Say oui to chaumet’s brand Of effortless french chic For her, and even him.
Say oui to chaumet’s brand Of effortless french chic For her, and even him.
Something has to be said for a jewellery maison that has remained adored by women ever since its establishment in 1780. In its early founding years, Chaumet had served the French court and its bevy of beauties, including Empress Joséphine, who was the fashionista of her day. Over two hundred years later, the craftsmanship and aesthetics of the Parisian house continue to enthrall celebrities and stylemakers like Laetitia Casta, Jay Chou’s wife Hannah Quinlivan, Sophie Marceau and Audrey Tautou.
What’s so unique to Chaumet, and has ensured its continued relevance, is its signature style of crafting fine jewels of effortless femininity and lightness that exude a certain je ne sais quois—much as a modernday Parisienne would prefer them. The Maison’s creations are always wearable, chic and versatile, even when they are diamond tiaras or pieces that feature evergreen motifs from its historical archives, such as the bee and other naturalistic designs.
Whether you’re choosing to dress up or down with a Chaumet piece this festive season, the result is always playful and alluring. The new Jeux de Liens designs from the iconic Liens collection are not just stunningly fresh and easy-to-wear, they are also adorned with gemstones for the first time to evoke the crisp white and blues of a sun-lit swimming pool. Made with mother-of-pearl, turquoise or lapis lazuli set in rose gold, these “mini liens” doublerow bracelets and pendant necklaces wear like second-skin and symbolise the ties between two souls.
For something dressier, the Hortensia Voie Lactee fine jewellery collection can do no wrong. After all, it is inspired by none other than Chaumet’s influential patron Empress Joséphine and her passion for flowers and gardens. Flaunting a rich colour palette, voluptuous forms and the Maison’s signature versatility, the collection features the Hortensia flower as the central motif, and a gemstone combination of blue sapphires, tanzanites, diamonds and white chalcedony. The collection’s showpiece is the lustworthy white gold pendant necklace that is transformable into a brooch and hair pin.
Just as Chaumet’s jewellery stay relevant with the times, so do its timepieces. Designed as “jewels that tell the time”, they perpetuate the Chaumet tradition of jewellery watches, which it has been creating since 1811. Discover sheer refinement and modernity in the new Liens Lumière watch collection, which radiates beautifully with mother-of-pearl and scintillating diamonds.
Featuring a circular dial and diamond-studded bezels with a unique cushion-shaped design for the case and lugs, the models come in 27mm and 33mm sizes in stainless steel or white, yellow or pink gold. Equipped with a Swiss quartz or self-winding mechanical movement, they are as delightful as their jewellery counterparts, with a choice of 12 brightly coloured bracelets.
For the man who will not settle for anything less than a standout timepiece, why not gift him the iconic Dandy watch? Resolutely masculine and urban, the watch’s emblematic cushion-shaped case was inspired by the famous Regent diamond set onto Napoleon’s consular sword by Chaumet’s founder Marie-Étienne Nitot in 1802, while the asymmetric bayadère-striped motif dial has been a house signature since 1920.
The 2016 models come in 42mm steel and 38mm pink gold, and feature a skeleton sapphire case back with a view of the Swiss self-winding mechanical movement, and a black galvanic dial accented with polished stick indexes and a date display at 3 o’clock. In fact, the Dandy makes such a bold statement that it’d look right at home on the wrist of the sassy lady about town, too.
STYLE WATCH.
Bold yet refined, sleek yet brilliant, Chaumet’s Liens Lumière and Dandy watch collections are designed to be timeless, iconic masterpieces that are wearable day to night regardless of the occasion. While both are created with the modern jet-setter in mind, they draw on a variety of rich historical references from the Chaumet archives.
FEEL THE BLUES.
Complementing the colours of this wintry festive season are mesmerising gemstones in various shades of white and blue. Chaumet’s casual-chic Jeux de Liens collection flaunts mother-of-pearl, turquoise or lapis lazuli; while the Hortensia Voie Lactee fine jewellery collection parades captivating blue sapphires, tanzanites, diamonds and white chalcedony.
