High jewellery can draw its inspiration from an eclectic range of sources, but for Boghossian, it has a regal flavour. The jewellery house is looking to palaces from Beijing to Brighton for the new Palace Voyages collection, with the architectural and historical details of 14 palaces translated into precious stones and metals.
‘The palaces we selected for this collection are symbolic of diverse civilisations and cultures across the globe, from East to West,’ says CEO Albert Boghossian. ‘These palaces were chosen due to their notable architecture, rich historical context, vibrant colours, and intricate designs, which we believed could be elegantly translated into jewellery. Sometimes, a particular architectural detail that was especially striking or meaningful influenced our choice. For example, turquoise, gold, chrysoprase and pink spinel come together for the Amba Arches set in an architectural homage to Mysore Palace’s columns and their characteristic colour scheme. Our Garden of the Sun pieces evoke the textural work of the Rococo era, inspired by a starburst detail in the Sanssouci Palace garden.’ Other references are more abstract, drawing on a wider cultural heritage, or the appearance of the light as it refracts around the room.
A complex vision, it was not without its challenges when being brought to life. ‘Initially, some design concepts that seemed promising on paper did not translate well into wearable jewellery, necessitating multiple iterations and adjustments,’ Boghossian adds. ‘Achieving the right balance between aesthetics and functionality was a constant challenge, ensuring that each piece was not only beautiful but also comfortable and durable. Some pieces were particularly complex and required more time and effort. For example, our Winter Roses cuff and earrings, inspired by the Jaipur Winter Gate, involved intricate design elements. We had to find the perfect green tone for the prasiolites, and the rubellites needed to be meticulously recut into flower shapes and then set onto the prasiolites to capture the desired look. This process demanded a high level of precision and expertise.
‘For our Red Fortress necklace, we used a special technique to set each diamond onto the necklace using only one prong. This innovative approach was difficult to execute and required a deep understanding of both the materials and the technical aspects of jewellery making. Ensuring that the diamonds were carefully set while maintaining the sleek, minimalistic approach we wished for was a meticulous process.’
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