.
For its latest high jewellery collection, the Parisian maison draws inspiration from the sky’s changing moods and the birds that soar across it. The colours of the sky are portrayed with small but bold touches in a selection of daring combinations of gemstones and enamel.
Colour
Throughout its history, the house of Chaumet has continually adapted to trends, adapting its jewellery creations to meet new tastes and styles. In particular, the jeweller has made great strides in introducing coloured fine gemstones into its collections.
The colour green evokes the elegance of nature, particularly if it comes in the form of an emerald or a ruby. It is often used as a colour scheme to match other colours or elements of a collection and has become increasingly popular in the modern world.
Another coloured gem that has become more commonplace is the diamond. It is a symbol of pure radiance, often associated with happiness and love, and is sometimes proffered as a wedding anniversary present.
As a result, a diamond necklace is an obvious choice for many discerning brides-to-be. But not all diamonds are created equal, so it is important to select only the finest stones for your engagement or wedding ring.
With a wide range of precious stones available, it is also important to find the right one for your unique style and personality. The best way to decide on the perfect coloured gem for you is by visiting a jewellery specialist.
To ensure the best colour combination, it is important to consider the size of the stones as well as the shape. For example, a round diamond in a rectangular cut will be less likely to catch light than a brilliant-cut gemstone with an oval or octagonal shape.
The most beautiful coloured gems are the ones that sparkle and glint in the light. For this reason, it is no surprise that a coloured diamond necklace is a popular option for many women.
Size
Designed by the expert craftsmen of Chaumet around 1905, this Belle Epoque Pearl and Diamond “Collier de Chien” (Dog Collar) Necklace is a classic piece that is still highly desirable. It carries French assay marks for gold and platinum and is a fine example of the company’s signature style that is coveted by many.
The Paris-based high jewellery brand was founded in 1780 by Marie-Etienne Nitot, who was responsible for creating the coronation crowns of Napoleon and Josephine. Today, it has an international clientele who flock to its salons at 12 Place Vendome in the heart of Paris.
In 2018, the brand has looked to global inspirations, including Imperial Russia and Japanese springtime. Now the house has taken a journey to Africa for its latest High Jewellery collection, ‘Tresors d’Afrique’, which pays homage to multifaceted visions of the continent and is the perfect companion to last year’s ‘Perspectives’ suite that showcased architectural inspiration.
This emerald and diamond ring from the collection is just adorable! It has a pretty, sweet, petite shape and is crafted in rich 18-karat yellow gold. The emerald stone is surrounded by step-cut triangle diamonds and is set in a lovely halo.
A plethora of colours were used in the high jewellery collection that was inspired by the heavens, which is the reason why there are so many beautiful pieces available to choose from. These include sets of rings, earrings and necklaces encrusted in white, rose and yellow gold and paved with diamonds and coloured stones.
One of the more striking pieces in the ‘Les Ciels de Chaumet’ collection is the ‘Gulfstream’ set that features an intricate wave-like design, reminiscent of the ocean current that it was named after. The set also features an earring and a pair of earrings that have been embellished with green coloured sapphires.
Another piece in the ‘Les Ciels de Chanute’ collection is the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ brooch, which features an adorable scarecrow, chewing on a sheaf of wheat and sporting a manderin garnet. It is a charming and whimsical piece that combines centuries-old references from the Maison’s archives with a more modern touch.
Shape
The tiara, which is a staple of the Chaumet collection, is a symbol of adornment and power. The empress Josephine, Napoleon’s first wife, wore them often and they are a source of inspiration for the brand’s creations today.
A dazzling array of pearl and diamond tiaras are on display in the salon des Diademes as part of the maison’s new “Josephine and Napoleon” exhibition, which showcases rare pieces rarely seen on the market. A pair of pearl and diamond earrings, on loan from the Louvre, are featured alongside a double-strand necklace with pear-shaped detachable pearls believed to have been Josephine’s gift to her daughter-in-law, Augusta Amelie.
As part of its 240-year history, the house has constantly adapted its style and is known for fusing nature and luxury. This is especially true of its naturalist jewellery, which depicts the wild, organic, fragile glory of nature.
Taking the form of slender stems, delicate leaves or graphic forms of mistletoe, these motifs are rendered in graceful, inspired designs that elevate the wildest plants and weeds to a higher status, imbuing them with symbolic value. As a result, they are perfect for the modern woman who desires a bespoke piece of jewellery to be worn every day, or as a treasured heirloom for generations to come.
Stars, another iconic motif in Chaumet’s design archive, have been a fixture of its creations since the 1880s. The lightest knife-edge settings – a speciality of the brand’s artisan jewelers – have been used to bring a sense of opulence and depth to this classic high jewellery parure, while stars twinkle in the guilloche enamel.
The opulent and feminine nature of this particular ring is made possible by a bold combination of pigeon blood rubies and rhodolite garnets, as well as green beryls. The result is a symphony of colours that is as enchanting and regal as the palaces of Paris.
In the final chapter of this collection, Les Perspectives de Chaumet, the French maison explores the architectural world – great buildings in particular. Among the six sub-collections are “Skyline”, which reimagines the iconic buildings of cities, and “Crosses”, which extends the naturalistic design vocabulary with jewelled swallows and elegant cranes. Stylistically, these creations are vastly different to the rest of the oeuvre, but they share the same extraordinary breadth of vision.
Materials
When it comes to luxury jewellery, the name Chaumet is synonymous with elegance. Established in 1777 and now part of the LVMH Group, the French brand has a long tradition of designing beautiful pieces to meet the changing tastes and trends of the market.
In 1919, the house opened a salon in Place Vendome to accommodate the growing demand for fine jewelry and has since continued to be a key player in the industry. The company’s expert gem-setting, polishing and bespoke jewelers continue to produce high-end creations with the skill and craftsmanship that have made it a household name worldwide.
The enduring beauty of the maison’s collections are rooted in their inspiration from the past. In recent years, it has embraced a number of themes and showcased these bespoke creations at prestigious exhibition events around the world, including Beijing’s Forbidden City in 2017, Tokyo’s Mitsubishi Ichigokan museum in 2018 and even Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum in 2019.
For instance, its latest High Jewellery collection – Les Mondes de Chaumet (opens in new tab) – tapped into the vastness of the sky. Inspired by a gold necklace from 1890, it features baroque pearls resembling bulging Cumulonimbus clouds and is encrusted with diamonds reminiscent of snowflakes and frosty ice.
Likewise, the latest ‘Tresors d’Afrique’ collection draws inspiration from multifaceted visions of Africa. Designed in collaboration with Parisian illustrator Louise Lefevre, it is infused with bold colours from the continent and the house’s signature naturalist style.
In this collection, a range of gemstones and enamel are combined in daring combinations that follow a wider trend across the world of high jewellery. It includes this striking ‘Escales’ collar necklace which is set with a series of 6.08-carat oval orangey-red spinels reminiscent of red-brick hues and fiery intensity.
Another highlight of this collection is the ‘Natural’ necklace which uses 10,000 titanium beads and 4,018 diamonds to mimic a cloud of water floating around the throat. This is one of the Maison’s most intricate creations, and takes two years to develop.
Nature has always been a reoccurring theme for Chaumet. From the early days when it commissioned a collection of diamond-encrusted floral motifs for its first client, Empress Josephine, to today’s Garden of Earthly Delights brooch which combines centuries-old references in a charming scarecrow.
A Chaumet Necklace Green Is a Symbol of Elegance
