ART IMITATES LIFE
Celebrating beauty, nature, and vibrant fine jewellery
Jewellery designers have long been turning to nature for inspiration. From a delightful peacock ring, with wings studded with diamonds and precious gems delicately wrapping the wearer’s finger, to an intricate arrangement of flowers made of sapphires and diamonds, their vines softly interlacing to hug a graceful neck — nature has always been an exciting and infinite source of delight and creativity for fine jewellery.
Take the serpent, for example. It is one of Bvlgari’s iconic designs since the 1940s. Throughout the decades, it has undergone metamorphosis and reinventions, and still remains a favourite design by many of the brand’s collectors. Cartier’s panther motif has been an intrinsic part of the brand for decades. The enchanting feline is said to be inspired by Cartier designer and visionary Jeanne Toussaint, whom Louis Cartier nicknamed ‘La Panthère’ because of her grace and elegance. Let’s not even begin to talk about how important the lion was to Coco Chanel.
For our Colours Edition, it is only fitting that we celebrate life, nature, and jewellery in the most vibrant of ways. Honouring our industry’s passion, craftsmanship, and creativity, and nature’s beauty and abundance, we let stunning fine jewellery creations inspired by flora and fauna take the spotlight.
Lush gardens, with their blooming flowers, verdant nooks, and an array of insects and animals that thrive among them, have consistently provided a stimulating sanctuary for artists and jewellery designers alike. Meanwhile, coloured gemstones play a big part in making every designer’s dream and ideas a reality. The calming blue of aquamarines and the vibrant azure of Paraiba tourmalines, for example, are used to recreate the ocean, from its great depths to the gentle waves lapping on the shores. A leaping fish, a sleeping polar bear, or a hissing snake, animals come alive in the form of brooches, rings, earrings, or necklaces set in rubies, emeralds, beryls, or topazes.
Nuri, The Parrot Pendant earrings set in pink gold with diamonds, tsavorites, and orange, pink, and yellow sapphires; Nuri, The Parrot ring in white gold set with a pear-shaped aquamarine, blue and yellow sapphires, tsavorites, and diamonds; Nuri, the Parrot long necklace (worn as bracelet) in pink gold set with tsavorites, diamonds, and orange, pink, purple, and yellow sapphires; Hera, the Peacock ring in white gold set with blue sapphires, two rose-cut pear-shaped blue sapphires, and diamonds, all from BOUCHERON
Dress from the Il Roseto Collection, DOLCE & GABBANA
Boucheron’s A Collection of Animals is an ode to furry and feathery creatures. From Nuri, The Parrot rings to Hopi, The Hummingbird sleepers, the collection is whimsical and full of life.
Pavé Butterfly Collection earrings with 5.46ct multi-shape pink and white diamonds; Pavé Butterfly Collection necklace with 18.29ct multi-shape pink and white diamonds; Pavé Butterfly Collection ring with 2.11ct multi-shape diamonds; and Mini Princess Butterfly watch with 3.65ct pink sapphires and diamonds, all from GRAFF
Skirt (worn as tube top) from the Il Roseto Collection, DOLCE & GABBANA
Graff’s Butterfly Jewellery collection is another classic example of nature’s infinite creative options — ‘from one single motif, countless creative visions take flight’.
Open drop earrings in platinum with diamonds and tanzanites; Necklace in platinum with diamonds and tanzanites; Ring in platinum with diamonds and tanzanite’s; and Yellow diamond firefly ring in platinum with white diamonds, all from the Paper Flowers collection by TIFFANY & CO.
Dress from the I Love Maiolica Collection, DOLCE & GABBANA
Meanwhile, Tiffany & Co.’s new collection, the Paper Flowers, is all about the delicate beauty of flowers and their classic wearability.
Efflorescence necklace in 18K rose gold set with 42.61ct tourmalines and 25.72ct side stones; Lotus ring in 18K white and yellow gold set with 220 diamonds, sapphires, and pearls, and a 12.82ct jade; Peacock ring in 18K white and yellow gold set with 40 diamonds, fancy yellow diamonds, marquise diamonds, and coloured gems, all from CARATELL
Dress from the I Love Maiolica Collection, DOLCE & GABBANA
Singapore jewellers, such as Caratell, Dejewel Galleria, and Sara Taseer, all have their own interpretations of nature through their fine jewellery creations. Caratell’s Efflorescence necklace beautifully renders the blossoming of a small precious bud into an enchanting lotus.
Love Birds earrings in 18K rose gold set with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and pearls; Rose necklace in 18K rose gold set with diamonds, tsavorites, pink sapphires, and rubies; Hippopotamus ring in 18K yellow gold set with diamonds and fancy sapphires; Frog ring in 18K yellow gold set with diamonds, rubies, and green tsavorites; Horse ring in 18K rose gold set with diamonds and pink sapphires, all from SARA TASEER
Top from the Il Roseto Collection, DOLCE & GABBANA
Earrings and ring set in ruby and diamonds, YULI FINE JEWELLERY
Doves ring in 18K yellow gold set with 150 mixed diamonds and black diamonds; Crocodile ring in 18K rose gold set with 111 tsavorites, rubies and diamonds; Dolphin ring in 18K rose gold set with 168 rubies and diamonds, all from DEJEWEL GALLERIA
Metiers d’art Fabuleux Ornements – Indian Manuscript timepiece, VACHERON CONSTANTIN
Dress from the Il Roseto Collection, DOLCE & GABBANA
Dejewel Galleria’s playful take on the trend results in stunning little masterpieces in the form of rings — from doves to dolphins and crocodiles studded with tsavorites, garnets, rubies, and diamonds. Sara Taseer, on the other hand, celebrates nature in all its grace and elegance. Her Rose necklace, for example, delicately wraps around the neck, a rosebud made of tsavorites, pink sapphires, rubies, and diamonds drops ever so lightly as a pendant, waiting to bloom fully.
As fleeting as butterfly wings, trends and seasons come and go, but one thing remains a perennial source of joy and inspiration for jewellery design — nature.
SITTINGS EDITOR: Maripet Ledesma Poso
PHOTOGRAPHER: Chino Sardea
MAKEUP ARTIST: Ginger Lynette using Tarte Cosmetics
HAIR STYLIST: Kenneth Ong using Keune Hair Products
DI SPECIALIST: Dexter Maneja
MODEL: Olga Olefirenko / Mannequin
