See the Most Showstopping Necklaces Launched at Paris Couture Week
From glamorous beaded sautoirs to avant-garde, sculptural collars, these statement-making necklaces epitomized the best of haute joaillerie
While almost no traditional couture shows took place in Paris this January this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in Europe, a small group of luxury houses like Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Buccellati, and De Beers still launched new collections, mostly presented to clients and press virtually. Among the many dazzling pieces, it was the necklaces that stood out as some of the most eye-catching and innovative.
A sense of bold confidence beamed from the sautoirs, chokers, bibs, and collars, many of which boasted intricate geometric patterns, sprinklings of single-color rare gemstones, or fresh twists on historic styles. Years in the making, each creation demonstrated the pinnacle of craftsmanship. Below, we share the most transportive works from the wonderful dreamworld of haute joaillerie.
1. Chanel Constellation Astrale Collier
Chanel’s 70 piece-strong collection pays tribute to Venice’s architecture, canals, and lagoon islands as well as the lion that punctuates many of the city’s most iconic locations and is recreated as the symbol for Coco Chanel’s Leo star sign. This substantial armor-like necklace, inspired by the dazzling mosaic on the facade of the Basilica San Marco, uses cut shards of bright blue lapiz lazuli, yellow sapphire stars, and white diamond accents to recreate a starry night sky.
2. Boucheron Plastron Emerald, Onyx, and Diamond Necklace
For Boucheron’s latest collection, which was inspired by the design codes of Art Deco, artistic director Claire Choisne delved into the maison’s extensive archives. This necklace, based on an archival image of an original commission for the Maharaja of Patalia in 1928, features 220 Zambian emerald beads, weighing a staggering 1,071 carats. The green gems are accented with diamonds, onyx, and black lacquer, set in 18-karat white gold and platinum.
3. Buccellati Povere di Luna Necklace
The revered Italian jewelry house based its latest high jewelry collection on the mysterious phenomenon of “Polvere di Luna” or moon dust. Included in the newest array is this show-stopping openwork necklace set with 304 diamonds in a shimmering palette of white and yellow gold that evokes the frost at dawn. Its dazzling beauty comes from the atelier’s refined techniques, perfected since 1919 by successive generations of master craftsmen in their Milanese workshop.
4. Chanel Volute Venitienne Collier
This striking necklace made with diamonds, lapis lazuli, and cultured pearls in white and yellow gold calls to mind the maritime history and spirit of the floating city of Venice.
5. Boucheron Col Emeraudes Necklace
Graphic and mesmerizing, this necklace captures an aerial view of the Place Vendôme, where the maison first set up shop in 1858, using 28 horizontal Colombian emeralds, weighing 24.59 carats, in a setting of rock crystal and onyx.
6. De Beers Namib Wonder Necklace
The first high jewelry collection under the direction of new CEO Céline Assimon, the former chief executive of de Grisogono who took the reigns last summer, was titled “Reflections of Nature.” An extension of “Portraits of Nature,” launched last July, this introduction was arranged in five parures, each named after an African location. The design of this necklace, which features row upon row of white and yellow diamonds that sweep down the décolleté, was inspired by sand dunes.
7. Van Cleef & Arpels Ceinture d’émeraudes Necklace
The Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Ous les Étoiles, Heavenly Dreams” high-jewelry collection encompassed 150 one-of-a-kind jewels inspired by the mystery of the cosmos that have transfixed astronomers throughout time. This stunning Ceinture d’émeraudes necklace creates a galaxy of green with 125 fancy-cut Afghan emeralds weighing 63.82 carats, diamonds, sapphires, and black spinels.
8. De Beers Landers Radiance Necklace
Inspired by the other-worldly beauty of coral reefs, the Landers Radiance necklace features three strands of rough diamonds, gathered in the centre by marquise and round brilliant diamonds in pink, yellow and white, resembling branching coral and darting fish. A 1.59 carat, fancy deep brownish orange cushion-cut diamond is one of the focal points, along with an extraordinary 3.90 carat pear-shaped white diamond that appears to float freely in a frame of pavé.
9. Van Cleef & Arpels Antennae Reversible Necklace
Another stand out piece from Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest introductions is the Antennae reversible necklace that is inspired by the slow collision of two galaxies that began some 500 million years ago.