HERITAGE LEADS THE WAY WITH TODAY’S MOST COVETED JEWELRY

BY LAURIE BROOKINS

From the beauty of time-honored handcraft to the brilliance of rare diamonds and gemstones, the newest jewels from iconic houses are sure to inspire conversations about their stunning design and irresistible backstories.

November 2, 2022

Harry Winston

Trend may rule fashion, but when it comes to exceptional jewels, it’s all about timeless. That doesn’t mean jewelry fans must accept designs that feel too traditional or staid; on the contrary, it’s only intriguing to discover how many of today’s most-coveted diamond and gemstone designs are accompanied by heritage notes that wholeheartedly embrace the DNA of their respective houses. In other words, you may fall in love with a piece that feels thoroughly modern, without realizing its elements might hearken back to the 19^th century — and beyond.

Then again, those details are half the fun when you’re wearing a diamond or gemstone sparkler from one of today’s most sought-after jewelry labels. Whether it’s the Coco-inspired elements in a Chanel necklace, the dazzling cut of a Harry Winston stone or the history and luster of Mikimoto pearls, each comes with irresistible anecdotes that add a layer of seduction in its value as a conversation piece. With that in mind, we’re highlighting some of the season’s most stunning jewels and offering a bit of the time-honored backstories that enable these designs to transcend from luxurious to legendary.

−

SOUTH COAST PLAZA HIGHLIGHTS

THE FALL FINE JEWELRY EDIT

−

Harry Winston

Since he founded his eponymous house in New York City in 1932, Harry Winston has become known for exceptional diamonds and gemstones, and the latter inspired a grouping of one-of-a-kind cocktail rings known as the Candy Collection. Each ring highlights a fancy-colored gemstone in a statement size, surrounded by diamonds and gemstones, ranging from sapphires and spinels to Paraiba tourmalines, in complementary hues.
714.371.1910

Cartier

The seductive Panthère was first introduced on a women’s Cartier wristwatch in 1914, and in the 108 years since, this diamond-embellished cat with the emerald eyes has adorned a wide range of the house’s most coveted jewelry designs. Among the latest: This Panthere de Cartier high-jewelry necklace features a pendant embellished with emeralds, onyx, rubies and diamonds, all on a diamond-embellished chain crafted of 18-karat white gold.
714.540.8231

Tiffany & Co.

Among Tiffany & Co.’s bounty of signatures, from its Elsa Peretti Bone Cuffs to its iconic Tiffany setting, the work of Jean Schlumberger is held in deserved high regard by fans of the legendary New York house. Schlumberger joined Tiffany & Co. as its jewelry designer in 1956 and retired in the late 1970s, and during that time was prolific in creating sketches of pieces often inspired by nature, including the house’s famed “Bird on a Rock” brooch. Vine and leaf motifs also were key to his designs, including this Schlumberger Monarque necklace featuring diamond-embellished leaves set in 18-karat white and yellow gold, accented with delicate bows and a butterfly crafted of gemstones and diamonds.
714.540.5330

Chopard

Among Bvlgari’s most celebrated signatures is Serpenti, the alluring snake treatment the Rome-based house first introduced in a yellow-gold watch in the late 1940s. Over the years Bvlgari has reinterpreted Serpenti in a wide variety of motifs, including the abstract treatment seen in this necklace and matching earrings, each crafted of 18-karat rose gold embellished with diamonds.
714.432.0963

Mikimoto

In 2023 Mikimoto will celebrate the 130^th anniversary of the moment Kokichi Mikimoto successfully cultured a beautifully round pearl, and in the decades since, the house has indeed become synonymous with this lustrous stone, celebrated equally for its classic strands of pearls and for its highly modern approach to mixing pearls with gemstones and diamonds in its latest designs. The latter is true of this Akoya cultured pearl necklace that showcases a 17.89-carat tanzanite set in 18-karate white gold and surrounded by diamonds, which graduate in size as they lead to a beautifully placed set of Akoya pearls in graduating sizes.
714.424.5440

Piaget

The play of light on rare stones is an idea that’s key to many Piaget designs and is often blended with nature-driven elements to create jewels that evoke multiple luxe messages. From Piaget’s Wings of Light high-jewelry collection, this Heliconia necklace perfectly represents this idea and is named for the flowering plant with petals resembling lobster claws. Piaget craftsmen recreated the positioning of those petals using 130 pear-shaped diamonds and 16 brilliant-cut diamonds, all totaling 44.81 carats, while the asymmetric design finishes with a spectacular fancy vivid pear-shaped yellow diamond totaling 6.46 carats.
714.361.2020

Buccellati

For more than 100 years this Italian house has been crafting pieces that celebrate the art of Florentine jewelry design. Among its signatures is the mix of yellow and white gold and the exceedingly intricate metalwork that resembles lace; both are seen on Buccellati’s Unica necklace, which showcases 27 pear-shaped rubies surrounded by round brilliant diamonds, set in 18-karat white and yellow gold.
714.481.1130

Chanel Fine Jewelry

Gabrielle Chanel introduced the first-ever high-jewelry collection in 1932; dubbed “Bijoux de Diamants,” the revolutionary collection of one-of-a-kind designs put an emphasis on comets and stars, a nod to the famed couturier’s love of astrology. The house continues its fascination with celestial elements with its latest jewels, including this Comète necklace with open-front styling and crafted in 18-karat white gold, embellished with diamonds.
714.754.7295

Van Cleef & Arpels

Crafting artful pieces since Dutch diamond cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law, Salomon Arpels, founded their Paris house in 1896, this legendary jeweler continues to excel at blending spectacular stones with handcraft that surprises and delights the wearer. Transformable jewels are key to this idea, as seen in this Pompon Leila high-jewelry necklace: a cushion-shaped green tourmaline totaling 11.87 carats is surrounded by diamonds in a coat-of-arms setting, which is removable from the necklace to be worn as a brooch. The tassel below, embellished with diamonds, pearls and lapis beads, hides a secret watch with mother-of-pearl dial, which also can be removed and worn separately.
714.545.9500

David Yurman

A bona fide rock star among jewelry fans, David Yurman paid tribute to his native New York City with his latest jewelry collection, which can be seen in the architectural elements of several designs. This Carlyle necklace indeed pays tribute to the Art Deco architecture of New York’s famed Carlyle Hotel; crafted in 18-karat yellow gold, the 24mm necklace features several links pavéd with diamonds totaling 8.42 carats.
714.444.1080