Hermès’ 2024 High Jewellery collection ventures over the rainbow

For this year’s High Jewellery collection by Hermès, creative director of Hermès Jewellery Pierre Hardy returned to his roots; “I learned about the theories of colour during my art degree, and I re-immersed myself in them with passion and method to develop this collection,” he said. The collection in question, entitled Les Formes de la Couleur, highlights the diverse beauty of gemstones and explores methods in their presentation. With a focus not only on colour, but also on form and architecture, Hardy envisioned a collection that holistically surveys how combinations of colour and geometry can evoke certain connections, acting as dazzling semiotic markers.

This expansion of essential themes leads to a range of pieces, from flowing strands of precious stones that adhere to the body’s contours to a brooch that references pixelated imagery in its colour blocking. Referencing the maison’s strong portfolio of symbols and motifs, alongside its commitment to colouristic discovery, Hardy hoped to draw on history while moving the brand forward. Wanting to bring a contemporary and “Hermès” touch to his visions of colour, Hardy planned to encapsulate all his inspirations by “seeking out as much wonder generated by colour as possible - the kind of wonder tinged with astonishment we might feel, for example, when a black and white film is colourised,” he said.

Below, explore the key pieces and themes in Hermès’ Les Formes de la Couleur collection:

Featuring nearly 1,400 stones, the 'Arc en Couleurs' necklace organically rests along the contours of the body. Based around articulated rose gold mesh work, the necklace is set with a wealth of different gemstones: blue, yellow, and pink sapphires, tsavorite and spessartite garnets, tanzanites, amethysts, and diamonds (both brilliant-cut and baguette-cut) make up the undulating gradient.

Referencing his art school background, Hardy designed this single earring in the style of a brushstroke. Representing the ‘Fresh Paint’ chapter of the collection, the curving trajectory of the earring is shaded with monochromatic tsavorite garnets. These garnets, varying in both size and colour, create a dynamic flow, evoking the impasto technique of painting with thick and visible strokes, leaving a subtle three-dimensional effect.

The one-off ‘Supracolor’ necklace is not only singular in its creation, but also in its literal representation of how we perceive light and colour. A central prism is constructed from a 18.41-carat piece of triangle-cut rutilated quartz which serves as the setting for a 1.10-carat triangle-cut diamond. Dangling from the dazzling prism is a series of coloured strands, composed of moonstone pearls, spinels, chalcedony, chrysoprase, rose quartz, and pink tourmaline.

This ‘Color Vibes’ ring juxtaposes the classical with the asymmetric, pairing an emerald-cut emerald of 4.01 carats with a wavy surrounding of baguette-cut diamonds, umba sapphires, and spessartite garnets. The precision of the setting highlights the contrasts, drawing out appreciation for both traditional techniques and more out-of-the-box settings.

Never one to back away from finery, it’s only fitting that Hermès present a piece that encapsulates a stunning meeting of High Jewellery and what is arguably Hermès’ most iconic product: the Birkin bag. This construction may not be a full-sized bag, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in sheer visual spectacle. Composed of white gold (shaped to mimic a crocodile skin pattern, naturally) and set with diamonds, yellow, blue, and pink sapphires, spessartite garnets, aquamarines, and amethysts, this is undeniably one of the most luxurious Birkins we’ve ever seen.