The Best Diamond Jewels at PAD London 2024
As PAD London Design Fair rolls out this week, it delights jewelry connoisseurs with the joy of discovering refined, one-of-a-kind pieces. Among the offerings are wearables ranging from high jewelry to fine jewelry—some are notably jaw-dropping, featuring sumptuous natural diamonds and masterful techniques, while others are quite daring, sparking intelligent dialogue about creativity.
Boghossian
Earlier this summer, Geneva-based Boghossian embarked on its latest voyage into the magical world of palaces. The Maison chose Monte Carlo as the location to unveil its high jewelry collection titled “Palace Voyages” in July.
Boghossian’s creative director, Edmond Chin, draws on history and architecture for inspiration. “What was unexpected was how the particular characteristics of these unique places seemed to almost unconsciously imprint themselves into the pieces—with very unusually beautiful effects,” Chin said.
A highlight from the Palace Voyages is the White Hall set, inspired by the Golestan Palace. This piece features a stunning interplay of rock crystal, mother-of-pearl and diamonds, offering a striking contrast between matte and glossy finishes. The collection distills elements from emblematic palaces across various civilizations, from the East to the West, including architectural significance, rich history and captivating patterns.
The Regency Residence Gleaming Foliage set references the leaves found in the center of the famous chandeliers in the banqueting room of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The design, incorporating mobile elements, features delicate natural diamond drops from fringes that seem to quiver. The furniture and paneling in Queen Marie-Antoinette’s apartments are expertly channeled through latticed diamonds and pearls in the Petit Chateau Pearl and Diamond set.
The luxury jeweler will also display its Arches collection for the first time. Inspired by the shapes and rich cultural heritage of the Multifoil Arch, the collection includes earrings and rings in white or rose gold, nodding to the art of inlay technique perfected by Boghossian.
Hemmerle
At Hemmerle, the designs trace their Bavarian spirit, with savoir-faire, technique, and beguiling mechanism triumphantly applied. Their jewels are characterized by innovative techniques, unorthodox materials, and the use of artifacts—ancient coins, ancient Egyptian faience, and even antique micro mosaics.
As many as 100 jewels have made their way to PAD, which is quite significant considering the brand produces about 200 unique jewels per year. Fourth-generation jeweler Christian Hemmerle, explains, “Exhibiting at such fairs provides an opportunity for our one-of-a-kind jewelry creations to be seen and discussed within the context of art and design from around the world, allowing for a cross-collecting perspective to be further cultivated among both new and existing audiences.” He continues, saying that at the family’s Munich-headquartered atelier, “no challenge is ever impossible, and creativity is very literally rule-breaking and boundary crossing.”
“Each jewel requires deep personal involvement from all of us, from sourcing materials to the point of inspiration and creation, making them feel like part of our lives almost as a part of our broader family in a way,” shares Yasmin Hemmerle.“What is quite special in this selection brought to the show is the diamond ring wrapped by hand in bronze wire, with an inner band of white gold. This is our first-ever wrapped stone, which sparked our creativity in a new trajectory of experimentation,” Hemmerle informs.
Among the new pieces is a stunner: a ring featuring a fancy deep brown-yellow diamond weighing over 28 carats, distilling warm autumnal hues as it lies encased in bronze and white gold. “From the signature Harmony Bangle in iron and diamonds to the significant Old Mine Diamond Earrings, each boasting over 13 carats, to the bronze basket earrings with faceted diamonds pouring outward and upward as if sprinkling the wearer’s ear.” Each creation has its own story. The goal is for each jewel to be wearable and, in a way, become part of the wearer’s identity, the Hemmerle duo points out.
Glenn Spiro
Glenn Spiro has a penchant for juxtaposing antique materials with innovative modern design. The Materials of the Old World collection is an ode to objects of historic importance. Melded with antique diamonds and gemstones, these emerge as one-of-a-kind jewels, rendering Spiro’s work utterly covetable.
Although The Materials of the Old World collection began as a conceptual experiment, Spiro and his son, Joe, soon realized that their collectors have an appetite for bold, unique jewelry with a compelling story and history. Joe Spiro, who joined his father’s business in 2017, scours the world to acquire unconventional treasures.
When asked what drives his creative pursuit, he describes it as “an authentic piece of history and beautiful old stones, coming together in a sensational and original new look.” The latest collection incorporates 18th-century antique Baoulé gold crafted in Côte d’Ivoire. Noted for their masterful weaving, carving and goldworking, the Baoulé people also created intricate gold castings that were traded throughout West Africa. Materials from different eras meld into earrings and necklaces: Baoulé gold medallions and antique taviz diamonds shine across contemporary creations, while Baoulé beads are strung into a choker with marquise-cut diamonds adorning the links.
If you love earrings, you are in for a treat. In the spotlight this week is a pair of antique Baoulé tiered danglers in yellow gold composed of 10 antique gold pieces from Africa; the gold discs are lovingly dusted in round and brilliant-cut pavé-set diamonds.
Elie Top
Paris-based Elie Top’s is bringing a new collection to PAD called “Twist”. Mechanical elements are combined in intriguing ways to reveal layered and hidden secrets. The collection references the movement of the serpent, which transforms into a symbol of seduction, fluidity, and infinity. “The concept of Twist is a playful interplay between the serpent, the dance, woman, and seduction — captured in a sensual form,” Top says of his inspiration, which stems from Charles Baudelaire’s poem “The Dancing Serpent”.
In the Twist series, diamonds emerge in subtle yet powerful ways.“The diamonds are positioned strategically, adding a refined brilliance without detracting from the intricate craftsmanship,” he explains. Used sparingly yet effectively, diamonds are placed at key points within the design to punctuate and draw attention in subtle ways.
His obsession with detail is evident in how he approaches the jewels in a three-dimensional way. This preoccupation is reflected in the Mécaniques Célèste and Sirius collections, which feature sphere mechanisms — a hallmark of the jeweler. “These spheres can be left open or closed, allowing the wearer to either conceal or reveal the hidden gem inside, depending on their mood,” the jeweler points out.
Superjewelers by Valery Demure
Curated by Valery Demure, Superjewellers corrals five independent designers whose distinctive codes and intelligent use of materials and masterful artisanship have garnered global interest. The initiative highlights works by Fernando Jorge, Dries Criel, Studio Renn, State Property, and Sarah Ysabel Narici.
Dyne
British-Italian designer Sarah Ysabel Narici’s new Immortality collection ingeniously balances “the ancient with the modern, the myth with sci-fi.” The founder of the New York-based brand Dyne recalls her long-standing fascination with the theme of immortality and the research into ways to prolong life. The relationship between humans and future technologies forms the crux of her new work, with the pieces being an “ode to past, present and future.”
“Sinuous forms evoke slow-moving liquids, scientific tubes, and laboratory equipment.” Unusual cabochon cuts set into smooth, liquid forms mimic the motion of slow-moving liquids,” Narici explains. The 15-piece collection features rings, earrings, ear cuffs, and necklaces using diamonds and colored gems.
A pair of double ear cuffs with reverse-set diamonds exemplify condensation rendered through spiky diamonds. In another sleek statement, the Aqua Nemes Necklace highlights the use of custom-cut diamonds: smaller special-cut diamonds flank a series of elongated central baguettes in yellow gold.
Narici charters new territory with her vial, laboratory, and tubular style references. She effortlessly dips into her creative crucible with glyphs and symbolism when the design demands. There is never a dull moment with Dyne.
Dries Criel
Through his eponymous brand, Dries Criel reimagines classic shapes and translates them into contemporary pieces. Drawing on bold, sensual lines, he leans on “fully traceable materials” to craft his handmade designs. The young designer works with talented craftsmen in Belgium and Italy to bring his vision to life. “I believe in creating signatures and a natural evolution of a design aesthetic,” he says. His Anubis Ring is designed to depict gold arms cradling the Sun, with a central stone to mimic the sun: a 5-carat brown diamond that shines brightly.
State Property
Singaporean label State Property, founded by husband-and-wife duo Afzal Imram and Ruiyin Lin, is redolent of architectural inspirations, thanks to their backgrounds in jewelry and industrial design. The special edition Battuta ring, sporting a 1.4-carat diamond nestled in black onyx, is accented with swirls of black enamel along its shank. “This is a twist on one of our signature pieces. The motif represents the tracks or path of a voyager, symbolizing the journey of exploration and discovery,” says Imram, co-founder.
The Edessa series draws inspiration from the majestic arcs of Byzantine architecture and captures the intricate craftsmanship of the era through undulating waves, notes Lin. Statement pieces from the brand include the Edessa Dewdrop Grand Earrings, necklace, and ring, featuring Zambian emeralds, Akoya pearls, and diamonds. “It symbolizes the cyclical nature of life — how the wisdom of the past illuminates the present and serves as a guide for the future,” she explains.
Studio Renn
Mastering the art of taming concrete dunked in acid is a tall order that requires expertise and patience. Insatiable experimenters, Mumbai-based husband-wife duo Rahul and Roshni Jhaveri, founders of the material-agnostic Studio Renn, possess both in abundance. Reflective and unpolished gold, innovative setting techniques, special-cut free-form diamonds, and acid-treated concrete are explored through four distinct series — Cacti, Seed-Leaf, Puffball Voids, and Concrete — that capture the innovative spirit and experimental nature of their design practice.
Here, unpolished casting skin on gold (a technical in-house innovation) contrasts with the polished rims of the voids, while the structure is punctuated by diamonds and pearls.
Reinforced with gold and diamonds and acid-treated, the Concrete works are a study in atrophy. A contemporary design, the Seed Leaf earrings feature diamonds secured within gold cells devoid of prongs. The sparkle of the diamonds cast its reflection on the gold surface within. “The pieces for the show are an ambitious effort at the Studio to create an Indigenous contemporary aesthetic — one that is our own — drawing on symbolism, meanings, significance, and sensibilities from India,” says Rahul Jhaveri, creative director and co-founder.
Fernando Jorge
Brazilian-born and London-based designer, Fernando Jorge’s, latest collection, Deep Stream is a nod to sinuous forms, volume, and curvy silhouettes. This edition employs wood as the core material–besides using several pear-cut brown diamonds, set in 18k yellow gold–offers a clear demonstration of knowledge and technique.
The Deep Stream collection reveals the triumph of an unusual natural material–Red Louro wood. “My passion for jewelry is an outcome of my deep appreciation for nature, and the opportunity to work with the most excellent natural materials,” says Jorge. The “ethically sourced wood” from the deep forests of Amazon, to Jorge, is “just as precious and exciting” as a rare gem as well as something he wants to “celebrate.” Red Louro wood, known for its flexibility and strength, used in this particular edition was provided by Idesam, an NGO that works to foster sustainable use of the Amazon’s natural resources, informs the designer.
The skill Jorge exudes in drawing out the design into life through the challenging medium of wood, and with the exemplary skills of his artisans back home in Brazil, marries old-time artistry and innovative techniques with contemporary poise. Deep Stream transcends the ordinary with precision. Indeed, it is an homage to craftsmanship and Brazil.
Carpenters Workshop Jewelry
Carpenters Workshop Jewelry in London has unveiled a retrospective celebrating the works of jewelry designer Castro NYC, also known as Terry Castro. The collection features pieces completed posthumously in collaboration with the late jeweler’s son, Sir King Castro. Fancy-colored diamonds, gems, and precious metals embellish the shield lock and falcon crest necklace.
