Legendary jewellery houses and their not-so-famous symbols

Everyone certainly understands signature symbols of the world’s most influential maisons, or do they? Just take a glimpse at our most beloved brands’ lesser-recognized emblems and motifs, and explore their interesting heritage.

Chanel: Button

The intimate world of Gabrielle Chanel is replete with symbols pricey to her. Definitely, for a style innovative, an component the two stylistic and functional this kind of as the button would be of utmost significance. Enriching the Mademoiselle Privé Bouton 2020 and 2021 collections is this year’s unpredicted still fascinating Hors-Série Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Golden Pearl Motif Established. From this assortment is a particular-edition cuff look at, whose diamond-studded dial is hid by a common Chanel pearl button embellished with yellow gold and diamonds. Only five parts of this numbered observe is obtainable.

Dior: Rose

“Thankfully there are bouquets,” couturier Christian Dior, whose childhood in Normandy was perfumed by the queen of blooms, at the time claimed. Between his favorite areas was the loved ones rose garden, patiently tended by his mom. For the duration of his time, the designer highlighted the blossom, its petals and gentle hues closely in his do the job, even creating femmes-fleurs (flower-ladies in French). The perfect modern day interpretation of the monsieur’s vision, this 30 Montaigne Ring Rose with pink sapphires and diamonds is produced in celebration of the re-opening of Dior’s historic flagship boutique on 30 Avenue Montaigne, and only marketed there.

Tiffany & Co.: Seashell

If it is an remarkable bejewelled sea creature, likelihood are it is a Jean Schlumberger. The French-born designer who moved to New York publish-WWII is a single of the most celebrated jewellers of the 20th century, and frankly talking, of all time. On signing up for the American dwelling and given endless resources, his name grew to become synonymous with fantastical flora and fauna, of which his marine creatures this sort of as sea stars and fish ended up some of the most iconic. Below is a recreation of one more Schlumberger signature: a Coquillage clip in platinum and yellow gold with blue sapphires, and yellow and white diamonds.

Cartier: Crocodile

Although the panther regulations the animal pantheon of Cartier, the residence has always been popular for its intellect-boggling menagerie of wild and great creatures. Between its most unforgettable is the crocodile, which recollects the maison’s fascination with Egypt. The reptile has seen many substantial jewellery iterations but created the most effect gracing the neck of Mexican actress Maria Felix in the 1970s. Now, the apex predator returns on the bracelet of the wonderful Indomptables de Cartier yellow gold and diamond observe. Studded with 255 emeralds and two ruby cabochons, it faces off its worthy opponent of a panther throughout a diamond-encrusted dial.

Chopard: Lace

A person of the super-powers of the dwelling of Chopard is its mastery of precious metals – which is why its once-a-year Purple Carpet Selection is actually a sight to behold. A long term topic throughout its significant and fantastic jewelry categories is Valuable Lace, which showcases ancestral filigree perform on feather-light-weight diamond creations that put on like 2nd-pores and skin. Exemplifying the maison’s genius is this majestic necklace crafted from Fairmined-qualified ethical white gold and titanium, and highlighted with a neon-blue 34.63-carat Mozambique Paraiba tourmaline that no 1 can peel their eyes from.

Graff: Eclipse

The sculptural, out-of-this-environment natural beauty of a heavenly eclipse has been immortalised in the Graff Tribal collection. Named Graff Gateway, the stylised motif when adorned with scintillating diamonds evokes the transcendence of area and time. Building an perception with its abstract designs and sublime symmetry is this Graff Gateway diamond bracelet, set with stones that weigh a overall of 33 carats. Its cuff-fashion design is seductive and sensual, even though its exceptional design makes it possible for light-weight to entirely established the piece ablaze.

Bvlgari: Coin

Historic civilisations throughout the environment prized currency so dearly that they have been normally utilized as statement add-ons and excellent luck talismans. Maintaining this observe alive is Roman jeweller Bvlgari, which is a vital power in resurrecting the ancient coin as a present-day aesthetic motif. The dwelling debuted its initially Monete jewellery selection for the duration of the period of the Dolce Vita, when the aesthetic of rounded sorts, bold contours and alluring volumes cemented its place in Bvlgari’s layout lexicon. On his maison’s motivations, Nicola Bvlgari mentioned this in a 1982 interview: “To these historic coins, relics of the earlier, we give a second probability at daily life: Relatively than closing them in a drawer, we renovate them into living things.” Each individual Monete piece is every little bit an antique and an artwork as it is a jewel – for each rigorously sourced coin is uncommon and important. Case in position: this pink gold and diamond necklace embellished with 9 correctly preserved coins bearing the profile of none other than Alexander The Wonderful, who dominated the Macedonian kingdom from 336 to 323 BCE.

Louis Vuitton: Star

Made by Georges Vuitton as a tribute to his father, Louis Vuitton, the LV monogram capabilities the initials of the maison’s founder in just an desirable sample that requirements no introduction. The structure was in truth impressed by the decor of the earthenware tiles in the Vuitton family house in Asnières. Though a lot of recognise the four-leaf clover and its symbolism, the four-place star might have escaped their awareness. Symbolising fortune and hope, this motif when enclosed by a diamond-shaped compass border connotes the spirit of travel and discovery. Below on the Bravery Le Mythe white gold bracelet, the star is adorned with diamonds and four pear-shaped blue sapphires weighing 3.61 carats.

Piaget: Marquis Reduce

Legend has it that France’s King Louis XV asked for a diamond to be minimize in honour of the smile of his beloved Marquise de Pompadour. This historic shape has, in present-day times, been adopted as an crucial Piaget structure code, for the truth that it tends to make gemstones dazzle. Together with the house’s experience in gold-smithing and gem-setting, marquise-cut stones lay the foundation for lots of of Piaget’s most distinctive creations. Above 175 hrs of jewelry craftsmanship ended up devoted to this Limelight Gala Substantial Jewellery white gold timepiece. Out of the 256 diamonds sensually encircling the snow-set diamond dial, 87 are marquise-slash, claw-set sparklers.

Boucheron: Lotus

The New Maharajahs collection is a homage to the most significant specific get in the historical past of Spot Vendôme positioned by the Maharajah of Patiala in 1928. Even while the first ceremonial parures have been pared down into contemporary monochrome masterpieces, specified enduring motifs, these types of as the lotus beloved by Boucheron’s prolonged line of Indian royalty shoppers, have been retained. The sacred flower, also recognised as padma in Sanskrit, has been supplied a up to date dimension on this convertible choker necklace that resembles a lace collar affixed with a magnificent 4.08-carat cushion diamond fall at the centre.

Chaumet: Laurel

Stylish and delicate naturalist motifs have normally been the heart and soul of Chaumet all over its 242 several years of history. The laurel leaf is a vital design and style component in its archives, many thanks to its gravitas as an historical symbol of immortality and victory treasured by none other than Empress Joséphine, the spouse of the maison’s patron Napoléon Bonaparte. Reinterpreted in a modern day still refined way, the laurel currently graces numerous of Chaumet’s creations, like this white gold 12 Vendôme Laurier Magic formula Watch, which contrasts an aventurine blue dial superbly with good-minimize diamonds.

Harry Winston: Arch

The stone facade of Harry Winston’s historic Fifth Avenue flagship salon in New York is truly a fantastic showcase of architecture from the Art Deco period. Getting design cues from this function is the Avenue spouse and children of watches, which fl aunts a modern rectangular case anchored by the house’s legendary arch motif motivated by the salon’s entryway. Even though the selection is evergreen, there is a modern update that fuses the jeweller’s refined class with a up to date flourish in the form of a vibrant graffiti-style dial. On this Avenue Basic Graffiti timepiece, 147 diamonds distinction with blue and white mom-of-pearl to mesmerising influence.

Van Cleef & Arpels: Butterfly

The poetic splendor of bouquets has an critical put in the universe of Van Cleef & Arpels. A different carefully connected emblem in the maison’s garden of symbolism is the resplendent butterfly, which intersects the themes of character, blooms, winged creatures, like and imaginary worlds. Showcasing two exclusive interpretations in this article are, on leading, the confined-version Chikurin (bamboo forest) and Suzume (sparrow) lacquered butterfly clip in yellow gold, with mom-of-pearl and diamonds and at the base, the Féodora butterfly clip in rose gold with rubies, spessartite garnets, black spinels, bull’s eye stones, coral, mother-of-pearl and diamonds.

This story to start with appeared in the May 2022 problem of Prestige Singapore