High jewellery for all occasions: how to balance your collection, from bold and colourful to quiet and elegant designs, from Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Piaget and others

Dec 5 , 2024

Curating a collection of bold designs and subtle pieces is recommended. Photo: Handout

A mix of both striking and subtle designs ensures there is a jewelled item suitable for any occasion, whether festive or formal

High jewellery is most often brought out and worn during special or festive occasions, which means that in addition to being a work of art, each piece becomes associated with precious memories. And just as some occasions call for colourful, even flamboyant, outfits and others demand a more neutral, understated look, it pays to curate a collection balanced with loud, bold designs and well as quieter more subtle pieces.

Opulence for auspicious occasions

Any collection inspired by the city of Rome will not be an exercise in restraint, especially when crafted by Bulgari. The jewellery house took inspiration from its home city with Aeterna, the 2024 high jewellery collection that is also a celebration of Bulgari’s 140th anniversary. The star of the show is the stunning Serpenti Aeterna necklace, featuring seven pear-cut diamonds totalling 140 carats, all linked by a platinum necklace in wavelike pattern, set with 698 baguette-cut diamonds. True to its name, the necklace features the iconic Bulgari Serpenti motif as the clasp at the back.

Piaget’s Extraleganza includes this necklace in vibrant tones of red and orange. Photo: Handout

Another necklace that is sure to turn heads is the Victoire necklace from the Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds collection by Louis Vuitton. The 100-piece collection is a homage to France’s pioneering spirit – with Awakened Hands being Part I while Awakened Minds is Part II – and the maison’s high jewellery take on industrialisation. The V-shaped Victoire necklace is a stunning depiction of the Eiffel Tower, with the V culminating in a 15.16 carat diamond in the shape of the maison’s famous monogram flower.

When loud luxe is the look of the day then it’s time to swap out delicate bracelets for a cuff, like the Bamboo Blossom cuff from the Palace Voyages collection by Boghossian. The splendour of historic palaces is the inspiration behind Palace Voyages, with Qianlong Palace in Beijing’s Forbidden City being one of them. This cuff is Boghossian’s interpretation of the impressive marquetry work found at Qianlong Palace, featuring green and white jadeite in a geometric pattern, accentuated with diamonds set in floral motifs.

Boghossian takes inspiration from Qianlong Palace in Beijing’s Forbidden City. Phopto: Handout

Gold and gemstones take centre stage in Piaget’s Extraleganza collection – the name a portmanteau of the words “extravagance” and “elegant”. Connoisseurs looking for a high jewellery piece for an auspicious occasion will be drawn to a necklace in vibrant tones of red and orange, featuring carnelian stones cut in a trapezoid shape and set in a gradient colour pattern in rose gold. Diamonds and yellow sapphires add additional sparkle, while at the centre of the necklace sits a 21.23 carat fiery orange spessartite garnet.

Less is demure

Subtle does not mean boring. A high jewellery piece can be delicate yet intriguing, take Tiffany & Co.’s Arrow earrings for example, from the Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Céleste collection. The American jewellery house looked to the archives for its Blue Book 2024, paying homage to Jean Schlumberger, the famous French jewellery designer who started working with the brand in 1956.