Paris is always a good idea. While it was a more subdued week regarding brands presenting and press and guest attendance, High Jewelry made its mark during the recent Haute Couture week in the City of Lights. The display was packed with excitement and innovation, from Boucheron's highly civilized press event to Repossi's unconventional presentation far from Place Vendôme. Gem + Jewel was there to witness the beauty and innovation of haute joaillerie.
Boucheron
Presented by artistic director Claire Choisne, Boucheron unveiled Untamed Nature, a 28-piece collection inspired by founder Frédéric Boucheron's archives, marked by ivy, thistles, ferns, flies, and bumblebees. Uniquely, the pieces were shown on models dressed in black to highlight their wearability and creativity. This cascading diamond brooch doubles as a necklace and can also be worn as separate smaller brooches.
Dior
To showcase the Milly Dentelle collection—dubbed a "new reinterpretation of lace" by artistic director Victoire de Castellane—a magical garden was created in rooms covered with flowers and foliage walls in three different color schemes, a nod to the Dior estate in Milly-la-Forêt. Tucked inside the walls were vitrines displaying exquisite and colorful jewelry, such as this collar that resembles a lace crown, festooned with diamonds, colored sapphires, and pearls.
Riefe
Riefe Jewelry founder Rie Harui blends her Japanese heritage with her young adulthood spent in California’s punk skate scene, alongside her French high jewelry training, to create her namesake collection, Riefe. Founded in 2018, Harui boasts a CV that includes Chrome Hearts, Adidas AG, Y-3, and Yohji Yamamoto, for whom she still designs jewelry. Her latest offerings include a series of commitment rings that put a modern spin on the genre and are accompanied by a groundbreaking same-sex campaign in Japan that has raised eyebrows there.
Repossi
Almost as intriguing as Repossi's latest additions to their core offerings was the location of their presentation: Féau Boiseries. The antique woodwork fabricator is best described as a cabinet of curiosities filled with carved wood décor. In collaboration with The Invisible Collection, the jewelry house partnered with four designers to create home objets reflecting four families of the brand's jewelry. Highlights from the new collection include the exquisite Infinity ring and Blast cuff.
Elie Top
Former Lanvin jeweler and Parisian bon vivant Elie Top celebrated 10 years of his eponymous fine jewelry line with his Les Liaisons Dangereuses anniversary collection, an ode to the Age of Enlightenment. The designer referenced motifs from the noble lifestyle, such as the décor in their Maison Particulier, which has been a lifelong fascination for him. The collection features jewels with details inspired by chandeliers, fleur-de-lis insignias, and wrought iron motifs, using ancient hand-cut diamonds, all displayed at a very Parisian cocktail event at Christie's Paris.
Dolce & Gabbana Alta Gioielleria
No one understands the marriage of Haute Couture and High Jewelry better than the Italians. While showcasing their latest made-to-order clothing designs in Paris, Dolce & Gabbana also presented their latest Alta Gioielleria offerings. The handcrafted pieces included an intricate gold book with hand-carved text and a ribbon-effect diamond necklace centered around a large detachable sacred heart—a brand motif that can also be worn as a brooch.
Cartier
Cartier unveiled the third chapter of its Nature Sauvage collection by Director of High Jewelry Creation Jacqueline Karachi in a private salon at the Hôtel Ritz Paris. "A new perspective of the Cartier fauna, designed to surprise, amaze, and bring modernity through unexpected encounters. Expressive jewelry showcases the attitudes and personality of an animal and its vitality. It plays with graphics, volume, and optical illusions, like an actor blending into an imaginary landscape. This is the spirit of Nature Sauvage," said Karachi in a statement. Whether flora, fauna, or beast, the pieces display the jeweler's savoir-faire and storytelling, as seen in these Echina earrings made of diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds.
Rouvenat
The recently revived 19th-century jewelry house, which once revolutionized the modern jewelry atelier by bringing all artisans under one roof, continues to expand its classic Bolt necklace. With a contemporary eye for design and a sustainable approach to sourcing reclaimed diamonds, the brand’s interchangeable signature necklace now comes in the Bolt Cristallin version, featuring pavé diamonds with quartz beading and pendants.
Louis Vuitton
While the high jewelry division of Louis Vuitton opted out of an in-person presentation for their latest collection, the flagship LVMH brand revealed its Awakened Minds collection by Jewelry Creative Director Francesca Amfitheatrof—a follow-up to their Awakened Hands collection. This new series explores the innovations of 19th-century France, including the iconic La Dame de Fer (the Eiffel Tower), referenced in the Victoire group. This stunning diamond masterpiece exemplifies the house's gemstone sophistication and technical ambition.
Messika
Messika hosted an impromptu M Days event, inviting press and clients to their high-security Champs-Élysées headquarters to unveil their latest creations. Notably, the collection features a new etched-effect textured surface achieved through a handcrafted chiseling technique that plays with light and adds a vintage touch. This high jewelry three-row Move Link choker also showcases a trompe l'œil stacked effect, offering a fresh take on the brand’s signature style.
