The Evolution of Fine Jewelry

In an ideal compendium of the history of modern high jewelry, three iconic pieces from three companies deserve a place of honor: the Zip by Van Cleef & Arpels, the panther by Cartier, and Bulgari’s snake, which are more than jewelry, symbols of that magical mix of creativity, craftsmanship and innovation at the basis of the DNA and heritage of each brand. But how do certain masterpieces become timeless “hero products”? The origin of the first two pieces is linked to a particular person, the Duchess of Windsor, born Wallis Simpson, who not only managed to convince Edward VIII to abdicate the throne of England but also to literally get herself covered in magnificent jewelry, often made to her precise specifications, as in the case of the Zip. The Duchess apparently wanted an item of jewelry that was versatile, “smart” and elegant but with a unique twist, and so, in 1933, Renée Puissant, daughter of founders Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef, made an initial sketch inspired by a zipper, whose gold tassel-shaped slider allowed it to be opened or closed, converting it into a bracelet. An idea so revolutionary in design and technique – some models boast more than 600 stones – that it took until 1950 before it could be admired. Its apparent simplicity inspired by an everyday object hides a unique transformability, both in the 1950s and still today, so much so that it has since been reproposed in a multitude of chromatic and material combinations. Cartier's splendid feline made its appearance in 1914 as a decoration on the back of a watch, but it was in 1948 that it became the main feature of a diamond and onyx brooch surmounted by a 116.74 carat emerald, an exceptional cadeau commissioned by the Duke of Windsor for his beloved. The sketch was signed by Jeanne Toussaint, the company’s art director and one of the most important designers of the 20th century, who, perhaps sensing the charismatic power of the panther, finally proposed it in a three-dimensional version. 1948 also saw the debut of Bulgari's Serpenti motif, first in the form of a watch-bracelet using the Tubogas technique, and then spanning every kind of jewelry and fashion accessory, studded with precious stones and handcrafted, multicolored enamel scales. Creations born as one-of-a-kind pieces that then developed into endless, timeless collections that know how to take the most interesting ideas from the trends of the moment and make them their own in a “wise” and continuous evolution. The “bestiary” of high jewelry could then continue with Tiffany & Co.'s exotic Bird on a Rock, designed in 1965 by Jean Schlumberger, which, in the beat of a wing, transports us to the enchanted world of Wallace Chan, a contemporary artist who appears to have fully grasped the spirit of the greats of the past that innovated without detaching from the tradition that made them such. And so, we have his ethereal cicadas and butterflies molded in varying shades of titanium, his parures with stones of many carats featuring the “Wallace Cut”, a three-dimensional engraving technique with surprising optical effects, somewhat of a trademark for the Hong Kong designer. In this way, Far Eastern and Western aesthetic standards merge into wearable miniatures, the result of combining art and engineering. The “new wave” of independent designers also sees Joel Arthur Rosenthal, aka Jar, on the crest of the wave, conservative in his techniques but bold in his choice of materials and his utterly snobbish decision to not put a sign above his Place Vendôme boutique. Those who know him also know which doorbell to ring, and he knows who to open to: Elle Macpherson, Mary Pinault, international movie stars who adore his sculptural earrings and everything that his hands and vivid imagination can create. A decidedly over-the-top aplomb, initially cultivated in his native New York and then at Harvard, by virtue of his degrees in art history and philosophy. Instead, 231 Rue Saint Honoré is the address of Lydia Courteille’s showroom, a born and bred Parisian who draws her inspiration from history, mythology, popular culture and nature, without boundaries and with no continuity solution between the real and the surreal. Particular, and often unknown stones, such as “Druzy” chalcedony, blue hauynite and Mexican fire opal combine with black rhodium-plated gold and titanium, making the imagination soar, as in her “Reine de Saba” collection, whose subjects are taken from Ethiopian traditions. Alessio Boschi, an eclectic designer from Rome now living in Bangkok, where he skillfully mixes the art of carving typical of those latitudes with more “homegrown” techniques, enhanced by miniature masterpieces such as the ring that reproduces the Colosseum or the Barcaccia fountain in Trinità dei Monti, focuses on Ancient Rome, Marco Polo's travels and other more or less well-known epics. Fabio Salini, although born in the same urban context, after having cultivated his talent within fashion houses such as Cartier and Bulgari, landed on a diametrically opposite aesthetic made of minimal, essential, sometimes exaggerated and out-of-scale lines, molded in carbon fiber, copper, bronze, ebony and rope, unusual materials worked by hand as if they were gold to enhance rare stones. Worn by Rania of Jordan and members of the jet set, these unique and absolute pieces give a contemporary vision of high jewelry that, while capable of small great revolutions, never disregards the past.