Century of Splendour: Louis Vuitton Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds Chapter II

Continuing its ode to French innovations of the 19th century, the Louis Vuitton Awakened Hands, Awakened Mind High Jewellery collection is back for a new and uplifting chapter. Although many of the pieces feature recognisable motifs, shapes and colour combinations that will feel comfortably familiar to seasoned LV collectors, there are some surprises in store, notably a men’s capsule range with a bejewelled compass and pocket watch. Here, Creative Director Francesca Amfitheatrof offers her unique interpretation of a pivotal period in France’s history, marked by the French Revolution, the Napoleonic era, and the rise of industrialism. Let’s see how this plays out in precious metals and juicy-coloured gemstones! 

Before diving into these latest additions, you can familiarise yourself with the Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds aesthetic via our review of Chapter I. Think of the collection as the creative expression of a period in time when the advent of mechanisation and a focus on science changed the culture of France. It’s not an easy theme to distil into high jewellery, but if there is anyone who can make it work, it’s Francesca Amfitheatrof! Her passion for interlocking precious metals, graphic forms, architectural silhouettes and large gemstones is well-suited to the concept, demonstrating a “unique ability to interpret and render the era’s industriousness and craft,” according to the Maison. 

In this new chapter, we find seven themes and 50 pieces, including a men’s capsule offering with a compass, pocket watch, a tie clip, cufflinks and brooches inspired by the 19th-century gents who shaped the world. The former – the Phénoménal Compass – is crafted in white gold, platinum, yellow gold, and mother of pearl, with a vivid green 2.71-carat tsavorite on the outer case and a second, 2.16-carat tsavorite on the chain. 

This is juxtaposed against an LV Star-cut diamond Élégance headband – a whimsical tiara-style adornment – that ensures the ladies aren’t overshadowed. The brand explains: “Reflected in the wide-ranging designs, Louis Vuitton’s strong woman is ever-present and tantamount to the country’s evolution.” In fact, many women of this era were experiencing new levels of independence and were broadening their scope and skills as artists. 

Let’s start with Splendeur, which you may recognise from Chapter I of the collection. This theme is inspired by the ornate craftsmanship that wowed France’s imperial palaces and incorporates floral motifs from royal furnishings through gem arrangements in the shape of Louis Vuitton’s Monogram flower. The new Splendeur lariat has an openwork pendulous drop, crafted in yellow gold and platinum and set with 8.69 carats of Mozambican rubies. A matching ring and earrings complete this new suite. 

Next, there’s the Phénoménal necklace with a latticework of gold and diamonds that’s inspired by France’s art of porcelain. The woven rope texture that wraps around the neck is beautifully executed, leading the eye to a 7.44-carat rectangular step-cut Colombian emerald and an LV Monogram Star-cut diamond of 2.07 carats. Around the top, a thicker band of diamond-set gold emerges like the lip or rim of a vase, complete with a large trillion-cut diamond at the centre. Remember, this twisted rope aesthetic is also present in the men’s capsule range and in further creations like a bracelet, ring, earrings, and a collar necklace, all set with vivid green gems. 

The Élégance set is ethereal and starry, with a hand jewel, headband, earrings and a brooch twinkling with LV Monogram Star-cut diamonds. The headband is the star of this night sky, although technically, it is designed to be worn across the forehead like some kind of fairytale armour. It’s set with 13 Monogram Star-cut gems for a total weight of 5.47 carats, all in 18k white gold. In terms of the 19th century theme, here, Amfitheatrof is remarking upon the spirit of invention, production and craft that proliferated in France throughout the century. I am not sure I see the link, but we can all agree that a pair of earrings with 22 carats of LV Monogram Star-cut diamonds, a transformable hand jewel/bracelet and a brooch are all worthy additions to the collection.

Gravité is the fourth theme in Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds Chapter II, incorporating a sensational white gold necklace with three cushion-cut Kashmir sapphires of 6.48, 4.38 and 2.13 carats, plus a 1.09-carat LV Monogram Star-cut diamond. This piece is all about 19th-century engineering, movement, travel and science, with overlapping lines of white diamonds evoking the idea of a pendulum swinging or “velocity in interaction, by alluding to the precious metals as conduits,” according to Louis Vuitton. Another necklace bursts with a 27.20-carat star sapphire and three rows of fancy-cut diamonds, while a matching bracelet and ring swap smooth-topped cabochons for sugarloaf sapphires. 

Now, we come to the stand-out sets, at least in my opinion. Dynamisme is inspired by train travel (a cornerstone of the LV identity) with luxurious tunnels and tracks of diamond and gold in graphic loops around the neck, wrist and fingers. The three-dimensional effect is quite sensational, hinting at the gears and cogs of a bicycle or steam engine. All the pieces in this suite are crafted in platinum and yellow gold with sparsely placed LV Monogram Star-cut diamonds throughout. 

The Vision theme has some of the most elaborate jewels, including a necklace with an emerald-cut octagon-shaped yellow sapphire of 50.01 carats and an LV Monogram Star-cut diamond of 3.07 carats. This theme highlights the forward-thinking vision of 19th-century industrialists – the people who were going to fight tooth and nail to take France into the future. The theme of train travel emerges again, this time in tracks of platinum, yellow gold and diamonds, all in an openwork frame. The rest of this suite is similarly eye-catching, with a pair of round earrings, two pairs of yellow sapphire and diamond drops, and a bracelet. 

Finally, Victoire is an ode to the Eifel Tower, the love-it-or-loathe-it Parisian landmark that symbolises engineering skill and technical ambition. The hero necklace is crafted in platinum and yellow gold with two LV Monogram Star-cut diamonds of 10.43 and 3.08 carats, both D-colour and internally flawless, in addition to yellow diamonds and further colourless diamonds. This piece alone represents more than 3,923 hours of work. A ring, bracelet, pair of earcuffs, and a pair of drop earrings complete the set, although they lack the show-stopping gravitas of the neckwear. That’s not to say they don’t contain impressive stones, however. The earrings alone contain more than 10 carats of yellow diamonds, while the bracelet presents a 3.98-carat yellow diamond in all its colourful glory. Even if you’re not a fan of the Eifel Tower, there’s plenty to fall in love with here.

So, what do you think of Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds Chapter II? Personally, there’s very little I wouldn’t do to sample the feel of the Phénoménal necklace around my neck… but that will likely remain a daydream. The power of this collection lies in the strength of its brand identity. It is so recognisably, obviously and glaringly Louis Vuitton that I can’t imagine someone mistaking it for another Maison. If that’s not a success, I don’t know what is.