A cabinet of curiosities

JEWELS ADD a slight touch of glimmer and glow to a woman’s beauty and grace. Seduction, elegance, luxury and grandeur are just a few of many sensations a woman feels as she dazzles in Boucheron jewels. Boucheron is worn to feel, visualize and even to savour, arousing one’s many senses.

The House of Boucheron was founded in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron. It was the beginning of a French brand name that would soon go down into history and into the hearts of many jewellery lovers. In 2008, it celebrated its 150th anniversary. For years, Boucheron clientèle included the Royal Family and actresses including Rita Hayworth, Greta Garbo, Eva Longoria, Penélope Cruz and a long list of other stars. Currently, there are forty-five Boucheron boutiques all over the world. From boutiques in Dubai, Shanghai, Monaco, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Moscow as well as Saint-Tropez, the Boucheron presentation travelled back to where it all started: Paris.

On January 27, the House of Boucheron presented visitors with its new season’s jewellery collection called Cabinet de curiosités, or Cabinet of Curiosities. Upon entering the boutique at Place Vendôme, guests prepare themselves to enter into a different world. Behind the velvet curtains opened golden-coloured globes imbedded with velvet padding, placed in the centre of the rooms as guests indulge in the mystery contained within. The presentation’s title is projected on the wall in an intense burgundy; people instantly sink into the world of curiosity, fascination, exquisiteness and brilliance.

Two rooms hold a total of seven themes and tales to tell. The dark and mysterious space arouses absolute wonder and surprise. The jewels marvellously twinkle and shine.

The new collection is based upon the beauty of animals in a realistic world as well as a fantastical universe. Each globe is separated according to a theme, and for each theme there is a sound that is played in the background, adding a deeper radiance and mystery.

As we make our way around, we begin with ‘Tales and Legends’, ‘Playful Nature’, ‘Bewitching Snakes’, ‘Exotic Parade’, ‘Aquatic Waves’, and ‘Wings of Desire’, ending at the 2011 ad campaign. We had set forth into a jungle, rainforest, dream, underwater and in the air to where a variety of creatures venture and set sail.

‘Tales and Legends’ beholds five jewellery pieces of animals evolving from a world of fantasy. Such a display permits one to enter an imaginative universe. The fancy and magical music is lightly played to recreate this original world of wonder. The centrepiece provokes absolute beauty: the Khepri watch covered with diamonds, as well as onyx on a white gold surface, has two pieces designed as wings made from lapis lazuli. The pieces can close together to easily transform into a simple bracelet, hiding the watch that is enclosed. Many Boucheron pieces contain hidden secrets that only the wearer is capable to unveil.

As our imagination is vividly aroused we make our way to the next globe: ‘Playful Nature’. With nine beautifully displayed pieces, real creatures virtually come to life. A range of chameleons, snails and frogs glimmer and shine as the sound of the forest is heard, no longer needing to imagine but only having to visualize and believe. A ring in the shape of a frog is set with tsavorites, diamonds and rubies shining on white gold as it wraps around a cabochon moonstone. Other beautiful forms coming to life are fascinatingly envisioned as setting free with finery.

Shifting from one globe to another we arrive at the ‘Bewitching Snakes’. The snake design is a famous form that has constantly appeared in other Boucheron collections. A sexy and seductive stir is highlighted through such snake figures. One of eight pieces featured is a necklace in the form of a serpent with twinkling precious stones that wonderfully brings the creature to life. Set with spessarite garnets, red and pink spinelles, yellow sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, it is just one of many pieces that highlight a luxurious perspective. A small slithering tongue is added as a touch of detail to the piece; however, with one touch of an almost invisible switch the tongue can be extended—another feature held in secrecy, one that only the wearer would know about. The sound of slithering snakes can be heard as people witness the array of elegance.

The adventure has yet begun as guests enter the second room. The sound of India rings its way into people’s ears as visitors arrive at their fourth destination: ‘Exotic Parade’. A set of nine pieces are presented in the form of animals from India, including elephants.

Leaving the land and diving into the deep blue, we arrive in the ‘Aquatic Waves’. A pair of earrings with a range of colour tourmalines accompanied by diamonds along with purple and pink sapphires is placed in the centre of the collection.

Up to this point, we have actively used our imagination, landing on earth and diving far down into the sea; however, we continue our adventure in the air, arriving at the ‘Wings of Desire’: wonderful creations of wings and birds formed to fly and land on a woman’s skin as she escapes reality.

A variety of precious stones are used in this collection including black diamonds, lapis lazuli, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, aqua-marine and other remarkable pieces forming artistic and glamorous creations. The assortments of colours are stunningly combined together.

To fully conclude the tour, we arrive at the last globe which represents the 2011 ad campaign. An image of a purple cat holding Boucheron’s famous Quatre Bague in its mouth with seductive and luring eyes staring at the spectators is projected. The Quatre Bague is a well known Boucheron design that has four different rings coming together as one with yellow, white, pink and chocolate gold. The picture of the cat portrays allure, attractiveness and intensity, a few of many words that have come to define Boucheron jewellery. •

Lola Saab is Paris editor of Lucire.