The high jewellers turning to humble materials, from Cartier beads to Boucheron rock crystal

Jun 29 , 2024

The Power of Couture collection, part of Boucheron’s Histoire de Style. Photos: Handout

Cartier’s Le Voyage Recommencé sees coral beads paired with turquoise stones, while Boucheron’s The Power of Couture combines elements from ceremonial garments with diamonds and rock crystal

When it comes to high jewellery, the juxtaposition in tone and texture produced when a piece includes a humbler material alongside precious stones and metals is an intriguing one. It’s also one that showcases the skill of designers and artisans able to pair diamonds and white gold with materials like feathers, coral and even plastic.

Among the high jewellery collections launched earlier this year, High Fluid by Brazilian designer Fernando Jorge stands out for its ingenious use of unusual materials. Jorge is a relative newcomer to the world of high jewellery, having made his debut in 2010 with his graduation collection from London’s Central Saint Martins. High Fluid includes pieces that daringly combine river pebbles with diamonds – an idea that came to Jorge on a visit to Brazil’s Chapada Diamantina National Park.

Boucheron’s Histoire de Style, The Power of Couture features elements from ceremonial garments such as buttons, bows and embroidery

The earthy hues of a dried riverbed he encountered – and the fact that the channel was once a sourcing ground for alluvial gems – inspired Jorge to pair brown river pebbles with diamonds in the same colour for earrings, rings and bracelets. The smooth surface and speckled tones of the pebbles provide a distinctive contrast to the regal sparkle of the brown diamonds.

The collection also includes a similar design that uses white marble to mimic the appearance of white pebbles, paired with white diamonds and set in 18k rose gold.

Piaget’s master craftsmen worked with natural feathers for the house’s Solstice collection

Boucheron is another garnering a lot of attention for the high jewellery collection it unveiled during Paris Fashion Week 2024 for spring/summer, held in late January. The house launched the latest instalment in its Histoire de Style category, a 24-piece collection titled The Power of Couture.

Claire Choisne, creative director for Boucheron, took elements from ceremonial garments such as buttons, bows and embroidery, and turned them into high jewellery featuring diamonds and rock crystal. Frosted white, the crystal provides a light, fabric-like contrast to the white diamonds.

Boucheron’s Histoire de Style, The Power of Couture contrasts white diamonds against frosted rock crystal

The Bow necklace features 435 pieces of frosted rock crystal cut into narrow tubes and set to resemble the texture of grosgrain ribbon – with the artisans of Boucheron managing to convey the softness of fabric through diamonds and crystal.