Since last July, Louis Vuitton has dedicated its high jewellery collections to the History of the world. With Deep Time, Francesca Amfitheatrof – Artistic Director of the house – takes us back to the beginnings of the universe, transcribing in the new pieces presented in January the evolution of the earth and the appearance of life. It’s a poetic, dreamlike journey to the frontiers of time, telling an age-old story of transformation and mutation.
Comprising 50 fabulous pieces of haute joaillerie, the collection initiates an intimate dialogue between exceptional expertise (mainly in the art of cutting and lapidary) and natural materials that are as beautiful as they are rare. ” The second chapter of Deep Time continues the odyssey of this poetic collection, which symbolises the incredible history of the world,” says Francesca Amfitheatrof.
Laurasia necklace, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum, 1 emerald-cut yellow diamond weighing 5.02 carats E IF, 1 LV Monogram Fleur diamond weighing 3.11 carats D IF and diamonds. Photo : Louis Vuitton
The Deep Time journey – made up of ten chapters – begins at the origins of geology, at a distant time when our planet only had two supercontinents: Gondwana and Laurasia. Shaken by seismic and apocalyptic phenomena, the Earth is transformed, inspiring Drift. Then, with Myriad, the house pays tribute to the cell division that is beginning, with creations that resemble helical DNA. Finally, Symbiosis celebrates the very first terrestrial ecosystems, drawing inspiration from mushrooms for a sumptuous set adorned with fabulous spinels. Once life appeared, Plants, Seed, Bones, Fossils and finally Flower usher in a world where life is perpetuated and the vestiges of a past world must be known, recognised and preserved.
Drift necklace, white gold, 1 octagonal-cut yellow sapphire (30.47 carats) from Sri Lanka and diamonds. Photo : Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton chose to pay tribute to the sun, the force of life, by choosing a natural stone from Sri Lanka weighing more than 30 carats. Everywhere, the clean lines soberly echo the Louis Vuitton monogram, which appears in every collection and is becoming an increasingly important signature element of Louis Vuitton jewellery.
And because life has a duty to appear, there’s room for a more than successful jewellery interpretation of DNA. The hypnotic Myriad set is inspired by the helical movement of deoxyribonucleic acid, making it one of the most beautiful diamond-set necklaces in the collection.
Myriad necklace and ring, white gold, diamonds and LV Monogram Star diamonds. Photos : Louis Vuitton
Symbiosis, a new theme in the Deep Time epic, marks the emergence of the first forms of life on Earth and the creation of our organic ecosystems and the creation of our primitive organic ecosystems. Francesca Amfitheatrof, fascinated by the invisible ramifications of these symbiotic micro-organisms, chose spinels from Vietnam and Tanzania for the stones, whose shades of pink and purple are perfectly suited to this ensemble. This metaphorical interpretation of the essence of life took more than 1,138 hours to create. Inside, the jewel conceals a mushroom-like chasing.
Symbiosis necklace, white gold, 2 pear-cut violet spinels of 4.13 carats and 10.11 carats, 1 pink spinel of 10.03 carats, 1 cushion-cut violet spinel of 8.46 carats, 1 cushion-cut blue spinel of 10.67 carats, 4 LV Monogram Star diamonds for 1.89 carats, spinels and diamonds. Photo : Louis Vuitton
The emergence of life, plants, seeds and then man are the final chapters in the collection. The Plant chapter is inspired by nature’s proliferation and exuberance, revealing an ensemble of three spectacular leaves – two of which are detachable and can be transformed into elegant brooches – containing 302 diamonds and 132 Zambian emeralds cut to reveal a rare blue hue. The set is accompanied by a ring set with a 2.29-carat octagonal Zambian emerald flanked by two pear-cut diamonds. Bones tells the story of the architect of humanity and the human body, with pieces featuring extremely supple articulations that required countless hours of development in the workshops. The ring in this chapter is adorned with an imposing 3.84-carat Paraiba tourmaline.
The Plants and Bones chapter rings. White gold, ruby, 2.29-carat Zambian emerald and 3.84-carat Paraïba tourmaline. Photos: Louis Vuitton
Finally, the Skin chapter explores the architecture of the skin and its singular geometry. Timeless graphic lines form a checkerboard pattern, a signature of the Vuitton house. Umba sapphires, sourced from the banks of the eponymous river in Tanzania, set the adornment ablaze with their unique pink-orange colour. Nearly 300 hand-cut stones sparkle with a multitude of lozenges, squares and baguettes, whose warmth is expressed everywhere in this set comprising a necklace, sautoir, ring and earrings.
Skin necklace, rose gold and platinum, 83 Umba sapphires (19.45 carats) and diamonds. Photo : Louis Vuitton
See you soon!
