Jewels in the shape of flowers will bloom forever.
Hans Christian Andersen wrote, “Just living is not enough … one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” Whether little or large, there are few things that spark as much joy as the beauty of flowers. Flowers play a special role in cultural and social celebrations around the world, marking important occasions in life. They have been used for decorations and adornments throughout human history, and for centuries jewelers have been inspired by the beauty of florals for their designs. A new crop of flower-shaped fine jewelry from international jewelers offers a kaleidoscope of colors in an array of materials and gemstones. And, unlike fresh flowers, these blooms will never wilt.
25 Years Young
Brazilian jeweler Silvia Furmanovich is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her family-owned company this year. Her jewelry incorporates design techniques and artisans from around the world, including bamboo weaving (Japan), wood marquetry (Brazil), lacquer (Japan), miniature painting (India) and horse mane weaving (Chile) to bring her jewelry to fruition.
Furmanovich’s inspirations often come from her lifelong love of travel. Her jewelry combines natural materials with precious jewels and metals, each piece handmade and inherently unique. These flower earrings are crafted of wood marquetry set in 18K gold with diamonds, rubies and citrine.
Out of This World
Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, Caroline Scheufele, is the creative force behind the brand’s world-renowned high jewelry. Chopard’s incorporation of large and important colored gemstones in its bold, colorful designs has resulted in them gracing red carpets around the globe. Chopard jewelry is especially prominent during the annual Cannes Film Festival, which Chopard has partnered with since 1998. Each year, Scheufele designs the Palme d’Or trophy awarded to the year’s best movie. In addition, she creates an annual red carpet collection of unique jewels to celebrate the occasion.
“Each piece of jewellery is a stage; each precious stone tells a story in which the art of jewellery reflects both my personal journey and universal emotion,” said Scheufele. This year’s collection is named Caroline’s Universe and is inspired by flowers, animals, couture, gems, the cosmos and the heart, according to the brand. These earrings are crafted of opals, colored sapphires, rubies and diamonds set in 18K rose gold.
Pretty in Pink
Mario Buccellati founded his jewelry store in 1919 in Milan, Italy. From the outset, Buccellati drew inspiration from centuries-old Italian goldsmithing and craftsmanship traditions, which he had learned as an apprentice at a Milanese goldsmith. The brand is also known for its hand-sculpted silver decorative objects and home decoration collections.
Buccellati’s Blossoms collection combines sterling silver with gold, diamonds and gemstones. This cuff bracelet from the collection is crafted of sterling silver, gold, diamonds and pink opal. The collection also includes earrings, rings, pendant necklaces and butterfly brooches.
The Coco Camellia
Coco Chanel was well-known for her lifelong adoration of the camellia flower. “The story of CHANEL and the Camellia began in 1913, the day Mademoiselle pinned one of the white blooms to her belt,” according to the brand’s website. “The flower’s simplicity, shape, purity and vitality (it’s not afraid to blossom in winter) seduced her. She made the Camellia more than her favorite flower—she made it a symbol.”
The iconic Chanel camellia has adorned the brand’s clothing, handbags and accessories. Chanel’s camellia designs extend to its precious jewelry offerings in the forms of bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces. This Bouton de Camélia ring features diamonds set in 18K yellow gold.
Bronze Age
Munich-based Hemmerle is a fourth-generation family-run jewelry house known for its artistic and unconventional designs. The brand only produces one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, and each design is handcrafted from beginning to end by a single artisan, bringing it from concept to creation in its on-site atelier.
Hemmerle is well-known for incorporating nontraditional materials, including bronze, porcelain and aluminum with rare gemstones. At Hemmerle, it is not unusual for a craftsman to spend 500 or more hours on the making of a single jewel. These earrings are crafted of sapphires, aluminum, bronze and white gold.
By Royal Order
Mellerio is the oldest jeweler in France, officially established in 1613 after a decree from Marie de Médicis authorized the family to run its business in France. Fourteen generations later, the brand is still run by descendants of its founding family, with its history spanning over four centuries. Mellerio crafted jewels for Marie Antoinette and Empress Joséphine, helping the brand to build a thriving business in Paris, where it remains to this day on the Rue de la Paix. The brand’s Le Petit Cactus ring is crafted of tsavorite, topaz and sapphires set in 18K pink gold.