Nature has been an eternal muse for artists and artisans, and in the realm of high jewelry, its influence has transcended centuries with unwavering grace. From the enchanting intricacies of flora to the captivating beauty of fauna, jewelry maisons have continuously drawn inspiration from the natural world. Even in today’s era of innovation and technology, the tradition of creating exquisite jewelry pieces by hand, using the finest materials like gold and precious gemstones, endures.
Tiffany & Co. – Out of the Blue
Blue Book 2023: Out of the Blue celebrates Jean Schlumberger’s fascination with the ocean and its whimsical creatures. The legendary Tiffany & Co. designer created a multitude of designs inspired by marine life—masterworks that explored both mimesis and abstraction. Capturing the essence of Schlumberger’s creations, Blue Book 2023: Out of the Blue transforms his anthology of aquatic jewels into a mesmerizing high jewelry collection for the first time.
The aesthetic and story behind famed Schlumberger by Tiffany & Co. designs, such as the Royal Fish brooch or La Méduse brooch, is retold through a new lens. With exceedingly rare gemstones set in unexpected combinations alongside legendary diamonds, the undersea narrative that Jean Schlumberger dreamt up over half a century ago is retold again in new high jewelry creations.
Boucheron – Animals
Hedgehog, panda, cat, cicada, doe… The extraordinary story of the Boucheron bestiary began at its workshops in 1866. Their savoir-faire chisels, polishes and paves with such precision that each animal becomes a truer-than-life three-dimensional sculpture. Dangled from an ear, tenderly curled around a wrist or neck, or perched on a finger as if set to take flight, each one appears captured in movement: a beating wing, a fluttering heart all manifested in precious material. Intense eyes of sapphire, emerald or ruby; fur sculpted in gold or flecked with diamonds; shiny, polished bellies; delicate feathers… each piece tells a story.
Boucheron welcomes two new animals to this fabulous bestiary in 2023: the Panda and the Cicada.
Chopard – High Jewelry
To celebrate the occasion of its 150th anniversary, Chopard took on the challenge of signing a High Jewelry collection of 150 unique animal-themed pieces. True to its legendary creativity and boldness, the Maison mobilized all its talent for this birthday collection, drawing on its long experience to mix tradition, advanced techniques and documented research, and taking its taste for excellence and innovation to new heights. The result is an extraordinary collection of beautiful, mysterious and dream-like animals.
Supported by Chopard’s High Jewelry designers, Caroline Scheufele consulted encyclopedias and even the Chinese calendar to design a collection of animals that is original, esthetically pleasing and humorous. Species from every latitude are represented in the form of bracelets, necklaces, brooches, earrings and rings. Though the latest technology was used to create this dazzling collection, as always it was the unrivaled skill of Chopard’s craftsmen that gave the models form and beauty. In doing so, the deeply moving splendor of Nature and the creative genius of Man come together in a marvel of High Jewelry.
David Webb – Kingdom
The quintessential American designer, David Webb founded his business in New York in the 1940s. The Webb brand is famous for bright, bold jewelry creations, particularly whimsical animal jewelry featuring colorful gems and enamel.The first animal bracelet appeared in 1957, unleashing a near-obsession with whatever could fly, crawl, swim or run.
Bold designs have become a signature of David Webb jewelry; alongside his inclination for using a wide range of materials and techniques – such as bright enamel, textured gold, rock crystal, and an array of motifs from the ancient world. David Webb personally had a special affection for nature and living things so the use of nature motifs and images of animals in his designs are prevalent.
The first animal inspired bracelet from David Webb was designed in 1957 – the “Dragon” bracelet was bought by Elizabeth Taylor, and subsequently named the ‘Elizabeth Taylor Makara Bracelet’. David Webb followed this design with enamel animals, among them a Zebra bracelet designed in 1963, which can be found on the brand’s logo – in 18K gold and platinum, decorated with enamel, diamonds, and rubies.
Garrard – Wings Rising
Garrard presents Wings Rising, a fresh chapter in the Wings story that celebrates 20 years of this iconic collection. Ushering in a new era for Wings, Wings Rising is a major evolution for this signature motif, which made its debut in 2003. Conceived by Garrard’s all-female design team to speak confidently, woman to woman, Wings Rising take the Wings collection in an exciting new direction.
Designed for real women as forms of self-expression and independence, the Wings Rising collection is representative of the changing shift in culture that is galvanising women worldwide to purchase jewelry for themselves, to celebrate themselves. Sara Prentice, creative director, comments “Wings Rising honors the women who inspire our designs: strong, successful, independent women who live and fly by their own Wings.”
