Crown jewels: Chaumet’s tiaras will transport you to a bygone era

Chaumet’s tiaras, a mainstay of the French jewellery house’s collections since their inception in 1780, are intertwined in historical references. The Empress Josephine was enamoured with their intricate forms and they quickly became her favourite pieces, marking the start of a fruitful relationship. Upon appointing the French jewellery house her official jeweller, the Empress inspired many of the designs which continue to endure today.

This year, Chaumet’s tiaras continue to play on the naturalist themes which have become a cornerstone of the brand’s design identity. Classic motifs such as the laurel – a favourite of Empress Josephine’s – are revisited here in Precious Foliage. Its fluid branches drawn in diamonds prove a comfortable perch for a diamond bee, who can be removed and worn as a brooch.

The pieces in Perspectives de Chaumet cut stronger silhouettes. The collection is traditionally inspired by architecture, in the past nodding to movements from the Italian Renaissance to deconstructivism and Italian futurism. The new additions develop these original influences; in its elaborate diamond mesh, Lacis recalls a twisting maze of narrow streets. The structure, rendered almost invisible in a technical feat, makes for a light and airy result. In Mirage, Chaumet plays again with the ways a piece can be worn and references fluid structures in its own form, two sections of which can be removed and worn separately.

INFORMATION

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