Dazzling, diamond dimensions!

Diamonds they say are a girl’s best friend. Mined deep from the earth’s core they find their treasured place in jewellery collections of the most amazing variety. In this edition of Aviamost we explore how leading jewelers feature diamonds in their most stunning collections, some just diamonds alone while others feature them alongside exotic-coloured gemstones of superlative variety, celebrating life’s festive moments with aplomb

At the recently held 97th Academy Awards in LA, Supermodel Behati Prinsloo walked the red carpet alongside her rock star husband Adam Levine who performed Oscar-nominated song “Lost Stars” from the movie “Begin Again”. The gorgeous model wore Swiss luxury brand de Grisogono’s Boules necklace in white gold set with black diamonds, a piece iconic to the brand, and a one-of-a-kind ring with an emerald cut white diamond of 7.56 carats surrounded by black diamonds, other guests for this year who dazzled in the Swiss luxury brand’s creations included Hilaria Baldwin wife of actor renowned actor Alec Baldwin who wore the Tubetto earrings and ring, all set with black diamonds and Zoe Kravitz, all of whom wore fine jewellery pieces by the famous brand for the prestigious awards.

A garland-inspired necklace and earrings pay homage to the aesthetic of Monsieur Dior, who found that bows were "the most elegant way to close a collar or fasten a wide belt." In lieu of the intricately twisted patterns decorated with pear-shaped pearl beads that the couturier favored, Dior Joaillerie designer Victoire de Castellane opted for pear-cut sapphires beribboned with diamonds on a necklace, a bracelet, rings, and earrings.

The location of the Dior jewelry-watches shop at 8 Place Vendôme is certainly no coincidence. Christian Dior was a very superstitious man and 8 was his favorite number. He created his fashion house on October 8, 1946, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. And his first collection was called "In eight." One day, a customer fell for five Amazing and Wonderful rings. She came in and bought all of them. Not to wear, but to recreate this Place Vendôme window that captured her imagination in her own home!

Presenting pieces of show-stopping essence is Louis Vuitton’s Acte V collection from which we feature two rings a retro-futuristic ring in white gold and diamonds anchored by a rare and unusually large (22-carat) Malaya garnet while a more directly Art Deco-informed ring in white gold, black lacquer, diamonds, and a six-carat emerald has a slight Egyptian inflection. Jewels maybe the stuff of romance but they can also capture history and culture in a way nothing else can.

Versace’s Fine Jewellery collection is full of pieces of pure luxury and the most extraordinary craftsmanship. With this collection, artistic director Donatella Versace brings together the world’s most precious gemstones to create hand-crafted pieces that reflect both the brand’s legendary heritage, and the allure and sophistication of the Versace world today. Seven necklaces, each with a different precious gem of a different colour, are redolent with intricate yet fluid Barocco flowers. These flowers are interlaced with curlicues of Acanthus leaves and their own little flowers, sprinkled with diamonds interspersed with amethyst, rose quartz and yellow quartz.

The prestigious Spanish fine jewelry Magerit, has been awarded the "People's choice" for its participation in the "Couture Design Awards", the annual couture show for exclusive and luxurious jewelry brands in Las Vegas for its pair of earrings from its "Instinct" collection inspired by the relationship between the feminine and the animal instincts, which are represented by the contrast between the woman sensitivity and the fierceness of the panther.

The sculptural woman’s body is represented in detail in her face, her hands or her long hair waving in the wind and decorated with diamonds pavé which gives realism and movement to this piece. The earrings are made of 18kt yellow gold, with shine and matte finish, intricately facetted amethysts, diamonds and black rhodium.

Yin and Yang also meet in perfect balance in three-time British Luxury Jeweler of the Year Stephen Webster’s richly Gothic collections. Softly rounded touches meet the danger of sharply pointed, dagger-like features indicating that in nature, the beauty of the rose comes along with the thorn. Webster’s love for the unusual is displayed in his Zultanite collection, named after the   extremely rare, color-changing stone by the same name, found in only one place in the world – Turkey’s remote Anatolian Mountains.

Zultanite is marked by its chameleon-like nature. Contrasting colors change from kiwi greens with flashes of canary yellow under sunny skies, to rich champagnes in traditional indoor lighting and raspberry hues in candlelight. The stunning collection unfurls earrings, pendants and bold cocktail rings, and also features black and white diamonds. Its centerpiece is Sultan’s Shield, a 96.20 carat Zultanite faceted by master cutter Stephen Kotlowski (BS, GG) of Newburgh, New York and set into a spectacular necklace. Weighing 72.53 grams as an original raw crystal and recognized as the world’s largest Zultanite, the stone took 30 hours to complete.

Pick up some smoothly rounded pebbles from the beach and in a few of them, casually embed some sparkling diamond brilliants (if you happen to have them lying around you somewhere). Now string them together and form a five-row bracelet for yourself. Appearing to capture the casual charm of just such an imaginary piece is acclaimed Italian jewellery brand Marco Bicego’s 18k yellow gold, Confetti Isola three-row bracelet with pave set  diamonds. Based in Vicenza, where his father Giuseppe Bicego began producing fine jewelry in 1958, Marco Bicego continues to delight the world with his concept of ‘Everyday luxury.’ he is known for his unique ‘guitar string’ coils, use of coloured gemstones and hand-engraved excellence recalling the Vicentino artisanship.

Swiss luxury brand Chopard's magnificent Red Carpet Collection 2014 Sapphire and Diamonds necklace is a breathtaking work of art. It dazzles with graduated openwork diamond flowers, blooming around unheated Burmese-sapphire centres and beautifully separated by delicate diamond-set spacers. Its versatile, detachable fringe can also be worn as earrings while a matching ring featuring a diamond and sapphire blossom completes this stunning set. We also feature its Sapphire and Diamond stud earrings designed for the film ‘Diana’ where Naomi Watts played the role of the ill fated British princess.

Dior's Couture High Jewellery collection is inspired by the famous luxury house’s haute couture creations. We feature a delicate set composed of a necklace and earrings paying tribute to its famous founder’s love for the bow motif. In them we witness Dior’s Artistic Director Victoire de Castellane’s expertise to render hard metal into delicate and poetic pieces where the casual elegance of a satin bow comes to the fore. Highlighted by select diamond brilliants and gorgeous, pear-shaped blue sapphires, this is a combination that the younger generation of today will particularly adore.    

The power of white is displayed in Italian jewellery brand Fope's 18k white gold Flex'it Vendome necklace, where its patented Flex’it design meets the dazzle of diamond brilliants, pave set on a square pendant. Designed to closely encircle the wearer’s neck, this is a piece of pure sophistication that can carry you from boardroom to evening glam with effortless ease. We also feature the collection’s rings in rose gold and white gold set with pave diamonds for that special dazzle on your wrist.  

What makes the London Jeweller David Morris’s Sapphire and Diamonds High Jewellery necklace all the more unique, besides the fact it hails from one of the world’s most acclaimed brands is the fact that its sapphires are cabochon-cut while its awesome diamonds are either oval or pear-shaped and cut to facetted elegance. The jewel dangles a magnificent pear-shaped diamond ringed by a neat row of pave diamonds as pendant and is crafted in 18k white gold.

“Work on your strong qualities and become resplendent like the ruby,” the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi once remarked. Such is the power and radiance of a ruby. Said to be one of the four precious stones, together with the sapphire, emerald and the diamond, rubies come in a variety of shades from pink to blood-red. In olden days, some cultures buried rubies beneath the foundation of buildings in order to attract good fortune while one ancient Egyptian belief is that rubies bestow mysterious protection on its wearer.

Inspired by this ancient belief, Italian jewellery maestro Roberto Coin places a tiny ruby in each of his timeless pieces, recognized world over as his signature motif. We present the famous brand’s Cento bracelets featuring his patented 100-facets Cento diamonds. ‘Cento’ is Italian for one hundred -- the number for perfection - which describes this new sophisticated diamond. Brilliants or round diamonds usually have 57 or 58 facets, while the Cento Diamond has one hundred, making this the most unique and individual diamond today. Crafted in 18k white gold, Roberto Coin’s Cento bracelets are true statement pieces which gain added allure with an oval-shaped tourmaline or a cushion-shaped ruby set amongst rows of dazzling Cento diamonds.  

Legendary Parisian brand Cartier’s penchant for the vanishing species, which is at present on the Red List, is witnessed in its dynamic Panthère de Cartier bracelet set with a rubellite, pink sapphires, diamonds and onyx depicting the magnificent beast possessively clasping a sumptuous cabochon ruby between its paws.

Not many of us may be aware, that once a leopard catches its prey, the powerful feline can haul the carcass up a tree and relish its meal at leisure. The only cat to do so, this ability is also one of the major factors for its success in the wild. But even this is apparently not enough to protect the animal from extinction. So it’s indeed very sad that if we do not act fast, we may only spot them on Cartier’s jewels and not see them roaming proud and free in the wild …

Given that since its beginning Italian luxury brand Bulgari favored the use of colored stones over diamonds, it is not surprising that one of its greatest achievements lies in successfully overturning the longstanding traditional hierarchy of gemstones in high jewelry by including semi-precious stones such as amethysts, citrines, tourmalines, coral etc since the mid 1960’s, revolutionizing the world of jewellery design. It is the harmony of colors rather than the intrinsic value of the gems that is at the core of all Bulgari creations. Its choice and juxtaposition of gemstones is unusual, daring and exclusively dedicated to the aesthetic. By way of temptation, we select its gorgeous High Jewellery Mvsa necklace fashioned in platinum and set with mother-of-pearl elements with 20 pear shaped rubies, 15 pear shaped brilliant cut diamonds and pavé diamonds.

Paying homage to the forthcoming centenary of the last Fabergé Imperial Eggs ever delivered, Fabergé has crafted an extraordinary, one-of-kind egg objet in collaboration with the Al-Fardan family, one of the world’s most renowned collectors of pearls. The Fabergé Pearl Egg is the first egg created in the ‘Imperial Class’ since 1917 where the Fabergé name and the Fabergé family have been united. The Fabergé Pearl Egg draws inspiration from the formation of a pearl within an oyster, and the egg’s painstakingly-crafted mother-of-pearl exterior opens to reveal a unique grey pearl of 12.17 carats, sourced from the Arabian Gulf and exhibiting exceptional purity and a highly unusual shade of grey. Harnessing 20 highly skilled workmasters, the objet embodies 139 fine, white pearls with a golden lustre, 3,305 diamonds, carved rock crystal and mother-of-pearl set on white and yellow gold. Each pearl adorning the Fabergé Pearl Egg was hand-selected by Hussain Ibrahim Al- Fardan from his private collection. An ingenious mechanism enables the entire outer shell to rotate on its base, simultaneously opening in six sections to unveil its treasure.

Tiffany & Co’s 2014 Blue Book captures all the color and energy of spring’s dramatic awakening. The magic unfolds with the rarest gemstones. Formed by earth and fire, these miracles of indescribable beauty are celebrated in designs as diverse and exuberant as nature itself. Gemstones played a key role in the American style icon’s rise to prominence from its founding in New York City to the international renown it enjoys today. Throughout its 177-year history, Tiffany dispatched gemologists to search the globe for the most extraordinary stones. Blue Book is the supreme showcase for these legendary gems. Geometrical artistry triumphs in its Sapphire and Diamonds bracelet, highlighted by tiny floral motifs while in a lovely six-petal ring, lavished with pave diamonds, a cushion-cut ruby set in the heart, asserts its presence.   

Hailed as one of the most strikingly attractive birds among the feathered fraternity, peacocks have inspired countless collections since time immemorial. One such is Spanish jewellery brand Carrera y Carrera’s Peacock collection unfurling bracelets, earrings and rings for avid jewellery lovers. The brand’s awe-inspiring high jewellery creations dazzled on stars at the recently held 29th edition of the Goya Awards night in Madrid.

The Spanish roots and daring, avant-garde character of the jewels accompanied the evening’s luminaries. The diamond was the main protagonist, and along with yellow gold, formed a perfect tandem to create bold, modern, risqué looks that drew every eye. This year was a year of marked contrasts in which jewels inspired by nature undoubtedly were some of the clear winners: tigers, snakes, dragons, orchids, herons, and even funny frogs were spotted on the red carpet. Judith Colell (Vice President of the Academy) sparkled in the brand’s perfect red carpet piece - its Peacock bracelet, blending 18k white gold, green tourmaline, iolite, blue sapphires, tsavorite garnets, and diamonds where the eternal charm of peacock feathers is brought out beautifully, through a combination of material and magic… 

The Lien’s de Chaumet’s ring was first created in the 1970’s and has since become an icon of the famous French brand. Its central motif is a knot, symbolizing a close bond with that special someone in life. The famous brand presents the Liens High Jewellery ring collection combining white diamonds and blue precious stones like sapphires, aquamarines and tourmalines from which we feature a show-stopping creation where the knot is artistically interpreted at the sides of the ring set lavishly with pave diamonds and intense blue sapphires, while a massive blue sapphire plays chief protagonist, its presence further defined by diamond glitter on all four sides.   

Graff, the London diamond jeweler’s acclaimed craftsmanship of its art continues to unveil emotive pieces dazzling with select diamonds in the most amazing cut and carat. We present its one-of-a-kind Ruby Heart and Fringe necklace showcasing 69.40-carats of diamonds and 108.10-carats of heart and pear-shaped rubies. Endlessly enchanting, the inspired piece features heart-shaped rubies tenderly emotive of Love while their intense red hue is indicative of love’s passion. Enhancing its greatness is the presence of superbly facetted diamonds in a variety of cuts embracing round, radiant and pear-shaped arranged with precision and perfection in Graff’s inimitable style.    

  Presenting us the perfect pendulum earrings is renowned pearling pioneer Mikimoto from Japan where the soft, roundness and luster of its pearls is offset by the geometry of straight lines. The pair features a pearl at the ear lobe dangling three-prongs below, pave set with diamonds and set with six pearls of varying sizes. The perfect pair for a party!

No matter what your favourite time of year, it’s Four Seasons collection of nine one-of-a- kind, limited-edition pieces is bound to enchant. Brought out to mark the brand’s 120th anniversary it features vibrant blue sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines and diamonds highlighting the grandeaur of its matchless marine merchandise.   

Leading diamond jeweler De Beers Adonis Rose diamond engagement ring is tempting enough to want to get engaged once again! In it, a dazzling variety of diamonds in every shape meet in a dance of design that’s hard to resist. The Adonis Rose collection pays tribute to the most romantic blossom of them all. It’s a perfect union of beauty and strength as seen by the delicateness of the petals and the protective nature of the thorns on the stalk which raise the rose towards light. Composed of marquise cut diamonds and pave stems it reiterates De Beers as the ‘Jeweller of Light’.’

From Chanel’s Cafe Society collection we pick its astonishing pair of drop earrings blending white gold settings, diamonds and blue sapphires. Inspired by the roaring twenties and the jazz age they sport an art deco look with geometric shapes. Included in the assortment are head-pieces and hair-combs which were trendy in the early part of the 20th century and fits in with the Cafe Society theme. At this year’s Golden Globes, new starlet Dakota Johnson was spotted wearing Chanel’s Muse ring.

Pandora’s Mother’s Day collection 2015 helps you celebrate Mother’s Day with a special gift, an everyday reminder of your eternal love and appreciation of her love and guidance. The extensive range of PANDORA jewelry is a treasury of gift ideas for all women and occasions. With charms, bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces and pendants, she can keep expanding her PANDORA collection with everlasting moments to match her style, and the combinations are endless. PANDORA jewelry will make the perfect gift for someone you care about – it is unique and special, just like her! Incidentally, for the second consecutive season, PANDORA Jewelry is honored to be the official jewelry sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, (MBFW) that took place February 12-19, 2015, at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Piaget highlights femininity and elegance with its Couture Précieuse collection, in which the Genevan watchmaker-jeweller reaffirms its inimitable style. A journey to the world of dazzling chic, where Haute Joaillerie makes a stunning incursion into the world of Haute Couture to reveal a wealth of seductive secrets.

Magnificently adorned with exquisite jewellery, women unveil some of their fascinating mysteries by playing on their seductive powers, alternately expressing the glamorous, attractive or charismatic facets of their nature. Graphic, ethereal or stylised creations accentuate women’s finest assets. The resolutely feminine Couture Précieuse collection calls for unique expertise and creativity. The articulated bracelets with diamond-set clasps are supremely discreet, while interlacing gem-studded necklaces gently caress the skin. These graphic, gossamer-light creations give pride of place to diamonds through models enhanced with colorful gems.