Tiffany & Co. Pays Homage To Jean Schlumberger With Its Latest High Jewellery Creations
To say that Jean Schlumberger was a jewellery designer would be an understatement — an affront, even. The Frenchman was, in actuality, an artist, and one of the 20th century’s most gifted at that. Heavily inspired by nature’s beauty and bounty, the late Schlumberger employed lustrous gold and platinum as his canvas, and polychromatic gemstones and pailloné enamel as his paint. The outcome was (and is) an impressive oeuvre of whimsical and fantastical creations, infused with wit and curiosity, and tantamount to precious masterpieces.
Having gotten his big break at Elsa Schiaparelli’s eponymous couture house, his deft handiwork caught the eye of Walter Hoving, then-chairman of Tiffany & Co., who, with great foresight, brought Schlumberger on board in 1956. The artist would go on to spend two decades at the famed jewellery firm, where he eventually became vice president and amassed a considerable following that included Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, Gloria Vanderbilt and more. Fun fact: the Frenchman was one of only four creatives allowed to put their stamp on Tiffany & Co.’s wares, the others being Frank Gehry, Paloma Picasso and Elsa Peretti.
Over half a century later, Schlumberger’s legacy lives on at Tiffany & Co. — several of his designs are, remarkably, still in production, and just recently, the luxury house unveiled a high jewellery line that taps on his extensive archive, aptly titled “The Legendary Designs of Jean Schlumberger”.
Bringing his most iconic motifs (back) to life in a breathtaking celebration of flora and fauna, Tiffany & Co. introduces an exquisite series of necklaces, rings, bracelets, clips and earrings in 18-karat gold, diamond, ruby, sapphire, garnet and the like.
The standout Baguette Fringe necklace, for instance, echoes a wreath of foliage with its halo of polished platinum tassels, illuminated by more than 85 carats of baguette- and brilliant-cut diamonds, and finished with a surprising pop of colour via a blue sapphire clasp.
The Fish clip brooch, on the other hand, swims gracefully through the air, its lithe yellow gold body adorned with scintillating emeralds, round-cut pink sapphires and diamonds of varying sizes, while an efflorescent ring takes shape as fluid spirals of yellow gold and delicate platinum petals encrusted in diamonds, with a richly saturated emerald at its heart.
Take a closer look below:
"The Legendary Designs of Jean Schlumberger" collection is available for viewing from August 21 to September 6 in Singapore at Tiffany & Co.'s ION Orchard boutique. Viewing is strictly by appointment.
