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Geregistreerd op: 21 Jul 2019
Berichten: 195
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TOP LUXURY BRANDS: THE JEWELLERY CONNOISSEUR'S WISH LIST
Do you dream about a sparkling high Cheap Jewelry Websites collection featuring world-leading brands? Christa Van Eerde MA MLitt FGA DGA discovers the quintessential pieces from the top 10 houses leading the luxury jewellery sector.
CARTIER
Every jewellery enthusiast desires a Panther or Tutti Frutti piece. The iconic panther is rooted deep within Cartier’s heritage, and exudes luxury, elegance and strength. It is hard not to love the faceted diamonds juxtaposed with sleek black onyx. Inspired by Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s artistic director from 1933 - 1970, the panther was a favourite of the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, who wore the figurative pieces, (once the unwritten reserve of the likes of actresses and prostitutes), with bravado and pride.
Bursting with titillating colour, Tutti Frutti provided a welcome step away from the monochromatic styles that dominated the Art Deco period, offering a perfect example of East meets West with its carved gemstones and European technical mastery. Though the iconic style was created in 1901 by Pierre Cartier and remained popular deep into the 1920s, it was not until the 1970s that the style became known as Tutti Frutti.
HARRY WINSTON
Harry Winston, “King of Diamonds," "Jeweller to the Stars…” No photographs of young Harry exist for security reasons, he was always carrying large gems! Some of the most famous stones passed through Winston’s hands, including the Jonker, a 726-carat rough diamond he shipped to his New York headquarters through regular registered mail, and the renowned Hope Diamond, a 45.52-carat rare blue diamond, once owned by Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, and Lord Henry Hope, and now housed in the Smithsonian collection in Washington DC.
Harry Winston and his pioneering designers put the gemstone at the centre of each creation, and did not allow the metal setting to detract from the stone in any way. My ideal piece would encompass Harry Winston’s characteristic ‘cluster’ technique and have the ‘Winston Look’: timeless, exclusive, and glamorous.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
The dream Van Cleef & Arpels creation for any jewellery aficionado has to be a ballerina brooch incorporating the mystery setting, also known as invisible setting. Patented in 1933, the mystery setting allows stones to magically float, suspended without any evidence of prongs or a mount. As a dancer trains for countless hours to master their art, the mystery setting, which was created prior to contemporary cutting and setting technologies, requires many months to create, so both deserve a round of applause!
Another creation that would be a musthave on the wish list is a Zip necklace, convertible jewellery at its finest (it can be worn as a necklace or bracelet) and a true feat of jewellery engineering. It was first produced in 1950, the result of a challenge from Wallis Simpson to Renée Puissant, the Maison’s artistic director and daughter of Alfred Van Cleef, to create a necklace that literally acted like a zip fastener. It remains a distinct stronghold in Van Cleef & Arpels’ collection today. |
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