While watch and jewellery designers tended to embrace the warm, coppery tones of rose gold in the last decade, the primal power of yellow gold has risen once again. In ancient times, this gleaming earth-born metal was thought to possess mystical powers, with ancient cultures believing it to emit the energy-giving power of the sun.
Bauhaus colour theory, too, recognises the enduring allure of yellow chroma – for Kandinsky, who associated shapes with musical notes, yellow, with its bright nature, was both a middle C on a trumpet and a sharp, uncompromising triangle in form.
For jewellers such as Annelise Michelson, thick loops of golden metal pack a powerful sartorial punch when plaited into a bold cuff, while Misho’s huge pear-drop loop earrings offer a glinting fragility, showcasing a more delicate side to the metal’s tough nature.
Paris sculptor Hélène de Saint Lager, meanwhile, synthetically heightens the textural quality of gold in its raw state by way of her signature papier-mâché and resin alchemy. It's the dawning of a shining new era.
Estruscan-style gold cuffs, £30,600 each, by Van Cleef & Arpels. ‘Carla’ clip (top right) in 18ct Siam gold plate, £150; ‘Sara’ clip (centre left) in 18ct Siam gold plate, with fancy vivid blue diamonds, £420, both by Patcharavipa. ‘L’esprit du Lion’ earrings in 18ct gold, beryls and diamonds, price on request, by Chanel Fine Jewellery. Watches & Jewellery Director: Caragh McKay. Fashion: Jason Hughes
Heritage 1970s pendant in gold (top left), £22,100, by Van Cleef & Arpels. ‘Delilah’ necklace in 18ct gold and diamonds (top right), £63,400, by Boucheron. 18ct gold earrings, circa 1970s, £4,950, by Ilias Lalaounis, from Hancocks. ‘Nougat’ ring in gold, £6,100, by Dior Joaillerie. Watches & Jewellery Director: Caragh McKay. Fashion: Jason Hughes
Left, clockwise from bottom left, ‘Butterfly’ ring in 18ct Siam gold and diamonds, £1,500; ‘Reef’ ring in 18ct Siam gold and diamonds, £1,750; both by Patcharavipa. 18ct gold bracelet, circa 1970, £8,750, by Wolfers, from Hancocks. ‘Dynamic’ bracelet in 24ct gold-plated silver, €290, by Olivia Barthe Jewellery. ‘The Acrobat’ golden armpiece, £250, by Bjørg. ‘Dash’ rings in 18ct gold, from £675 each; 18ct gold band, from £980, both by Sian Evans Jewellery. Top, £250; cardigan (worn underneath), £375, both by Pringle of Scotland. Right, ‘Cyclops’ ring in 18ct gold with peridot, £10,500; ‘Eye’ ring in 18ct gold with orange spinel, £15,900 for set of two, both by Cora Sheibani. Watches & Jewellery Director: Caragh McKay. Fashion: Jason Hughes. As originally featured in the May 2019 issue of Precious Index
-
NAMM 2025 round-up: ten take-aways from the world's most important music showCalifornia's annual NAMM show brings musical instrument manufacturers big and small to show off their latest wares and audio innovations. Here are ten of the best from 2025
-
Santa Monica hotspot The Georgian Room is a rare, well-done steakhouse speakeasyHidden inside The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica, a restored speakeasy that lovingly nods to its storied past
-
In St Barths, Cheval Blanc is an oceanside oasis soaking in turquoise viewsFollowing its 10th anniversary, Cheval Blanc St-Barth continues to shine as a pearl of the Caribbean
-
Jewellery designer Solange Azagury-Patridge celebrates three decades of precious witA new book illuminates a 30-year career of darkly fanciful high-jewellery design, and a smacker of a semi-precious hit
-
High jewellery is given a literary twist in Van Cleef & Arpels' new Treasure Island-inspired collectionVan Cleef & Arpels look to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story for a high jewellery collection in three parts
-
Take a look at the big winners of the watch world OscarsThe Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is the Oscars for the watch world – get all the news on the 2024 event here
-
An impressive private jewellery collection goes on public display in Dubai, organised by Van Cleef & Arpels’ L’École, School of Jewelry ArtsLate French collector and antique art dealer Yves Gastou amassed an impressive ring collection, now the subject of an exhibition, ‘Men’s Rings, Yves Gastou Collection’
-
What happens when a Chanel watch becomes a sound machine?Meet the Chanel Première Sound – an adaptable necklace with a watch and removable earphones
-
Chanel shows its sporting colours with a bold high jewellery collectionChanel's high jewellery collection is inspired by its founder’s athletic aesthetic
-
Wild beauties: high jewellery dripping with dramaThe latest high jewellery collections are fantastic and flamboyant, drawing on a wealth of influences, from a Chopin composition and César Ritz to crocodiles and colour refraction
-
Boghossian looks to the palaces of the world for a regal high jewellery collectionBoghossian's new Palace Voyages collection is inspired by royal architecture
