Category: Jewellery

Crowning glory: Hair accessories for best-dressed tresses

Both on runways and in real life, hair accessories have made an undeniable comeback. Be it bows, barrettes or brooches, both haute joaillerie maisons and haute couture houses have left no shape, size or statement unexplored in the matter of tress adornments.

Hair accessories
Tiffany Blue Book High Jewellery Collection 2019 hair clips

Yet, it’s hardly a new trend. Indeed, hair pins, dating as far back as circa 1070 BC, are proudly displayed at both London’s famed Victoria and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, implying that the humble bobby pin has been holding hair in place for quite a few millennia now. In fact, according to historian M.E. Pilou Miller, the hair pin is considered among the most ancient of human accessories, crafted from handy materials ranging from bone and wood to precious metals.

hair accessories
Les Ciels de Chaumet Etoiles head ornament

However, their functionality isn’t the sole reason why hair accessories have withstood the test of time and trends. Be it Afro hair jewellery like beads and gold cuffs, Thai dance headdresses, Indian bridal hair accoutrements or Western tiaras, almost every culture has its own take on the ornaments that grace our crowns. Indeed, in times Victorian, when displaying long, loose tresses was considered immoral, the humble hair clip became almost a gatekeeper of morality, holding in place not only a woman’s curls, but also her character.

Hair accessories
Cartier Tradition tiara

Now though, such prudent pieces have given way to maximalist hair jewellery. Flaunting crystals, diamonds and other precious and semi-precious stones, they not only add a sheen of glamour to our coiffures, but also bestow the modern woman with extra confidence, as she sets out to conquer the world with her head held high.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Pink Pride: Fancy pink diamond shines bright at Sotheby’s auction

There’s no denying that there’s something both alluringly mystical and enticingly feminine about coloured diamonds, with their crystalline structure and vibrant sparkle ensuring that any passing gaze is snared by their presence. There is one special type of these precious gemstones, though, that has fired the imagination of haute joaillerie enthusiasts the world over recently – the rarified pink diamond.

Any doubters need look no further than the recent Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Sale held by auction house Sotheby’s last month, where an exquisite 10.64-carat pink diamond ring was the star of the show, fetching nearly US$19.9 million and outshining far larger stones – an Anna Hu necklace set with a 100-carat yellow diamond and an 80.88-carat emerald-cut white diamond, to name but two.

To experts, the final hammer price came as no surprise. After all, not only is it Internally Flawless, it also boasts a uniquely pinkish-purple colouring. What’s more, given that just four percent of all diamonds are of the pink variety, and that just one percent of those rarities are certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as being over 10 carats, its superior performance was pretty much assured from the start.

L’Odyssée de Cartier: A haute joaillerie journey 150 years in the making

For over a century and a half, Cartier, the most eminent of high jewellery brands, has wowed the world with its stunningly intricate designs. Now, the maison is inviting its legion of fans to explore L’Odyssée de Cartier, a unique journey into its rich heritage, one that represents a creative dialogue between its past, present and future. Divided into individual chapters, each features a short film that traces the influences that birthed the quintessential Cartier style of today.

L'Odyssée de Cartier - Chapter 1

Chapter One of L’Odyssée de Cartier; explores the rise of Jeanne Toussaint, the legendary French lady and fashion icon who revolutionised contemporary jewellery to be seen as a symbol of fierce independence and intelligence for women everywhere. This trailblazer was also the mastermind who birthed the brand’s now-iconic Panthère emblem.

L'Odyssée de Cartier - Chapter 2

Chapter Two then transports the audiences to Cartier’s historic New Bond Street locale in London, highlighting the unique British influences that have shaped its heritage.

L'Odyssée de Cartier - Chapter 3

Onwards to Chapter Three, and the setting shifts to Russia in an exploration of the stunning Slavic-inspired artistry that birthed such iconic creations as the Garland style and the Ballets Russes.

L'Odyssée de Cartier - Chapter 4

Then the environs change once more in Chapter Four, travelling to the Persian Gulf to showcase the beautiful architecture, symbols and Islamic motifs that have informed Cartier’s signature geometric flair.

Start your own digital L’Odyssée de Cartier journey now by viewing the videos of Chapters One through Four of L’Odyssée de Cartier today at http://www.cartier.hk.

Into the wild with pop-up exhibition by Cartier and DFS Group

Haute joaillerie maison Cartier joined hands with luxury travel retailer DFS Group to host an exhibition dedicated to the emblematic Panthère de Cartier at T Galleria by DFS, Macau City of Dreams. Titled ‘Into the Wild’, the exhibition takes guests on a sojourn into the rich history of the maison and showcases its never-ending creative evolution. 

The Cartier installation features three main universes: “The Design”, which carries an animate Jewelry Designer table and exceptional creations on display; “The Salon”, a perfect photo backdrop and recollection honoring the panther woman, Jeanne Toussaint; and “The Community”, a digital wall where celebrities of yesterday and today incarnate the wild spirit of Panthère.

The journey continues inside the nearby Cartier boutique where the emblematic panther takes over windows and counters to unveil brand new Panthère de Cartier Jewelry and Watch creations.

Right Dangle: Geometric jewellery greater than the sum of their parts

When Euclid, the famed classical Greek scholar, first stumbled upon the concept of geometry in ancient Athens, it was such a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of science that no subsequent feat of engineering or architecture could have been ever possible without the use of this particular mathematical discovery.

But while geometry is all but an academic pursuit for the maths-minded scholar, thankfully, the reach of geometric design has spread well beyond the groves of Academia. Not only are geometric patterns instrumental in shaping almost every possible modern structure, it suffices to say that these designs have been equally adaptable to apparel, accessories and even jewellery.

Their appeal, specifically in the world of haute joaillerie, has proved to be timeless. While outré, exceptional, eye-catching pieces are perhaps more suited to special occasions, it is the simple, classic geometric patterns of everyday jewellery that we can rely on time and again. Not only do their minimalist lines lend themselves well to every occasion, be it formal dinners or casual soirées, their basic shapes – ovals, squares, triangles – combine harmoniously to create jewellery items that are far greater than the sum of their parts.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Royal Shine: Mughal treasure revealed at Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence auction

As the second-most-valuable private jewellery collection ever to go under the gavel, Christie’s Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence auction, held earlier this summer in New York, fetched a staggering US$109 million in total. While the gem-studded event certainly featured some truly remarkable haute joaillerie designs, one particular item deserves special mention – The Mirror of Paradise diamond ring.

While its third appearance on the auction block saw it fail to meet its pre-sale estimate of US$7-10 million, it still fetched a wholly respectable sum of US$6.52 million, thanks in no small part to the gargantuan gem that fronts this Mughal-era platinum creation.

Weighing in at 52.58 carats, the baguette-cut, D-colour, Internally Flawless, Type IIa white diamond gracing its fascia was mined in southern India’s renowned Golconda region. Golconda mines bear the unique distinction of producing diamonds without any nitrogen, a characteristic that imbues its precious stones with superb luminosity and impeccable purity. So sought-after are these gemstones that its several of its other products have become world-famous in their own right, including the Koh-i-Noor, which now languishes in the British crown jewels collection, and the Hope Diamond, now on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

Black jewellery: Are you enchanted by their black magic?

There’s something about the colour black that transcends time, cultures, fashion… Be it the iconic little black dress, or a dash of black mascara to darken your lashes, there’s nothing quite like this darkest hue in the colour spectrum to add glamour to your looks. But what makes black such an attractive colour is that it also has an air of mystery… a dark side yet to be explored. It seems now that the haute jewellery houses are also drawn to the mystique of black, forsaking bright-hued, multi-spectrumed gems for the simple shine of bold, black jewels. Here are a few of our favourite black jewellery this season.

Gems of the Ganges revealed at Christie’s Maharajas and Mughal Magnificence auction

Boasting a staggering array of bejewelled mementos once owned by members of India’s ruling classes, the Christie’s Maharajas and Mughal Magnificence auction was always going to be something truly special.

A a 1912 Belle-Époque Diamond Devant-de-Corsage Cartier Brooch

Hosted at the auctioneer’s New York office, the marathon 12-hour sale raked in a total of US$109 million, making it the second-most valuable private collection ever to go under the gavel – outdone only by the 2011 sale of the gems that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor, that most beguiling of screen goddesses.

Jigha Turban Ornament

The lead item this time round was a 1912 Belle-Époque Diamond Devant-de-Corsage Cartier Brooch. Eventually sold for US$10.6 million, the horseshoe-shaped, diamond-draped creation featured two wholly unique gemstones – a brilliant-cut, D-colour, 34.08-carat diamond and an oval-shaped 23.55-carat diamond.

Antique Imperial Spinel, Pearl and Emerald Necklace

Among the other highlights of the sale were a dazzling Antique Imperial Spinel, Pearl and Emerald Necklace, which went for an eminently respectable US$3 million, and a gem-studded Jigha turban ornament and the The Taj Mahal Emerald brooch – both of which attracted winning bids of US$1.815 million.

Golden Hour: It’s time to say yes to responsibly sourced gold

“How many carats?” While slightly impertinent, it’s a question that most jewellery aficionados could answer easily enough. Should they, however, be challenged with: “Where does it come from?”, they might be harder pressed to provide a definitive answer.

Indeed, it was a query that even Caroline Scheufele, the Co-President of Chopard, clearly struggled with. When asked that very question at the Academy Awards several years back, her inability to respond prompted her to review the company’s sourcing protocols. Recalling the revelation sparked by the impromptu enquiry, she said: “I really had no idea. As with most jewellers, we tended to buy our gold in bulk and never thought to ask where it actually came from. Once you’ve been made aware of the related issues, however, it’s something you just can’t turn your back on.”

responsibly sourced gold

Indeed, the issues in question are murky, tangled and, all too often, tainted with the blood of innocents. The gold industry is huge, with its mining operations extending across 60 countries and providing employment to over 15 million people. Unfortunately, it’s also known for being the root cause of a vast number of environmental and humanitarian problems, with the workers toiling in the gold mines – many of them underage – being subject to long hours, low pay and dangerous conditions.

In recent years, though, the more conscious customers and jewellers have become only too aware of the problems wrought by the gold industry. This has led many of the most well-known names in the sector – including Chopard, Gucci and Boucheron – to commit to using only eco-friendly or recycled or responsibly sourced gold. This has seen the emergence of several virtuous certification systems of which two – Fairmined Gold and Fairtrade Gold – are well on the way to being recognised as global standards for responsibly sourced gold. Some brands, like Bulgari, meanwhile, also abide by the codes of the Responsible Jewellery Council.

The high profile accorded to such initiatives is, however, unfortunately at odds with their actual success. Indeed, of the 3,300 tonnes of total gold mined every year, only a paltry few 100kg are actually bona fide responsibly sourced.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Princess Layers: Master the fine art of layering jewellery

Layering jewellery is as tricky as layering clothes… too many layers, and you risk looking like a Christmas tree, too little, and all your efforts go to waste. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stack them up, when and how you feel like, because, let’s admit it, if done right, layered jewellery brings out your most chic self. Check out our favourite ways of layering jewellery below: