March 2021 by Olivier Dupon - AWS
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Notes on an Obsession • March 2021 • by Olivier Dupon
Notes on an Obsession
Time flies… The March issue is here, and as usual I have curated for
you an eclectic selection of recent launches, interesting news or
worth-discovering jewellers. A much anticipated book about one of
CARTIER’s most prolific contributors, Aldo Cipullo: ‘Cipullo: Making
Jewelry Modern’; a brief introduction to CHRIS DAVIES, an independ-
ent jeweller who masters an ancient art; The niche perfume company,
YÚ PARFUMS, that will deliver unique olfactory concoctions to your
home; an ‘Encore!’ in the form of the much-anticipated MIKIMOTO
AND COMME des GARÇONS Collection Two; the pairing of two luxury
essentials, the BVLGARI SERPENTI X DOM PÉRIGNON Rosé Limited
Edition; a new creation by GÜBELIN JEWELLERY that will transport
you to the Colombian palm forests; and to conclude, a mini wish list
of three spreads that feature newsworthy, desirable luxury products
that have recently or just been launched, and that I have specially cu-
rated for you.
Olivier Dupon
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
At last! A gorgeous book about one of CARTIER ‘Cipullo: Making Jewelry Modern’
jewellery’s most defining creative contribu- Book published by Assouline. $195.
www.assouline.com
tors, Aldo Cipullo. If this name does not ring a
bell, you definitely will have heard of the Juste
Un Clou and Behind Love creations, both tes-
taments to the genius of the New York design-
er. There are probably not many other jewels
as iconic as these two, and what started as
game-changers soon became constant best-
sellers for CARTIER. Imagine how innovative
the idea of taking hardware as design inspi-
ration was at the time. In addition, these were
something that had not been properly done
so far: unisex jewels.
In order to understand how transformative
these creations were, one has to turn to Aldo
Cipullo’s life, and this new large book is here
to help. Jewellery writer and historian Vivienne
Becker worked with Aldo Cipullo’s brother
Renato Cipullo to gather anecdotes and infor-
mation to illustrate the late designer’s life and
work. Published by Assouline, Cipullo: Making
Jewelry Modern has 212 pages and 200 illustra-
tions; it comes with a linen hardcover adorned
by metal plaques that fits in a slipcase.
www.cartier.com
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
Double C de Cartier Bags,
In further CARTIER news, there is a re- all in calfskin with colour
matching enamelled
vamped metal logo for the Double C de Double C clasp; come in
Cartier bag collection. The new, partly two sizes. POA.
enamelled, stylish logo is the clasp of a
minimalist shaped bag that comes in two
sizes, mini or nano; hereby indicating that
the proportions are just right for wom-
en on the go. A black colourway is ac-
companied by three lipstick hues: fuch-
sia, cherry red and powder pink.
Les Collections de Parfums de Cartier
is a three-act high perfume homage to
roses: Pure Rose, l’Heure Rosée and Oud
& Pink. If the following description, ‘no
frills, just the pure and simple pleasure of
a hyper-realistic rose that chooses to of-
fer up her authentic, naked truth’, is an-
Les Épures de
ything is to go by, Pure Rose must be a Parfum Pure
delight. Rose Eau de
Toilette Spray.
Last but not least, within the Spring/ POA.
Summer 2021 eyewear collection, comes
the new Panthère de Cartier line, in which
the entire feline silhouette is sculpted
along the temples so as to give an im-
pression of movement.
A book, new fine jewels, bags, perfumes
and sunglasses…Once again, CARTIER
has all our lifestyle and accessory needs Panthère de Cartier Sunglasses
with smooth golden-finish
covered.
metal, brown lenses with
www.cartier.com amaranthine flash. POA.
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
Imagine a 4500 year old goldsmithing technique applied to modern Ishtar Paradise Ear Pendants
jewels; necklaces, earrings or rings that are all bridges between the in 18K gold set with golden
South Sea pearls, Kayanite,
ancient past and the present; in other words, the essence of time- pavé demantoid garnet,
lessness. The earliest example of that technique is Sumerian and is turquoise and 18K gold
called ‘granulation’. It consists of making small gold granules and woven over crystal rock.
fusing them onto a gold surface, creating one’s pattern of choice in POA.
the process.
Willing to adopt a highly meticulous and time-consuming technique
into one’s jewellery making repertoire is not for everyone, but rath-
er for an aesthete whose broad knowledge spans across art, design,
science and medicine. Chris Davies is the one, fully versed in hu-
manities (he acquired a B.A in Religious Studies from Vassar and a
Masters’ Degree in Indian Philosophy in the Midwest, then studied
fashion at Parsons and jewellery design at FIT) and with a holistic
approach to life: “an accomplished ayurvedic cook and avid traveller,
he has maintained a daily meditation, yoga and dance practice since
high school. Body awareness, nature, health and movement are at the
heart of his creativity”, says his bio. As a result, it is guaranteed that
his creations are ‘meaningful’ in the noblest sense of the word; start-
ing with the use of only recycled gold and gemstones from conflict-
free countries and the entire production being made on-site, in his
New York atelier.
All of the above is visually laid out in his Instagram feed. Images of
his desirable renditions are interspersed with photos of haute cou-
ture, ancient art, architectural details…tasteful hints to the sources of
inspiration behind each Chris Davies jewel. Take the Ishtar earrings,
an homage to the ancient Mesopotamian goddess, patron of the city
of Babylon, of the same name. The granulation is here used as a sort
of embroidery over rock crystal and the colourways are directly in-
spired by the ‘azure, green and gold Ishtar gate, whose only remnants
are coloured tiles found by archaeologists’, Davies observes.
www.chrisdaviesnewyork.com
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
Cleo Aegypte Cuff made of Usonian Delta Collar
horn set with 18K gold and in 18 gold set with
prasiolite. POA. amethysts. POA.
Two Breaths Brooch
in 18K gold. POA.
In the spectacular Cleo Aegypte cuff, the granulation bubbles out and around the cen-
tral triangular green amethyst, softening the triangle’s edges in the process. Further
symbiosis is found in the gold bead’s hue, which echoes some of the ingrained col-
ouration of the carved horn. Other signature pieces include the fluid Two Breaths
brooch that looks like a hybrid Manta ray; its dorsal spine is an elongated bar of pol-
ished gold while the body, tail, head and wings are entirely made of gold beads in
various sizes and two-tone shades of the metal. “The Hawaiian name for the animal,
‘hahalua’, translates to “two breaths” and in the creation chant, the manta leaps from
the sea into the air, a symbol of the transcendent emergence of creation from the si-
lent potential that proceeded it”, Davies muses.
You now understand that each one-of-a-kind rendition comes with a complete back-
story; straight out of the savant mind and inquisitive imagination of Chris Davies.
www.chrisdaviesnewyork.com
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
Edition II including Full size bottle of 100ml produce-
chapters IV, V and to-order from which ever mailed-in
VI and part of Chapter you fell in love with. POA.
the subscription
process. POA.
In recent years – notwithstanding the acceler- or 12 month membership) and as an online mer-
ating effect of the pandemic – scores of life- chant (full size bottles). The treat for any per-
style companies have innovated by offering to fume lover is to be found in the core concept,
experience their products from the comfort of the subscription. A pool of six international
our homes. After years of being able to order noses alternatively develop a trio of new gen-
high fashion online thanks to NET-A-PORTER, der-neutral fragrances or chapters every two
we can now also subscribe to receive fresh month (check the website to see who they are).
floral arrangements from independent flo- This access to some of the best free-lance ex-
rists and pre-cooked meals from Michelin star perts in the industry is YÚ PARFUMS’ unique
chefs straight to our doorsteps on a weekly, leverage; the opportunity to create a library of
monthly or other frequency. Has this opened niche perfumes over time is key, as are the eth-
the door for a more intimate category, per- ical credentials (vegan and cruelty-free ingre-
fumery? The answer is yes and is called YÚ dients are sourced across the world). To date,
PARFUMS. Defined as ‘a community of creative six chapters have been unveiled, so don’t miss
Perfume Authors’ by one of the founders, al- the chance to catch up and get excited about
so brand manager, Claire West, YÚ PARFUMS what olfactory surprises may come next to
works as a subscription (bi-monthly, 6 month your mail box.
www.yuparfums.comMarch 2021 Notes on an Obsession
It is nice to see that the first outcome of the collaboration Safety Pins Necklace in sterling
silver with Akoya pearls;
between two behemoths (one a jeweller, the other a fash- MIKIMOTO AND COMME des
ion house) has been such a success that a second edi- GARÇONS Collection Two. POA.
tion is unveiled this month. I am not going to tease you
any further, so let’s discover the MIKIMOTO AND COMME
des GARÇONS Collection Two. First a reminder that this
partnership is still the first fine jewellery collaboration in
COMME des GARÇONS’s history. Collection Two show-
cases seven new neckpiece designs that draw from the
punk rock era with the use of fangs, studs and safety pins,
all in sterling silver. These badass elements are more than
contrasting, they merge with the Akoya pearls. The sharp-
ness of the former meshing in harmony with the round-
ness and softness of the latter. A kind of rebellious chic
for individuals who are not afraid to show their multi-lay-
ered self. Whereas Collection One re-imagined how 18th
century strands of pearls would look today, it goes with-
out saying that Collection Two is more gender-free “The
image of pearls overlap in places with the image of Comme
des Garçons. If we talk about women’s jewellery, one usu-
ally thought of pearls. Recently, I’ve noticed how men al-
so look good when they wear pearls: the starting point of
this collaboration”, Rei Kawakubo founder of COMME des
GARÇONS says. Akoya pearls are associated with fangs
in two styles, with studs also in two styles and with safe-
ty pins in three designs. Each group includes a necklace
made of half chains, half pearls. We saw earlier how the
ideas of incorporating hardware components can revolu-
tionise a design and ultimately make it emblematic. There
is every reason to collect these new pieces; though I would
personally gravitate towards the renditions with fangs,
whose flat shape makes them rather graphic if not tactile.
www.doverstreetmarket.com / www.mikimoto.comMarch 2021 Notes on an Obsession Studs Necklace in sterling silver Fangs Necklace in sterling silver with Akoya pearls; MIKIMOTO with Akoya pearls; MIKIMOTO AND COMME des GARÇONS AND COMME des GARÇONS Collection Two. POA. Collection Two. POA. www.doverstreetmarket.com / www.mikimoto.com
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
The best of both worlds. Champagne meets high
jewellery. A case of three rare rosé vintages 2004
courtesy of DOM PÉRIGNON is the new Eve’s
apple. It is indeed guarded by a fierce BVLGARI
Serpenti snake necklace. Proof that the two are
united is twofold: the magnum bottle has been
engraved all over with the Serpenti pattern, and
its rose gold label even matches the necklace’s
main hue. Besides, the fluid neckpiece wraps it-
self sinuously around the softly curved shoul-
ders of the bottle. “The limited edition’s wood-
en case opens to reveal a custom interior lined in
Bvlgari’s signature saffron colour and deep fuch-
sia”, the team explains. Nothing is too plush for
the pairing; one of the most iconic creation by
BVLGARI (the Serpenti emblem is used in high
and fine jewellery, for watches, for the clasp of
bags, as a print motif for scarves, on the temple
of sunglasses and much more) is coupled with
the full-bodied ease of the DOM PÉRIGNON ro-
sé vintage 2004, a rather bountiful year for the
vines. Tempered by a slow, masterful transfor-
Bvlgari Serpenti x Dom
mation during nearly 12 years in the cellar, Dom Pérignon Rosé Limited
Pérignon Rosé is a gustative symphony of red Editions of 4 only
fruits for the nose and hints of green citrus for available on-demand.
the palate. The tang of a snake bite? Just four The Serpenti Necklace
is in 18K rose gold set
Bvlgari Serpenti x Dom Pérignon Rosé Limited with onyx and white
Editions will be created, available only on de- diamonds. POA.
mand beginning in 2021, in London, Milan and
Tokyo.
www.domperignon.com / www.bulgari.comMarch 2021 Notes on an Obsession
To the question: ‘are gemstones the starting point of your de-
signs?’, most of the jewellery makers whom I have interviewed,
give a positive answer. It is especially true when the said gems The Palm Earrings in 18K white
gold set with two Colombian
are exceptional. And it cannot be truer than for the Palm Earrings emeralds (respectively 4.97
by GÜBELIN JEWELLERY. The inclusions inside any emeralds and 5.39 carats), diamonds and
bear important information about the gemstone’s history and rubies. POA.
origin. They are called ‘jardins’ for their plant-like shapes. In
the case of the two step-cut emeralds of respectively 4.97 and
5.39 carats, the floral shapes evoke the Colombian wax palm,
hence the title for the earrings as well as the nature of their de-
sign. In this regard, the core identity of the gemstones have in-
herently birthed the name and style. In addition, it is sheer ser-
endipity that the inclusions of these Colombian emeralds point
out to palm trees since Quindio wax palm is the national tree
of Colombia!
For the chandelier’s asymmetrical parts, various cuts have
been specifically selected: marquise-cut to represent the palm
fronds, step- and brilliant-cuts to add details and inject differ-
ent types of light refraction. Besides, it would not be a com-
plete GÜBELIN JEWELLERY design without the signature ad-
dition of small round rubies.
Last but not least, the two emeralds have benefited from the
Gübelin Points rating system, the world first and only assess-
ment tool for coloured gemstones; and they were awarded
81.4 points for the 5.39-carat emerald and 82.4 points for the
4.97-carat one. “Comprehensive while still easy to understand,
the point system is inspired by wine ratings”, the team explains.
“High-quality gemstones which receive at least 75 out of 100
possible points qualify for the Gemstone rating, offering more
transparent information and orientation to customers, collectors,
jewellers, dealers, auction houses, etc.”
www.gubelin.comMarch 2021 Notes on an Obsession
And to conclude, a mini wish list of three spreads that feature Earrings by BOODLES in multi-
coloured gold set with Ashoka-cut
newsworthy, desirable luxury products that have recently or diamonds; Ribbons collection. POA.
just been launched.
www.boodles.com
Girl Eau de Toilette by ROCHAS
Paris available in 100ml, 60ml
and 40ml, as well as a perfumed
pencil, is a game-changer: vegan
formula with 90% natural origin
ingredients (non GMO and natural
water only) that offers floral,
woody and citrusy notes, devoid
of chemical filters, colouring
agents etc., with a ‘less is best’
design based on a recycled glass
bottle made in France and FSC
certificated cardboard box, and
the promise that Rochas Parfums
will donate 1% of the GIRL Doudou Louis by LOUIS VUITTON is
turnover to the collective ‘1% For part of the Louis Vuitton for UNICEF
the Planet’. POA. partnership; this soft Doudou Louis Toy
www.rochas.com is a warm and meaningful new addition
to the Gifting Collection. It is crafted
from organic cotton and showcases
distinctive House motifs such as the LV
signature and Monogram Flower. POA.
www.louisvuitton.com
Réjane Nano (the smallest ever
Réjane ever made) by MOYNAT
in taurillon blush with calf pearl
lining; here in Marin colourway
with palladium hardware; 14.5
x 17 x 7 cm; comes in a total of
five colours. POA.
www.moynat.comMarch 2021 Notes on an Obsession Mademoiselle J12 ACTE II by CHANEL WATCHES. Limited edition of 555 pieces. Black highly resistant ceramic and 18K white A delicate pair of Earrings by gold case, caseback set with one brilliant- HAJOOMAL Fine Jewellery, in cut diamond (~0.01 carat) engraved with carved sustainable wood with 18K “MADEMOISELLE J12 ACTE II” and “LIMITED gold wire work and diamonds. POA. TO 555”. 18K white gold and baguette pattern sapphire fixed bezel. 18K white gold www.hajoomal.com screw-down crown with 18K white gold and enamel charm featuring Mademoiselle set with one brilliant-cut diamond (~0.006 carat). Black-lacquered dial set with 12 baguette- cut diamond indicators (~0.20 carat). Black highly resistant ceramic bracelet with steel triple-folding buckle. High precision quartz movement. Water-resistance: 50 meters. Functions: hours, minutes, seconds. Diameter: 33 mm. Diamonds: 12 baguette-cut diamonds (~0.20 carat) and 2 brilliant-cut diamonds (~0.01 carat); MADEMOISELLE J12 ACTE II collection. POA. www.chanel.com Candour Beauty introduces inclusive Swedish brand Melyon Skincare by Roger Dupé. Melyon is vegan, ecological, paraben-free and hasn’t been tested on animals. The skincare line includes four products: a Milk Cleanser, Detox Serum, Day Cream and Night Cream with a focus on darker skin tones while still being suitable to all colours and skin types. “Melyon is sprung from my West African roots and traditions. In Togo and Ghana, where my parents are from, skincare is a form of self-love and something people have been doing for generations”, says Roger Dupé. “Taking care of your skin is more than a daily routine and silk-soft skin is seen as an affordable status symbol. Melyon is my way of paying homage to that upbringing, by offering products that will make people, regardless of their skin tone, feel included. Melyon is beauty through diversity.” POA. Exclusive to Candour Beauty. www.candourbeauty.com
March 2021 Notes on an Obsession
To celebrate the first anniversary of the Injecting bold colour into the new year,
reopening of 12 Vendôme, its historic GARRARD has expanded its popular Fanfare
hôtel particulier, CHAUMET unveils the collection with a new range of refreshingly
Haute Horlogerie watch ‘Infiniment 12 - contemporary Fanfare Symphony jewels. Each
Rêverie Nocturne’ with Swiss mechanical piece contrasts the vibrancy of the House’s
self-winding movement in white gold, signature coloured gemstones with the unique
bezel, lugs and crown set with brilliant- beauty of ornamental hardstones. Fanfare
cut diamonds. Dial in gold, guilloché Symphony sapphire, white diamond and lapis
and navy blue Grand Feu enamelled sky, lazuli inlay ring in 18K white gold. POA
stones micro-mosaic decor and hand-
www.garrard.com
engraved details set with brilliant-cut
diamonds. White shiny alligator leather
strap. Pin buckle in white gold set with
brilliant-cut diamonds. POA.
www.chaumet.com
Closed Frame GM Bike by LOUIS VUITTON;
Each piece is crafted by hand and assembled
in the historic Maison Tamboite workshop in
central Paris. This Closed Frame GM Bike is
an exquisite piece of design. A remarkable
attention to detail is on display, from the
cranksets shaped like Monogram Flowers to
the LV Initials on the pedals. The functional
luggage rack is adjusted with an elastic belt.
POA.
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