Rarified Gemstones
The ultimate expression of jewelry art, high jewelry sits at the pinnacle of craftsmanship, influencing the market from the top down.
Collections from the oldest European houses — including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari — do more than inspire fantasy and imagination, they also keep age-old craftsmanship alive in workshops across Paris, push the boundaries of what’s achievable, and instill a desire to collect one-of-a-kind jewels, much in the same way that people build art collections.
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It’s no coincidence that high jewelry is unveiled alongside haute couture in Paris, as both exemplify the best in creativity and materials, and offer designs that inspire the imagination to dream beyond what’s possible. And while the pandemic saw collections showcased digitally, as international travel is ramping up and vaccines continue to roll out, there is no doubt the January presentations will once again be of the lavish type, with dinners and parties marking the next chapter in a craft that can trace its roots through history, found on Kings and Queens and various wealthy artistic benefactors. Jewelry both showed their power and strength and helped to mark great moments throughout history.
Today, high jewelry still serves as a way to earmark a moment in time for a rarified crowd, marking moments like weddings, with pieces passed down through generations with one-of-a-kind pieces, like Tiffany & Co.’s recent Worlds Fair Necklace, a brilliant piece that does double duty as a necklace or converted to a ring.
It’s these types of pieces that help shape what is to come in the fine jewelry market, like the highly anticipated collections that will debut in Geneva in March 2022 at the next Watches and Wonders show.
Launch Gallery: Rarified Gemstones
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