Chanel’s New High Jewellery collection
For a few poetic moments, the editors of MyWatch take you along for an original tour of Venice in the wake of Chanel’s new high jewellery collection. “Escale à Venise” is a complete dive into the symbolic atmosphere of this inspiring city dear to Coco Chanel. Designed by the talented Patrice Leguéreau, director of the brand’s Creation Studio, the collection immerses us in the allegorical and illustrious world of the City of the Doges through seventy outstanding pieces.
For Chanel’s new High Jewellery collection Escale à Venise, Patrice Leguéreau gives us a precious interpretation of the brand’s icons through the majestic symbols of Venice. Mademoiselle’s favourite destination, La Serenissime adorned in this collection by unique and exceptional gemstones, carefully handpicked by the master jewellers of the house. The seventy jewellery pieces convey the very essence of this unparalleled city: its architecture and palaces, canals and gondolas, Métiers d’art and winged Lion – keeper of the queen of the Adriatic.
1st piece of the Escale à Venise: “Sérénissime”
Éblouissante, which means « dazzling » in French, is the apt name of this line. Real beauty, the set composed of white and pink geometric designs echoes the façades of the palaces and the marble floors of the churches. As can be seen on the rose gold and platine necklace with a staggered motif set with baguette diamonds. Drawing inspiration from the quilting created by Gabrielle Chanel, the piece allows for a subtle glimpse of delicate skin. Small detail but not least: this transformable necklace can be worn in seven different ways by removing some features, such as the earrings placed on each side.
For its part, the Sérénissime piece flaunts a neo-baroque style reminding of the Byzantine spirit of the mosaics on gold background of St Mark’s Basilica. Like this plastron illuminated by a shower of diamonds, onyx and diamond squares of pink, yellow and orange sapphire tesserae and spessartine garnets reflecting the light over a stunning 27.09 carat oval mandarin sapphire.
2nd piece of the Escale à Venise: “Gran Canale”
Volute Croisière, Volute Vénitienne, Volute Marine and Ruban Canotier are the four sets comprising this second stop inspired by the nautical charm of the lagoon. The emblematic white and blue mooring poles used by the gondolas appear in lapis lazuli and diamonds on a three-strand sautoir made up of pearls and yellow gold or on white and yellow gold earrings.
In red and white, the mooring poles are also featured on a red spinels and diamonds necklace. Mounted to create a twisting effect, the gems remind of the ropes anchoring the gondolas. Tribute to the Grand Canal, these pieces of Chanel’s Escale à Venise collection are extremely modern.
VOLUTE CROISIERE necklace in yellow and white gold, onyx and red spinels – Photos: Chanel.
3rd piece of the Escale à Venise: “Isole della Laguna”
Favourite flower of Coco Chanel, the camellia is at the heart of this third piece, which is an ode to the Métiers d’art. Camélia Byzantin celebrates the ancient mosaics found on the island of Torcello with an awe-inspiring necklace made of hard stones. Just like the irregular small pieces of mosaics, they outline a motif: a red camellia in carnelians and fire opals, with a pistil composed of a 10.07 carat yellow diamond.
The historic glass work of the island of Murano inspired Chanel, and was translated into the Camélia Vénitien set, combining rock crystal with yellow gold.
Cut from this translucent gem, the camellia is embellished with garlands and flaunts its beauty on asymmetric earrings in yellow gold, diamonds, and rock crystal. A pair as modern and stunning as the hoop earrings – a rare shape in High Jewellery – boasting the same precious features.
CAMÉLIA VÉNITIEN earrings in yellow gold, diamonds, and rock crystal – Photos: Chanel
As for the Camélia Baroque jewelled watch, the fetish flower here acts as a lovely cover for the diamond-covered dial.
4th piece of the Escale à Venise : “Spirito di Venezia”
Keeper of the City of the Doges, the lion always embodied the spirit of Venice – but is also an omnipresent symbol in Chanel’s creative universe. Indeed, the feline is the astrological sign of Gabrielle Chanel and an entire high jewellery collection was even dedicated to it in 2013. The lion now takes over this fourth and last set.
The Lion Secret necklace shows the profile of two white gold lions set with pear and shuttle-cut diamonds watching over a 15.55 carat pear-shaped diamond. Like a bas-relief that one could contemplate on one of the city’s monuments.
The Constellation Astrale necklace is truly an eye catcher. Chanel’s expert jewellers had the talent and inspiration to transpose the sky where the winged lion appears on the façade of Saint Mark’s Basilica on this unique set.
Carved from a lapis lazuli mosaic, the necklace features a central star set with a 4.47 carat yellow sapphire illuminated by a cluster of stars. Adapted in a bracelet, pair of earrings and ring, the set forms a poetic whole.
After unveiling Chanel’s Escale à Venise, MyWatch invites you to discover an article on the extravagance of high jewellery: