De Beers presents the new peerless edition of The Alchemist of Light High Jewellery! Singular in beauty, the edition focuses on light – a pure energy, emanating from the sun and stars. The collection captures the varied expressions of light – it could pierce with intensity or radiate softness, create a play of shadow, or conjure optical illusions. And when light touches a diamond, its colour, cut and the way it is set makes the relationship become even more mesmerising.
After the successful launch of the first edition of The Alchemist of Light High Jewellery collection, De Beers unveiled five jewellery sets during the Couture Week in Paris. The new lines including 45 one-off jewellery pieces, explore the light and shadow play in a riveting manner. The collections include Dusk Reflection, Ascending Shadows, Midnight Aura, Optical Wonder and Frozen Capture.
“The Alchemist of Light High Jewellery collection represents the most creatively and technically ambitious collection we have ever conceived and crafted,” says Céline Assimon, CEO of De Beers Jewellers. “Our design studio, collaborating with our specialist craftspeople, has created individual pieces that are truly wearable works of art.
“There are so many elements that push boundaries. The Dusk Reflection set not only has detachable elements, the magnificent choker transforms into two cuffs, a masterpiece of artistry and technical execution. Both the Ascending Shadows and Optical Wonder sets use coloured titanium and aluminium in striking pink and blue shades to sublime sculptural effect, showcasing both white and fancy colour diamonds. Midnight Aura, evocative of cosmic stardust, sets diamonds within the green gemstone chrysoprase, while Frozen Capture layers diamonds juxtaposed with rock crystal motifs. Every piece is as exquisite as it is extraordinary.”
Dusk Reflection
In a palette of pink and white, the Dusk Reflection set, with four unique designs, is inspired by a sunset radiating a soft glow over the horizon. Pieces are sensual and feminine, set with white round brilliant diamonds woven within alternating rose and white gold settings. Satinée radial finishing lends the gold a brushed appearance, enhancing its radiance.
Ascending Shadows
Pushing boundaries by way of style and narrative, the Ascending Shadows set contains seven architectural pieces, featuring stepped surfaces showcasing a dramatic play of light and shade, reminiscent of the spiral staircase in De Beers Jewellers’ new flagship store in Old Bond Street, London.
The inspired use of pink, blue and green anodised titanium and coated aluminium creates innovative surfaces set with rare pink and grey diamonds, as well as green and brown pink rough diamonds.
Midnight Aura
Green clouds of stardust are the inspiration for the Midnight Aura set with its five inventive pieces. Black rhodium offers the perfect backdrop to peerless white round brilliant and princess-cut diamonds. These are innovatively set within cabochon-cut green chrysoprase from Africa, a technique that requires incredible precision.
Optical Wonder
Optical Wonder is inspired by geometric patterns that create illusionary effects as seen in the work of Victor Vasarely, an exponent of the Op Art movement. The set contains seven striking pieces in which contrasting bold lines, created from pavé-set diamonds and coloured aluminium, cast beams of reflected and refracted light, drawing the eye to the stunning diamonds. In keeping with the Op Art feel, some pieces are monochrome, while others feature vibrant colours.
Frozen Capture
Ice and diamonds share such purity of beauty. And in the Frozen Capture set, inspired by the play of light through frozen rivers, six stunning pieces sparkle with artistic brilliance and diamond expertise. A first for De Beers, the set features rock crystal from Brazil, each individual piece cut solely for this project and even used as a diamond setting.
