Hewn from black sand, rock crystal, and thousands of diamonds, Boucheron’s newest High Jewellery collection paints a portrait of Iceland’s natural beauty
With its Carte de Blanche collections, Boucheron’s creative director Claire Choisne has free rein to follow her imagination wherever it may lead. This year, it led her to Iceland, its crashing waves, towering glaciers, and icy caves her source of inspiration. “I think it’s one of the most beautiful trips I’ve taken,” Choisne shared, “It almost didn’t feel like being on earth but somewhere else - and I loved that ‘somewhere else.’” With a lofty goal of depicting water in all its forms, Iceland was the perfect location to source references.
The resulting collection, Or Bleu, masterfully depicts everything from frost to waterfalls to ripples, a sense of majestic movement or tranquil stillness accompanying each piece. Choisne and the maison were exacting in their research and presentation, with photographer Jan Erik Waider tasked with capturing images that perfectly encapsulated each inspiring form of water from the exact places Choisne viewed them. That attention to detail is reflected, of course, in the craftsmanship as well; thousands of hours of work went into creating the collection.
Below, explore the key pieces and themes in Boucheron’s Or Bleu collection:
A waterfall of diamonds
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Photo: Courtesy of Boucheron
Measuring 148 centimetres in length, the 'Cascade' necklace represents a new frontier for Boucheron’s atelier. Inspired by the waterfalls Choisne saw coursing over cliff edges in Iceland, the necklace’s six strands wind around the neck and converge into a singular flowing piece. In line with Boucheron's history of fashioning multi-wear pieces, the lower sections of the necklace convert into a pair of earrings. With 3,000 hours of craftsmanship and 1,816 diamonds set in an articulated row, the necklace is a true tour de force.
Swirling, dark waters
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Photo: Courtesy of Boucheron
The “Eau D’Encre'' bracelet utlizes a material not commonly used in High Jewellery: obsidian. The bracelet is made from two identical blocks of the inky volcanic stone, sculpted to resemble 3D-simulated roiling waves. The glossy sheen of the stone catches the light in ripples, the obsidian band held at an angle by two sections of snow-set diamonds. In titanium and white gold, the diamonds build textural intrigue in contrast to the smoothly undulating stone, with 335 hours of craftsmanship put in.
Crystalline symmetry
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Photo: Courtesy of Boucheron
Iceland’s Diamond Beach was Choisne’s muse when it came to creating the 'Iceberg' necklace. The beach’s black sand is punctuated by shards of glaciers, ranging in size and opacity. With an otherworldly glow, these icebergs are best represented not only with diamonds, but also with rock crystal. Some of the crystal in the necklace was sandblasted, while other pieces were fitted over pavé diamonds to amplify their sparkle. 2,000 hours of craftsmanship went into this piece, with diamonds directly embedded in the crystal.
A sandy metamorphosis
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Photo: Courtesy of Boucheron
Yet another innovative approach was used by the Boucheron atelier in the 620 hours spent crafting the 'Sable Noir' necklace. While Boucheron has utilised sand in a previous collection, this year took the inclusion to the next level; black sand was compacted through a 3D printing technique. After being secured through a binding spray, the resulting material was interspersed with diamonds, evoking the white foam of the ocean against the sandy shore. With the slight iridescence of the sand complimenting the undeniable brilliance of the diamonds, the necklace is both sculptural and organic.