Last year, the House of Dior and the creative team led by Victoire de Castellane presented a high jewellery collection inspired by Versailles and its architecture. The house had asked the artisans to use manufacturing techniques that are less common today to create pieces in gold and silver, as was the norm in the 18th and early 19th centuries before the appearance of platinum and then white gold in jewellery as we know it today. The pieces had an incredible charm and this collection, against the grain of everything I had seen last July, had deeply seduced me.
Hameau de le Reine” ring in yellow gold, diamonds, Paraiba tourmaline, tsavorite garnets, spessartite garnets, rubies and yellow sapphire. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
This year, it is no longer a question of strolling through the castle but of getting lost in the gardens and outbuildings of the Sun King’s residence. For this second act, all the pieces (66 to be exact, 39 of which are unique) are dedicated to the gardens of Le Notre. Faithful to its inspirations, the house delivers a very colourful jewellery, like a perpetual spring that never sees its flowers wither.
For the first time, the house introduces rock crystal used to recall the foam produced by the water jets of the ponds. The colours are bold, bright and highly contrasting. In addition, the presentation was superbly staged, transforming the Dior offices on Avenue Montaigne into a mysterious park.
Bosquet de la salle de bal” necklace, yellow, white and pink gold, platinum, diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds, pink and yellow sapphires, tsavorite and demantoid garnets, Paraiba tourmalines, pink spinels, sapphires, yellow diamonds, haüynes, spessartite garnets and peridots. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Bosquet de la salle de bal” bracelet, yellow gold, diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds, rubies, sapphires (pink, purple, yellow and blue), garnets (hessonites, tsavorites and demantoides), yellow diamonds, turquoise and lacquer.Photo: Dior Joaillerie
The pieces are technically very interesting (sunburst settings giving the impression of larger stones, shell-shaped catkins…) and the design of these pieces required a great deal of work due to the miniaturisation of the natural elements reproduced on the jewels. One wants to look at them from every angle as they change according to the way one admires them. Indeed, another notable element is that the pieces are smaller and less exuberant. This collection reminded me of those micro-garden specialists and the so-called Giardinetto. The flowers are small but remarkably detailed, the leaves appear here and there and the blue sapphires or tourmalines are like a constant reminder of water, omnipresent at Versailles. Finally, the materials are always remarkably chosen, just like the centre stones: here we find a great many emeralds, sapphires, tourmalines and garnets.
I invite you to follow me in this garden to discover this new collection that I really liked!
Bosquet de l’Encelade” bracelet, white, pink and yellow gold, colourless and yellow diamonds, rock crystal, black opal, emeralds, garnets (spessartites and tsavorites), pink and red spinels, sapphires (blue and yellow), Paraiba tourmaline. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Hameau de la Reine” ring, yellow, pink and white gold, diamonds, pink spinels, pink and yellow sapphires, Paraiba tourmaline, rubies. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Bassin des nymphes” bracelet, white and yellow gold, colourless and yellow diamonds, Paraiba-type tourmaline, rock crystal, sapphires (blue, pink and violet), emeralds, tsavorite garnets. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Bosquet de l’Encelade” corsage jewel, yellow, white and pink gold, colourless and yellow diamonds, sapphires (blue, violet, pink and yellow), emeralds, peridots, garnets (tsavorites, demantoides and spessartites), pink tourmalines, alexandrites, chrysoprase. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Hameau de la Reine” ring in yellow, white and pink gold, colourless and pink diamonds, Paraiba tourmalines, garnets (tsavorites, demantoides), sapphires (blue, violet and pink) and lacquer. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Trianon” necklace in pink, yellow and white gold, colourless and yellow diamonds, emeralds, sapphires (blue, pink, yellow), garnets (tsavorites, spessartites), turquoise, Paraiba-type tourmaline and rubies. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Double bosquet de la Girandole” ring, yellow and white gold, diamonds, black opal, sapphires (yellow, pink and blue), emeralds, hessonite garnets. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Bosquet de la Reine” earrings, white, yellow and pink gold, diamonds, Paraïba tourmaline, emeralds, pink sapphires and lacquer. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Orangerie” bracelet, yellow and pink gold, colourless and yellow diamonds, garnets (spessartites and tsavorites), pink sapphires and pink opal. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Ring “Crown of flowers” in yellow, white and pink gold, rubies, emeralds, pink sapphires, colourless, pink and yellow diamonds. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
Bosquet de la reine” ring, pink gold, colourless and yellow diamonds, emeralds, Paraïba tourmalines, sapphires (orange, yellow and pink), rubies and spessartite garnets. Photo: Dior Joaillerie
See you soon!
