Continuing our look at the High Jewelry collections being presented in Paris, we’re sharing new pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Mikimoto.
Inspired by the legendary tale by William Shakespeare, the new Van Cleef & Arpels collection revisits Romeo and Juliet. Imbued with Italian Renaissance design, the new pieces are filled with precious stones that translate the language of love. Over 100 coveted designs tell the timeless story of the 1590s—reimagined with stones to reflect the Verona-based setting and its characters. As the world remembers, an iconic scene in the story involves a balcony, and here, it is reimagined. Balcone Clip depicts the setting where their secret vows are shared, seen recreated with diamonds, emeralds, and tsavorite garnets. In the back, we see the two lovers holding hands in rose gold. The collection continues to elaborate on the tale’s main characters—seen with Romeo & Juliet Clips, a three-dimensional design with the two figures embellished in precious gems like sapphires, garnets, rubies, and diamonds. But the anticipation evolves less around the story but more around Van Cleef & Arpels, as the house presents a stunning new design: the Romeo & Juliet Secret Watch. A geometrical timepiece with an onyx background, the piece features sliding panels that open and close at the touch of a finger. With subtle illusion, we see sapphires for Romeo and rubies for Juliet—a reference to the separate families’ coats of arms—and white and yellow gold that intertwines.
Louis Vuitton’s newest pieces in “Riders of the Kights” were inspired by the medieval heroines that have forged their own destiny. Determined and independent, the women who embody these values reflect the Louis Vuitton women of today. Pieces like the Le Royaume, La Cavalière, and La Reine tell the story of where the house draws inspiration and expression, whether architectural or transient, with an immense attention to design detail and aesthetic draw. This year also marks the house’s seventh as a Responsible Jewellery Council member (RJC)—a certification that ensures its just moral, social, societal, and environmental practices.
Mikimoto’s “Jardin Mystérieux” collection is a testament to the European royals and aristocrats that created enchanting atmospheres—like castles, gardens, and love. Pieces in the new collection take its wearer on a journey, through fantasy and foliage, to explore the indulgence of enjoying yourself with those you hold close. Intricate ironwork is seen harnessing elegant pieces, like bracelets that fan out with leaves of diamonds and pearls, and brooches featuring swans, peacocks, and rose bushes.
