There’s something about New York. The diversity and glamour, be it celebrities on coffee runs, strolling through the streets or shopping around. Then there are the jewellery and watch maisons, the famed Midtown Manhattan, which is also known as the Diamond District, and independent creatives who call NYC home. Movies have been shot in the city, where many a time, jewellery played a starring role — Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sex and the City, and A24’s award-winning thriller, Uncut Gems. It wouldn’t be a stretch of imagination to say that celebrities have turned the spotlight on the jewellery scene in the city and jewellery brands, along the way.
The New Spot on Fifth
For fifteen years, Chopard’s New York flagship store was on the chic and affluent thoroughfare of Madison Avenue. Last December, the jewellery house made its new home over at Fifth Avenue, otherwise known as the epicentre of luxury in America. The brand’s new flagship boutique is located at the legendary Crown Building, which is also home to the new luxury Aman hotel.
Inside, one would be enveloped in the boutique’s dark grey-andwhite-veined “Fior di Bosco” Italian marble floor and its impressive high ceiling that’s adorned with magnolia tree leaves made of Murano glass by Venini. Four openings on the walls frame a cascade of more Murano glass magnolia leaves with color variations evoking the four seasons, a nod to the nearby Central Park’s magnolia trees and Chopard’s commitment to nature. The maison launched new pieces to add sparkle to the occasion: The Happy Sport Fifth Avenue Edition, a new Alpine Eagle (in yellow gold), a Big Apple Necklace, and the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 Fifth Avenue Edition.
Chopard is no stranger to having a celebrity muse. The collaboration between music icon Mariah Carey and Chopard’s Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele resulted in dainty jewellery inspired by the butterfly. Carey released her sixth studio album, Butterfly, in 1997. The album proved a turning point in the singer’s career and life, having evolved her music towards R&B and hip-hop. The album also symbolised her new-found freedom, while being a style icon for Chopard, conveying renewed aspirations and a free-spirited approach to life. In their latest collaboration last year, Chopard presented the Chopard X Mariah Carey Collection that comprises a diamond-paved jewellery set. It consisted a necklace, a pair of earrings and a ring in Fairmined-certified ethical gold.
The NYC Jewellery Scene
But it’s true — no one does jewellery quite like the New Yorkers. Celebrities are getting behind the chunky chain, heart motif, big pearls and bold cuff trend to match the moment. Signet and pinky rings are definitely here to stay. And more gems, more ice, and lots of personalisation have wiggled their way onto them. It’s all about making a personal statement. Cocktail rings in bold shapes and colours in fresh styles are making an appearance, while heart motifs in bold and adorable silhouettes have popped up across necklaces, pendants, rings and earrings. Chunky Cuban chains, gourmette links and hip-hop pendant necklaces are in, and serpents surely are snaking their way across ears, wrists and fingers in cool new patterns. Hoops in triangles, ellipses, squishy wiggly silhouettes and imaginative floral outlines are a huge hit. The diamond jewellery landscape in the Big Apple has gotten infinitely more sparkly this season and look-atme earrings are playing a huge part, as are tennis bracelets.
Style Tips: Get the NYC Look
Try layering the neckline in meaningful pieces with charms and lockets on longer chains. The tribe is going green: Gems ranging from emeralds to tsavorites, and hardstone jewels set with malachites are helping designers add an element of interest to their pieces. Amp up the cool quotient by mixing metals, and add some colour by way of splashy bright gems and enamel accents, or rainbow-coloured gems outlining and embellishing the pieces. Hardware inspired jewels with shiny diamonds are a must-have, as are chunky cuffs. For final touches, knots on rings and sinuous waves peppered with diamonds are taking up residency on fingers.
